CROATIAN TOURISM – LOKRUM, aerial view of the island of Lokrum

The island of Lokrum, a special forest vegetation reserve with an area of 72 hectares, has been protected by the Nature Protection Act in the category of special reserve of forest vegetation since 1948, and is the third oldest protected natural area in Croatia. Its main feature is forest vegetation, which covers about 90% of the island's surface. The entire island of Lokrum, including the associated strip of sea at a distance of about 150 meters from the coast, is also part of the ecological network Natura 2000 – a protected area important for species and habitat types. The area of Lokrum Island, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, is an integral part of the historical core of the City of Dubrovnik together with the city walls and forts and the city moat. The largest and most important cultural monument on the island of Lokrum is the Benedictine Monastery of St. Mary, which contains Renaissance and Romanesque cloisters. The only preserved plants and herbs cultivated by the Benedictine monks are traditional olive groves, where you can find the perfect place to rest during the hot summer months. With the arrival of the Austrian Archduke Maximilian of Habsburg, the monastery was upgraded and transformed into a summerhouse, and the garden areas around the monastery were designed in the style of a more contemporary landscape architecture. Every building on Lokrum Island is a cultural monument, but perhaps the most notable are Fort Royal, the Lokrum Lazaret, the Forest-ranger's House and Charlotte's Well. One of the most important cultivated resources of the Lokrum Island is the Botanical Garden, which was founded to study the adaptation of exotic plants to the climate on Lokrum. During the visiting season, various cultural events and educational workshops are held on the island. The particularly fascinating, well-preserved nature of the island is best experienced by hiking along the many forest trails. Arrival and departure by ferry is organized by the public institution "Rezervat Lokrum" from April to November. For more information visit www.lokrum.hr. Public institution "Rezervat Lokrum"