Just ten minutes away from Villa Orti, south of the shady Gradac park behind the University, you will find Danče beach (Plaža Danče), a rocky bay ideal for nature lovers. Danče is one of the most popular and oldest beaches in Dalmatia and Dubrovnik. Here the sea is deep and clear and the water is slightly cooler than elsewhere in Dubrovnik. Due to the regular huge waves, Danče beach is not recommended for families with young children. However, if you are an experienced swimmer – this beach is perfect.

For more than 5 decades this beach had been the training spot of „Jug“ water polo club, the national and European water polo champions over 20 times. Today the water polo tradition is honoured by the amateur water polo club Danče.

An interesting place to visit just above the beach is the Church of St. Mary of Mercy (Crkva svete Marije od milosti) which celebrated 500 years of existence in 2007. It proudly houses valuable works of art by Lovre Dobričevića and Nikole Božidarević, two important Croatian masters. Not far from the Church of St. Mary you can take a visit to the Lazaretto, the first quarantine in the world. And don’t be surprised to see the sisters waving or ringing bells when greeting sailors and ships passing beneath the Old City walls. An old custom of Dubrovnik which they’ve continued through time.