Villa Lanka

The house offers two pleasant apartments for rent in the old town of Trogir, one of Unesco's World Heritage sites in Croatia. Villa Lanka is owned by a group of Finnish artists and professionals, who have renovated it in an elegant but cozy Scandinavian style. The house is situated only a few steps from the Adriatic Sea and the sights, cafes and restaurants of the old town.

The house has three floors, each consisting of one apartment. The top apartment is used by the owners themselves and the lower two are for rent. One of the rental apartments is furnished in the manner of a hotel room, with a small fridge and an electric kettle, the other has a fully furnished kitchen. Both apartments have air conditioning for cooling and heating and a bathroom with a shower and a washing machine. There’s no sea view from the house, but whichever direction you go, the sea is always close.

In front of the house there is a newly paved terrace with lights, a fresh contrast to the partly shabby-looking neighbourhood. In the western part of old Trogir where Villa Lanka is situated, there are still some buildings that have not been repaired after the break-up of Yugoslavia. On one of the neighbouring plots there is a ruined house with no roof at all, but instead a large fig tree growing under the open sky. Most houses, however, are in use and in good repair. In addition to the fig tree, the nearby bell tower of St. Michael’s church reaches towards the sky on the other side of the square. The elegant waterfront with cafes, palm trees, boats and yachts is only about a hundred meters away and the old town boasts a plethora of good restaurants. After dinner it’s pleasant to sit on the terrace of Villa Lanka, perhaps enjoying a glass or two of local wine.

How to get to Trogir

The old town of Trogir and Villa Lanka are about six kilometres or a ten-minute taxi ride from the airport of Split, making the last leg of the journey fast and easy if you’re travelling by plane. There are also regular buses to and from the airport. In the summertime, usually from April to October, there are several airlines flying directly to Split from various cities in Europe. From the Nordic countries, at least Norwegian and Finnair fly directly to Split.  In wintertime there are far fewer flights, but Croatia Airlines flies to Split all year round. At least Lufthansa, KLM and British Airways share some of these flights operated by Croatia Airlines.
If you’re travelling by car, the fastest route from the north is through Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. There is a new motorway A1 from Zagreb to Split, completed in 2005. Travelling from the west, the best route is probably through northern Italy to Trieste and then to Rijeka. After that you can either follow the more scenic southern route following the Adriatic coast, or take the faster A1 motorway.

For Holiday or Remote Work

Whichever way you travel, at the end of the journey awaits Villa Lanka. The house is suitable not only for holidays, but also for remote work, as long as your work doesn’t require a lot of space. The house is equipped with a  wireless network, the use of which is included in the rent. Both apartments have a worktop suitable for writing and computer work. In the town there are several cafes and restaurants with free wifi, passwords are available from the waiters.

For a holiday-maker Trogir offers a relaxed combination of the historical, mostly pedestrian old town, the buzz of street cafes, excellent Mediterranean food with fresh grilled fish and squids, Italian style ice cream, espresso, sun and sea. In the summertime there’s a regular ferry connection to the centre of Split. In the heart of Split is the ancient palace complex of the Roman emperor Diocletian, which has gradually morphed into an old town, now filled with Roman ruins, museums, restaurants, bars and plenty of boutiques varying from second hand to upmarket ones.

On Čiovo, the island next to Trogir, you will find the Okrug Gornji beach, about 4 kilometers from Villa Lanka. In the summertime there’s also a boat service from Trogir to the beach, which takes about 15 minutes and leaves from Riva, the waterfront of the old town. Besides a great view, clear water and a white pebble beach, there are several beach bars and cafes along the paved walkway. Čiovo is also a nice destination for somewhat longer hikes or bike trips. The asphalt roads along the island’s coastline are easy to cycle on. If you take the road on the mainland side, left from the bridge, you will arrive in the village of Slatine. Beyond that lies the tip of the island, and the uphill ride is rewarded with stunning views of the Adriatic Sea. Exploring the inner parts and the southern seaside of the island requires not only a good mountain bike but also a lot of stamina; the paths are in part both rocky and steep. Bikes can be rented from the tourist agents in Trogir. These agents also offer a variety of outings, for example trips to other islands, the Kornati Archipelago National Park or the waterfalls of Krka. Somewhat further away, but surely worth a visit if you have the time is the Plitvice National Park with its lakes and waterfalls. It’s about 3–4 hours' drive to the north.

Apartments

Apartment 1

Apartment 1 is on the ground floor with its own entrance straight from the terrace. The floor area is about 24 square meters. There is an open kitchen area with gas and electric cooking hobs, oven, dishwasher and fridge. The beds have separate frames, so they can be arranged either as a double bed or two separate ones. There is a wardrobe next to the door and room for luggage under it. The door itself has louvered shutters, allowing for ventilation without view from the outside. The materials are of good quality: stained and painted softwood, tiled floors and oak tabletops, matt white wall tiles and glass mosaic on the bathroom and kitchen walls. The bathroom is equipped with a shower cabinet, a towel dryer and a washing machine. Cats, dogs and other similar pets are welcome in Apartment 1. Guests are of course responsible for any damages caused by their pets.
Apartment 2

Apartment 2 is on the first floor, accessible from the outdoor staircase through the foyer, which is shared with the second floor apartment (used by the owners). The apartment is furnished like a hotel room: there is no kitchen, so cooking your own meals is not possible. There is a small fridge and an electric kettle, however, for making breakfast. The beds have separate frames, so they can be arranged either as a double bed or two separate ones. The full-sized wardrobe is tall enough for full length coats and dresses. The materials are of good quality: stained and painted softwood, lacquered plank floors and oak tabletops, matt white wall tiles and glass mosaic on the bathroom and kitchen walls. The bathroom is equipped with a shower cabinet, a towel dryer and a washing machine. Cats, dogs and other pets are not allowed.