Korcula Town

Korčula Town, on the island of the same name, is one of the best-preserved walled towns on the Adriatic, a compact cluster of stone houses and towers sitting on a narrow peninsula that juts into the sea, with the whole town laid out on a fishbone plan of narrow streets running off a central spine. The plan is deliberate, designed so that the streets channel the sea breezes in summer and block the cold winds in winter.

The town is traditionally claimed as the birthplace of Marco Polo, and the alleged family house, a modest stone tower, is one of the stops, though the claim is contested. The more certain sights are the cathedral of St Mark on the main square, the small museums, the defensive towers and the circuit of walls along the waterfront. Korčula is also known for the Moreška, a traditional sword dance performed through the summer.

Korčula sits on the island’s coast facing the Pelješac peninsula, with regular ferries, and it makes either a day trip from the mainland or a base on the island. The town is busy through the day with ferry traffic but quietens in the evening.

For photographers, the town on its peninsula from the water or from the Pelješac side is the classic image, best in late afternoon light. Walk the walls at dusk when the stone holds the heat.

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