The Island of Korčula – Korkyra Melaina
The town of Korčula is one of the best preserved medieval towns of the Mediterranean and a traditional tourist and cultural center of the island of the same name; the island with crystal clear sea and kilometers of almost untouched coast. The island of fresh white wines and picturesque folklore, the magical island for which old Greeks jealously fought.
Korčula is the island in which the past is alive today. Numerous buildings and monuments, from the “psephism” of Lumbarda, the oldest inscription in stone in this part of Europe, to the Korčula cathedral, bear witness to the various civilizations which have been interlaced on this island: Greek, Roman, Illyrian, Croatina, Venetian, The Korčulans were and have remained seamen, shipbuilders, builders, fishermen, stone-cutters and artists, vine and olive cultivators. The Korčula Statute from 1214 is one of the oldest legal documents in this part of Europe and it confirms the continuity of civilization in these areas.
The island’s name originates from the Ancient Greeks, who named it Korkyra Melaina: Black Korčula. Korkyra was a nymph with beautiful hair who was set on this Adriatic island by Poseidon, god of the seas, and attribute ‘black’ was added because of the thick Mediterranean forest and macchia, which still cover about 60% of the island.
With interesting wine map, the island has developed tasty and diverse homemade cuisine. There you can enjoy not only in pelagic fish and prosciutto, but also in great lamb, goat, mutton, beef and game dishes. On special occasions locals will offer you cukarini, klasuni, hroštule, krokant and kotonjata – quince desert, and off course, brandy with various aromatic herbs, from anise to rose petals.
As opposed to the rest of Dalmatia where dark red wines prosper, Korčula is famous for its sophisticated white wines of distinctive tastes – in central part of the island, in Smokvica and Čara, those are pošip and rukatac, while in Lumbarda, on the eastern part of the island, it is grk.
Nutritious and tasty meals will most certainly provide you with enough energy for recreation and active vacation. Daily excursions, cycling, hiking, paintball, jet ski adventures, or safari in your own design, are only some of activities at your disposal, while mild climate makes it possible to practice most of these activities even outside high summer season. If you visit the island in summer, together with the sun, the sea and relaxation, you can also enjoy in diving, tourist sailing and other water activities.
A fight for black and white king’s beauty is a theme of interesting sword dance Moreška, in which tradition and culture enthusiasts will most certainly enjoy. It is performed regularly during summer months and on St Todor’s Day, patron saint of Korčula (29 July), but there are also performances outside summer season. Find out who was luckier – Ottoman monarch Osman or Arabian Moro!
If you have sports spirit, and you would like to try athletic running disciplines, take part in triathlon Marco Polo Challenge in late April! All those who are looking for a real party, we recommend –“Half New Year Party” which is traditionally held in Korčula, June 30.