A group of ‘unspoilt’ islands in the Adriatic Sea are rarely visited by tourists, but those who travel there say time ‘slows down’. Lastovo is an archipelago off the coast of Croatia, and is made up of 46 islands with a total population of just 792 people
The biggest island in the archipelago, also named Lastovo, is home to the largest town. The majority of the archipelago’s population live on the 18-square-mile island. The number 46 is somewhat omnipresent since the island also has 46 churches, 46 vineyards, 46 hills, and 46 fields, covers 46 square kilometres, with 46 islands in the archipelago. There is only one hotel on the island (there is other private accommodation available) and a handful of restaurants and cafes.
The main island is known for its 15th- and 16th-century Venetian Renaissance architecture. There are a large number of relatively small churches, a testament to the island’s longstanding Roman Catholic tradition.
The Lastovo Poklad is a colourful carnival that turns the whole island into one big stage, and the unique chimneys serve as a monument to the island’s tradition.
It is popular among nature lovers, with cycling, hiking and diving popular. The islands make up the Lastovo Islands Nature Park – one of the 11 nature parks in Croatia. About 70% of the islands are covered by trees. There are also lots of beaches with perfect blue waters to enjoy.
Lastovo markets itself as ‘the island of bright stars’, having been declared by astrographers as the most beautiful starry sky in Europe. This is due to the island’s dark skies and low light pollution.
The Guardian called Lastovo “Croatia’s most unspoilt archipelago” and described it as a place where “time slows down”.
The archipelago has a Mediterranean climate, dominated by mild, moist winters and warm, long, and dry summers.
The island receives around 2,700 sun hours per year, ranking it one of the sunniest in the Adriatic. This produces a water temperature of 27C in the summer.
The island has daily hydrofoil services and ferry services linking it to the mainland at Split, Dubrovnik, and Korcula. Visitors from the UK will need to fly into Split to travel to the archipelago.