|
Island Mljet-SPORTY and INTACT: - There you can walk, cycle, camp, dive all around this silente National park, around two lakes surrounded with pine tree forest. Ideal to hire bikes and canoes for exploring!
.
Beaches on the island Mljet:
Saplunara on the southeastern coast of the island Mljet and which ia enclosed by a thick forest of pine. There are two sandy beaches, Big Saplunara and Small Saplunara.
Maybe even more beautuful sandy beach is located some 20 minutes walking from Saplunara in the Blace Bay. Isolated place with open sea, but still is shielded by low cliffs. Beach is nearly 1 km long, surrounded by pines and presents a shining example of primordial intact nature. Ideal for nudism. About island Mljet: The island of Mljet is the greenest Adriatic island. One third of the island area is national park that covers 100.4 sq. kilometers. The island has 1,300 inhabitants in 14 settlements. It is separated from the Pelješac peninsula by the Mljet Channel. On the north-western part of the island is the sunken valley of the Mljet Lakes - Small and Large. Small Lake has the area of 24 hectares and maximal depth of 29.5 meters. It is connected with Big Lake by about 30 meters long channel.
Big Lake has the area of 145 hectares and the maximal depth of 46 meters. It is connected with the open sea by shallow, 30 meters long channel Soline. Through both of the channels flows strong sea current that every six hours changes direction, because of the tidal changes. In the middle Ages, that change of the direction of currents was used in Soline channel for running of the mills. In the inland of the island are four smaller, sunken Karst valleys that inhabitants of Mljet call blatine or slatine (the eel hunting areas). Forests cover 72% of the total area of the island. The main settlements are: Babino Polje, Prožura, Maranovići, Korita, Blato, Ropa, and Govedari. They are mostly located in the inland beside fertile fields. Their ports are the closest coves on the coast. Recently the coastal settlements also developed: Sobra (the ferryboat port), Polače, Kozarica, Poma.
The island became the national park because of the exceptional natural beauties and richness of flora and fauna. Numerous beaches (sand beaches in Saplunara), fish and lobsters hunting areas, and abundance of cultural and historical monuments, make it very attractive tourist destination.
There is longitudinal road, 60 kilometers long, that goes across Whole Island, and the asphalt road from Polače (ferryboat port) to Veliko jezero.
The traces of settlement and graves from the lllyrian period were discovered in the vicinity of Babine kuće, near Veliko jezero. In the antiquity, the island was known under the name of Melita. It was the imperial estate (emperor August). You can see the archaeological finds from antiquity all over the island. In the 12th century, the Benedictines built their abbey and church on the small island in Veliko jezero. The church of the former Benedictine abbey on the small island has the characteristics of Apulian Romanesque style. The atrium with high relief was probably built at the transition from the 12th to the 13th century. In front of it is the renaissance portal with the coat of arms of the Gundulić family from the 15th-16th century. The stone tower with embrasures above atrium and sacristy are from the same period. In the time of the Baroque, two side chapels with altars were added to the church. In the belfry is exhibited the collection of stone monuments. In the 16th century, the old monastery building with cloister and large cellars was incorporated in renaissance building on two floors. The church is restored and the monastery that was deserted long time ago is turned into hotel.
The island has permanent ferryboat connection with the mainland: Trstenik (the Pelješac peninsula) -Polače (the island of Mljet), and Dubrovnik - Sobra (Mljet); as well as the daily ship line to Dubrovnik (from Polače), and a few times a week ships goes to Rijeka and Dubrovnik. Places on the island Mljet: GOVEĐARI
It is former settlement of the workers on the Benedictine estates. The village lies on the slope of the hill above the cost of Veliko jezero. BABINE KUĆE
Small village on the coast of Veliko jezero. POMENA
Picturesque cove below small village Poma. The hotel »Odisej« is located there. POLAČE
The village and port where each day comes a small ship from Dubrovnik and the ferryboat from Trstenik. SOBRA
Village on the northern coast with recently built new, modern ferryboat port. BABINO POLJE
The largest settlement on the island with the parish church from the 15th century that was reconstructed in renaissance and later in the baroque style. There is also a row of simple baroque houses in the village. On the southern coast is the cove Rikavica. SAPLUNARA
The cove on the extreme eastern part of the island. The road ends there and there are two nice, large sand beaches.
Hotels: Odisej; Melita.
Camp: Sikjerica. THE NATIONAL PARK MLJET
It was founded on 11th November, 1960, and it covers the area of 31 sq. kilometers, or one third of the island of Mljet. It is located on the extreme western part of the island. Two natural salt lakes (Veliko and Malo jezero), mutually connected by a channel, make it special. Veliko jezero covers the area of 1, 45 sq. kilometers, and Malo jezero 0.24 sq. kilometers. The salinity of the water in the lakes is somewhat lower and the temperature is up to 4°C higher in summer months than on the open sea. The lakes were formed by the tectonic disturbances. The lakes are surrounded with dense pine forest, and the most beautiful place is the small island of St. Mary on Veliko jezero. Walking and bicycle riding are allowed on the whole area of the national park, and some parts can even be reached by car. Swimming is allowed everywhere on the sea and on the lakes, and the mountaineering lovers will be attracted to the ascends to the peaks Montokuc, Veliki Gradac, etc. From these peaks you have beautiful view on the whole national park, on the Pelješac peninsula and the island of Korčula. |
