Beauty to the Core - the Kornati Islands
One look at an aerial photo of the Kornati islands is enough for anyone to want to go and see them in person. The sensation is best illustrated by the words of the famous Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw:’ On the last day of creation, God desired to crown his work, and thus created the Kornati Islands out of tears, stars and breath’. The islands appear as if they were blown away like dandelion seeds, islets and islands of different shapes and sizes scattered over the sea but still close together.
Did you know ...
The Kornati archipelago comprises round 150 islands, islets and rocks, more than one tenth of all islands in the Adriatic Sea. In order to protect these unique geomorphological natural phenomena together with their flora and fauna, more than half of the islands were declared a national park in 1980. The islands actually form only one quarter of the total national park area, the rest refers to the sea area. Currently there are only round 20 registered inhabitants on the islands, although human presence dates back even to the Neolithic Age. Remains of the Illyrian settlements, Byzantine Tureta fort and basilica, the church of Our Lady of Tarac from the Middle Ages, 16th century Venetian castle and dry stone walls testify to life on the islands throughout the centuries.
How to get there…
One of the best ways to admire the Kornati archipelago is to sail round its many islets. There’s the option of renting a boat for one or more days and enjoy the beautiful nature and isolated bays without any schedule. However, if sailing for a few days is not really the way you plan to spend your holidays, but you’d still like to visit the Kornati National Park, there are plenty of one-day trips on offer. They include a boat ride, relatively long one, but with the promise of local food and wine, maybe even schnapps (careful there!), you’ll be in good spirits in no time. But don’t forget the sunscreen and something to occupy yourself while on board!
What to do …
Apart from the historical sights mentioned above, visiting the Kornati island is basically more about nature, the extraordinary geomorphological shapes and amazing wildlife. And you can do that by being active: diving and/or snorkeling, mountain biking, kayaking and hiking to the viewpoints of Kornati to fully enjoy the spectacular view of the archipelago. You can even spend the night there, but you need to contact tourist agencies beforehand since the NP is a private property.
Basically …
Truth be told, if you tend to be seasick, don’t fancy a longer boat ride nor crowdy excursion boats during peak season, then stick to admiring aerial photos of the Kornati islands. However, if you’re a nature lover, curious about the rich flora and fauna and fascinating geomorphological shapes and want to explore the islands and their underwaters, pack your basics and set sail to the NP Kornati! Explore the underwater world by diving or snorkeling and hike to the peaks of the islands to see ‘(God’s) tears, stars and breath’!
Image sources: www.south-tours.com
