Dubrovnik and Dalmacija travel guide

Kornat
The largest island in the National Park, Kornat
(above), is just 25 km (16 miles) long and 2.5 km
(2 miles) wide. Sprinkled among its old stone
houses are a few decent restaurants, a 6th-century
Byzantine lookout tower and a small church.
Lavsa
Its good choice of
sheltered, sandy coves
make Lavsa a popular
destination with the
yachting fraternity. There
they can stop off and
idle away an afternoon,
swimming and basking
in the sunshine.
Mana
Mana is best known
for three things: its flora,
its ruined village – not in
fact a real settlement but
a set built for the 1950s
film The Cruel Sea – and
its steep, overhanging
cliffs, a spectacular sight
when the Adriatic swell
crashes against them.
For more about sailing in Dalmatia See pp46–7
Seafood
Restaurants
In summer, a number
of enterprising locals
turn their old stone
houses, many of which
have small jetties, into
restaurants. They offer
first-rate, fresh, simply
presented seafood to
passing sailors.
Piškera
Another
island with a
discernible
Roman legacy
is Piškera.
There was
once a
substantial
village here,
though all that
remains these days is
the ruined shell of this
settlement and an old
church. The marina on
Piškera (right) is the most
developed in the islands.
Wildlife
Attempts at exploiting
the limited natural
resources of the islands
may appear to have
stripped them of all
wildlife. Yet they are home
to over 300 plant varieties
and a similar number of
animal species, including
wild sheep (below).
Katina
At the northern tip
of this island, the Mala
Proversa waterway
separates the Kornatis
from Dugi Otok on the
mainland. In the middle
of this channel lie the
remains of an ancient
villa, dating back to a
time when the islands
were a fashionable
holiday resort for
wealthy Romans.
Kornati Islands
Orientation
The Kornati Islands
National Park is located
approximately seven
nautical miles west of
Murter and around 15
nautical miles from
Zadar and Šibenik. In
the summer, boats
authorized to take
tourists into the park line
the waterfronts of these
three towns. If you are
thinking of booking
a day trip, ask to see a
map first to ensure that
the tour really does
include the park. The
best way, however, to
explore the park’s many
islands thoroughly is on
a private yacht.
Dubrovnik & the Dalmatian Coast
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