The Franciscan monastery of Our Lady of Angels

Occupying a stony ridge to the west of town, the Franciscan Monastery is a muscle-toning twenty-minute walk uphill from the Hotel Bellevue at the western end of town. It’s certainly worth the effort, offering stunning views of the Pelješac Channel from the gazebo-like structure that stands opposite the monastery entrance. Built in the late 15th century, the monastery church houses Our Lady of the Angels, an icon said to protect Orebić’s sailors. Homeward-bound captains used to blow their ships’ horns in salute when passing beneath the monastery – the monks responded by tolling their bell. The monastery treasury displays baroque paintings, and a miracle-working crucifix from the island of Badija; while the nearby graveyard contains some extraordinary family tombs.