On a coast stacked with superlatives, the Kornati Islands are something special, an archipelago of mesmerizingly bare, hauntingly beautiful islands that stretch between the southern tip of Dugi Otok and the island of Murter.

Nowadays largely uninhabited, the islands traditionally belonged to farmers from Murter, who used them to graze their sheep. The sheep are still here, contentedly nibbling the islands’ grey-green grass, although their owners nowadays only make seasonal visits. Thoroughly non-urbanised, spellbindingly stark, and surrounded by some of the clearest seas in the Mediterranean, the islands are now protected as a nature park.

Practicalities

Unlike other nature parks in Croatia, the Kornati can only be accessed by sea. Visitors arrive privately on yachts or small boats, or on the excursions organised by travel agencies in Murter, Šibenik or Zadar.

Entrance fees to the park are collected by wardens in official boats (although if you are visiting as part of an organised tour, the entrance fee will be included in your ticket)

Agency-organized tours usually last a day, and include a stop off at one of the islands where you can stretch your legs, swim, or visit one of the restaurants that open up here in summer.