17th Century Castle on Dalmatian island

This place is stunning and gives a wonderful homely vibe. It's clear how much love and care have been invested in both the place itself and the experience of the guests.Alex is a wonderful host who communicates really well and deeply cares about the experience as a whole.Cara is the sweetest place, with the supermarket a minute walk away and tiny lovely beaches about 40 minute walk. I was there with the dog every morning at 6am.We also went scuba diving 30 minutes away and had a great experience.Everyone around is friendly and happy to help. Korcula isn't far and we had a wonderful time there as well. The only reason for the 4 star is the lack of AC. We were unlucky to have a long heatwave and the fans and mobile ACs were nowhere near fighting it. Sleep was hard, as well as staying outside to enjoy beautiful view.We also struggled badly with the mosquitoes, who were very persistent.I'd say that outside of the peak heat times, the place is amazing.

The property owner was more than helpful. I honestly don’t think our trip would have been as enjoyable without the owners suggestions. Property was very accommodating for a family. The view was breathtaking and the city was charming. We attended the church next door, market is also next door. There is plenty of wine for the wine lovers. Beautiful beaches are never more than 20 minutes drive. Loved everything about our stay. Will be going again.

We spent a week as a family of six in this place and we absolutey loved it!!! The house is very tastefully renovated, with an amazing view, located in a charming little village - we immediately felt at home! You need a car to get around, but it is also really nice to take a morning walk to the nearest beach, around 40 min by foot. Alex, the owner, was really great and always reachable gor anything we needed! We really hope to come back one day!

Thoroughly enjoyed our stay in this beautifully restored and very comfortable castle , in the July heat. Alex the host was very helpful , friendly and easy to contact. The garden and planting was wonderful -and tended to by a lovely lady named Vinka. It was so pleasant to sit on the terrace at the big table or swing in the hammock on the lower terrace during the warm evenings. The rural location was still and silent -apart from local agricultural traffic and the growing of cockerels, both usually early in the morning! No television , which discomfited my teenage children initially (!)- but good WiFi and lots of intresting books , especially ones about Korcula and Croatia . I would highly recommend this property to others .

This surassed expectations. The pictures do not do the propery justice. Alex the owner could not have been more helpful.

The property was beautiful and we really enjoyed staying in a national landmark with such a rich cultural history. The view over the vineyards to the sea was so calming every morning as we enjoyed our coffee out on the terrace. Delightful landscaping ... all the roses and jasmine were in bloom while we were there. The castle is well located in the middle of this small island, everything is quite accessible. We found the local beach to be only 5 minutes away with several other beaches only a short drive. We liked the Lumbarda beaches very much. We got used to the hourly bells which are in the church across the street from the castle. Also, the market is conveniently right next door with a lovely little coffee cafe facing the main street. There is also dedicated parking for the car which can be hard to come by in Croatia. We found Alex to be a great host who made sure we had everything we needed. He was very responsive to our queries when we were first settling in. He also helped us figure out some of our other travel plans. We would definitely stay at Kastel Spanic again.

We stayed the first 2 weeks in September. The Kastel has a lovely atmosphere and is in very good conditions. Every night,we had dinner outside at the terrace; cooking facilities are sufficient for 8 persons and the super market in one minute walking distance has almost everything including a Pekaria. You can walk to the next cove in 30 minutes through the vineyards or drive the first 3 kilometres by car and then explore all the different coves by feet. The owner and the people in the village who take care of the house and the garden are all very helpful and friendly. It is a perfect place for a big family or a group of friends who like holidays off the beaten tourist tracks. During night, listen the jackals!

Really lovely converted castle (!) sitting towards the top of Cara village with sensational views across the vineyards and out towards the sea. Plenty of character and outdoor space. Great, central location for exploring Korcula island. Alex is a great host and provided loads of useful information on where to go. Our favourites included jumping off rocks into the harbour at nearby Zavalatica, getting a boat to Proizd island where the beaches are amazing and beautiful Vaja Bay. The local wine’s pretty good too!

My wife and I were planning a multi stop trip along the Dalmation coast and thought we would include one of the islands along the way. We chose Korcula as it has traditional working villages as well as larger historic towns to visit. Korcula old town and Vela Luka are both around 25 minutes drive away from Cara, in opposite directions, so you are very central and there are other villages and smaller towns nearby too. The owners description of the house, the village and the area is absolutely spot on. The village of Cara and the work going on daily in the vineyards can be seen from the commanding views of the house. They have provided a welcome folder with lots of information such as nearby areas to swim and excellent restaurants in neighbouring villages. The folder also shows photo's of the Kastel before and during the extensive restoration project and illustrate what an outstanding result they have achieved. The house is a 'lived in' family home for parts of the year and this gives it a warm, comfortable and very pleasant feel as well as being well equipped, both indoors and with outside equipment. There are pleasant breezes from the South, which blow into the main bedroom, if the shutters are left open, which we did every day. The patio looks over the local vineyard (and church... whose bells dong quite a bit... but you do get accustomed to it!) and the huge locally made table is ideal for outside socialising, with plenty of room. There is also another patio just down the steps by the Annex, which has another area, ideally suited for outdoor entertaining such as a BBQ and all the facilities you need for that, are stored in a large utility area with a secondary kitchen. TheWiFi is connected to the mobile network and worked very well, without any problems the whole time we were there. The housekeeper and her husband, who helps with maintenance, live nearby and are delightful. They called in to check if we needed anything or had any questions about the property or the surrounding area and reassured us that we could call them anytime if the need arose. Alex, the owner is a mine of information about the local area as well as the whole Island and beyond, so do ask him about things if you wish. To conclude, Alex's description tells you a lot about the house and the area. If we venture to Croatia and this beautiful part of the world again, we would have no hesitation in staying again at Kastel Spanic! Thank You ;-)

The property was even better than described by the owner - a 17th century Castel (small castle) with stunning sea view from the large terrace. The interior is beautifully decorated with antique style furniture, spacious and well equipped. The closest beach is few minutes away by car and the restaurant in Zavalatnica proposed by the owner was superb. The wide stone walls keep the temperatures surprisingly cool, which together with the quietness of the village Cara was great for sleeping late in the mornings (even our two year old boy slept on average 2hrs longer than usual). We enjoyed Cara for its authenticity of a small Croatian coastal village - centric bar and grocery store are the key gathering points of the few local inhabitants. Unfortunately we left just before the week of 25 July, during which we were told the traditional days of Cara (vine tasting, local music, etc.) attract people from all over Korcula as well as tourists. We stayed for an entire week which passed too quickly and will definitely be back!