Vela Luka

Vela Luka is a town at the western end of the long island of Korčula, set at the head of a wide, deep bay that gives it its name, “the big harbour”. It is the second town of the island and the ferry port for the connection to Split, so for many visitors it is the first and last view of Korčula they get.

The town is a working place, built around shipbuilding, fishing and olive growing, rather than a resort, and its long waterfront is a string of cafes, harbour buildings and the shipyard. The most important sight is the Vela Spila cave above the town, a major archaeological site with continuous human occupation going back thousands of years, which holds a small museum of the finds.

The bay of Vela Luka is broad and sheltered, and the small islands of Proizd and Osjak, just off the town, are the local swimming escapes, reached by a short boat. The interior behind the town is the olive country that produces the island’s oil.

For photographers, the bay from the cave hill above and the small island of Proizd are the shots. Vela Luka is best used as the arrival point for Korčula, with a stop at Vela Spila, or as a quieter base than Korčula Town for the western end of the island.

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