Korita

The tower in the centre of Korita is the clearest remnant of the period when villagers watched the sea for pirate raids. Ruins of a 1st-century villa rustica carry the story back to Roman times, while the remains of the 5th-century Church of St Paul represent Mljet’s early Christian layer. Among the smaller sacred buildings, the Church of St Elijah honours Korita’s patron saint. Also look for the natural rock hollows that once held water: modest in appearance, they are essential to understanding both the village name and how residents adapted to Mljet’s karst landscape.

Begin at the rainwater hollows that gave Korita its name, then walk through the old core to the defensive tower. Continue to the remains of the 5th-century Church of St Paul and the 1st-century Roman villa rustica, evidence that this landscape was occupied long before the present village emerged. In the afternoon, head down to Saplunara, the harbour developed by Korita’s residents after the Second World War, and choose between its sandy coves and rockier stretches. For a full island day, continue from Korita along the D120 towards Sobra and western Mljet.