Lumbarda, Croatia
Updated 02/01/2022
Lumbarda is a small, picturesque village on the south east corner of Korcula island.
The coast hugging village is reputed to be the oldest settlement on Korcula island and is built around a sheltered bay and into the surrounding hills.
If you are looking for sandy beaches in Croatia, a taste of island life or just a tranquil, relaxing holiday, then Lumbarda, Korcula is the perfect location.
We fell in love with this friendly village and cannot wait to return.
Table of Contents
Things to do in Lumbarda
Lumbarda Beaches
Lumbarda has the only sandy beaches on Korcula island. The beaches are popular with locals and tourists alike and can get very busy in peak season.
Don’t expect miles and miles of white sand. Lumbarda beaches are lovely but they are short and narrow when compared to other European beach destinations. But they are sandy and kids will love them!
Vela Przina beach
Vela Przina means ‘big sandy beach’ and as the names suggest, it is the largest of Lumbarda’s beaches.
It is 1.5 kilometres from Lumbarda plaza (the centre of the village) in an unspoilt rural location with gorgeous views stretching to Lastovo island. There is no natural shade on the beach and the sea is warm, clear and shallow.
Bilin Zal beach
This is a popular beach with Lumbarda families who gather here after work to cool down and catch up with their neighbours.
The small sandy beach catches the sun all day and the gentle incline into the sea makes this an ideal spot for children.
The terrace of Konoba Bilin Zal has incredible views of the Peljesac Peninusla and the Skoji archipelago. Grab a beer, watch the kids paddle and savour the sun setting on the Adriatic. We did and it was gorgeous.


Other Lumbarda beaches
Tatinja Beach is a very narrow strip of sand which fills up very quickly in summer.
Its beach bar and proximity to nearby apartments plus the road running alongside the beach makes this a popular beach but it is not a quiet one.
Lumbarda Marina has a tiny roadside sandy patch but it not used much by tourists or locals.
At the end of the marina is a large pebble beach with a busy bar. You can hire kayaks here or buy a ticket to for the off shore inflatable obstacle course.
Read my detailed guide to Lumbarda beaches here, including information on how to get to the beaches, their facilities and the best places to go snorkelling in Lumbarda.
Activities in Lumbarda
There are lots of activities you can choose in Lumbarda.
Go for a walk to Vela Przina and take the rocky paths to the tip of the headland. Enjoy a stroll to Bilin Zal Beach on the pedestrianised coastal path, have a dip in the sea and enjoy a drink at Konoba Bilin Zal before returning the same way. Alternatively, keep walking across the headland through vineyards to reach Vela Przina beach and return to the village along the paved roads. This is a lovely – and long – circular walk but be careful of the roads to and from Vela Przina as they do not have pavements.
Korcula Island is a popular destination for walking trips in Croatia so there are lots of trails to choose from in the area.
Rent a bike from Lumbarda plaza to explore the area and visit local vineyards. Rental bikes are not allowed on unpaved roads.
Try a new water sport; visitors can hire single and double kayaks or a stand up paddle board.
Visit a Lumbarda winery
Lumbarda is famous for its locally produced Grk white wine.
The Grk grape is not grown in any other wine region in Croatia but it is grown everywhere in Lumbarda.
There are a number of family owned wineries offering tours and tastings including the Lovric winery and Popic winery.
The family run Popic winery is a lovely place to visit. The friendly owners will happily explain how Grk grapes are grown and how their wine is made. You can taste different wines and liquors and enjoy a delicious homegrown salad, meat and cheese platter. Plus the views from the winery are spectacular. You won’t be able to resist buying some wine as a souvenir.
Fisherman’s Market
If you are visiting Lumbarda during the summer months, time your stay to include a Friday night for the Fisherman’s Market.
Every Friday Lumbarda plaza plays host to a convivial ‘Fishermans Market‘ where local people set up stalls to sell freshly cooked food including the catch of the day.
You can buy a delicious, freshly cooked dinner from one stall and then move onto another stall for a tasty desert. Buy home grown wine from another family or coffee from another. The market has a great atmosphere and we loved it.
Lumbarda marina
Boats to nearby attractions leave from Lumbarda marina.
Catch an organised boat trip to the neighbouring island of Mljet, which is a national park, or the nature island of Lastovo. A cheaper way to visit these islands is to catch the scheduled water taxi which then continues onto Korcula town.
Day trip to Korcula Town
Korcula Town is six kilometres from Lumbarda and is an interesting place to visit.
You can catch the water taxi or an hourly public bus from the village to Korcula Town. We found that after we had paid five fares on the bus, a taxi cost just a few Euros more.
Korucla Town has a compact old town that is made for wandering. Narrow winding lanes adorned with bougainvillea and lines of washing lead to small, pretty squares and ornate churches.
Korcula Town is well worth visiting and should be added to any Croatia island hopping itinerary.



Visitor info
Facilities in Lumbarda
There is a tourist office, a small grocery shop, a large well stocked supermarket and several restaurants.
Public buses travel through Lumbarda and there are taxis available.
How to get to Korcula island and Lumbarda
It is easy to get to Korcula Island as, like elsewhere in Croatia, island hopping is simple. Croatia has fantastic public water transport which is reliable, efficient, comfortable and affordable.
Orebic to Korcula
Drive or take a public bus to Orebic, on the Peljesac peninsula where you can pick up a Jadrolinija ferry bound for Korcula island. The ferry ride only takes 15 minutes.
A car ferry departs roughly every 1 1/2 hours but check the current timetable on the Jadrolinija website before you travel.
The Orebic ferry takes you to Domince, which is 2 kilometres from Korcula Town. Buses (or taxis) travel from the ferry port to the bus station in Korcula Town from where you can pick up a bus, or taxi, for Lumbarda.
Split to Lumbarda and Korcula
You can travel by road using the journey outlined above, or you can catch a high-speed foot passenger catamaran from Split to Korcula Town. We did this journey in reverse and it takes around 3 hours. Bizarrely, we sat behind the famous Hollywood actor Jesse Eisenberg and his family on the ferry!
It is a scenic, comfortable journey with stops at Brac and Hvar on route. This route gets very busy in summer so book in advance if possible, and arrive early for departure as long queues form before boarding time.
Dubrovnik to Lumbarda
Travel from Dubrovnik to Orebic by car or bus to catch the ferry to Korcula island.
There is also an airport shuttle service which runs directly from Dubrovniks’ Cilipi airport to Lumbarda. Check the Lumbarda tourist board website for prices and schedules.
Alternatively, can catch a high-speed catamaran from Dubrovnik to the island which runs every day in high season. The journey takes around two hours and stops at Mljet Island before arriving at Korcula Town.



Where to stay in Lumbarda
Big Lumbarda hotels do not exist – I hope it stays that way! The closest you will get to a hotel in Lumbarda is Guest House Lovric, which has self catering apartments but also offers an on site restaurant. This is a must for wine lovers as the guest house is situated on the Lovric family vineyard.
The most popular type of accommodation in Lumbarda is apartments, either offered by private landlords or as part of a tourist complex.
A self catering apartment, particularly if it is part of a house, provides an authentic, less sterile feel to your holiday and self catering can save families a lot of money.
Know that it is common in Croatia for the apartment owner to live on site, either upstairs or downstairs. Our apartment owner lived upstairs. and it wasn’t noisy or intrusive. We found it useful to have the owner nearby when we needed help with transport.
There are a few apartment complexes in Lumbarda with on site facilities such as a reception desk, swimming pool, garden area and playground. Some offer breakfasts but you will not find full board accommodation unless you stay in Korcula Town.
Lumbarda apartments
Eco Aparthotel Dreamer’s Club is a highly rated apartment complex just 150 yards from Lumbarda village centre and pebbly beach. There are a range of apartments available with some offering air conditioning, terraces or sea views. Guests rate the breakfast, friendly vibe and on site playground.
Sunshine Apartments is another complex with bright, airy apartments centred around a seasonal outdoor pool. The beach and restaurants are metres away and Lumbarda village centre is 900 metres away. Check prices and availability here.
We stayed in the privately owned Apartments Toncic. It was clean, well equipped and spacious for five with a fantastic shaded terrace overlooking the sea. It was a two minute walk to the sea and around a 15 minute walk into Lumbarda village. We would love to return.
Villas in Lumbarda
Villa Marta is set back from the beach and is 1.2 miles from Bilin Zal. It is a huge villa sleeping eight in four double bedrooms so is ideal for a large family or a multigenerational holiday.
The highly rated villa has a well equipped kitchen, large living room and a gorgeous pool and sun terrace. It offers free WiFi, satellite tv and car and bike hire. Check out this luxurious villa here.
House 4 You is, quite simply, gorgeous. The traditional stone house sleeps eight in four bedrooms and is beautifully decorated throughout. It does not have a pool but you are just metres away from the sea.
This is the family residential area we stayed in and it was quiet, pretty and had easy access to the village centre. Plus, it has air conditioning throughout. Find availability and prices for House 4 You here.
For a comprehensive list of apartments and villas in Lumbarda, click here.
Lumbarda is, for now, a lovely, unspoilt and friendly village. I hope it doesn’t change.
We found other parts of Croatia overwhelmingly busy (Split) and over developed (Makarska) and yet other places such as Lumbarda, Plitvice and Cavtat had managed to retain their village/small town feel.
If you want party bars, a different restaurant every night and noisy ‘be seen’ beaches, do not visit Lumbarda
But if you are searching for a quiet, relaxing holiday with good food, great scenery, friendly people and picturesque beaches, then this is the place for you.