In May, my family and I spent five days on a mini holiday on the island of Korcula. It was my sixth or seventh visit to the island. I recorded a video of Korčula town, which you can watch below.
Accommodation on Korcula
We stayed at “Stone House Prapatna,” two small houses (rented as one unit) in the middle of the island, near the Smokvica Village. Behind the house was a forest, and in front were wine fields. The neighbors were 500 meters away, so it was peaceful. Next to the house, there was a tiny church and ruins of a 17th-century castle.
House 1 in the front was an old stone house from the 18th century. It had a living room, kitchen, bathroom, and a sleeping room on the top floor.
House 2 was of a newer date, in this house there was also a kitchen / living room, a bathroom, and a sleeping room.
There was a great barbecue area outside, which we used every evening. Additionally, there was a pool (not heated, so a bit fresh), table tennis, boules, a nice garden, and a hammock!
NOTE: If you are interested in renting the accommodation we stayed at, you can leave a comment below, and I will then you the contact details.
Day 1
The first day of our holiday was a travel day, we took the 10.00h ferry from Split to Vela Luka and arrived in Vela Luka at 13.30h.
From there on we drove towards Smokvica to locate our accommodation. It turned out that the Google pin for the accommodation was not located in the right place. So we ended at a dead end and had to call the landlord, who then picked us up next to the small supermarket in Smokvica.
From Smokvica, we drove 3 km on a small road through the wine fields before we reached the houses.
The rest of the day, we spent settling in, exploring the surroundings (with Oskar), and most importantly, making a barbecue. That is always a highlight when you live in an apartment with no access to a real barbecue!
Day 2
The main goal for our first full day on Korcula was to take a closer look at Vela Luka. And especially the Vela Spila (Big Cave), which we had never managed to visit before.
Vela Spila is a large cave that, according to archaeological findings, humans used as far back as 20,000 years BC. Excavations and scientific research have been conducted in the cave since the 1940s.
Vela Spila is located 130 meters above the sea level, in the hills surrounding Vela Luka. Getting there turned out to be a bit of an adventure, as the asphalt road up the hill was narrow and winding.
(Note: There is also a shorter, 3.5 km walking route to the cave from the center of town, but it is still fairly steep.)
We managed to get to the cave, but unfortunately, for some unknown reason, it was closed on the day of our visit. So, we just took some photos from outside the closed gate.
After the “failed” cave visit, we went to explore Vela Luka, a typical small Dalmatian coastal town centered around its harbor.
The key “attraction” in the town is the world’s longest mosaic (Luka mozaika), which is part of the pedestrian area around the port. The Mozaika project started back in 1968 when artists from around the world gathered to create its first sections.
Today, there are yearly mosaic workshops (more info here) where people from around the globe come and contribute to the world’s longest mosaic.
After exploring Vela Luka, we went back to our house and spent the rest of the day there.
Day 3
On the third day of our visit to island Korcula, it was time to visit the town Korcula, the highlight of the island. In the video below you can see what we experienced.
Here is some additional information in relation to what i mentioned in the video
Getting to Korcula Town
You can get to Korcula town by bus from Dubrovnik, tickets can be found on GetByBus.com.
By fast ferry
There are year-round fast ferries from Dubrovnik, Split, and Hvar town, with the number of daily departures varying depending on the season.
Ferry routes are operated by three different companies: Jadrolinija, TP Line, and Krilo. To view timetables for all companies, you can visit the website GetByFerry.com. Ticket prices for the fast ferry range from 25 to 30 euros. However, there is at least one daily subsidized departure from each of these cities, which is considerably cheaper.
Moreska Dance Show
As I mentioned in my video, Korcula is home to a unique sword dance called Moreska. During summer season there are several weekly dance shows performed near the old town. Tickets for the show can be found on the official website
Guided tour Korcula town
You can easily explore Korcula town on your own. But if you prefer to be accompanied by a local expert, you can find a list of tourist guides here.
Day 4
On the fourth day on Korcula, we visited Lumbarda at the southern tip of the island. Lumbarda is known for its sandy beaches, especially the famous Vela Pržina beach, so of course, we had to visit it.
We also took a pleasant walk along the seaside in Lumbarda, a charming small town.
A note about Lumbarda: if you are a white wine lover, this is the place to go. You absolutely have to try the wine Grk, made from the indigenous grape variety of the same name, which thrives in the sandy vineyards around Lumbarda.
After visiting Korcula, we visited several smaller cities on the island, but unfortunately, i forgot to take any photos.
The evening we spent at the house, enjoying another great barbecue!
Day 5
On the fifth day, it was time to travel back to Split. We took a different route this time, traveling by car ferry from Domince to Orebic and then driving the rest of the way home.
We left on the ferry at 11 AM and arrived back in Split around 3 PM. The total travel time was very similar to what it had been when we traveled to the island.
Budget for our Korcula Holiday
This is how much we spend on our 5-day holiday on Korcula:
- Accommodation, 4 nights in Stone House = 280 Euros
- Food and drinks at the house = 300 Euros
- Lunch in the Korcula town on Day 3 = 80 Euros
- Ferry ticket Split to Vela Luka = 82.90 Euros
- Ferry ticket Domince to Orebic = 19.20 Euros
- Gas and road toll (on the way back) = 40 Euros
- Other minor costs = 50 Euros
Total cost for our 5-day mini holiday on Korcula Island = 852 Euros
