Korčula
The island of Korčula is one of the biggest Croatian islands, well known as the birth place of Marco Polo, the famous Venetian explorer. The island’s capital is also called Korčula, and this ancient city, called “Little Dubrovnik”, is among the most beautiful on the Croatian coast and is known for its unique architecture.
Why Korčula Is a Must See Location on Your Croatia Cruise Vacation
The biggest and most beautiful building in Korčula is the Cathedral of St. Marco. South from that, there is the Bishop’s Palace where the Abbatial Treasury of St. Marco is housed with a rich collection of Croatian and Italian Renaissance art, a collection of manuscripts and books and a collection of the ceremonial clothes.
North from the Cathedral, there is the small church of St. Peter, the oldest preserved church in the town from the 11th century. On the western side of the square, there is Crkva Gospojina (Church of Our Lady) dating from 1483, a major Renaissance construction.
The Town Museum is situated in the palace Gabrielis, one of the most beautiful Korcula palaces, in the Renaissance style dating from the 16th century. Surrounding the city are the old city walls and the many towers that protected it against invaders.
On the western part of the island is the little town of Vela Luka, located at the bottom of a deep and wide bay indented by many coves, the slopes of which descend slowly to the sea, covered with Scattered like pearls in the bay of Vela Luka, the little islands Proizd and Ošjak are popular tourist excursion destinations, virgin oases surrounded by clear sea and covered with thick pine woods. On the south slope of the hill Pinski rat there is an extraordinary archaelogical site called Vela Spila, one of the most important prehistoric finds in Europe.
In the place itself and in the beautiful coves of Vela Luka there are numerous summer houses and apartments offering private accommodation.
Did You know that Korčula is the birthplace of Marko Polo!
Marko Polo’s birthplace was founded on the basis of a Greek colony and is the historical and tourist seat of the largest island in the Dubrovnik area.
The city is recognizable because of the streets, which have the shape of a fish grid and because of the preserved buildings from the Gothic and Renaissance periods.
The cathedral of Sv. Marko (of St. Mark) with its valuable interior, where works by great Italian artists are kept. Korčula residents also practice their customs in the medieval knight game “Moreška”, which takes place on the streets of the city. The light Mediterranean cuisine is a challenge even for the palates of the most choosy gourmets.
To the gifts of the sea (mussels, fish, crayfish) and the delicious desserts, such as B. “Cukarin”, Dubrovnik “Rozata” and “Klašun” fit perfectly the wines of the island – Grk, Pošip, Plavac, Rukatac.
Near the town of Korčula there is an archipelago of about 20 uninhabited islets, densely overgrown with scrub but easily accessible.
There is also the somewhat larger island of Badija with pebble beaches and a beautiful Franciscan monastery.
