Orebić

Orebić
Municipality
Općina Orebić

view of Orebić from west
Orebić

Location of Orebić in Croatia

Coordinates: 42°58′N 17°10′E / 42.967°N 17.167°ECoordinates: 42°58′N 17°10′E / 42.967°N 17.167°E
Country Croatia
County Dubrovnik–Neretva
Government
 • Municipal mayor Tomislav Ančić
Population (2001)
 • Total 4,165
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 20250
Area code(s) 020
Website

Orebić [ɔ̌rɛbitɕ] (Italian: Sabbioncello) is a port town and municipality in the Dubrovnik-Neretva county in Croatia. It is located on the Pelješac peninsula on the Dalmatian coast. Orebić is directly across a strait from the town of Korčula, located on the island of the same name. Ferries service the two towns frequently. Orebić is 112 km (70 mi) from Dubrovnik.

It was named after the family who restored the castle inside the fortified settlement in 1586.[1] During the 19th century, Orebić had 17 of the most important nautical captains in Austria-Hungary Empire.[2]

Tourism

Tourism is one of the town's main sources of income, especially during the summer months.[3] In the 1960s a large number of non-locals (mostly from larger cities in the then former Yugoslavia) built homes for their summer holidays. In subsequent years, tourists from other countries started to arrive. Today, people from Hungary, Germany, and Italy most frequently visit the town. However, the town is also gaining in popularity with many other nationalities including Polish, Czech, Slovenian and UK visitors.

The town now boasts a number of high-quality hotels including the Hotel Indijan and the Grand Hotel Orebić. There are also numerous camp sites located around the town that also cater to camper vans. The town's main beach at Trstenica is also a big attraction. Many locals also rent out rooms or apartments during the high season.

The Franciscan monastery of Our Lady of Angels is a popular attraction. Visitors are also drawn to the Mount of Saint Elijah (Croatian brdo Sv. Ilija) located behind the town which offers a good view of the island of Korčula and the Adriatic Sea. There are many hiking paths from Orebić and nearby villages that lead to the summit and are well sign-posted.

At the eastern approach to the town, just before Trstenica beach, Korta Katarina is currently being renovated. This building is expected to house a boutique hotel, wine tasting room, and be home to the winery of the same name which produced local varieties such as Pošip and Plavac Mali.

Transport

Orebić is easily accessible by road and ferry. It is some 90 minutes drive from Dubrovnik and some 3–4 hours drive from Split, both of which are accessed via the Adriatic Highway (European route E65) which is accessed via nearby Ston. The drive from Ston to Orebić takes you through some of Croatia's largest vineyards including those at Potomje and Postup. The road is constantly being upgraded and, while being quite windy, it is in generally good condition.

There are numerous ferry connections to Korčula each day from Orebić. The car ferry deposits passengers some 3–4 kilometers from Korčula Town and, therefore, is not suitable for foot passengers. There is also a passenger ferry that deposits passengers directly in Korčula Town. Car ferry tickets must be purchased in advance of boarding the ferry at the Jadrolinija booth near to Splitska Banka. Tickets for the passenger ferry can be purchased when boarding the craft.

From Korčula, you can connect with a variety of other ferry services including the main Rijeka-Split-Stari Grad (Hvar)-Korčula-Mljet-Dubrovnik-Bari ferry service operated by Jadrolinija. In addition, there are fast ferry services from Korčula to Dubrovnik and to Hvar Old Town-Split. There are also services to nearby islands such as Badija.

Bus services operate from Orebić to Dubrovnik, Split and Zagreb.

Services and facilities

Orebić is well-serviced in terms of supermarkets (such as Konzum and Studenac), a medical and dental center, newsagents (also selling international newspapers), pharmacies, post office, bakeries, banks, hair salons, building providers, garden centers, bars and restaurants with the majority of services being located along the town's main thoroughfare.

Municipality

According to the 2001 census there were 4,165 residents[4] in the municipality of Orebić, with 93% being Croats. There are a large number of home-owners in the town who do not reside there permanently.

The list of inhabited places in the municipality, and their respective populations:

The municipality is divided in the following districts:

DistrictPopulationNumber of households:
MO Orebić 2410 773
MO Lovište 244 78
MO Kućište 204 75
MO Viganj 322 120
MO Borje i Podobuće 35 11
MO Donja Banda 170 72
MO Potomje 256 84
MO Kuna 258 88
MO Oskorušno 126 43
MO Pijavičino 143 60
MO Trstenik 97 40

Notable people

Picture gallery

References

  1. ↑ Naklada Naprijed, The Croatian Adriatic Tourist Guide, pg. 330, Zagreb (1999), ISBN 953-178-097-8
  2. ↑ Orebić www.korcula.net
  3. ↑ Orebić
  4. ↑ Croatian Census 2001/Popis stanovništva 2001. www.dzs.hr

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Orebić.