PERFECT DAY - DALMATIAN COAST

A green gem set in the blue Adriatic, Korčula is an island rich with history and natural beauty. Its walled medieval city still houses residents and visitors alike, while sloping vineyards, ancient olive groves and freshly-caught seafood ensure everyone’s dining in style. Here’s how to spend a perfect day in this old-world Eden just off Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast.

7:45 AM

Rise and shine in Lešić Dimitri Palace, a five-star hotel (and former 18th-century Bishop's residence) located in the heart of Korčula’s charming Old Town — once home to Marco Polo. Since 2018, the hotel has run its own organic garden just out of town, supplying its kitchen with seasonal produce throughout the year. This includes the fresh fruit and eggs that are part of your breakfast, which is served on the terrace overlooking the water. As you eat, you’ll watch as local fishermen return from the sea with their silvery morning catches.

9:30 AM

Once you’ve lingered properly over your coffee (a favorite Croatian pastime), you’re off for a privately guided stroll through Korčula’s medieval walled city, sometimes referred to as “Miniature Dubrovnik”. On this small peninsula — once occupied by Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Venetians — a centuries-old maze of marble streets and fortifications awaits curious visitors. There’s a new story to be told under every tower and past each stone house, all of which are set within a fishbone pattern — a fitting town design given its salty surroundings.

11:00 AM

Next you’ll turn your attention to the area’s natural features with a private foraging trek led by a local culinary expert. You’ll learn how to identify and harvest wild herbs and plants including mint, thyme, Portuguese heath, žutinica (dandelions), immortelle, sage and other delicacies before cooking them up into a delicious lunch.

1:30 PM

This afternoon you’re off for an adventure aboard "Kata", one of the traditional (and now rare) types of wooden motorboats that were once made locally. Spend the afternoon soaking up the sun aboard this luxury vessel, with plenty of time to explore the pine-bordered beaches of nearby islands, swim in the sea and enjoy snacks and wine.

5:30 PM

Once back on land, it’s time to rinse off the saltwater, relax with a book or perhaps indulge in some pampering before dinner; the spa at Lešić Dimitri Palace is especially famous for its massages.

8:00 PM

You don’t have to travel far to find more exceptional food — dinner is at LD, the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant. With panoramic views out over the Pelješac Channel, you’ll dine on cuisine that’s been inspired by the natural abundance of the island — think dishes like monkfish with caviar, asparagus, lardo and egg yolk, or beef tortellini with smoked duck breast, morels and black truffle. Not only is the restaurant’s tasting menu paired with wines, but plates also come with different local olive oils, each one extraordinary in its own right.

It may be the 21st century, but Korčula’s soul still belongs to antiquity; on this magical island in the Adriatic, many more stories and experiences await.