When it comes to Croatia, tourists traditionally flock to the old city walls of Split and Dubrovnik to get immersed in the backdrop of TV series Game of Thrones. Others may venture to Vis to explore the scenery used for the Mamma Mia film sequel. But a small ship cruise took me to a destination where the stories are real – almost.
A cruise is a great way to discover life beyond the mainland of the Dalmatian coast. I was immersed in stories of Roman and Venetian influences during an Unforgettable Croatia sailing, aboard its newest ship, MV Aretis.
But I discovered my favourite destination after stepping onto Korčula, which has an intriguing connection to Marco Polo. While most historians will tell you that the famous explorer was born in Venice, our guide Andrea insisted that there is no official documentation that shows his birthplace.
She led us around the winding alleys of the island’s old town to point out a street sign, reading Ulica DePolo. The name is of a prominent family known to have lived in Korčula for centuries and a Dalmatian variant of Polo.
This is exhibit A when claiming provenance for Marco Polo. The name, the Croatians claim, was not common in Venice during the 13th century.
On the other side of the argument, Marco Polo never mentioned Korčula in his writing and even described Venice as his homeland.
The only claim not in dispute is that Marco Polo was captured as a galley commander of the Venetian army during the battle of Korčula at the end of the 13th century with the Republic of Genoa. He was taken to prison in Genoa where he dictated his famous work, The Travels of Marco Polo.
Centuries later, a plaque of his image and a map of his travels sits outside the property where he is believed to have been born (although many historians dispute this). The building is now a museum documenting his travels. The island also has plenty of Marco Polo-themed souvenir shops selling island-grown lavender and sea salt.
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Whether Marco Polo was from here or not, there are plenty of inspiring features of this charming island that I imagine the explorer would have liked to have written about.
He would have remarked on the innovative design of the streets on the east of the island, which are curved to buffer the cold winds in the winter. Conversely, the straight streets on the west side benefit from the cool sea breeze flowing straight through in the summer months. In both directions you will find shops selling handmade coral jewellery from the Adriatic or local olive oil.
He could have told stories of Korčula’s low crime levels and its police force, which Andrea explains is mostly just the grandmas who “see and hear everything that happens on the island” due to its tiny, 16,000-strong population.
Or perhaps he would have chronicled the traditions that are being kept alive on the island. Forget the latest West End theatre shows, Korčula has its own historic piece of entertainment called Moreška that has been performed since the 16th century.
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The show felt like a charming mix of Morris dancing and jousting as performers danced around a courtyard to medieval-style live music. Red and black-clad soldiers battled for the affections of a veiled woman. A different team wins each evening. The show was once widely performed across the Mediterranean but Korčula is now the only place in the world that you can see it – twice a week in the summer and once per week in the shoulder seasons – which felt pretty special.
This isn’t just an island for history buffs though. It is worth a visit to sample the island’s own unique white wine, made from the refreshing, fruity Grk grape. Andrea quipped that the more you drink, the more vowels will appear. As I sipped a second glass, I imagined Marco Polo would appreciate that, whether he was born here or not.
How to do it
Korčula can be reached on daily passenger catamarans from Split (around £30) that take two and a half hours or there are daily two-hour ferries from Dubrovnik (around £21).
Smaller boutique lines such as Unforgettable Croatia, Viking, Seabourn and Azamara may include Korčula in the itinerary of a Croatian islands cruise.
