Pelješac Captains’ Festival

The festival season opens with an interesting story about the Pelješac maritime tradition. The Captains’ Festival starts in Orebić from 15 May to 15 June and then moves on to different locations throughout the peninsula.

The tour of Orebić with costumed guides, exhibition “The Fashion of the Pelješac Riviera through the 19th Century” in the reading room of the Orebić Maritime Museum, klapa evenings, interesting performances – this is all part of the rich program of the first festival this year in a place known for its captains and unique, spacious courtyards with Mediterranean and exotic herbs that sailors brought from their trips.

Fifty Pelješac restaurants, wineries and fishermen also joined in. All those who visit Pelješac at the time of our festivals can expect top quality wines and delicious dishes at promotional prices. Wines will be sold at a 20 percent discount in wineries, and two captain’s menus will be offered in restaurants at a price of 150 and 230 HRK.

Return to the golden age of Pelješac

The Captains’ Festival will take you back to the golden age of the peninsula, when Pelješac was the maritime center of this part of the Mediterranean. Hamburg, Piraeus and Orebić were the only three maritime centers that the ships greeted with the sound of a siren, regardless of the flag they were carrying. The locals of Orebić and the surrounding towns greeted them, waved with sheets from the shore, bells rang at the Franciscan monastery of Gospa od Anđela and a cannon was fired from today’s building of the Maritime Museum.

In 1865, the Pelješac Maritime Society (Associazzione Marittima di Sabioncello) was founded in Orebić, and in 1875 the shipyard Archiduca Rudolfo was founded. At the height of its fame, the area of the Pelješac Riviera numbered 2,000 sailors, 250 captains and 90 sailing ships with a total tonnage of 45,000 tons. Pelješac sailors were also known for heroic feats on their voyages that earned them numerous decorations, and there wasn’t a family without at least one captain. Therefore, Pelješac is known as the birthplace of many captains, and the plavac mali grape variety.

Program 2022

15.5. Arrival of the Captain / Opening

Mimbelli Square, Orebic 19:30

Organization: AKU Kušin and the League Against Cancer

18.5. Museum Day

Maritime Museum in Orebic 18:00

Organization: PM Orebić

18.5. – 25.5. Exhibition “Fashion of the Pelješac Riviera through the 19th century”

Reading room, Maritime Museum Orebic

Organization: PM Orebić

22.5. Klapa evening “O Marijo, majko!”

Parish Church, Orebic 20:00

Organization: Klapa Nava

25.5. Theatre play: “E, moj galebe!”

Orebić Municipality Hall 20:00

Organization: AKU Kušin

27.5. Guided tour through Orebic / “Living history”

“Skafetin by skafetin through Orebic”

Start in front of the building of the Municipality of Orebic 19:00

30.5. Theatre play: “E, moj galebe!”

Former Dominican monastery – Kuvenat, Viganj 20:00

Organization: AKU Kušin

1.6. Theatre play: “E, moj galebe!”

Cooperative restaurant loviška vala, Lovište 20:00

Organization: AKU Kušin

10.6. Guided tour through Orebic / “Living history”

“Skafetin by skafetin through Orebic”

Start in front of the building of the Municipality of Orebic 19:00