Villa Sophie

About this property

From the waterfront promenade in glorious Zaton Bay, step straight into a 15th Century residence and be amazed by the luxurious interiors, inviting swimming pool and Mediterranean gardens. It’s hard to believe you are only ten minutes drive from the one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Dubrovnik.

Villa Sophie was constructed in the fifteenth century as a holiday home for a noble family wanting to escape the city heat and entertain friends in this prime location. Centuries later it has been brought back to life under the careful supervision of the Croatian National Heritage. Great care has been taken to restore many historical features such as the original stone open stair-case and the private chapel.  Yet the owners have boldly added contemporary designs such as the striking glass bridge between the two upper sea-view terraces and the ultra-smart professional kitchen, a perfect excuse for hiring a private chef during your stay.

The overall feel of the villa and its six bedrooms is one of a relaxed historical ambience with modern comforts and design surrounding you. Across the vast open-plan living and dining areas you’ll easily find a corner to relax in or head up to the library with doors leading to a magnificent terrace overlooking the sea. A Bose sound-system plus specially designed lighting both inside  and out helps to create the perfect atmosphere, ideal for events which can be organised here.

The vast gardens will surprise with Mediterranean scents, spots for sun-bathing, dining al-fresco or lounging with a glass of chilled local wine, all within a private and tranquil setting. It will be hard to leave the surroundings of your private swimming pool but within a few minutes walk you can be paddling in the Adriatic or taking a boat trip to nearby islands.

In Zaton Bay you can walk along the beautiful promenade, stopping in one of the sea-front restaurants and admiring the views. The town has a peaceful and relaxed ambience and it is hard to believe that incredible city of Dubrovnik, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is so near.

It's true to say you will feel like an aristocrat in this luxurious and historical home in this simply wonderful part of Croatia.

The small picturesque town of Zaton Bay is located just 10km north-west of Dubrovnik. Zaton stretches around a horse shoe bay and is made up of two areas; Veliki Zaton, which is slightly larger with shops, a supermarket, bakery and charming restaurants and Mali Zaton, the smaller of the two settlements.  You can walk along the beautiful promenade combing the two areas, stopping in one of the sea-front restaurants, enjoying a glass of local wine and admiring the views. There are little coves and swimming spots dotted around Zaton, backed by shady pinewood, plus some longer beaches within a long walk or drive. The town has a peaceful and relaxed ambience and it is hard to believe that bustling Dubrovnik is just a short drive by car or taxi.

Noble aristocratic families built their summer residences here in Zaton, including Villa Sophie which was created in the 15th century as a place to stay away from the heat of Dubrovnik and a wonderful retreat to host family and friends. With its waterfront location in Veliki Zaton, at the south-west end of the bay, the villa is now a registered Croatian National Heritage monument.

There is a wealth of pretty villages and settlements to discover heading further west along the coast. You’ll soon reach the ancient olive groves and picturesque beach at Orašac (4km), then head to Trsteno (7km) with its natural beauty and a long tradition of culture with many artists and poets living there. It’s also worth driving up the coast to Slano (22km) with its gentle bay backed by pine trees and olive groves.

In the other direction, Dubrovnik (10km) is known to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world and is a unesco World Heritage site with good reason. Walk around the city’s medieval walls dating back to the 13th century, discover the Baroque churches and palazzi in the pedestrianised city centre and dine well in one of the many upmarket restaurants specialising in local seafood. The cable car up to the top of Mount Srdj offers stunning views of the city, sea and islands and keen hikers can walk back down!  From Dubrovnik port you can also discover one of the other islands in the Adriatic with a wide choice of boat excursions on offer.

Being so close to Dubrovnik means you have so many activities on offer with a wide range of watersports nearby such as jet ski, kayaking and parasailing plus boat rental and fishing.

You can also drive inland for further activities in the beautiful Konavle valley (around 40km) where you can explore an area that has retained its old traditions and customs. It’s an area wonderful for walkers with many trails and horse-riding is possible in the countryside and remote coastal paths of the region.

Accommodation

The Villa

Villa Sophie boasts 6 decadent and sleek bedrooms, sleepin up to 12 guests. The villa has some exquisite interior dining and living spaces, and tranquil Mediterranean gardens are the ideal oasis for a Croatian getaway.

Ground Floor
- Fully equipped professional kitchen
- Dining room
- Living room with bar area
- Additional living area
- Laundry room
- Bedroom with double bed and en-suite bathroom
- Bedroom with double bed and en-suite bathroom
First Floor
- Living area
- Bedroom with king-size bed, living area and en-suite bathroom
- Bedroom with king-size bed, living area and en-suite bathroom
- Bedroom with king-size bed, living area and en-suite bathroom
- Bedroom with king-size bed, living area and en-suite bathroom
- Access to upper terraces
Exterior Grounds
- Private swimming pool
- Outdoor shower
- Terrace
- Mediterranean gardens
- Covered outdoor seating area
- Outdoor dining area
- Sun loungers
- Barbecue
- Private Chapel
Additional Facilities
- Wi-Fi
- Television
- sonos and bose sounds systems
- Washing machine
- Dryer
- Parking
*The four first floor bedrooms are suites with a gallery. On the lower level of each bedroom is a living area and bathroom, while the bed can be found on the gallery.
HR-AB-20-060280361   Iris Domazet Malobabić