Visiting Korčula Island in Croatia - our top tips

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated August 2026 | What is it like to visit Korčula in Croatia? This beautiful island was our first stop when we cruised with Katarina Line, from Split. We managed to do a guided city walk, a museum, a wine tasting and a very nice dinner. Here you will find our story and our best tips!

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Korčula in Croatia

Korčula is a long, narrow Croatian island with several small villages and a total population of around 17,000.

The island of Korčula is located in the Adriatic Sea in Croatia, just south-east of Split and just north-west of Dubrovnik.

To Korčula with Katarina Line

There are several ways to get to Korčula, for example by car ferry from Split or Orebic, or by catamaran from Split, Dubrovnik or Hvar. We came here during a cruise we did with the shipping company Katarina Line. The cruise we went on starts in Split, takes you to several different islands, and then ends in Split again.

Old town of the city of Korčula

We docked in the town of Korčula, on the island of the same name. This historic town, which is also the most popular tourist resort on the island, is surrounded by a 13th-century ring wall.

In the city you can see architecture from different historical eras. These include towers built by the Venetians in the 15th century and buildings from both the Gothic and Renaissance periods.

Perhaps the most impressive building is St Mark's Cathedral, also known as Korčula Cathedral. This Roman Catholic church used to be a cathedral, before the Diocese of Korčula became part of the Diocese of Dubrovnik.

Apart from special sights, it's cosy just to stroll through the winding alleys, where it's easy to feel like you've been transported many centuries back in history.

Guided city walk

When you cruise with Katarina Line, guided city walks are included - where and how many depend on which cruise you book - and we were taken on a guided tour of the old part of the city of Korčula. Very interesting to get a little more "meat on the bones" when walking around!

The story of Marco Polo

Whether you're walking around with a guide or not, it's interesting to learn about Marco Polo and his connection to the island of Korčula. It is known for sure that Marco Polo and his family lived here for a time, and perhaps he was born here too.

There is some evidence that Marco Polo was actually born on Korčula, but it is difficult to know for sure. His birth certificate says 'Venice', which stands for the Republic of Venice, which included the island of Korčula at the time.

On the island today you can check out Marco Polo's house and a large map that tells about his long journeys to the east. There is also a small museum, which was closed the day we were here.

Museums in Korčula

On the island of Korčula you will find several smaller museums. In addition to the Marco Polo Museum, you can take a look at Korčula Town Museum. This museum tells the history of the island from different eras - from Neolithic times to the present day.

Moreska and klapa - dance and song on Korčula

There's some singing and dancing to be experienced on Korčula. Most special must be to see the traditional sword dance moreska, which dates back to the 16th century and is performed in traditional costume. In the past it was danced on special occasions, but today it is one of the city's main attractions and is regularly shown to tourists.

You may also hear clap, which is a unique form of a capella singing from the Dalmatia region in southern Croatia. This tradition is considered so important to preserve that UNESCO has included it in its list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

Wine tasting at the Old Town Bar

After the guided tour, it was time for wine tasting at Old Town Bar. Here we tried sparkling, white and red wine. Worth mentioning is, among others, the grape Greece, which is found on the island of Korčula. This grape variety has only female flowers, so in order to ensure pollination, it has to be co-planted with another grape variety.

Another thing worth mentioning is that in Croatia you almost always get snacks when it comes to wine tasting. Yum!

Dinner at Konoba Adio Mare

In the evening it was time for dinner, which was taken at Konoba Adio Mare in Korčula. The best thing about this restaurant was the fantastic service and the lovely family atmosphere. Moreover, the food was very good!

As a little "extra" snack before the meal, we were served bread with olive oil and tuna pie. That pie was so good, so we still dream about it!

Then we had black risotto, which is a speciality in Croatia, and grilled fresh fish and potatoes with chard, which is a common accompaniment to fish. The fish itself was chosen from whole freshly caught fish, so yes, it was really fresh. Very tasty!

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

Want to see and experience more near the island of Korčula? First of all, we can recommend doing a cruise with the shipping company Katarina Line. An absolutely fantastic experience! Other places that are well worth visiting:

• Hvar – a beautiful island
• Brac – another nice island
• Split – a historic city
• Omis - "the city of pirates"”
• Dubrovnik – with history and Game of Thrones locations

Have you visited Korčula?

Have you visited Korčula? Or maybe any of the other islands nearby? What are your experiences? Please tell us!