A 350 thousand kuna worth renovation of the protected Šipun Cave in Cavtat has began, for tourist valorization of a protected natural site. The speleological site is being renovated within the project "Nature for the Future" which is financed from the EU's program of Croatian and Montenegrin cross-border collaboration.

Cavtat’s Šipun Cave, in the northeastern part of the peninsula Rat in Cavtat, has been protected as a geomorphologic natural monument since 1963. With biospeleology research, which has lasted, with interruptions, since the late 19th century until today, a significant type of cave fauna has been established. In it, more than 60 organisms are described, which is the largest number of described species in a cave in Croatia. Šipun is known for its spacious indoor cave and great hall with icicle clusters, the most attractive of which bears the name of St. Vlaho.

The cross-border project "Nature for the Future" also includes renovation of the tourist lookout point on the island of Lastovo. The next step is the cross-border study about the biodiversity of caves, the establishment of the herpetology centre for water turtles in Majkovi and themed biodiversity trails on Baćin Lakes.

The Tourist Board of Dubrovnik-Neretva County
www.visitdubrovnik.hr

The Tourist Board of Cavtat
www.tzcavtat-konavle.hr