History & Heritage
Molonta Heritage Estate is a family-owned waterfront estate whose roots date back to the early 18th century.
Built from local stone and shaped by generations of care, it remains a rare example of authentic Adriatic heritage preserved in its original setting.
Origins of the house
The Metković family house was built in the 1930s by three brothers and two sisters, using traditional techniques and materials sourced directly from the land.
Stone came from local excavations, while lime for binding was produced in kilns near the beach some of which still stand today.
The roof and structural beams were made from cypress trees cut on the family estate.
According to local folklore, when a son was born, a father would plant at least fifty cypress trees, so that one day the wood could be used to build his future home.
These were demanding tasks. Entire summers were spent cutting wood to fuel the kilns that turned stone into lime. There was no electricity, and all materials were transported by horses, mules, and donkeys.
Life of the Estate
The house was designed as a living estate.
The upper floor served as the family’s living quarters, while the ground floor functioned as cellars for storing agricultural products: wine, olive oil, dried figs, carob, and other crops grown across the 48,000-square-metre property.
Agriculture financed the construction of the house, along with support from the eldest brother, who emigrated to Argentina to earn money for the family. Like many people from this region, he left in search of a better life and to help preserve the family estate.
A House with a soul
In 1966, after returning from America, Mato Metković transformed the family house into a holiday home and named it Villa Palma, a name it carried for many years.
During the most recent renovation, architects advised demolishing the old structure and building a new one.
However, the family chose to preserve the original exterior walls, the last remaining parts of the historic house even though this decision made the renovation more complex and demanding.
“You preserved the soul of the house.”
Molonta Today
Today, the estate continues to produce organic olive oil from trees planted more than 250 years ago, along with wine, citrus fruits, figs, carob,
jams, and homemade liqueurs.
The house has been carefully restored using traditional materials. Much of the furniture is handmade, while modern equipment provides the comfort expected of a five-star stay. The goal was never to create something new, but to preserve and elevate what was already here.
Now run by the third generation of the family, Molonta continues a tradition of hospitality shaped by more than 60 years of welcoming guests.
Set in the untouched western bay of Molunat, one of the few remaining undeveloped bays on the mainland Adriatic, the estate offers a rare sense of peace, privacy, and authenticity.
Molonta is not simply a villa.
It is a place where heritage, nature and silence come together.
The Mediterranean as it once was.