Villa Lana Croatia

Villa Lana boasts the most amazing location perched on the slopes of Istria’s Velebit mountain with sensational views of azure sea and the islands of Rab, Pag and Mili Losinj. It is such an idyllic spot that offers tranquility and total seclusion. You cannot fail to totally relax in this magical location. Once you have sampled the wonderful treats at Villa Lana you may not feel like leaving your heavenly retreat too often during your stay but there is a fantastic, very diverse array of holiday experiences on offer nearby. You can take one of the ferries from Stinica to the islands, you can discover the most amazing hiking trails in the mountains, you can try your hand at canyoning or kayaking in the river, you can enjoy glorious beach days or discover historic, very attractive towns and villages. You are within easy reach of Starigrad, Nin, Zadar and Sibenik to the south and Senj and Rijeka to the north plus there are so many islands to explore. The nearest beach is approximately 750 metres away and if you are up to an active day, the famous Premuzic mountain trail is close by.
Villa Lana is very luxurious and very stylish with fabulous entertainment spaces inside and out. The villa enjoys an astonishing plot with uninterrupted views of the islands and the sea. Guests enjoy a superb collection of entertainment treats including a fabulous swimming pool with a state-of-the-art water disinfection system with salt and electrolysis which creates natural chlorine, a Hot Spring hot tub, two Giant Talon EC E-MTB bicycles, table tennis, table football, Playstation 4 and darts. The villa boasts three gorgeous bedroom suites sleeping six guests. It is ideal for families or a group of friends.
The living spaces of the villa are on the ground floor offering superior interior design, sumptuous contemporary furnishings and superb comfort. The chef in your group will be delighted by the modern kitchen and its appliances. The living spaces open directly to your fabulous terrace.
The three bedrooms enjoy access to a sublime furnished balcony where you can relax and enjoy the breathtaking vistas. This is a brilliant spot for your morning cup of coffee or perhaps a glass of wine while you are getting ready for your evening. The bedrooms are all decorated in a cool style, mostly in white but with splashes of blue on a simple yet effective feature wall. The minimalist design is lovely. Each of the bedrooms enjoys a fabulous bathroom with top notch fittings. They are spacious, luxurious and definitely places where you will want to linger.
The terrace and gardens are absolutely delightful. Your wonderful infinity pool is surrounded with sumptuous outdoor furnishings including sun loungers, hammocks and lounge seating. You even have a drinks trolley on wheels which you can fill with your favourite tipples! There are hammocks hanging from the trees where you can enjoy some shade, a fantastic hot tub where you can enjoy a glass of fizz while captivated by the panorama and a fire pit for cool evenings. The gardens are beautiful with lots of lavender and succulents. Your alfresco dining area is under a contemporary sail canopy and with a wonderful built-in barbecue. All of this comes with an astounding backdrop of the mountains and the most amazing seascapes. You will not want to leave, be warned! Villa Vinko enjoys a terrific location on the slopes of the dramatic Velebit mountain chain, right on the coast of Istria. Velebit is one of the most important natural areas in the Balkans. It hosts two national parks, a biosphere reserve, several ancient forests, deep canyons, ancient open lands and an exciting wildlife of Balkan chamois, red deer, brown bears, wild boar, wolves and lynx. You may also spot magnificent white-headed vultures with wingspans of 2.6 metres. Velebit’s southeastern slopes are the Paklenica National Park, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve and a favourite hiking destination. Visitors who enjoy active outdoors holidays are very spoilt here with trekking, rafting down a magnificent river carved into the landscape and sea kayaking on the azure blue waters of the Zadar archipelago. The magnificent Mreznica River stretches for 64 kilometres and is known for its fantastic scenery and rich ecology. In the foothills of Velebit, the Modric cave is an absolute gem. Velebit’s Church of Sv Juraj (St. George) is a fantastic example of ancient Croatian architecture. Velebit is the largest, though not the highest, mountain range in Croatia, forming part of the Dinaric Alps. The popular spots are the peak of Vucjak above Zavizan, the botanical gardens and the caves.
Across the water from Villa Vinko is the wonderful Rab Island, one of the greenest islands in the Adriatic with its pine forests. It enjoys quite a number of beautiful sandy beaches including the famous Paradise Beach. Rab Town enjoys many buildings from the 13th century and ancient town walls that are still visible in some places. Its central street is lined with some well preserved 15th century buildings, leading up to the town loggia that was built in 1509. You can climb the 26 metre high bell town for some fabulous sea views. Rab Island is 22km long and its highest peak is Kamenjak.
If you travel north from the villa, you will come to a city that is more than 3000 years old, Senj. It is located at the foot of the mountain of Kapela and Velebit and boasts the Fortress Nehaj which was built in 1558.
If you are heading for Zadar, you may want to stop at the beautiful town of Rovanjska, located in a bay at the very end of the Velebit channel. The Municipality of Jasenice consists of three villages, Maslenica, Rovanjska and Zaton Obrovacki as well as the small hamlet of Modric. The 24km road that stretches through the municipality, Podprag, Prag, Kraljicina vrata, Mali Alan and onto the Lika side of the mountain of Velebit to Sveti Rok is incredibly picturesque with breathtaking scenic views. Rovanjska enjoys breathtaking panorama. Visitors can enjoy thrilling sports including bungee jumping at Maslenica, a village famous for the bora wind. Rafting enthusiasts will adore the thrills of the Zrmanja River and its dramatic canyon.
Following the coast, the wonderful Nin, is considered to be one of the oldest cities in Croatia. It offers many churches including the smallest cathedral in the world, Santa Croce, the Church of St James, the Church of St Nicholas and the Cathedral of St Anselm. Other notable landmarks include the remains of the Roman Temple, the monument dedicated to the Duke Branimir, the port city of Nin and its stone bridge, the Kraljevac Square with its well and the statue of the Bishop of Nin Grgur. There are various events held in Nin during the summer months and plenty of eateries. Nin enjoys an incredible history. Seven Croatian rulers were crowned in Nin and before they were announced a ruler, they had to ride to St Nicolas, crawl on top of the church and point their sword to all corners of the world announcing what they planned to accomplish as a king. Nin has a new and old part with the old part being situated on a small artificial island with historic churches and a museum. The sandy beaches of Nin are beautiful.
The island of Pag is barren, rocky and sepia coloured with vast landscapes surrounded by the steely blue Adriatic. When the sky is stormy, the island looks incredibly dramatic with two mountain ranges looming. The island is famous for its long-standing traditions of cheese and winemaking. Pag cheese is one of Croatia’s most celebrated culinary exports. The island’s Pag lace decorates many walls in Croatia. Novalja has become a party town and Zrce Beach a summer nightlife hot spot.
The richly historic town of Zadar is stunning and a must visit. Visitors enjoy the beautiful, crystal clear Adriatic sea and the brilliant Vrana Lake with its ornithological reserve. Zadar’s renowned sunsets are spectacular and to celebrate them, a ‘Monument to the Sun’ was built on the edge of the waterfront. It is an all day 22 metre disc which soaks up the solar rays ready to dazzle visitors with coloured light patterns as night falls. The Sea Organ is an art installation formed by cleverly cutting steps into the promenade. The underwater pipes make musical sounds as if each wave is sighing!
Two of the most famous national parks of Croatia are within easy reach of Villa Vinko. The breathtaking Kornati Archipelago National Park boasts reefs, headlands, islands and bays. You can take boat trips to explore the national park with plenty of opportunity to swim and snorkel. If you have rented your own yacht for the holiday, you can visit on your own. The famous Krka National Park boasts its stunning Skradinksi Buk and Roski Slap waterfalls. Extending along the 73km Krka River, the park runs from the Adriatic near Sibenik inland to the mountains of the Croatian interior. It is a magical place of gorges and waterfalls, with the river gushing through. Visitors take a boat ride to explore the park. Make sure you take your swimming costumes as you can swim below the waterfalls. Visitors also pass by the magnificent Visovac monastery, located on an island in a magical setting while on the boat ride.  
South of Zadar is Sibenik, the city of fortresses with two UNESCO heritage sites, Game of Thrones locations, beautiful beaches, an excellent dining scene and a gorgeous old town. Sibenik was first mentioned in 1066 though most of it was built during the Venetian rule between 1412 and 1797. St James Cathedral is a beautiful masterpiece of Venetian art built in the 15th century. The town’s fortresses include St John’s Fortress, Fortress Barone, St Michael’s, the oldest and most famous and the scene of many summer performances and festivals and St Nicholas. St Nicholas,  another Game of Thrones location, is reached via an official boat tour from Riva which includes a boat ride through St Anthony’s channel.
Istria has so much to offer. To see everything you want to, you will definitely need at least a two week holiday. Other special excursions are to Novigrad, to go above the clouds at Motovun, to visit the village of artists, Groznjan, to visit Vrsar, the town of Casanova, to see the mummies in Vocnjan, to explore Rovinj, to explore the mines and art in Labin, to hit the beach in Rabac, to try the sardines in Fazana, to walk in the amphitheatre in Pula, to visit Porec, to eat oysters in Lim Fjord, to visit the Brijuni Islands and finally to visit the Porer and Kamenjak National Parks. It is quite a list!
At Excellence Luxury Villas we pride ourselves on going that little bit further for our guests. If there is anything you would like to arrange for your stay, please contact the Excellence Luxury Villas VIP Concierge Team who will be happy to help. We can usually put you in touch with the right people arrange any of the following: 
– Cook/catering- Maid service/extra cleaning- Local day-trips or tours- Airport pick-up/drop-off- Babysitting service- Welcome hamper/pre-stocked fridge
This is by no means an exhaustive list, so please just contact Excellence Luxury Villas VIP Concierge Team to help you arrange any of those little extras that can really make the difference.