The island of Korčula has enjoyed a great start to the season, positioning itself as a higher quality destination focused on gourmet, activities, heritage and culture. TCN meets Korčula Town Tourist Board Director Hana Turudić on June 27, 2018.
1. Croatia has more than a thousand islands. What makes Korčula so different?
Korčula is different because of its wide range of activities.
It is not only the culture offer and beautiful nature that surrounds the town (hidden beaches), but also the top quality experience that includes food & wine, outdoor activities (such as sailing, surfing, diving, kayaking, cycling, walking, scuba diving…), breathtaking island places, architecture, history, unique religious traditions of brotherhoods and sword dances of moreška, moštra and kumpanjija.
I think the inhabitants make also a difference, their soul is in every drop of olive oil, as well as in the stone, thanks to them we have everything to offer today!
2. Yours is an island of incredible heritage and tradition, an island where slavery was abolished over 800 years ago. How important is the island’s heritage in modern tourism promotion, and what are the key things tourists should not miss?
The heritage is very important as it gives you an insight into the way of living and the accomplishments of the inhabitants.
The highlights not to be miss are: the Church of St. Mark, The Town Museum, The Abbey Treasury, The Tower of Marco Polo and the Icon Collection situated in the hall of All Saint Brotherhood.
In case you missed the Moreška sword dance performance then you can visit the Moreška sword dance exhibition in the Great Revelin Tower.
Apart from that the sunset on the western harbour is not to be missed, a short walk along the St. Nicholas promenade to the panoramic point on the hill above the town, a swim in the crystal clear waters of Badija, Vrnik or some other islet in Korčula town surroundings as well.
A cup of coffee in the morning is a ritual for Korčulans, so do that as well! But you must taste Korčula traditional sweets which are great souvenirs by the way!
3. You have two famous indigenous white wine varieties, as well as Michelin-recommended restaurants and more than 30 traditional cakes and desserts handed down from Korčulan grandmothers. Tell us a little about your gourmet offer.
The gourmet offer follows the culinary heritage from Venetian times, and the modern one offers only the top quality ingredients inherited from the past such as small tomatoes (looks like cherry tomatoes) with the most delicious taste and smell which grows in sandy soil of Lumbarda just as the Grk grapes do. Herbs are ingredients in almost every dish, and the seafood is a must!
The olive oil from Korčula island has been added to the European Commission’s list of Protected Designations of Origin (PDO) in October 2016.
The application was approved under the appellation “Korčulansko maslinovo ulje” (Korčulan olive oil), published in the European Union’s Official Journal, and entered into the EU register of products with the designation of PDO.”
In 2017 we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Pošip grape variety declaration as the first indigenous Croatian white wine with the controlled geography origin (1967)! Pošip was famous for its quality long time ago. Today the modern production also creates the Grk white wine famous too.
The cakes are full of flavours from the island, just as the wine and food!
4. How has the island of Korčula changed in the last 15 years, and tell us about the direction in which the island is heading?
The island tourist offer has changed over the past 15 years a great deal. Even in the last 5 years the difference in the accommodation is more than obvious, meaning this year the average hotel accommodation category is 4*, and the service quality is generally at a high level ( restaurants, excursions, etc.).
In the future, Korčula is aiming to be a luxury 5* destination.
5. The Pelješac Bridge is coming. How will that affect life and tourism on Korcula?
The Pelješac bridge will help the inhabitants of Korčula and our guests a lot, shortening the time of travelling, and that means better connections during the whole year. The island is reachable from the mainland with additional catamaran connections to Dubrovnik, Split or nearby islands.
6. What’s new for 2018?
There are several new very interesting upscale venues as well as the Korčula Town Museum is temporarily relocated in the nearby street because of the recent reconstructions. There are more events in May and June, and during the season, there are new interesting excursions, the Decanter winner of gold medal is Pošip wine from Čara, Nerica winery. Korčula got Michelin recommendations…all fantastic news!
7. Your favourite place on Korcula and why?
The islets nearby the town we call „Škoji“ as the place for relaxation, they are very reachable by taxi boats. As the viewpoints in the Old town, my favourite places is the Tower of Revelin, to enjoy the town view. Every settlement on the island is so special and I recommend visiting each of them!
Want to learn more about Korčula? Follow our new Total Korčula website.
