Geographical Position of Korcula
The island itself is separated from Peljesac Peninsula by 1.2 km wide Peljesac Channel (15 minutes boat or ferry ride) and it covers area of about 270 square kilometers. It is about 47 kilometers long ( from tip to tip) and about 6-7 km wide and is considered one of the larger islands among Croatian's thousand islands. The Island is mostly hilly, the highest peak being Klupca just above village of Pupnat (568 meters) towards west and village of Cara (pronounced "Chara"). Island of Korcula has a very long and dramatic shoreline, as well as tree groups of islands in the near vicinity of the Island: Skoji, with it's Badija and Vrnik ( near Korcula Old Town), Karbuni (near Blato and bay of Prizba) and Proizd and Osjak near Vela Luka. Korcula also has numerous larger and smaller bays, some inhabited, some yet to be discovered. Due to it's relief created by weather and erosion, southern shores of the islands are steeper, unsheltered form the southern open sea and Jugo (south) wind, while northern shores of Korcula (facing mainland and Peljesac Peninsula) are less steeper, with some nice little pebble beaches. Small slopes of sand that are covering large part of the northeastern bit of the island, near village of Lumbarda, is where the only island's sandy beaches are located. Due to it's geographical position, being close to the mainland, Korcula was very early populated, and during the history it was chosen by Venetians as a spot to built their important walled city on the northern shores of the island, on the tiny peninsula (which was part of the Skoji Islands) pointing deeply into Peljesac Channel. Therefore, nowdays, thanks to that, we have most magnificent walled Korcula Old Town still preserved and almost intact for centuries.
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