Welcome to Lastovo
Lastovo and its archipelago are made up of Jurassic and Cretaceous sedimentary rocks consisting of mainly dolomite, dolomitic limestone and pure limestone.
Hum (417m), Lastovo's highest hilltop, offers the most beautiful view of Lastovo's intricate landscape with rounded hills, fields, and bays and coves cutting deeply into the coastline on the one hand, and of the archipelago and endless sea on the other. The second- and third-highest hilltops are Mali Hum (415 m), and Pleševo Brdo (400 m).
Lastovo is located on the south of Croatia (Dalmatia) with natural beauties, clean sea, rich with fish. The green forests and 46 cultivated valleys (mostly vineyards and olive trees) are spread over its 56 km². Lastovo island is surrounded by 46 smaller islands and cliffs with untouched nature and numerous bays. Lastovo is among ten Mediterranean islands that have the most preserved original value of untouched nature and beauty.
Many cultural goods, material and non material are testifying to the rich history of Lastovo island.
Lastovo – the imperial island where for 9 centuries kings and emperors enjoyed in its wine, olive oil and herbs.
One can enjoy in various sea delicacies especially in one of the oldest lastovos custom – sardines on skewer, eel stew, grilled moray and in sweets like fritters, sweets made from quince and “skalice”.
If you like meat more there are several farm house holds where ships,goats or chicken are grown and prepared under “the bell” – peka.
Lastovo Carnival
The exact year, in which the ritual of the Lastovo Carnival was first performed, is not known. The legend says that, when the Moors were besieging the town of Korčula in the Middle Ages, they sent a messenger to Lastovo with the request that the inhabitants surrender. Lastovo's inhabitants captured the messenger and put him in prison. This is why the angry
Moors sent their ships to Lastovo to conquer it. A strong storm broke suddenly and blew away the enemy ships. After that, Lastovo's inhabitants put the captured messenger on a donkey and took him around the whole village to mock him. Towards the evening, they put up a long rope between the hill, which is called the Carnival Hill (Pokladareva grža) today, and the bottom of the village, and lowered him on that rope. Later on, they took him to Dolac Square on the donkey and burned him with loud cries and ringing of the church bells. The Lastovo Carnival has been celebrated ever since. It is performed in accordance with very strict rules and procedure. It is peculiar and there is no other similar to it anywhere in the world.
It is one of the more valuable customs in Croatia, which is corroborated by the fact that the Croatian Ministry of Culture listed the Lastovo Carnival among the non-material cultural goods of the Republic of Croatia and put it under its protection on 17 January 2008.
