Mljet Island

Croatian island whose western end is a national park around two inland saltwater lakes.

Mljet is one of the most appealing day trips from Dubrovnik, though it deserves more time if you can spare it. The western end of the island is Mljet National Park, built around two interconnected saltwater lakes — the larger Veliko Jezero and the smaller, warmer Malo Jezero — with a Benedictine monastery on an islet in the middle of the Great Lake.

Most visitors swim and cycle around the lakes — an 11km circuit with bike rental in Polače and Pomena — or ride the current through the Soline Channel, where the tide reverses twice a day. The village of Soline is the quietest base for exploring the park. Elsewhere on the island, the Odysseus Cave on the rocky southern coast is a memorable swim-through sea cave, its water turning bright blue around midday.

Ferries from Dubrovnik dock at Sobra, Mljet's principal port on the less-visited eastern end of the island; from there it's about 20km by road to the national park.

Guide

Getting There

The main ferry connection to Mljet runs from Dubrovnik to Sobra, Mljet's principal port on the eastern end of the island. Jadrolinija operates this route year-round, with more frequent sailings in summer. From Sobra it's about 20km west to Soline by road — you'll need a car, a bike, or patience with infrequent local buses. The journey through the island's pine forests takes about 30 minutes by car.

A faster option in summer is the Nona Ana catamaran from Dubrovnik, which docks at Polače on the western end of the island — just a few kilometres from Soline. From Polače, the road to Soline passes through the national park and is flat enough to cycle. Alternatively, a car ferry runs from Prapatno on the Pelješac peninsula to Sobra, which is useful if you're arriving from the north by road. Visitors entering the national park pay an entrance fee at the gate; this covers use of the park's facilities including the island boat service to the monastery.

Guide

Things to Do

Mljet's appeal is almost entirely natural. The Soline channel swim, the national park lakes, the monastery on the islet — these are the reasons to come. None of them require booking in advance or paying entry fees beyond the national park admission.

The park end of the island is small enough to see everything on foot or by bike in a day, but the water is good enough that most visitors end up staying longer than they planned.

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Cities

Places in Mljet Island

Soline
01
Soline
Tiny Mljet village beside the warm channel linking Veliko jezero to the open sea.