Nikica Karavida was the first and remains one of the most prominent photographers in the town of Novigrad, Croatia. He lived in this small town between two world wars and this small, stone building once doubled as his home and studio. Welcome to The Photographer’s House.
Destroyed by war in the 1990s, the building was left in tatters until 2015 before artist and designer Boris Kajmak transformed it into a contemporary one-bedroom home which makes for a beautiful couples retreat.
Boris really wanted to try and commemorate Karavida’s life and work, and thus begun to renovate the photographer’s home, literally turning it into the architectural monument to his memory. Despite having a permanent residence in Rome, Kajmak managed to finish the project in just six months, and the results are way beyond the expectations. The house looks gorgeous and echoes the past times of Novigrad.
Kajmak worked closely with the Croatian Ministry of Culture to restore the property’s stone walls and beamed ceilings in line with strict conservation rules for the village, which is home to less than 550 people. He also installed wooden flooring and furnished the two-storey cottage with a mix of vintage and traditional local furniture.
The lower level of the cottage contains a rustic style kitchen and dining area. All the modern essentials you need are available in the house and it yet is designed to try and bring back whispers of a simpler time. The main bathroom is located on the bottom level and contains a modern open-plan shower which contrasts beautifully with the rustic fixtures and exposed copper piping.
Climbing up an old wooden ladder leads to the upper level which consists of an open-plan bathroom and bedroom, fitted with modern geometric floor tiling and a stand-alone large French bath-tub in the corner. There is also a wood-fire burner too keep you warm on some of the colder nights.
There is an external courtyard which provides the perfect space for enjoying the warm, sunny weather that this part of Croatia is famous for. The courtyard also has an external staircase which connects the bedroom directly to the outdoors.
The minimum rental period is one week and the house is only available for rent during the European summer season and no bookings will be accepted between the months of November to April.
Novigrad is a small and picturesque historic town, situated in a long fjord on the southern coast of the Novigrad Sea. The old nucleus of the town, sheltered by an old fortress (Fortica) and surrounded by walls, is located on the slope of a hill on the northeast side of the bay.
Originally surrounded by a city wall that in some parts is still visible, Novigrad was a safe harbour for many centuries. With the passage of time Novigrad's importance has diminished, and nowadays it is a town with only 542 permanent residents.
In summer, its proximity to the sea makes Novigrad a lively place to be. Most of the city's tourism is made up of former residents returning to visit relatives. This creates a unique feeling to the place, different from any other coastal town along the stretch of the Croatian Adriatic coast, usually characterized by a kind of "drive-through" tourism.
There is a local bus which runs 4 times a day from Zadar to Novigrad. This journey takes around 30 minutes. If you have a car (which is highly recommended) then its also around 30 minutes to drive from Zadar. If you are driving up from Split, it will take around 2 hours to get to Novigrad via the inland hi-way. If you have a bit more time the coastal drive from Split is beautiful and well worth the detour.
Address: Novigrad Dalmatia, Croatia
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