Vrnik is a island jewel; small but great in its significance for the cultural heritage of all Croatian and more than few world’s cities. It has just 0,3 square kilometers, it is 850 meters long and 450 meters wide. It is the only permanently inhabited island in Pelješac canal. It has just thirty something houses on the island but still appeals a great number of tourists and hikers in the summer time. During the year it is almost deserted.
There are no stores, restaurants and motor vehicles on the island. With no public transportation to the island, it is somehow hard to get there, but like all ‘hard to get’ things, Vrnik is irresistible. It is just 100 meters distanced from Korčula and lots of private boats visit it numerous times every summer day. Covered with tick forest which hides ancient quarries. This is the place where stone was dug even in early stone age, in the 14th century stone was driven to Dubrovnik and Ston and later to Šibenik and Zadar. There are numerous buildings raised with Vrnik’s stone in Venice, Vienna, even Washington.
Vrnik was permanently inhabited in 17th century, although the oldest building is from 15th century, but it was just a vacation house of noble family Gabrieli – Ismaeli from Korčula. In the time of the most intensive stone digging, more than 600 of workers were living at the island. Stone dig stopped in 1966. and, although the island did gain electricity and water by than, people were leaving island rapidly.
Today, Vrnik lives only in the summer time, and even than it is a place of peace and natural beauty of the sea, pine forests and beaches. Lodging can be found only in the private apartments and that is the beauty of it; Vrnik is warm and close, and truly unique island jewel.
