This morning we took a ferry from Hvar to Korcula, which took about one hour. Korcula is known as the "mini Dubrovnik" of Croatia. It is an ancient town (said to be founded around the 12th century BC) that is surrounded by walls with a fort in the center.
The small town of Korcula, surrounded by the Adriatic Sea
A quiet little town, perfect for photo opportunities without large crowds of tourists.
Steps leading up to the Revelin Tower, which dates back to the 13th century. It is the southern entrance into Old Town.
Vendors line the walkway leading you to an incredible view of the sea
The majority of the islands around Croatia are uninhabited (there are over 1,000!)
Walk around the outer perimeter of Old Town Korcula and you will see some of the best views you've ever seen. A perfect place to have lunch.
There is a cocktail bar at the top of that tower called, Massimo. You have to climb a narrow ladder to get to the top. It was not open when we were there due to it being pre-season. However, it is said to have some great views.
A walk around the outer perimeter of Old Town Korcula.
Every door and building has it's own unique set of characteristics and history. Each one told it's own story. No telling how long this one has been there.
The crystal blue waters of the Adriatic Sea
The center of Old Town Korcula
This is very similar to Dubrovnik and Hvar where you have narrow alleys with lots of steps.
Korcula is said to be the birthplace of Marco Polo. This was his home.
Walking outside of Old Town to explore the rest of Korcula
Because Korcula is such a small town, there is not a whole lot to do (especially in off-season). However, it's beauty makes up for what it lacks in activities.
We literally had the whole beach to ourselves!
Old Town Korcula
We walked back to Old Town to have some ice cream at this cafe.
Gelato is always a good choice in Europe. This refreshing melon gelato did not disappoint.
Plenty of fish in the sea for this lone fisherman
As you can see, there were only a handful of tourists here in Korcula at the end of May. No lines or reservations needed for any of the restaurants!
Zrnovska Makaruni (a traditional homemade pasta with beef) at Pape Pizzeria
Pizza with prosciutto, mozzarella, sunny-side egg, and ricotta at Pape Pizzeria. My wife really loves pizza. Loves it to the point where she would eat it everyday if she could. She said that this beats the pizza we had in Italy (but NOT the calzone from Positano). We even had pizza in Naples...the BIRTHPLACE of pizza! She would go back to Korcula just for this pizza.
My wife shared some (a little) of the pizza with me, but there were no leftovers.
We stopped at this little cafe for dessert before heading back to the ferry. Homemade pies, cakes, cookies, and other sweet treats.
Chamomile tea and a lemon tart. The lemon tart was delicious and not too sweet.
So long, Korcula. You were lovely. Well-worth the day trip and memories that will linger in these photographs. We may have to return to you someday just so that my wife can have your delicious pizza. Until then, we will remember, "take every chance you get in life, because some things only happen once." This holds true for so many things, but today and for us, it means travel and see as much of the world as we can. It's never too early to cross things off your bucket list.