Away from the busy resorts on Hvar and Brač, Croatia contains around 50 islands that are inhabited but not given over to tourism. Life here is far quieter and more basic, the main occupations being fishing, wine-growing and olive cultivation, with monasteries and churches a major feature. Beaches are plentiful and unspoilt. There is usually a boat connection with the mainland so that locals can sell their wares at market. Whatever the ferry schedule, leaving these idyllic getaways is never easy.
Badija
Accessed by regular taxi boat from nearby Korčula, Badija has been uninhabited since the Bosnian monks established here in the late 1400s were sent away in the 1950s and their monastery used as a sports centre. It was returned to the Franciscan Order in the 2000s and remains a fine example of Dalmatian Gothic architecture, particularly the beautifully carved cloisters. Visitors are happy to spend the rest of their time on the unspoilt pebble beaches away from the crowds, naturists mingling with the deer who venture down to investigate.
Čiovo
Known to the Romans as Boa, Čiovo is the easiest to reach of Croatia’s lesser-visited islands – just stroll over the bascule bridge from Trogir, close to Split Airport. Despite that, Čiovo is actually relatively unexplored, the spacious gardens in the Dominican convent in the seaside village of Arbanija, the rare medieval paintings in the Franciscan convent of Čiovo village, the pine forests and olive groves. Of the many beaches, Slatine, Kava Slatine and Mala Draga merit investigation.
Dugi otok
Croatia’s own Long Island sits on the far western flank of the archipelago around Zadar, meaning its locals – farmers, fishermen, wine producers – enjoy the same memorable sunsets as people in the city a catamaran hop away. It may only be journey of under two hours but it may as well be two days, given the timeless simplicity of life here. Of note is the lush nature park of Telašćica on the island’s south-eastern tip, ranged around a bay of 13 islands and islets.
Košljun
The smallest of the islands featured in this selection, only 300 metres across, Košljun is home not only to a long-established community of Franciscan monks but also their library. Rare biblical and Venetian publications number among the 15,000 books stored here, the lack of tourists or any other amenities meaning you get a sense of what medieval Croatia must have been like. A boat from Punat on the west coast of Krk can take you over in ten minutes for just a few euros.
Lastovo
An idiosyncratic stronghold stuck out in the Adriatic between Croatia and Italy, the small island of Lastovo is not an easy destination. Served by an infrequent ferry and catamaran from Split and Vela Luka in high season, this is a holdover outpost of the Med as it used to be, spare, barren and decidedly untouristy. Its unforgiving isolation, which protected it against pirates, offers the same respite from the crowds on busier islands. Unlike most Adriatic port towns, Lastovo village is situated beyond the crest of the cliffs, its Venetian church spires entirely invisible from the sea. The entire island served as an impregnable defence from sea raiders during the centuries of war between the Venetian and Ottoman empires. Lastovo was declared a National Nature Park in 2006 but tourists are still precious enough to be greeted with a smile and an invite to a glass of home-brewed spirit. Cars pick up pedestrians. Grab a fishing rod and catch your dinner. Swim in a bay all to yourself. Kick off your shoes and really relax. Think Robinson Crusoe, only with fine wine, seafood risotto and maybe a rented moped.
Lokrum
An uninhabited isle on Dubrovnik’s doorstep, Lokrum is an unspoilt isle lush with pines, palms and cypress trees. Its verdant coastline beckons from the luxury hotel windows along this part of the mainland. Dotted with diverse ruins and remnants – medieval, ecclesiastical, Napoleonic, Habsburg – it has long been given over to nature. Taxi boats from the Old Port in Dubrovnik disgorge visitors in high season but the island is big enough to lose yourself quite easily – plus no-one is allowed to stay overnight. Ancient superstition links back to the curse placed on Napoleon's troops by the Benedictine monks they removed. Subsequent mishap befell the Habsburgs who turned Lokrum into their own summer pleasure zone – hence the peacocks and botanical gardens. After a leisurely stroll, you can take a dip in the warm, saltwater lake and drink a beer by the jetty. The last boats leave around 7pm, depending on the time of year.
Pašman
Thought to be the greenest island in the Croatian Adriatic, Pašman has a long history of refuge and occasional settlement. Proximity to the mainland means that even Bronze and Iron Age finds have been discovered here. Pašman was also a centre for the ancient local language of Glagolitic, studied and written by the monks who lived here. Modern-day visitors can look forward to pine forest, clear waters and unspoilt beaches, interspersed with picturesque hiking trails.
Silba
You're never far from the beach on Silba, an island only 15sq km in size with a few hundred residents at most. This makes Silba the perfect place to explore on foot, which is just as well as there are no cars or roads on the island. If you're hoping to escape society on an island getaway, this is the place to do it. So serious are the islanders about preserving this peaceful pace that efforts are made even to curb the number of bicycles brought to the island. Their efforts are justified – an unhurried stroll across Silba reveals idyllic sand and pebble beaches, with crystal-clear, shallow, warm waters and beautiful picture-postcard coves. Visiting them feels like being let in on a wonderful secret.
Šipan
The largest island and least-developed of the Elaphiti archipelago close to Dubrovnik, Šipan is usually included in the three-stop boat trip that also includes busier Lopud and Koločep. Much is given over to the cultivation of melons, figs, almonds and olives, to be sold at Gruž market close to Dubrovnik harbour. Elsewhere, you’ll find the odd Roman remain and nobleman’s villa, the handful of restaurants operating in season in its two villages of Šipanska Luka and Suđurađ.
Šolta
West of Brač, connected by regular ferry to Split an hour away, Šolta has a couple of settlements, including the market village of Grohote, otherwise the island has long been covered with vineyards and olive groves. The renowned Croatian man of letters, Marko Marulić, cultivated his own Dobričić grapes, related to the famed Plavac mali, here in the early 1500s. Fishing is another major occupation, as evidenced by the offering at seafront restaurants in the main port of Rogač.
This article is sponsored by The Croatian National Tourism Board: 'Croatia Full of Life'.
