The most delightful Orebic beach is Trstenica, the sandy bay just 15-20 minutes walk down the road from Villa Elsa, with a white stone promenade leading to the harbour. The Lonely Planet Guide describes Orebic beaches as ‘the best in Southern Dalmatia’, unspoilt and shaded by pines and tamarisk trees, with crystal clear, clean, safe water for swimming. Trstenica is highly recommended for children and there are cafes and bars for refreshment. (Bathing shoes are advisable in Adriatic waters due to the occasional presence of sea urchins which cling to the rocks.)

Orebic, a small port with an interesting seafront, has plenty of supermarkets and cafes. At night, it is still lively with numerous bars, restaurants and internet cafés. The foods are organically produced, the fish locally caught, the local wines superb – eating out is highly pleasurable and prices are very reasonable.

From Orebic, it is worth exploring the coast further west through Perna, to Kuciste - where you can see more of the beautiful old stone houses, shaded by palms, which meander along the coastline - and on to Viganj. This is a quiet village out of season but in the summer, the attractions of the mistral wind, which starts at midday giving a lovely cooling breeze until evening, prove irresistible for the many wind and kite surfers who migrate here to enjoy these superb conditions. Most of the surfers use the local campsites and it is possible here to hire equipment or sign up for beginners’ courses. There are cheap beach bars, grills, boat trips and plenty of places to take a cooling dip. After Viganj, the road climbs up over the Peninsula and descends to the small holiday and fishing village of Loviste. It is quieter than Viganj but offers some good restaurants and is well worth visiting. There is also a diving centre here, where equipment may be hired and instruction given - an old offshore wreck can be explored.

Back in Orebic, there is a mountain road climbing up behind the town which offers wonderful views of the islands and leads to the Franciscan monastery, open daily, and also to one or two ‘domestic’ restaurants – local families who will serve you fresh food on a shady terrace. More adventurous folk might like to climb Mount Ilija (4 km 961 m to the summit) for its awesome panoramas - though perhaps not during the heat of the day!

The ferries cross regularly from Orebic to Korcula either by car or by foot passenger (15 mins) and there you can explore the old walled Town itself - the birthplace of Marco Polo, the famous explorer, and drive or bus to the sandy beach at Lumbarda. Korcula Town is like a mini Dubrovnik with its intriguing stone passages and steps, mediaeval architecture, including a beautiful cathedral with Renaissance painting, and plentiful cafes and restaurants. The Town is car-free but its periphery can be congested in peak summer months so it is advisable, if just visiting this, to go without a vehicle.

Venturing further, there is of course Dubrovnik, ‘the jewel of the Adriatic’, recently voted by readers of a travel magazine as the most beautiful city above Venice and Rome. Ferries are available from Korcula or it is about a one and a half hour drive - walking the walls gives fascinating birds-eye views of the rooftops though challenging in the heat of summer!
Also from Korcula is a fast catamaran service to the island of Hvar and on to Split (2 hrs.) with its Roman ruins or, if time allows, further north to Trogir, another lovely Venetian inspired coastal town.