The coastal town and fishing village of Racisce, on Korcula’s Adratic coast, has mostly remained under the radar, but word is getting out about this idyllic spot just a few miles from Korcula old town.
Racisce could not feel further from bustling Korcula old town, despite it being a 20 minute car ride away. The half-mile village nestled into a bay in the Adriatic is far from the mass tourism of Korcula’s beaches and nightlife. Račišće (pronounced Rak – cheesh – shuh) still feels undiscovered, despite its history, idyllic location, local feel, nearby cove, and sleepy, laid-back attitude. While staying at Tara’s Lodge in Zrnovska Banja in Korcula, we rented the property bikes and decided to bike along the coast through the town of Kneza, stop by Račišće, and end with a dip at Vaja Bay. Here’s my guide to making the most of a bike ride along the northern side of Korcula.
The 45-minute bike ride on the winding coastal road is lined with the ruggedness of the Peljesac peninsula and its bare mountains accompanied by the shimmering blue of the sea on one side, and lush greenery on the other.
The first half of the ride towards Racisce is pure rugged coastline with just a few cars passing you every now and then. You wind in and out of small unknown coves and bays, stopping for a quick dip when you get hot. When you’re not swerving in and out of coves, you’re biking straight by stone docks with the occasional local fishermen’s boat tied loosely to a cleat.
On our way we biked by the town of Kneža. There’s nothing crazy noteworthy or glamorous about Kneza, but it has an old time charm to it that makes you feel completely separated from the modern day Korcula Old Town. Locals and a few apartment rentals line the shore in front of a few stone docks and fishermen boats and a swimming area. Two konobas (Local family kitchens where Dalmatian cuisine was born) can be found in town, but the one most frequented by locals is Marko Polo Konoba. We were going to stop here for lunch, but unfortunately a private event was being held at the Konoba. The food is fresh, prices affordable, portions are generous, house wine is fantastic, and the view of Kneza port under the straw pergola makes for a wonderful afternoon lunch.
We continued along to our final destnation, Račišće, in search of food. Along the way we biked by vineyards and a few more coves before taking a winding downhill turn that opened up to the town of Račišće. As we biked downhill a group of older people biked by us effortlessly uphill. I was so utterly impressed by how in shape this group of older people were! Until I realized they were on electric bikes. Honestly, Korcula is a very tough place to bike. You really need to be in shape and ready to go up and down very steep hills, it’s an aggressive landscape, but one that cyclists adore and come back to year after year. For those who are not looking to exhaust themselves during their holiday, electric bikes are absolutely the way to go and probably the most comfortable way to enjoy the scenic and natural beauty of Korcula without renting a car.
As we finally pulled into the cove of Racisce, the Adriatic sea was green and azure glistening in the sunlight welcoming us to its waters. Račišće is known throughout Croatia for its renowned sailors and fishermen. In the late 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, Racisce was home to about 40 wooden schooners locally called trabakula. Given that Racisce only has about 500 inhabitants, having 40 boats for just one small town was quite an accomplishment.
Patrick and I biked by an adorable small, old Baroque church from 1682 called Sveti Vlaho. Adjacent to the church, literally connected to it, was a small empty konoba with outdoor tables covered in white and red table clothes. The baroque church and konoba overlooked the Racisce sea and port, we thought this would be the perfect place to sit down, enjoy a lunch, and carbo load before continuing on our journey.
We took a seat just meters from the Adriatic sea and asked the waiter for a menu. When I walked inside to use the restroom, I realized that Konoba Vala was family run. Young children sat inside doing their summer homework as their mother, or one of their relatives, would come running in and out of the kitchen to check up on them. From the location and the few people we saw stopping by, it was obvious that this restaurant is for locals. We ordered an extremely affordable fish platter brought to us with some of the most exquisite presentation I have ever seen. The platter was presented in it’s natural state, but grilled–shiny scales, bright eyes, fins and tail intact.
The meal was fit for a king. It reminded me of the fresh fish my grandma would serve cut open and caught fresh from Lake Maggiore in Italy. It was laid out almost in a noble manner with such intention and adorned with sides of zucchini, vegetables. We of course also ordered a local beer, Karlovacko, to quench our thirst after our 6 mile bike ride, a quarter which was uphill. I slowly delighted in every bite and eventually stared down at my empty plate. All that was left was the head, tail, and fish bones I couldn’t eat. I found the meal to be unforgettable and if there is one place you should go out of your way to eat at on Korcula, it’s Konoba Vala.
After having one of the meals of my lifetime, we continued on to Vaja Bay, a cove just around the corner from Racisce. To get their requires a short quarter mile hike. Don’t try to drive there. We left our bikes at the top of the hill before going down the gravel path. We saw one guy (obviously not a local) attempting to go down the path by car and he got stuck and his wheels started spinning out of control. The beauty of Vaja Bay is that you can’t get there by car, only on foot. The gravel path leads you to a series of steps that take you down to a cove with crystal clear waters.
Pat and I ripped off our clothes, threw them on the rocks, and immediately jumped into the salty sea. Washing off all the sweat from our short bike ride and hike from Racisce to Vaja Bay. Vaja Bay doesn’t have any beach chairs–it’s a hidden cove after all–so you’ll need to bring your own towels. In the morning it’s in full sunlight, while later in the afternoon it begins to get shaded as the sun goes West.
After a quick 30-minute dip, Pat and I hopped on our bikes and made our way back to Tara’s Lodge. The ride back was a little bit easier. I don’t know if the ride back was a bit less uphill and I knew what to expect or if I was just satiated and under the enchanting spell of Racisce, Konoba Vala’s unforgettable food, and Vaja Bay’s restorative waters that made the journey back feel effortless.
Tip: If you have more time (and energy!) left in you, keep going to Samograd Racisce Beach. It’s a few miles from Vaja Bay and is another stunning, but larger cove you can spend some peaceful and remote time at.
>> Next: Things to Do in Korcula Old Town, Croatia
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