Korčula in a day: what to see and do.

Korčula is a medieval walled town on a small peninsula, close enough for a day from Dubrovnik and small enough to see on foot in an afternoon.

Korčula boat tour (10 h)See the tour →

The street plan

The old town is laid out like a fish skeleton. Streets on the west side run straight to let the summer maestral through. On the east side they curve to block the winter bura. The Marco Polo tower is a five-minute climb and gives a good view over the town.

Grk & Pošip

Korčula produces two white wines rarely found elsewhere: Pošip from the inland villages and Grk from the sandy soil around Lumbarda. Grk only bears fruit when another variety is planted next to it. Both are served by the glass in the old town.

Swim at Badija, on request

Badija is not part of the standard Korčula route, but we can add it if you ask when booking. If you add it, we anchor off Badija on the way back. It is an island just outside Korčula harbour, with a 14th-century Franciscan monastery and a herd of deer. The water off its stone shore is deep and clear.

The Moreška sword dance

Ask about the Moreška, Korčula’s traditional sword dance, performed since the 1600s. It is usually held on summer Thursday evenings, and seeing it means a later return, which we can plan (see the events section below). It tells the story of two armies fighting over a kidnapped bride and lasts about an hour.

Practical notes

• It is a long day, about ten hours in total. Bring a light layer for the return trip, as the afternoon maestral usually picks up after 16:00.
• For lunch in the old town, the restaurants one street back from the main street are usually better.

Korčula day trip from Dubrovnik: by boat, by car or by ferry

There are three ways to make a Korčula day trip from Dubrovnik, and they shape the day differently. By private boat you cover the 45 nautical miles in about two to two and a half hours each way. You stop to swim on the way and arrive at the harbour below the town walls. By car the route runs up the Pelješac peninsula past Ston, then across on the short car ferry from Orebić. In summer there is also a scheduled passenger catamaran, but its timetable decides how long you get ashore.

The boat makes sense if you want the sea to be part of the day: swim stops in the Pelješac channel, no ferry queue and a departure time that suits you. The car is the better choice if anyone in the group dislikes open water, or if you want to add a Pelješac winery and the walls of Ston. Our Korčula day trip by land covers that version with a driver.

More to see inside the walls

The old town is small enough to walk end to end in about 90 minutes, which leaves time for one or two interiors. Beyond the street plan and the tower, these are worth knowing about:

• St Mark’s Cathedral, on the main square, built from the local stone that Korčula’s masons were known for along the whole coast.
• The Abbey Treasury next to the cathedral, with a collection of religious art.
• The Town Museum in a Renaissance palace on the same square, with a section on stonemasonry and shipbuilding, the two trades the town lived from.
• The house said to be Marco Polo’s birthplace. The claim is disputed, but the small house and its view are a pleasant stop.
• The Land Gate, the wide stone staircase and tower that form the main entrance from the south side.

Most of the old town is stairs and polished stone, so wear shoes with some grip rather than flip-flops.

Best months and the wind

June and September are the best balance: warm sea, long days and fewer boats in the harbour. July and August are the warmest months and the busiest, so book two to four weeks ahead. In May and October the sea is cooler, but the old town is at its quietest.

The route has longer stretches of open water than an Elaphiti day, so the wind matters more. The afternoon maestral is normal and only means a livelier ride home. A strong jugo, the southerly wind, builds swell on the exposed legs, and a strong bura can make the channels choppy. We check the forecast the day before and contact you if conditions look uncertain. If the trip is not safe, you can reschedule or receive a full refund of your deposit, and on borderline days the land route is often the better plan.

Planning the day

• Boarding: Cavtat, Lapad, ACI Marina Komolac or the Old Port, whichever is closest to your accommodation. Hotel transfer is included on most boats.
• Lunch: not included, so you choose. Tell us if you want a table booked and we time the day around it.
• Children: this is the longest single-island day we run. It suits older children well; with toddlers a shorter route is usually easier.
• Seasickness: let us know in advance. A stable boat and a calmer timing help, and on some days the car route is simply kinder.
• Which boat: the speedboats are fast enough for the distance; a motor yacht is the luxury option, with a hostess, shade and a saloon for the long hours on the water.
• Price: on request. Every trip is quoted per boat, not per person, and we send an itemised quote by email or WhatsApp.

If one day is not enough

Korčula is also a regular evening stop on our multi-day routes, when you sleep on board and have dinner in the old town after the day boats have left. That is a different trip, on a motor yacht with cabins and a crew; see multi-day yacht charter. To stay on the island for a few days instead, a private boat transfer to Korčula takes you and your luggage to the old town harbour. Korčula pairs well with Mljet: the two lie opposite each other across the channel, the multi-day routes stop at both, and our Mljet guide covers that island. For the day itself, the private Korčula boat tour page has the route, the boats and what is included.

The town from above and from the sea

Korčula looks its best from two places. The first is the water as you arrive, when the walls and towers rise straight out of the sea. The second is the hills behind the town, where you see how tightly it sits on its peninsula (more about the town from the Korčula Tourist Board). The first comes with the boat. For the second, the road up towards the village of Žrnovo has viewpoints a short taxi ride away, worth it if you have an hour to spare after lunch.

Events, opening hours and Moreška

Museum and cathedral opening hours, the Moreška schedule and the summer concerts change from year to year, so check the Korčula Tourist Board calendar before you fix the date. If a Moreška evening falls on your day and you want to see it, we can plan the trip around it. You stay later and come back after dark, which suits a motor yacht with lights and a saloon.

Most of the old town is closed to cars and built in steps. In the hottest hours, a short break in the shade of a lane like the one below is worth it.

Keep reading

• Speedboat, catamaran or yacht? Which boat suits the longest island day.
• What to pack for a boat day: for a ten-hour day the layer for the return matters.
• Mljet in one day: the national park island on the way.

Questions