This place is stunning and gives a wonderful homely vibe. It's clear how much love and care have been invested in both the place itself and the experience of the guests.Alex is a wonderful host who communicates really well and deeply cares about the experience as a whole.Cara is the sweetest place, with the supermarket a minute walk away and tiny lovely beaches about 40 minute walk. I was there with the dog every morning at 6am.We also went scuba diving 30 minutes away and had a great experience.Everyone around is friendly and happy to help. Korcula isn't far and we had a wonderful time there as well. The only reason for the 4 star is the lack of AC. We were unlucky to have a long heatwave and the fans and mobile ACs were nowhere near fighting it. Sleep was hard, as well as staying outside to enjoy beautiful view.We also struggled badly with the mosquitoes, who were very persistent.I'd say that outside of the peak heat times, the place is amazing.
Das Kastell mit seiner traumhaften Terrasse und dem umfriedeten Garten ist ein wahrhaft magischer Ort zum Entspannen und GlĂŒcklichsein.
Das Haus war sehr sauber und die Kommunikation mit dem Vermieter Alex verlief problemlos. Er war sehr aufmerksam und hatte viele gute Tipps fĂŒr uns, was Sightseeing, Baden und Wandern anging.
Der groĂe Parkplatz am Haus machte vieles einfacher in einem Land mit engen Gassen und chronischem Parkplatzmangel.
Zudem war es praktisch, einen kleinen Einkaufsladen quasi direkt nebenan zu haben.
Wir als Familie mit gröĂeren Kindern haben uns rundum wohl gefĂŒhlt.
Vielen lieben Dank, Alex!
The property owner was more than helpful. I honestly donât think our trip would have been as enjoyable without the owners suggestions. Property was very accommodating for a family. The view was breathtaking and the city was charming. We attended the church next door, market is also next door. There is plenty of wine for the wine lovers. Beautiful beaches are never more than 20 minutes drive. Loved everything about our stay. Will be going again.
Die Lage ist sehr ruhig, das Haus hat viel Charme mit viel AuthentizitĂ€t. Haben uns sehr wohl gefĂŒhlt und mit Familie und Freunden, einen schönen Urlaub gehabt.
We spent a week as a family of six in this place and we absolutey loved it!!! The house is very tastefully renovated, with an amazing view, located in a charming little village - we immediately felt at home!
You need a car to get around, but it is also really nice to take a morning walk to the nearest beach, around 40 min by foot.
Alex, the owner, was really great and always reachable gor anything we needed!
We really hope to come back one day!
Toll saniertes und sehr geschmackvoll eingerichtetes ehemaliges Kastell. Der Vermieter ist extrem hilfsbereit und immer ansprechbar. FĂŒr mich war es perfekt!
Thoroughly enjoyed our stay in this beautifully restored and very comfortable castle , in the July heat. Alex the host was very helpful , friendly and easy to contact. The garden and planting was wonderful -and tended to by a lovely lady named Vinka. It was so pleasant to sit on the terrace at the big table or swing in the hammock on the lower terrace during the warm evenings. The rural location was still and silent -apart from local agricultural traffic and the growing of cockerels, both usually early in the morning! No television , which discomfited my teenage children initially (!)- but good WiFi and lots of intresting books , especially ones about Korcula and Croatia .
I would highly recommend this property to others .
This surassed expectations. The pictures do not do the propery justice.
Alex the owner could not have been more helpful.
geoff w.
10/10 Excellent
Tracy N.
11 juin 2019
Time spent in a small village
The property was beautiful and we really enjoyed staying in a national landmark with such a rich cultural history. The view over the vineyards to the sea was so calming every morning as we enjoyed our coffee out on the terrace. Delightful landscaping ... all the roses and jasmine were in bloom while we were there.
The castle is well located in the middle of this small island, everything is quite accessible. We found the local beach to be only 5 minutes away with several other beaches only a short drive. We liked the Lumbarda beaches very much.
We got used to the hourly bells which are in the church across the street from the castle. Also, the market is conveniently right next door with a lovely little coffee cafe facing the main street. There is also dedicated parking for the car which can be hard to come by in Croatia.
We found Alex to be a great host who made sure we had everything we needed. He was very responsive to our queries when we were first settling in. He also helped us figure out some of our other travel plans. We would definitely stay at Kastel Spanic again.
Tracy N.
10/10 Excellent
Stefan S.
26 sept. 2018
Tower und Insel ein Traum
ZunĂ€chst ist es eine wunderschöne Insel, die durch seine StrĂ€nde und Buchten deutlich ĂŒberzeugen kann. Dann hat man aber zusĂ€tzlich das GlĂŒck mit Alex einen Gastgeber vorzufinden, der einem die passenden Ideen sowie ausgesprochen gute Essenempfehlungen mit auf dem Weg gegeben hat.
Das ganze Paket wird anschlieĂend noch mit einer sehr guten ausgestatteten Location "Tower" getoppt. Es war alles wie beschrieben, wir haben super geschlafen und alles blitzsauber vorgefunden.
Uns hat es sehr gut gefallen, wĂŒrden es jeder Zeit weiter empfehlen und freuen uns auf ein nĂ€chstes Mal.
Stefan S.
10/10 Excellent
Cora W.
23 sept. 2018
Highly recommendable
We stayed the first 2 weeks in September. The Kastel has a lovely atmosphere and is in very good conditions. Every night,we had dinner outside at the terrace; cooking facilities are sufficient for 8 persons and the super market in one minute walking distance has almost everything including a Pekaria. You can walk to the next cove in 30 minutes through the vineyards or drive the first 3 kilometres by car and then explore all the different coves by feet. The owner and the people in the village who take care of the house and the garden are all very helpful and friendly. It is a perfect place for a big family or a group of friends who like holidays off the beaten tourist tracks. During night, listen the jackals!
Ausstattung des Hauses und Gartens sehr schön. Einziger Makel ist die Entfernung zum nÀchsten Badeplatz am Meer, die nicht wie abgegeben1.4 km betrÀgt, sondern 3 km. Damit ist die Bucht zu Fuà wirklich weit weg. Bei 6 Erwachsenen mit einem Auto stellt das ein logistisches Problem dar.
Amazing property in excellent location. Plenty of outdoor space and sensational views!
Really lovely converted castle (!) sitting towards the top of Cara village with sensational views across the vineyards and out towards the sea. Plenty of character and outdoor space. Great, central location for exploring Korcula island. Alex is a great host and provided loads of useful information on where to go. Our favourites included jumping off rocks into the harbour at nearby Zavalatica, getting a boat to Proizd island where the beaches are amazing and beautiful Vaja Bay. The local wineâs pretty good too!
Sehr schön restauriertes Bauwerk, tolle Sicht auf das Meer. Drinnen nicht allzuviel Platz, aber drauĂen auf jeden Fall ausreichend.
FĂŒr kleine Kinder sicher nicht optimal, aber fĂŒr etwas gröĂere sehr gut geeignet.
Super Betreuung durch Vermieter!
My wife and I were planning a multi stop trip along the Dalmation coast and thought we would include one of the islands along the way. We chose Korcula as it has traditional working villages as well as larger historic towns to visit. Korcula old town and Vela Luka are both around 25 minutes drive away from Cara, in opposite directions, so you are very central and there are other villages and smaller towns nearby too.
The owners description of the house, the village and the area is absolutely spot on. The village of Cara and the work going on daily in the vineyards can be seen from the commanding views of the house. They have provided a welcome folder with lots of information such as nearby areas to swim and excellent restaurants in neighbouring villages. The folder also shows photo's of the Kastel before and during the extensive restoration project and illustrate what an outstanding result they have achieved. The house is a 'lived in' family home for parts of the year and this gives it a warm, comfortable and very pleasant feel as well as being well equipped, both indoors and with outside equipment. There are pleasant breezes from the South, which blow into the main bedroom, if the shutters are left open, which we did every day. The patio looks over the local vineyard (and church... whose bells dong quite a bit... but you do get accustomed to it!) and the huge locally made table is ideal for outside socialising, with plenty of room. There is also another patio just down the steps by the Annex, which has another area, ideally suited for outdoor entertaining such as a BBQ and all the facilities you need for that, are stored in a large utility area with a secondary kitchen. TheWiFi is connected to the mobile network and worked very well, without any problems the whole time we were there.
The housekeeper and her husband, who helps with maintenance, live nearby and are delightful. They called in to check if we needed anything or had any questions about the property or the surrounding area and reassured us that we could call them anytime if the need arose. Alex, the owner is a mine of information about the local area as well as the whole Island and beyond, so do ask him about things if you wish.
To conclude, Alex's description tells you a lot about the house and the area. If we venture to Croatia and this beautiful part of the world again, we would have no hesitation in staying again at Kastel Spanic! Thank You ;-)
The property was even better than described by the owner - a 17th century Castel (small castle) with stunning sea view from the large terrace. The interior is beautifully decorated with antique style furniture, spacious and well equipped. The closest beach is few minutes away by car and the restaurant in Zavalatnica proposed by the owner was superb.
The wide stone walls keep the temperatures surprisingly cool, which together with the quietness of the village Cara was great for sleeping late in the mornings (even our two year old boy slept on average 2hrs longer than usual). We enjoyed Cara for its authenticity of a small Croatian coastal village - centric bar and grocery store are the key gathering points of the few local inhabitants. Unfortunately we left just before the week of 25 July, during which we were told the traditional days of Cara (vine tasting, local music, etc.) attract people from all over Korcula as well as tourists.
We stayed for an entire week which passed too quickly and will definitely be back!
I stayed at this stunning castle last year before it was officially on the books. The position was wonderful away from the noise. There is a local supermarket just below the castle where you can get nearly all provisions including wine!! It was clean well maintained and the customer service was excellent. One local restaurant in Pupnat called Mate is absolutely excellent. There are lots of lovely places to visit and the island itself is stunning with the most amazing clean sea. I would highly recommend to anyone for a stunning holiday.
Sara H.
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Vous ĂȘtes reçu par Alexander Paine
I am on the left of the photo. I am British and we live in London. We spent between 2001-2014 living in Bosnia and Slovenia. We bought the house in 2005 but only finished the restoration project in 2013, since then we have been doing the interior. We have only just put the house on the market - starting rather late in June 2016. This is our first year!
I work for a large development bank in London and work a lot in Eastern Europe. We have two kids and used to have a lovely old mongrel dog from Sarajevo. My wife and I both grew up in Italy and this project is a real "once in a lifetime".
If you are seeking a stone dalmatian house then Kastel SpaniÄ is a classic.
We have spent the last 6 years restoring the property under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture as it is a listed building and categorised as a National Monument.
The Bishop of KorÄula built Kastel SpaniÄ in 1674. With a dominant view over the Adriatic it served the purpose of providing advance notice of any sea borne threat as well as ensuring that the inhabitants of Äara paid their dues. The original fortifications still exist and include 16 firing ports or âgun loopsâ and four âbartizansâ at each corner of the top room looking down on to the ground. The house is one of the islandâs more important historical buildings. The SpaniÄ family crest of three roses and mailed fist holding a sword still adorns the house.
KorÄula is one of three islands that dominate the southern Adriatic coast of Croatia (the other two being Hvar and BraÄ). It is 46 kilometres in length, with good roads connecting its two ports of KorÄula and Vela Luka to the mainland hubs of Split and Dubrovnik.
Trojans, Romans, Illyrians have been settling on the island on the Dalmatian coast since C12th BC. The Venetians held considerable sway over the island and Marco Polo is reputed to have come from the main town of KorÄula. KorÄula was the last outpost of the Venetian Empire for 200 years. Immediately to the south lies the Dubrovnik Republic.
Äara, the village, is one of the oldest settlements on the island of KorÄula and spreads out on the south slope of the surrounding hills, just above a large and fertile field called Äarsko Polje, famed for its PoĆĄip white wine. Äara enjoys a lot of sunshine all year round, while at the same time enjoying a good sea breeze.
The house is designed for those wishing to enjoy the more traditional island way of life. You are surrounded by sea and vineyards and it is removed from the tourist centres of the island. It offers the opportunity to enjoy the small but unique village life of a wine-growing community. Access to the sea is by car - with the closest swimming made of secret coves and small outcrops rarely accessed by most tourists. The local harbour town is 1.4 kilometres away with two restaurants and a coffee shop with wi-fi, and a great harbour wall to leap off. From here you can hire boats to farther outlying islets, secret inaccessible coves and near-tropical beaches close to the island of Lastovo - Croatiaâs farthest inhabited island before Italy.