Holiday Villas in Lastovo to Rent 2024/2025

Lastovo travel guide

800 people, 6 villages, 46 churches
Remote and undiscovered
Sheltered bay at Pasadur
Paradise for yachtsmen
Lastovo town's unusual chimneys
Must see: the view from Fort Kascel

Fabulously preserved island southwest of Split, with gorgeous beaches and hilltop towns dreamily overlooking the Adriatic in the sun

Lastovo is the largest island of a group of 46 islands lying the furthest offshore of all the southern Dalmatian islands. Due to its relative remoteness Lastovo is the least developed of the larger Croatian islands in terms of tourism and travellers prepared to go the extra mile will be rewarded with an unspoilt and undiscovered island with a rugged coastline and a fascinating history. The principal town of the island, also called Lastovo, unusually is not on the coast but inland on the side of a hillside that overlooks a broad fertile valley in the centre of the island. In its early history Lastovo town was located on the coast but in 998 AD the Venetians in a purge of pirates operating from the island, destroyed the town. The islanders rebuilt their town inland and away from the threat of naval attack.

Latovo is noted for its 15th and 16th century Venetian architecture and in particular for the large ornate and conical chimneys that feature on many houses in the town. Wandering through the alleyways and climbing the steps between the houses that cling to the steep hillside you cannot fail to be fascinated and absorbed by this rather mystical place.

At the west end of the island is a large almost totally enclosed bay. The town of Ubli which is within the bay is the ferry port for the island. Until 1988 this deep water bay was a naval base for the Yugoslav navy and access to the island was restricted. Today the whole island is a designated a nature park.

Visitors will enjoy Latovo for its unspoilt nature, its glorious coastline with many bays and coves providing great wild swimming, scuba diving, snorkelling and cycle routes. Visitors in February should aim to attend the annual Poklad festival.

Getting there. There are car ferries from Split via Vela Luka on Korcula island with a crossing time of four and a half to five hours. There is a fast passenger ferry service from Dubrovnik to Ubli with a crossing time of three and half hours.