Elafiti Islands

The Elafiti Islands are an archipelago of 13 islands and islets northwest of Dubrovnik, three of which are inhabited: Šipan, Lopud, and Koločep. Regular ferries run from Gruž harbour (25 minutes to Koločep, 50 minutes to Lopud, 75 minutes to Šipan), making any of them a practical day trip.

Lopud is the most popular. The island has a single small village, no private cars, and a renowned sandy beach (Šunj) on its far side — a rarity on the Dalmatian coast. Šipan is the largest island and the most rural, with vineyards, olive groves, and two small villages connected by a road through the island's interior. Koločep is the closest and smallest, with a peaceful atmosphere and good swimming. All three are dramatically quieter than Dubrovnik itself.

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A story
The name Elafiti comes from the Greek word for deer, and ancient writers described the islands as teeming with them. The Republic of Ragusa valued the archipelago highly enough that it was made a special protectorate in the 13th century, with strict rules against the felling of trees and hunting of wildlife — an unusually early example of what we would now call environmental protection. The deer are long gone, but the islands remain largely forested.

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