The island of Lokrum

Southeast of Dubrovnik, like a guardian angel stands Lokrum island.

Also known as the island of kings, Lokrum has its first writing mention in 1023 as the Benedictine abbey and monastery are founded.
According to legend, Richard the Lion-heart shipwrecked in 1192 after returning home from the crusades and found himself cast ashore, safe on Lokrum. He pledged to build a church on the island indebted for the salvation but because of Dubrovnik citizens, the church was not built on Lokrum but in The City instead. That church is still there waiting for your visit.

The very name Lokrum comes from the Latin, meaning sour fruit that comes from the tradition of bringing and cultivating exotic plants from all corners of the world on the island and this tradition started in the time of the Benedictines.
This tradition was nurtured through the whole existence of The Dubrovnik Republic and later on with the rule of the Maximilan Ferdinand of Habsburg. So it's not a surprise that in 1959 a Botanical Garden is founded on Lokrum where you can see special and endemic tropic and subtropic plants and other vegetation originating from Australia to South America. Today Lokrum is a Nature Reserve and a Special Forest Vegetation Reserve.
There is also another famous Botanical Garden in Dubrovnik, Arboretum in Trsetno, considered one of the most beautiful in the world. Beside the Botanical Garden there a few locations you should visit on Lokrum mainly:

- Lokrum's special attraction, a small lake, called Mrtvo More (Dead Sea), a unique lake linked with the sea, crystal clear and calm suitable for bathing
- fortress called Forte Royale, star shaped built by the French in 1806 at the highest elevated point of Lokrum, 91 m, giving a marvelous, exquisite view of the whole island and the city of Dubrovnik.

Lokrum is the favorite excursion destination of the population of Dubrovnik, as well as of many tourists.