Palagruza Island

Palagruza lighthouse was built in 1875 on the island of the same name, placed in the middle of the Adriatic sea, between the Italian and Croatian coasts, 68 NM south of Split and 26 NM south of the island of Lastovo. This history laden island of exceptional beauty is Croatia's furthest island. The island itself is 1400 m long, 300 m wide and 90 m high, and is covered in Mediterranean vegetation.

Because the lighthouse is built in the middle of the island at the height of 90 metres, we do not recommend holidays on Palagruza for the elderly or for those with health problems. There are two four-bed apartments in the spacious lighthouse building.

There is an archeological site on the island Palagruza Velika. Numerous finds bear witness to the fact that Palagruza was the island of the Greek hero Diomedes. The island is a nature reserve with numerous endemic species of flora and fauna.

At extra charge, tours of the main island and its cliffs, as well as tours of islets and other cliffs in the Palagruza archipelago, can be arranged with the lighthouse keeper. Furthermore, guests can join fishermen in the early morning when nets are pulled out of the sea - a unique experience.

The surrounding waters are the Adriatic's richest fishing area. Individual diving is prohibited.

Beaches There are two well-kept trails on Palagruza. One of them leads to Stara Vlaka, a pebble bay on the northern side of the island, while the other trail leads to the southern side of Velika Palagruza to Veli Zal so-called "Juzno zlato", one of the most beautiful beaches on the Adriatic. These pebble beaches are ideal for small children due to shallow waters and fine pebbles.

Transfer Transfer to the lighthouse is organized from the port in the town of Korcula on the island of Korcula. Return transfer in a fifteen metre speedboat with cabin, which is charged 350 Euro extra per apartment, takes approximately two hours. The boat leaves the marina in the town of Korcula at 7 am. We recommend an anti-nausea pill to those who tend to get seasick.

How to get to Korcula: For those arriving by car, we recommend the ferry line Split - Vela Luka (island of Korcula) that arrives in Vela Luka in late afternoon, after which you head by car on the island's main road for the town of Korcula on the other side of the island. For those not travelling by car, we recommend the catamaran line Split - Vela Luka and then by bus to the town of Korcula. If you are arriving from Dubrovnik, we recommend the bus line from Dubrovnik to Orebic on the island of Peljesac that will get you to the island of Korcula by ferry.

Since Palagruza is placed in the open sea, access to the island can be difficult due to waves. It is important to follow the scheduled transfer time. Please make sure to purchase groceries on time. The transfer to the island is very interesting because the speedboat passes through Lastovo channel and by numerous cliffs and islets near the island of Susac where it occasionally makes a stop-over to deliver provisions to the lighthouse keeper before reaching Palagruza.

Please check the ferry line schedule for the island of Korcula at www.jadrolinija.hr. If you are planning on arriving a day earlier to Korcula and need accommodation, feel free to contact us.

Provisions Due to Palagruza's distance from the mainland and other islands, provisions cannot be supplied. Before the transfer, we suggest that all provisions be purchased in grocery stores in Korcula. Preparation of meals, including fish that the lighthouse keeper catches himself or buys from other fishermen, can be arranged.

Interesting to know According to church records, Pope Alexander III was on Palagruza on Ash Wednesday, March 9th, 1177. While traveling with his fleet of ten galleys, he was impressed with the archipelago's beauty and decided to make a stop. He was served dinner on a small plateau on the island of Palagruza Mala, that has ever since been called "Papina njiva" (Pope's Field). After its stay on Palagruza, the fleet headed for the island of Vis, then towards Zadar and finally Venice.