Even though Korčula is most famous for its natural landscape and beautiful sea, it has many great cultural and historical sights. This island has been inhabited since ancient times and has had a rich history. Due to this, there’s much to discover in the old town cores today.

The old town core of Korčula is one of the best preserved on the Adriatic so you’ll be able to explore it in detail and really get a feeling of how the people lived here once.

Visit Vela Spila and travel back in time
When talking about historical sights, Vela Spila is the oldest one in Korčula. It’s a cave located near the town of Vela Luka and is relatively easily accessible. It’s a prehistoric archaeological site whose excavations are kept in the museum in Vela Luka. Vela Spila offers evidence of this island being inhabited by cca. 20000 years. It’s an important site for Korčula, as well as the rest of Europe.

Lumbarda Psephisma
Lumbarda Psephisma is one of the oldest written monuments in Croatia, which was discovered in the town of Lumbarda, Korčula. Today, it’s kept in the Archaeological Museum in Zagreb, but it’s still important for the island and its history. The monument talks about the relationship between the Greek settlers and local people.

Excellently preserved old town core of Korčula
There are many charming things about the old town of Korčula, and here are some of the most important. The Cathedral of St. Mark is the most famous cultural sight on the island. It was built throughout the 15th and 16th century by local artisans. An interesting thing about this cathedral is that the icon of Our Lady of the Island is kept in it which is believed to have saved Korčula from the Ottoman Navy.

The Cathedral is situated on the most protruded spot on the island, on the peak of a small peninsula. Thanks to this, there’s a great view from the top of the cathedral. It’s worth mentioning that there are numerous classical music concerts held in the Cathedral because of the great acoustics so check them out if you happen to visit at the right time.

Another sight in the old town of Korčula is the gates. Korčula was once surrounded by walls, and you could get in the city only through the gates. The so-called Land Gate is a cultural monument and here you’ll find a few important symbols from the history of Korčula.

One thing you shouldn’t skip is the Zakerjan or Berim Tower. The tower was built by a local stonemason and has a distinctive pattern at the top. The good news is that you can take a break at the top of Zakerjan Tower in a cocktail bar before you continue exploring the old town.

The churches and museum in Blato
While a lot of people visit Vela Luka and Korčula, there are many more places worth visiting, and one of them is Blato. Here you’ll find the largest church on the island, as well as the ethnographic museum in which you can discover everything about the traditional life on Korčula. Aside from the largest Parish Church of All Saints, there are several other smaller churches in Blato which will delight you.

Island of culture
There are many more cultural and historical sights in Korčula, one of the more famous being the potential birth-house of Marko Polo. All of them are worth visiting, but it’s up to your itinerary and accommodation. However, you can’t go wrong with any cultural sights you choose.