Žrnovo
Situated just a few kilometers up the hill from Korcula Old Town, Žrnovo and its four hamlets (Prvo Selo, Brdo, Kampus, and Postrana) spread across the large area of Korcula island occupying south and north coast including Zrnovska Banja and Defora bays.
Things to do in Zrnovo
If you are staying in the village or just coming to visit for a few hours or a day, this is my recommendation for things to do:
The village has eight churches, several squares, and numerous small monuments you can explore while walking around its quiet country lanes. Explore the village, walk around the maze of streets in the Barina area and have a drink in the local cafe.
Hiking & Cycling around Zrnovo
If you are into hiking or cycling, you will find numerous old trails that intersect the village and its surroundings including the area of Defora, Pupnat, and Pupnatska Luka. The village is the ideal starting point for numerous countryside hiking and cycling routes among small vineyards and olive groves. Here is just one of the routes that I do regularly which leads to Lumbarda. Another lovely hike is to Kocje, the local nature reserve with its amazing rock formations.
Beaches nearby
The nearest beach to the village is just 2.2 km downhill, in the Zrnovska Banja bay. Further away are Vela Przina and Bilin Zal in Lumbarda and beaches in the Defora area – Pavja Luka, Orlandusa, and Rasohatica. Zrnovska Banja is within the walking distance while others are a bit further, meaning you would need to have some kind of transport. The best transport is a scooter, easy to ride, and easy to park. The alternative is a local bus transport, taxi or water taxi. Nearby beaches map is here.
Weather
Here is the current weather forecast:
Where to Eat
Cafes
Two nice cafes serve locals with coffee, cappuccino, macchiato, and fresh morning newspapers. Great to sit there in the early morning or late afternoons when the sun has gone down enough that the open terrace is cool and shady.
Local restaurants
Several small tapas/grill/konoba restaurants are spread all across the village offering a variety of traditional local dishes and well-known wines produced on the island. Here is a list of my favorite place to eat:
Popular Routes: Split to Korcula, Korcula to Split, Dubrovnik to Korcula, Korcula to Dubrovnik
- Konoba Belin, Konoba Grubinjac & Konoba Gera – three popular family-run restaurants with comfortable outdoor seating and lovely views (below photo), offering fresh grilled meat and fish, home made pasta Zrnovski makaruni with delichous meat or vegetable topping, all three of them serving local red and white wines.
- Konoba Maha – lovely and spacious farmhouse garden with alfresco comfortable seatings just outside the village on the way to Pupnat, also offering meat and fish peka style as well as coctails and wide selection of local wines.
- Pizzeria Atrij – family-run pizza place offering selection of pizza and pasta dishes as well as local beers and wines. Plenty of outdoor seating with nearby children’s playground makes this place ideal to eat if you have small children.
Where to Stay
There is a lot of options to choose from if you like to stay in Zrnovo. Numerous houses in the village offer comfortable rooms and apartments, as well as cottages and villas around the village and further downhills nearer to the sea. I find it difficult to choose the best places to stay, so check what is available here
Shopping
The village has two well-equipped village shops where you can buy all the necessary food and drink supplies including fresh fruit and vegetables, ice cream, and dairy produce. I often come here to do my shopping as it is less crowded and easier to park than a few kilometers down the hill in Korcula Town.
Getting here
Local buses run several times a day from most of the island’s villages as well as from Korcula town or from Vela Luka. Walking to Korcula town takes just about 30 minutes, so that can also be an option. If you are not driving, you can rent a bike or scooter or simply take a taxi (50 HRK one way) from Korcula Town. See more info on how to get to the island.
