Lastovo
Naturally reserved
Very little served by ferries, most guides do not mention Lastovo. As the most remote island on the Croatian coast between Split and Dubrovnik, it was enough to whet our curiosity. At the port of Ubli, a small tent from the tourist office explains that the Lastovo archipelago is made up of 46 islets, 46 churches, 46 vineyards and 46 hills over 46km2. Okay… What’s most obvious when you get off the boat is the ambient calm and silence, almost deafening. It takes a few hours to get used to, and gently immerse yourself in the languorous rhythm of this island where time seems to stand still.
Very little served by ferries, most guides do not mention Lastovo. As the most remote island on the Croatian coast between Split and Dubrovnik, it was enough to whet our curiosity. At the port of Ubli, a small tent from the tourist office explains that the Lastovo archipelago is made up of 46 islets, 46 churches, 46 vineyards and 46 hills over 46km2. Okay… What’s most obvious when you get off the boat is the ambient calm and silence, almost deafening. It takes a few hours to get used to, and gently immerse yourself in the languorous rhythm of this island where time seems to stand still.
There’s very little traffic on the island, and travelers mostly take advantage of Lastovo’s maze of 200km of paths and footpaths. With only birdsong to keep us company, and the reward of reaching a secluded cove with divine turquoise waters.
There’s very little traffic on the island, and travelers mostly take advantage of Lastovo’s maze of 200km of paths and footpaths. With only birdsong to keep us company, and the reward of reaching a secluded cove with divine turquoise waters.
Lastovo is the only island in Croatia to be declared a nature reserve in its entirety, and is one of the sunniest places on the Adriatic, with temperatures as high as 25° in May. For diving enthusiasts, there are 18 sites on the island with mysterious shipwrecks. According to Jacques-Yves Cousteau, oceanographer and expert diver, the waters around Lastovo are the most crystal-clear in the world.
Lastovo is the only island in Croatia to be declared a nature reserve in its entirety, and is one of the sunniest places on the Adriatic, with temperatures as high as 25° in May. For diving enthusiasts, there are 18 sites on the island with mysterious shipwrecks. According to Jacques-Yves Cousteau, oceanographer and expert diver, the waters around Lastovo are the most crystal-clear in the world.
At Lastovo, the nights are as magical as the days: right in the middle of the Adriatic with a pollution-free sky, the island is one of Europe’s best spots for stargazing.
At Lastovo, the nights are as magical as the days: right in the middle of the Adriatic with a pollution-free sky, the island is one of Europe’s best spots for stargazing.
To infinity and beyond
Anyone who has been here will testify that nowhere else have they seen such a star-spangled night sky. Millions of stars… leaving the observer breathless. Impression confirmed by Slovenian astro-photographers Mikuz Herman and Andrej Mohar who declared that Lastovo benefited from one of the darkest and therefore best skies in Europe for erecting telescopes and other observation points. To further optimize the experience, the island has completely overhauled its urban lighting, lowering the intensity and reorienting its lamps so that the beams shine only towards the ground.
Formerly a pirate hideout and military base, the island only opened to tourism in 1989 and has clearly remained untouched ever since. In autarky and far from modernity for a long time, it still retains a certain withdrawal into itself. As proof and quite rare on an island, its eponymous village, built in an amphitheater, has its back entirely to the sea. Invisible from the open sea, it’s quite emblematic of the spirit that reigns in Lastovo, with its stone houses adorned with typical “fumar” fireplaces, and its small, stepped streets lined with historic residences, unfortunately often in ruins.
Formerly a pirate hideout and military base, the island only opened to tourism in 1989 and has clearly remained untouched ever since. In autarky and far from modernity for a long time, it still retains a certain withdrawal into itself. As proof and quite rare on an island, its eponymous village, built in an amphitheater, has its back entirely to the sea. Invisible from the open sea, it’s quite emblematic of the spirit that reigns in Lastovo, with its stone houses adorned with typical “fumar” fireplaces, and its small, stepped streets lined with historic residences, unfortunately often in ruins.
Lastovo’s chimneys
Dating from the 15th and 16th centuries, they are all unique. Some even have horns to protect against the “evil eye”! This architectural expression remains a great mystery, no written evidence on this subject having been found to date. Everyone has their own theory. Some say that these strange constructions are related to the strong winds that blow in the region. Many having an appearance reminiscent of minarets, others suggest that a traveler, influenced by the constructions of the Middle East, would have built a first chimney reminiscent of Arab architecture. Charmed by the exotic appearance and as a social demonstration, the locals would then have extended this practice to the rest of the island, competing in creativity.
No matter how much we searched during our stay, we will not find real places where people gather here, whether in the alleys of the village, the small bays or the few restaurants on the island. In the middle of August, we have the impression of being the only travelers even in the charming residential little bay of Lučica.
In the land of 1001 islands, Lastovo is an island in its raw state, far from the tourist trail. With little access to the outside world, it’s a paradise for lovers of solitude, hiking, astronomy, deserted coves and crystal-clear seas. To live happy, live hidden. This still seems to be Lastovo’s motto.
In the land of 1001 islands, Lastovo is an island in its raw state. Far from the tourist trails and not very open to the outside world, it is a paradise for lovers of solitude, hiking, astronomy, deserted coves and crystal clear seas. To live happy, live hidden. This still seems to be Lastovo’s motto.
Lastovo is
9 km long by 5 km wide
Accessibility
Lodging capacity
Animation
Where is Lastovo located? Lastovo is the furthest island of the Dalmatian Islands, Croatia. Together with the islands of Mljet and Visthe Adriatic Blue Corridor, one of the last remaining paradise oases of biodiversity in the Mediterranean, according to WWF.
How to get to Lastovo? Lastovo is equidistant from Dubrovnik and Split. The crossing takes around 3 hours 20 minutes, whatever the port of embarkation.
How to get around Lastovo? No bus, but you can get around by scooter, car or boat. Rental possible on the port.
Where to sleep and eat in Lastovo? There are very few infrastructures on the island and the few present are rustic. However, you will be happy to note that the dozen restaurants on the island mainly serve locally produced food, including lobster, a specialty of Lastovo. They are found in the bays of Pasadur, Zaklopatica and Skrivena Luka. In the village there is a supermarket. No shop on the island. Our favourite addresses: Konoba Porto RossoKonoba Porto Rosso, a restaurant in the pretty, sunny bay of Skrivena Luka.Konoba Tritonrestaurant in the small bay of Zaklopatica. Apartments are also available for rent. Podanje Farmfamily-run agritourism in the countryside. We stayed at L’Augusta Insula, which we don’t recommend. The book to pack in your suitcase? One hundred years of solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. The song to include in your playlist? Pink Floyd’s The Great Gig In The Sky . And above all, where to drink your Spritz? At Caffee bar Kokolo in Pasadur, with its unobstructed view of the horizon. Go down near the benches to admire the sunset with your feet in the water.
If I had known, …
I would have packed my hiking boots to hike the island’s trails and admire Lastovo and its archipelago from the Heliodrom (also accessible by car…). I would have packed tons of books and booked a boat trip to the Saplun islets, home to the archipelago’s best beaches. I would have absolutely tried an “under the Peka/ ispod peke” dish, the ultimate in Dalmatian tradition of real-fire cooking (via a heavy bell and cast-iron lid). This method gives dishes an incredible juicy flavor and a rich aromatic smell that will leave you speechless and will certainly be remembered for a long time. Cooking this type of meal can take from 2 to 4 hours, so booking in advance is a must. I would have taken a few more days to visit the nearby islands of Mljet and Viswhich are totally different. Such a shame to be so close and to miss these nuggets.
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