Today, we’ll just take you through the beaches of Korčula Town, the ones you’d visit for a quick dip and a cool-off if you’re waiting for a catamaran or a bus, don’t have a lot of time or just need to go for a swim within walking distance of the Korčula Old Town
There are several places where you might want want to go for that, and please look at our map to see where they are, and then read a quick intro for each of them. Obviously, they are all really close to the town, so you can’t reasonably expect to be alone on those beaches during peak tourist season.
1) Banje – main town beach – yeah, the main town beach in Korčula is not really big. When I first saw it, it thought it was a joke, but really, it’s a nice place to go to for a quick swim. The pebbles are really small and comfortable, facilitating easy entry and exit from the water. That makes the beach a perfect spot for families with children. There are some spots on the beach that have natural shade, and the beach is protected from the afternoon’s maestral wind.
2) “Pod Zakrjanom” – this is most definitely not a beach by any definition, but it’s a lovely place for a swim, right IN the Korčula Old Town, so it’s an opportunity that shouldn’t be missed. It’s basically rocks below the Old Town, facing east, where it’s possible to put down your towel, go for a swim and cool off and just go back to walking around town. It’s not too difficult to get in or out of water, but people with disabilities should probably avoid this option. Another selling point is that there is no sunshine in the afternoon here, you’re basically swimming in the shade after 2 pm, and it’s perfectly protected from maestral as well.
3) “Kod Puntina” – a small beach at the northernmost tip of the Korčula Old Town peninsula, recently improved and now with nice pebbles, allowing you to soak up the afternoon sun – and some maestral as well! This is, however, one of the nicest places there are to swim with the perfect view of the sunset.
4) “Kod Spomenika” – this beach is as central as it gets, located at the place where most of the people are walking by. If that doesn’t bother you, feel free, take a swim, it’s nice to enter and exit the water, there’s room to lie down on your towel. It gets quite windy in the afternoon, and there are sometimes large waves on the beach, so beware if there’s the afternoon maestral that it might not be as pleasant as you might expect.
5) “Pod Svetim Nikolom” – also technically not a beach, rather a whole section of waterfront next to the promenade taking you west of the town, where on several locations the steps have been installed to allow for easier entry and exit from the water. It’s a very popular place for the locals, and especially kids, who love jumping in the sea from the deck and running in and out. It’s open to maestral in the afternoon, and has a lot of sun in the afternoon as well.
6) “Ispod duvana” – a very small beach with an odd name (meaning “below tobacco”; have no idea how it got that name), the one with the perfect view of the Korčula Old Town. There are always quite a lot of people there, because of the view, but also because it’s easy to enter the water there (although there are about a dozen steps to get from the promenade to the beach). There is a bar/restaurant terrace right above the beach, but the people there don’t really pay any attention
7) “Mandrač” – is a bit further away from the centre of the town, next to the monastery, facing west. It’s quite secluded, and it’s not really one large beach, rather a part of the waterfront where it’s easy to get into the water. It’s possible to find some shade on the beach, especially in the morning, but beware – in the afternoon it’s very open to maestral which really gets strong here.
8) Uvala Luka beach – also a bit of a walk, but to the other side, Luka bay is shallow, lovely, protected from most winds, busy with people (Port9 Resort is right there) and boats, but it’s also quite large and offers you many options. You can be on the busy beach, with lots of kids, you can go to the side on the rocks, where there will be much less people, you can swim to the little island for some privacy (just don’t expect that other people won’t get the same idea).
9) “Pod Liburnom” – called after one of many hotels on the little peninsula there, there are numerous places to put your towel down here and go for a swim. Although technically beaches belonging to the hotels, you can certainly find a spot for yourself there, especially on the rocks of the north-eastern facing side. There are quite a few people here, mostly trying to get away from other people, but you will be able to find some natural shade and will be quite protected from the worst of the maestral in the afternoon.
