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About KorčulaThe Island of Korčula
(say it "CORE-chew-la")
Located on the eastern side of the Adriatic Sea, approx. 120 miles (192 km) east of Italy.
42° 48 N / 17° 08 E
29 miles (47 km) long, 5 miles (8 km) wide. Shoreline: 113 miles (182 km).
Population: 17,000.
Korčula is one of the southern Dalmatian islands (where those nice white and black spotted dogs originally came from) and is located directly east of Italy, across the beautiful Adriatic sea. Korčula is 100 km / 62 mi. north of the UNESCO Heritage town of Dubrovnik.
Great weather, excellent food and wine culture, pristine waters!
A paradise for sailing, boating, fishing, water sports, and relaxing!
Korčula weather: Mediterranean. Winter starts late: moderately cool and wet, sometimes very windy, occasional snow in higher elevations. During the winter, it might be cool, but there is still plenty of sunshine. Spring comes early: occasional winds, sometimes rainy, but pleasant days and mild evenings. Summer: extended! Warm, clear, dry, occasional sudden thunderstorms, warm evenings. Autumn: cooler, but very pleasant days and cool to crisp evenings. Many consider autumn the best time of year.
Korčula: the city of Korčula is the main city on the island. Located in the upper north-east corner, the "old town" is a medieval walled city, often described as a mini Dubrovnik. You find fantastic views of the surrounding islands, the town of Orebić (ORE-reh-bitch) and the Pelješac (PEL-ya-shats) peninsula. There are many fine places to eat and numerous attractions to include museums, churches, and galleries. It is said that Marco Polo was born in Korčula. You can visit his birthplace inside the walled city. In the surrounding area there are opportunities for lodging; private rooms, hotels and guesthouses. The port of Korčula is one of the two main sea ports on the island. The harbor offers full-service facilities for the mariner.
Čara (CHA-rrah): located 26 km (16 mi.) west of the city of Korčula, Čara is the central point for the production of the world-famous Pošip (PO-zhip) wine. The Čara valley is beautiful and backed by an elevated mountain chain. The sea is 3 km (1.8 mi.) away. The lifestyle in Čara is quiet and traditional. There is a community center, a small market, and a church. Vacationing or living here puts you close to the sea and you have the opportunity to mix with the local people in a quiet, natural, beautiful setting. Activities including visiting the sea, nature walks, and bicycling.
Smokvica (SMOKE-veet-sah): located 4 km (2.4 mi.) west of Čara, Smokvica is a local municipal and cultural center. Like Čara, Smokvica in mainly involved with the production of Pošip wine . The views are great. The sea is a bit more in the distance but still only a five minute drive away. In Smokvica you'll find several markets and places to eat. There is a wonderful old church and a hospital. A "mobile" fish market comes a couple times a week. The lifestyle in Smokvica is more lively than in Čara, but you won't find discos or loud nightly activities. It is an excellent town to vacation or live. You can get a real feel for the traditional rural lifestyle and the peace and beauty of the surrounding area. From Smokvica, you have two ways to travel to the municipal center of Blato: the road to the south takes you along one of the most beautiful sections of the island (south-coast route), or you can stay on the main highway, which runs through the interior of the island. Our description here will take us along the south-coast route.
Brna (BURR-nah): located 4km (2.4 mi.) south-west of Smokvica, Brna is a port town and has a significantly large harbor. Normally Brna is a quiet place. During the tourist season, Brna is alive with social activities and places to eat and drink. There is a hotel along with many private accommodations. For water activities, along with boating and sailing, you can find many small coves and natural harbors to enjoy. Brna has one of the few true sand beaches on the south coast. Bicycle riding along the south coast road is absolutely great for sightseeing!
Prižba (PUHREEZ-bah): considered by many to be the outstanding area for vacationing and living, Prizba actually has a suburb, Prišćapac (PUHRIZ-cha-pats). Spread along 4 km (2.4 mi.) of the south-coast road, the Prizba area is quiet, peaceful, yet full of activities and amenities. A tasteful, well-developed hotel complex is directly on the east end of Prizba. There, you will find all the family activities one could want, including small sand beaches, water sport rentals, bicycling, and hiking. Farther along the coast are numerous private accommodations and places to eat, all with fantastic views. The homes tend to be on the large side and double as private residences and tourist-apartment rentals. Outside of Korčula, this is one of the nicest locations on the island, and is not to be missed.
Blato (BLAH-toe): the municipal center of the island for all points west of Čara. When you enter Blato from the east, you will be impressed by its 1.5km (1 mi.) long "allee"; the road is lined on both sides by tall, beautiful "Lipa" trees. In summer, this inviting canopy provides a beautiful and welcome respite from the heat. Blato is not a tourist Mecca, but don't let that fool you. There are many cultural and architectural delights in this town. In our view, Blato is now as it has always been a beautiful, "normal" Croatian rural town, unspoiled by over-development. Here you will find several places to enjoy traditional Dalmatian dishes and savor the wines from the local area. You could spend all day just walking around and enjoying the architecture, especially the main church and plaza. The sea is only a ten minute drive away. Hiking and biking are also popular activities.
Vela Luka (VEH-lah-LU-ka) is the other major port on the island, and is located 5 km (3 mi.) west of Blato. Vela Luka means "big harbor", and relatively big it is! Daily passenger and car ferry service is available here. It is also the central fish market for the island. Vela Luka, though not known in the past for tourist attractions, is clearly an inviting town. Youll find many fine places to eat and sidewalk cafe-bars to idle away the time looking at the beautiful harbor. There are numerous private accommodations and several small hotels. Vela Luka is a cultural center for the surrounding area and in the summertime there are many traditional dances, song-fests, and the like. If you like to sail, the harbor is full-service and the facilities have been renovated to top condition.
Other areas: There are several interior areas and many, many coastal areas not mentioned here. The island of Korčula is great for exploring, be it by car, rent-a-scooter, bicycle, or foot. As a tourist destination you can expect this: friendly people, quiet, peaceful, controlled development, fantastic views, great water activities, a pristine-quality sea, superb food and wine culture, and a family-friendly atmosphere.
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Ulica 1, br. 39