Franciscan Monastery and the Church of St Mary

©Vesna Celebic/Lonely Planet

Franciscan Monastery

Elafiti Islands


The first sight of Lopud when sailing into the harbour, this beautiful 15th-century complex has an immense seawall and 30m-high bell tower. The monastery is off limits to the public, but St Mary-of-the-Cave Church (built in 1483) is occasionally open and worth a visit for its 16th-century altar piece and intricately carved choir chairs.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Elafiti Islands attractions

1. Ɖorđić-Mayneri Park

0.3 MILES

A cool retreat on a sunny day, this gorgeous little park was laid out in the late 19th-century by the great-granddaughter of Dubrovnik's last rector. The…

2. Your Black Horizon Art Pavilion

0.32 MILES

The joint work of Olafur Eliasson and David Adjaye, the Art Pavilion is an amalgamation of contemporary art and architecture, set in an orchard of cypress…

3. St Nicholas' Church

0.35 MILES

Dedicated to the patron saint of sailors, St Nicholas attests to the times when Lopud was an important seafaring centre. Positioned on the waterfront,…

4. Lopud

0.66 MILES

Car-free Lopud has the prettiest settlement of all the Elafitis, composed of stone houses surrounded by exotic gardens and overlooked by ruined fortresses…

5. Trsteno Arboretum

2.31 MILES

Gorgeous whatever the season, this leafy garden, 14km northwest of Dubrovnik, is the oldest of its kind in Croatia. It was during the Renaissance that…

6. Šipan

3.67 MILES

At 16 sq km Šipan is the largest of the Elafiti Islands and was a favourite with the Dubrovnik aristocracy, who built houses here. Most ferries dock in…

7. Koločep

3.7 MILES

The nearest of the Elafitis to Dubrovnik, this sweet island is inhabited by a mere 163 people and is covered in centuries-old pine forests, olive groves…

8. Dr Franjo Tuđman Bridge

7.24 MILES

When it opened in 2002 this 518m-long lopsided cable-stayed bridge cut the drive west from Dubrovnik by 20 minutes. Park at the lot on the far side of the…