What to do in Korčula Island, Croatia?

Some people say that Korčula Island has some of the best beaches in Croatia and I have to agree that it is one of the most beautiful places I’ve been to. 

With more than 150 miles of coastline, it is about 29 miles long and over 4 miles wide, the island is part of the South Dalmatia region and it offers a variety of beaches, hidden coves with clear waters and lovely countryside with several vineyards where some of them, you can visit and have a taste of the delicious wine produced there.

As there is no airport on the island, you will need to fly to either Split or Dubrovnik. And because we wanted to have more flexibility and explore the archipelago, we rented a car in Split and from there we took a Jadrolinija ferry to Vela Luka. 

To catch the ferry or the catamaran in Split, you can buy the ticket not only online but also from the kiosk at the address: Gat Sv. Duje bb, which is where the ferry departs.

We bought it on the day because we thought it would be a safer bet since we didn’t know for sure our arrival time in Split, in case our flight was delayed or any other unforeseen problem arising.
Also, we were not sure which ferry was allowed to load cars or which one would go straight to Vela Luka, etc.

For both of us and the car, we paid 590 kunas (60 kunas per person and 470 kunas for the vehicle) in September 2018 and from what I saw, this year the value remains the same.

The ferry line operates three times a day in summer: the ferry makes the trip twice and the catamaran once. And in the off-season, depending on the day, the ride is done 2 or 3 times a day.

FYI: the ferry can go both passengers on foot (or bike) and vehicles and on the catamaran, only passengers, okay?

Additionally, if you would like to go straight from Split to Korčula Town, on the Jadrolinija website shows that there is only one catamaran per day. However, Krilo Kapetan Luka does it more often, but I confess that I found their timetable a little confusing.

To be honest, I found rather misleading information about the timetable for the trips to Korčula Town. Therefore the best thing is to arrive and go straight to the port of Split and ask about it at the company kiosks (like we did it) and the information will be 100% reliable.
Also if you have some tips about it, please share with us!

Anyway, the ferry to Vela Luka takes about 3 hours and a half and is kind of boring, so take something with you to pass the time. The catamaran is a bit faster and takes around 2 hours.
Inside the boat, it has a cafe/restaurant and you can stay indoors or out on the deck.

On the other hand, to leave the island, we decided to take a different route, and we took the ferry from Dominče (near Korčula Town) to Orebić (on the island of the same name) which takes only 15 minutes.
Then we walked around the village, which is cute by the way, and later we crossed the island to the town of Trpanj, where we took another ferry for 1 hour to Ploče (mainland).
It was a pleasant trip, and I advise you to do it as well because it is indeed worth it.

Now talking about the island, we stayed for 5 days, and I confess that I regretted having booked and paid in advance the hotel on the Makarska Riviera for the remaining 9 days. I honestly should have split in 7 days at each place.
The island is incredible, gorgeous and the photos do not live up to the beauty of the place.

The East is the most visited destinations, but because we wanted to be in a place not so touristy, we decided to stay on the opposite side, at the little town of Vela Luka.

Also, as we enjoy exploring, we drove around the little roads by the coast, and it was where we found several secluded beaches near Vela Luka that took our breath away. 

However, we also visited the South, East and North of the island, passing by paradisiacal beaches.

Besides the seasides, the island is also well known for its delicious wine.
Touring the off-coast villages like Zavalatia, Čara, Smokvica, you will find several vineyards producing Pošip and Grk grapes and in the town of Peljesac the red wines Plavac and Dingac are produced.

Bačić Winery

Anywhere you choose, you will surely enjoy a great wine tasting with fresh cheese and olives, olive oil of incredible quality, home-made bread, etc.

Now if you want adventure and especially if you like cycling, the island is an ideal destination for road or mountain biking since it has many quiet rural and scenic off-road routes.

Although there are currently no routes dedicated to cycling, the whole island has an excellent infrastructure for cycling, with small tracks that run into the countryside, between vineyards and olive groves or along the coast.

TIPS

– The pronunciation is kor-chu-la.
– Most places accept credit/debit cards, but there are few ATMs on the island.
– The voltage is 220v, and the plug is two round pins.
– Supermarkets are usually Tommy, Konzum and Studenac
– In Croatia, the beaches cannot be privately owned, and the concrete slabs can be accessed without restriction.

Obviously, as you can see, I’ve felt in love with Korčula, and I’m quite sure you will as well.

Next time I will be writing all about the spectacular beaches on the island.
Enjoy your holiday!

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