Municipality of Kula Norinska: Nature, Heritage and Events

The Municipality of Kula Norinska brings together the Neretva landscape, historic sites and local events as travel themes. If you are looking for a hotel, first decide what you want to shape your stay: the protected area of Modro oko and Lake Desne, cultural sites in Kula Norinska, Desne and Borovci, or an event date.

Neretva landscapes and birdlife

Modro oko and Lake Desne make up the protected landscape of Modro oko. The area is a partially flooded karst depression on the right bank of the Neretva, connected to the Neretva by the Desanka and Crna rivers. In the background is Mount Velika Rujnica, which reaches 618 metres. The area also contains endangered habitats and is important for bird migration and wintering.

Fortress, churches and stećci

Kula Norinska Fortress is a monumental 16th-century fortress on the Neretva River, opposite the mouth of its tributary, the Norin. In Bagalovići stands the parish church of Gospe od Karmela: it was built in 1865 on the site of a chapel that had been erected there around 1790. The fortress and church thus reflect different periods: a 16th-century fortress and a church with a chapel predecessor dating to around 1790.

In Borovci, near Zanoga, 44 undecorated stećci lie southeast of the cemetery and the Church of St Nicholas, grouped around a tumulus. Vratar is listed in the cultural heritage register in Borovci as an old town and potential hillfort settlement on Mount Gradina. In Desne, the Church of St George with stećci is listed as a single registered cultural heritage site. The rural settlement unit of Kula Norinska is also recorded and protected in local-level spatial planning.

Festivals and events

The Feast of St Jure in Desne is considered a centuries-old tradition; it includes a Mass, a procession and a folk festival. The Toćijada in Momići is a gastronomic event featuring a competition to prepare toć. Under the organisers’ rules, the dish is cooked with three types of meat and offered to visitors for tasting.

The Ribarska večer in Krvavac features folk dances, folk music and an extensive food and wine programme; the festival is associated with the end of July. The Maraton lađa is an amateur sporting event held annually on the Neretva on the second Saturday in August, using traditional boats. If you are planning your stay around one of these events, check the latest dates and programme details before travelling.

Plan your travel dates and hotel search

Two summer dates stand out when planning your trip: the end of July for the Ribarska večer and the second Saturday in August for the Maraton lađa. You should also check the specific dates of the Toćijada and the Feast of St Jure in advance. If an event is the reason for your stay, search for a hotel based on your planned travel dates and check them against the current event date.

Discover more destinations: Kula Norinska, Borovci, Municipality of Lastovo, Municipality of Dubrovnik, Municipality of Smokvica, Municipality of Pojezerje, Municipality of Metković, Municipality of Dubrovačko Primorje.

For the overview of the wider region: Dubrovnik-Neretva County.