Vela Luka
General Information about Vela Luka
 Vela Luka is located on the western side of the island of Korcula at the bottom of a sharply cut and wide bay indented by many coves. The surrounding slopes descend slowly to the sea and are covered with vineyards, olive trees, fig trees and pine. Scattered like pearls in the bay of Vela Luka, the small islands of Proizd and Ošjak celebrated in songs are popular tourist excursion destinations with their virgin oases, clear sea, thick pine woods and occasional sea caves. With an average of over 2500 hours of sunny weather annually, Vela Luka is second largest in size place on the Adriatic islands, a safe anchorange and port for luxury and leisure sportcraft. Vela Luka with its typical Mediterranean surroundings is an ideal place to have a relaxing vacation.
Vela Luka has many archeological and architectual points of interest. On the south slope of the hill Pinski rat there is an extraordinary archaelogical site Vela Spila, one of the most important prehistoric cave dwellings in Europe.
Vela Spila provides a picture of life on the Mediterranean twenty thousand years ago. The cave's interior measures approximately 1500 sq. meters located several hundred meters above the beautiful Vela Luka bay. Another panoramic view of the area can been seen from Hum Hill and the Forteca, an Austro-Hungarian fortress built in 19th century.
 In addition, dotting the country side with elegant simplicity are ancient meje (stone walls) and small stone houses that surrounded the old wineyards and now grace the olive groves. Built with no mortar, these structures are local engineering wonders not to be missed.
After exploring the historical sites of the surrounding hills of Vela Luka, you may wish to experience its museum in the Cultural Center. Here are exhibited the excavated objects of pottery and human remains of Vela Spila along with a collection of wooden ship models, international drawings, graphics and small sculptures by the famous English artist Henry Moore, the only known works from this artist in Croatia.
Vela Luka is known for its colorful folk group Kumpanija will enchant one with traditional Vela Luka dances such as the "the Ples od boja" traditionally performed on Saint Josip's Day. Another annual event is on St. Ivan's Day, in which a regatta of small row boats compete in the Vela Luka Bay. The victors of the competition are honored with a grand celebration in which all are invited.
 Restaurants in Vela Luka serve local specialties of the Dalmatian region and provide service in pleasant Mediterranean interiors. With the harmonious sounds of "klapa" songs sung by a capella folk singers, one can enjoy seaside dining in the moonlight of the Vela Luka Bay or a leisure cappucino or lunch in one of many cafes and bistros.
Vela Luka has many formal and informal accommodations.
Wide panoramic views, a mild Mediterranean climate, a crystal sea, a rich cultural heritage and various sports, leisure and therapuetic possibilities make Vela Luka an attractive tourist destination for all.
Vela Luka apartments for rent
Beaches And Coves
 A miles of mostly undeveloped shoreline… You could easily imagine yourself here as Robinson Crusoe in his island isolation.
Proizd island possesses all the elements of a vision of paradise.
Gleaming white pebble beaches opening up to stunning azure warm waters and white limestone cliffs,through which the elements have carved vast natural coves.
"Treći bili bok" has a large seclude pebble beach allowing nude sunbathing throughout the cove.
The pure unrestrained hedonism of Proizd is an experience not to be missed - an attraction on which Vela Luka has built its international reputation!
Pičena Cove
The small beach is enclosed by alpine trees, sheltered and hidden by a rocky promontory extending into the bay. The beach is only accessible on foot or by boat, so it's rarely crowded.
Gradina
Among many of coves that are situated in the bay of Vela Luka we would like to point out the spacious and pleasant bay of Gradina. It is situated in the north of the gulf, not far from the town, and to it leads a 4km long asphalt road. In that bay there are several approachable pebble beaches suitable for swimming.
Vela Spila
 Vela spila is located on the southern side of Pinski Rat Mountain, 130 m above the cove of Kale in Vela Luka and is one of the most important prehistoric archaeological localities in Europe.
The archaeological finds from this site prove that several prehistoric communities have been living here and using the cave in their every-day life and for burying their dead.
These extremely significant finds include thousands of pieces of ceramics, whole vessels and other objects made of earthenware.
They serve as the proof of the long history of cultural, social, spiritual and economic relations between the inhabitants of Vela Spila and other parts of the Adriatic and the Mediterranean.
 Excavations and the archaeological investigation of the site lead to the conclusion that the cave has been continuously inhabited from the early Stone Age (about 20 000 bc), and there is evidence of an occasional human presence in the following periods – Iron Age and Copper Age. To this day it has been used by the Greeks, the Romans, the Byzantines and many others.
The entrance to the cave is 1 to 10 meters wide, up to 4 meters high, facing south and offering a beautiful view of a large bay, fruitful Blatsko Polje, the islands of Ošjak, Kamenjak and Proizd, as well as of more distant islands like Vis, Sušac, Sv. Andrija, Biševo and the open sea.
There is a valuable archaeological collection of objects that have been found on this site in the Culture Centre Museum in the town centre of Vela Luka, and visitors can visit the cave in two ways: By car, for there is a 2,5 km road leading from Kale cove to the cave, or on foot along a walking path on the Pinski Rat Mountain.
Cultural Center
 The diversity and richnees of the culture inheritance of Vela Luka can be seen in the exceptional museum and gallery that are located in the Center for Culture in the centre of the town. The premises of the Centre are located in the building that was built for school needs in the second half of the 19 th centry, so that building has historical significance.
The building is located near the Parish Church of St. Joseph, so they together create a magnificent architectonic/urbanism structure and offer a typical Mediterranean spirit. You enter the museum /gallery premises from the inner court of the atrium of the Centre for Culture, and atrium is decorated with mosaics made in 1968 when the International Artist Meeting of painters was held in Vela Luka.
 The following is presented in the musseum and the gallery.
-The Archeological Collection of finds from the historical locality of the Big Cave and antique funds (ceramic dishes, animal and human bones, antique amphora)
-The International Art Collection of drawings, graphic arts, and smaller statues from native artists (Murtic, Picelj, Ujevic) and foreign artists (Soto, Hayer, Messagier),
-Two sculpture of Henry Moore,
-A Collection of ship models by Nedo Gugic,
-The Ethnographic Collection of objects from El Shatt,
-Folk costumes from Vela Luka.
Cultural events in Vela Luka are being held in the atrium of the citadel:
-smaller concerts, concerts of folk music singers, book promotions, exhibitions of native and foreign artists.
The museum and gallery premises and whole ambience where these interesting archeological and artistic collections are located are certainly worth your visit.
Kumpanija
 The island of Korcula is known for its numerous chivalrous tournament unions, that are engaged and during different occasions perform old chivalrous tournaments with swords.
Thanks to the members of the Initial council, the hardworking and persisting practise of about twenty young men and husbands of Vela Luka, on March 19th 2001, on the feast of St. Joseph, that is celebrated as the day of the community of Vela Luka as well, exactly after 75 years, the tournament “Kumpanija” of Vela Luka was solemnly performed again. Besides the already mentioned renewal performance of the F.D. “Kumpanija”, it took part in:
- On July 4th on the international festival of chivalrous tournaments in Korcula,
- On September 2nd on the September Sunday events in Dubrovnik,
- Under the organisation of the town council of Alicante and the Consulate of the Republic of Croatia in Madrid.
Regatta
 The traditional regatta is being held every year on June 24th from the Gradina Bay to the center of Vela Luka. On the feast of St. John the teams of the areas of Vela Luka take part and compete by oars in small boats.
How does it starts? On August 2nd 1933, it was a Sunday, a speed rowing regatta between the national team of Vela Luka and the crew of the warship of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, H.M.S. «CERES» was held in Vela Luka. The commandment of the warship was delighted by the beauty of Vela Luka, the hospitability and friendship of the citizens of Vela Luka, and, in a friendly mood, it suggested the holding of an exhibition rowing regatta between the crew of their warship and the national team of Vela Luka, and the citizens of Vela Luka accepted with pleasure their proposal.
The following rules were stated:
1. The boats of the warship, 6 meters long
2. The crew of the boat consists of 6 persons
3. the length of the rowing distance was 2380 meters
The citizens of Vela Luka won the regatta with about 90 meters difference. The commander of the warship congratulated the winners of the regatta and thanked the citizens of Vela Luka for their hospitability and warmly welcome. At this occasion the commander of the warship rewarded the winners and each member of the winning team with a sailor razor as a souvenir, which is an obligatory war equipment of every sailor in all war navies in the world, and the members of the regatta and their families were very proud of it.
The crew of the warship H.M.S. »CERES» gave the mayor of the community of Vela Luka a picture of their ship as a present with the text:»Presented to the Town of Vela Luka by the Captain, Officers and Ship Company of H.M.S. «CERES».
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