CROATIA -- KORČULA

Korčula & Lumbarda

We spent the entire day in and around the island of Korčula, which was known by the ancient Greeks as Black Corfu for its dense foliage, off the mainland in the Adriatic.  Korcula was part of the Venetian Empire from the 14th through the 18th centuries, and it's most famous historical figure is Marco Polo, who is alleged to have been born here.

After breakfast, we spent the morning kayaking around a group of small islands, followed by a fascinating lecture "The Language Formerly Known as Serbo-Croatian."  The language history is as complicated as the history of the entire Balkan peninsula.

After lunch we toured the town, visited St. Mark's Cathedral, the Bishop's Palace, and the Church of All Saints.  Later we drove to the nearby village of Lumbarda, where we enjoyed a wonderful visit to a local winery run by the Milna - Bire family, who have been producing wine for centuries. we finished the day back in Korčula Town with a private performance of traditional Moreska sword dancing.