POSTCARD FROM... Lopud Island, Croatia
Arquiste founder Carlos Huber follows the scent of figs, rosemary and thyme around this quiet, architecturally blessed island in the Adriatic
HELLO FROM…
Lopud, one of the three main islands in the Elaphiti archipelago, a 45-minute boat ride from Dubrovnik. Called Isola di Mezzo back when Dubrovnik was the Republic of Ragusa, Lopud sits between Šipan and Koločep, two other evergreen islands. Covered in pine, cypress, overgrown olive groves and fruit orchards, they’re dotted with abandoned Medieval and Renaissance-era stone villas and farms that provided the sustenance for the prosperous old Republic. Lopud suffered an earthquake in the 17th century that left it largely abandoned and untouched until the 20th century.
Since then, day trippers come to enjoy quiet, clear waters and perfect sand at Sunj bay, then leave the island to the locals and a small community of expats who have restored the old stone houses along a hill near the Franciscan monastery, once the center of life on the island. It was over 20 years ago that Baroness Francesca von Thyssen-Bornemisza began restoring the structure, today known as Lopud 1483, a spectacular property available to rent.
WHERE I’M STAYING…
I’m at the home of my friend Toto Bergamo Rossi—the director of Venetian Heritage, Inc., a world class restoration expert, architect and aesthete. He’s been lovingly (and meticulously) restoring a 15th-century nunnery with possibly the most amazing view and sunsets I’ve ever seen. But many of the beautiful homes up from the port that have been restored are available to rent, too.
THE BEST MEAL I HAD…
In Lopud, at Dubrovnik restaurant, a fish restaurant in the middle of the harbor—a plate of mussels in Buzara tomato sauce (a typical Dalmatian tomato and seafood sauce, a little spicy). On the neighboring island of Šipan, at Kod Marka, an unpretentious waterside restaurant, we had the freshest fish and delicious octopus meatballs.
MOST FUN THING I DID…
The hike from Sunj beach back to Lopud’s port side. Going up the hill, you pass abandoned 14th- and 15th-century stone houses and 10th-century early Christian churches with incredible views, towering cypress and Mediterranean pine trees, wild thyme, peppermint, and rosemary.
A BOOK I READ (AND WOULD RECOMMEND)…
Tumult and Order, by Antonio Foscari, recounting the 1920s renovation of Andrea Palladio’s Villa Foscari by the eccentric Bertie Landsberg. The book describes Landsberg’s quiet and modest restoration, which feels so incredibly modern now, but also expands on the refined, eccentric society of Venice in the 1920s (think Marchesa Casati and Cecil Beaton).
A THING OR TWO I LEARNED…
Historically, as part of the Republic of Ragusa, Lopud and the Elaphiti islands had deep cultural ties to Italy, so the architecture of the stone houses and villas around the islands is exceptional. It also feels frozen in space and time, a magical mix of natural and man-made landscape.
Also, I found that the Croatian side of the Adriatic is a truly blessed stretch of coast—there are no jellyfish, no choppy currents, and because most of the coastline is rocky and pebbly, the water remains super blue. Its position also means stunning sunsets facing west.
THE SCENT MEMORY I’LL CARRY…
I develop fragrances linked to historic landscapes, and Lopud is one of the most fragrant and historically rich places I’ve ever visited. There are fig orchards everywhere, which means the smell of ripe figs and fig leaves is always wafting around. And since the island receives a healthy amount of rainfall during the year, the wild rosemary, thyme and peppermint is always verdant—fresh rather than dusty.
THE BEST THING I’M BRINGING HOME…
Aside from a couple of small sundries shops, there’s virtually no shopping on the island, but I’m bringing back bags of “Narancini,” candied strips of orange rind typical of Dalmatia.
Carlos Huber, a Mexico City native, is the founder of Arquiste, a boutique fragrance brand that draws on his expertise in architectural history and inspiration from his travels around the globe.