Sestrice Islands
Located just under four nautical miles from Korčula old town, these two distant islands have a fraternal edge to their name. Known as the sisters; the Big Sister (Vela Sestrica) and the Small Sister (Mala Sestrica), like sisters, they are close but not identical.
Vela Sestrica
The larger of the two has a quay that can be used for mooring boats of a larger size. It is covered partially with Mediterranean vegetation and from afar displays an uncanny a handful of summer shades that contrast beautifully with the nearby peacock colored sea.
Although not containing a pleasant beach like Badija, Sutvara or Planjak, Sestrice contains a shining relic of the Habsburg empire that ruled the Eastern Adriatic for over a century.
Lighthouse
Built in 1871, it was one of the sixty-two lighthouses built by the Austrian authorities in the 19th century in order to illuminate its liquid frontier and shine forth brightly to those at sea.
The lighthouse was part of a network of sturdy vertical structures that stretch from the most northern point in the Mediterranean in Italy, past the thousands of islands of the Croatian coast just short of the Balkan peak of Mount Lovčen above Kotor, Montenegro.
The building itself is part of the structure where the family of the guardian of the light lived. These ‘souls of the lighthouse’ were responsible for maintaining the light, dispel the darkness and bringing safety, hope, and joy to mariners passing through the Pelješac channel. Rising out of the stone house like a limestone watchtower, the actual structure of the lighthouse is 12 meters high and still functions today as it did in the past.
The lighthouse keeper and his family would live on-site, making sure that the light was on in the darkness. Sestrice was automated in the 1990s and since then, all that has remained is the lighthouse and the keeper’s house.
After several years of abandonment, it was reconstructed and turned into accommodation, together with a swimming pool, jacuzzi and WI FI. Now you too can experience the life of a lighthouse keeper!
Popular Routes: Split to Korcula, Korcula to Split, Dubrovnik to Korcula, Korcula to Dubrovnik
Mala Sestrica
The smaller and more barren island of ‘Male Sestrice’ is a short swim away. Featuring mostly craggy rocks, it makes a good target to swim to while visiting ‘Velike Sestrice.’ Due to its distance from the mainland and the island of Korčula, ‘Male Sestrice offers good snorkelling opportunities.
Map
Things to see and do
- Explore the Austrian built lighthouse that brings light to all that enter the Korčula archipelago.
- Book the lighthouse for a vacation
- Play petanque/ bocce on the island’s small field
- Swimming and snorkeling around the islands.
- Work on your tan on one of the sunloungers
Getting here
Distance to here from Korčula town is 3.86 nautical miles and from Orebic just over a mile. Hire yourself a boat or kayak, get a local water taxi and you can get here in about 20 minutes.
