National Park Kornati – An archipelago in the heart of Croatia

The Kornati islands is a group of islands – or archipelago – right in the heart of Croatia that consists of over 140 tiny islands. The total area covered by these islands is about 300 squared kilometers. Of course, the Kornati islands is not all about the tiny islands.
The most popular destination here is the national park itself that encompasses this area. Here is everything you need to know about National Park Kornati and why you should choose it for your sailing holidays

Things you probably didn’t know about National Park Kornati

Kornati islands are also known as Stomorski islands by the locals – because they are located north of Dalmatia. If you are using a private charter and don’t know where to get to the location, just turn west of Šibenik and a little south of Zadar, you will find this cluster of islands.

Here are some facts about the island you should know:

History

The national park of Kornati was established in the year 1980. In fact, if you visit today, it would be the 40th birthday of the park – a truly remarkable time to visit this natural labyrinth of both islands and islets.

It is said that the Byzantine emperor Justinian built a fortress on the island of Kornat near Tarac Field. This fortress may not stand today, but there are still remnants on this island. In fact, Kornati islands have been inhabited by people for thousands of years. In some of the caves spread across the islands, you will also find signs of an ancient civilization.

There is a book written on the islands

Stanko Ferić, a local author, wrote a book on the islands that is named ‘The breviary of the Island of Murter’. This book was completed with collaboration with the Kornati National Park. If you visit the area, you will the book in almost every tourist office in the region.
This book contains all the book trivia that you might want to know about the history of the islands – how it all began, and what could some things mean.

Why they look the way they look?

You may be a little bored or taken aback when you find out that the islands are a little too brazen. There is a history behind why most of the islands of Kornati National Park are brazen.
Apparently, according to local lore, it was once a beautiful location with lush green trees and greenery far beyond normal human comprehension. The greenery was cut down and burnt during Illyrian times, between 10th century BC to 1st century AD. Yet another place where humanity has dug its mark too far and destroyed what was meant to be preserved.
However, not all hope is lost! In the 40 years after it has been stated as a national park, an effort is being made to bring back the original beauty of the region. Islands you can visit

There is a total of 140 islands in the region of Kornati, but out of all these, only 109 of the islands are included in the national park. You are allowed to visit almost all of them – all save one: Purara Island. The Purara island is under special protection and no boats or tourists are allowed to get in the vicinity of the area. This is because the area is constantly being monitored by scientists for its numerous birds and plant species that are unique to this area.
There are more than 650 plant species on the different islands – and a lot of the rare bird species do live in the region.

Spots you don’t want to miss

We have compiled a list of the best picturesque and Instagrammable locations that you absolutely do not want to miss:

The island of Piskera

The island of Piskera is one of the oldest constantly inhabited islands of the region. It is written that back in 1824, there were a total of 13 houses and storage locations in the area. If you are going to visit the islands, you might as well get a good look at the island and check some of these older houses that might still be visible even today.

Fortress of Tureta

The Fortress of Tureta offers great views for anyone who comes and visit the location. the fortress of Tureta is located on the main island of Kornat and was originally used to control the traffic of waters around the islands. It was constructed by the Byzantine empire but is in ruins now.

You should definitely visit this location if you are on a luxury cruising experience.

The church of Our Lady of Tarac

If you are a little Christian or just a person who adores Middle Age buildings, the church of Our Lady of Tarac is an impressive destination. It was built in the 17th century on the location of an early Christian basilica and is a location that is dedicated to the Visitation of Mary. You should definitely check it out if you get the time. There is even a beautiful poem written for it.

Trekking the islands

Since most of the islands in the location are barren and contain little more than small vegetation and animals, they make for excellent trekking spots. Be sure to pack food such as chocolates and other candy bars that give you a big energy boost in minimal packing because trekking can take a lot of tolls. Since you have already been on a boat, you might feel a little sick moving from a boat directly through a trek, so be sure to pack in medicine for that too.

Try the Bofor Boat

The Bofor boat is very popular among many tourists and makes for a great experience that anyone can enjoy. Do note that they do have a bar on the boat, so you don’t need to pack your own cocktails or wine. Do consider asking beforehand if you are allowed to bring your own though because drinking your special cocktail on top of a Bofor is something that not many get to enjoy.

Restaurants if you are hungry

Here are some of the tastiest restaurants that you should check out if you are feeling a little hungry:

• Uvala Koromačna - one of the rather popular and intriguing Mediterranean hotels that offer outdoor sitting, their fish is excellent. If you are in the region, you should give this a try at least once in your lifetime.
• Konoba Levranaka – Konoba Levranaka is a rather moderately priced seafood restaurant that offers the best bang for the buck. The food plates are sufficiently filled, and you will definitely not feel empty even after a long trek.
• Konoba Žakan – Konoba Žakan is also a great restaurant that offers great dine-in and even take-away food that you would love to eat in the private charter that you took for a luxury cruising experience.

Final Thoughts:

There are a lot of locations that we missed on this list. This is because we made this guide for people who had a few hours to visit the location. Regardless, we do recommend going for a multiple-day tour because there are so many islands and so many places to see.

Our special 7-day tour comes pre-packaged with a small cruise ship that can sail you through these hundred islands with luxury. We sail anywhere through these Adriatic seas, so be sure to holler if you want to have a fun trip.