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Neretva Valley History
The Neretva Valley, Donje Poneretavlje or simply the Neretva , are all the names for the area surrounding the lower flow of the Neretva, situated between the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina at Metković and the spot where it flows into the Adriatic sea near Ploče, to the river mouth at Ploče.. Neretva is not just a river, her name has a historical component.
Lower Neretva region has been changed for centuries by actions of Neretva, or a human. Sometimes wetland plains between the hills became fertile agricultural area with its natural and cultural beauty enriches the tourist offer of this area. Today, the pearl of the Mediterranean paradise to be protected and enrich it does not lose its luster, because Neretva is the only Croatian delta.
The Neretva valley was inhabited in the prehistoric period (11,000 years BC). The 6 st.p.n.e. in the valley of the Neretva Greeks who in 5 st.p.n.e. established settlement. Because of the importance of the Neretva as traffic and shopping area is developed according to the principles Narona other Greek cities.
Weakening the influence of the Greeks in the Neretva stronger influence of the Romans who obey the Illyrian tribes in 3 st.p.n.e. Narona the Romans turned into one of the most famous and most important cities on the Adriatic coast with Semi, Jaderu and Salon.
With the arrival of the Croats the area Neretva, and in the Middle Ages Neretvans were known as pirates.
From 17. st. Neretva was under the rule of the Venetians, Turks, The French and Austro. Due to the rich history of the Neretva end of today we have a very valuable remains of which is perhaps the most valuable site of ancient Narona, but we must not forget the other monuments such as the medieval fortress, stećak, churches and other monuments of later periods.
Two thousand years ago in the Neretva end, more specifically in Narona there is a port through which the passengers and goods coming to this place. Since then there are ports in this region, but only the location changed.
At the end of 19. and early 20. century port Metkovic becomes one of the two most important ports of the Adriatic. The importance of the port in Metković and number of passengers by the fact that in Metkovic 1895. The open hotel Austria.
The opening of this hotel happened almost at the same time open the first hotel in Crikvenica and Dubrovnik, what we have to say that in the Neretva valley began to develop tourism as the example in Dubrovnik.
The history of the hotel-restaurant Villa Neretva
Restaurant “Villa Neretva” was opened in February 1990. Year. I opened it after returning to his homeland with twenty years of work in Germany, of which I 17,5 years was a private caterer in Germany.

Soon the upstairs restaurant decorated eight air-conditioned room, and has created a hotel – restaurant „Villa Neretva“. Each room has a telephone and Internet connection, TV with local and over 400 satellite program, central heating, air conditioning, minibar and other.
This hotel from 2000. year is a three star hotel and is just as attractive for business guests, as well as those who go on holiday, trip or road trip.
As a lover of the challenges I started something hitherto unknown in this region. Namely, 16. July 1996. Year – Our Lady of Mount Carmel as the initiator, I organized the first photo safari through the Neretva valley. It was the first organized tourist arrivals in these regions, and it took place almost at the same time as the discovery of the Roman Forum with 16 statues in the ancient Narona, which enrich the tourist offer of this region.
When he realized the first photo safari, we thought it would be great if for him in the Neretva valley comes 500 guests, we have already in the first year exceeded. We did not have enough ships to make pleasure photosafari offer a larger number of guests who are interested in this. In order to increase the number of boat, we started the reconstruction of old and dilapidated ships that are generally slept at the bottom of rivers and lakes of the region.
With the arrival of an increasing number of guests, we developed our offer, further their education and looking forward to a new challenge. Nothing happens overnight, However, it is not our success. Establishing co-operation with reputable travel agencies from home and abroad for our program has learned more and more guests who want to experience life Neretvanians.
We realized that we need to allow people to expand their comfort and ponudu.U this area there are excellent facilities for tourism, which we used. After expanding its fleet of ships – indigenous Neretva vessels we made a survey of tourists in order to hear what they wanted and how we can expand our offer, in order to satisfy every guest.
Most respondents replied that we would want except photosafari the unspoiled nature and dine here. Thus was born the idea of the Neretva House I. This abandoned old woman – over 100 years old located in the hamlet Covic in Carrier. After the renovation of the house was made a separate catering facility Neretva House I.
Our guests in the hotel – restaurant “Villa Neretva”, or the Neretva House I. We offer the Neretva specialties prepared in the traditional way. The most famous of them are different dishes prepared from eels and frogs, or in the Neretva traditional cuisine there are also dishes made from mullet, liske, and other species of freshwater and saltwater fish, shells, birds and game that can be found all over the Neretva valley. Also there are sweets like Dalmatian flan, Carob cake, strudel and other pastries and cakes with a very extensive wine list of local and foreign bottled wines of high-quality, archived and with geographic origin.
In addition photosafari the meal in the Neretva House I. we offer our guests and other programs. Perhaps the most famous of these is the program tangerine harvest which takes place in October and November. There’s also a program photosafari for student groups – Nature classes. During this program, students have classes geography, history, biology and ecology in the boat, in the heart of nature. Also we offer our guests union tours, team building i incentive programmes, as well as regular trips, transfers and other.

The articles published in many different newspapers and magazines and numerous radio and TV broadcasts, numerous shows on radio and TV stations, but we want a challenge and always strive to increase the level of quality, improve and expand the offer not only a hotel – restauranta „Villa Neretva“, but also the entire Neretva valley.
Our motto is: BE ONE STEP AHEAD, HOSPITALITY AND SMILE AT EVERY STAGE. That’s us, TO OFFER, A US NOTHING NOT COST.
Hotel – restaurant “Villa Neretva” is known in the country and the world as a place of exceptional gastronomy. So it is no wonder that the “Villa Neretva” more 12 years in a row in the list 100 leading Croatian restaurants, 20 Gastro Club Croatian, the club is one of the eternal 24 in the whole homeland, and is entered in the book of Vecernji list “Best Croatian restaurants” .Also this year in the list of TOP 20 restaurants on the Adriatic at the option of the Jutarnji List. International jury 10. Festival SW ITF`2007 CRO is our movie Tourist offer hotel-restaurant Villa Neretva by Damir Štrbe awarded special recognition for an impressive display of wealth of tourist offer of the Neretva valley.
In addition to hotel – restauranta, prizes and I personally got, and here are some of them: Award “Antun Štifanić” for the promotion of Croatian tourism, the Croatian Tourist Board 2002. Year, award “Golden Hands”- the highest award by the Croatian Entrepreneurs Chamber, Prize of the Guild of Caterers Croatian, Award for contribution to the reputation and promotion of Dubrovnik – Neretva County at home and abroad, of Council INTERSTAS / International review of those responsible for tourism and landscape , by F.E.S.T 2007 / European Federation of Tourism Journalists, based in Rome, I got CHARTER F.E.S.T. 2007. Credits for tourism, and other prizes and awards.