Koločep (; locally known as Kalamota () from ) is one of the three inhabited Elaphiti Islands situated near the city of

Dubrovnik Dubrovnik, historically known as Ragusa, is a city in southern Dalmatia, Croatia, by the Adriatic Sea. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean, a Port, seaport and the centre of the Dubrovni ...

with an area of . Koločep is the southernmost inhabited island in

Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...

. According to the 2021 census, its population was 231. In the 2011 census, the population of the island was 163.

Location and access

The island of Koločep lies at a distance of from the closest point on the mainland and about the same distance from the peninsula of Lapad, further east towards the city of Dubrovnik itself. The port of Dubrovnik ( Gruž) is situated at the base of a bay on the other side of Lapad, requiring a journey by boat to the island. The island can be reached by regular ferry service Jadrolinija – the "Postira" and "Premuda" services connect the Elaphiti Islands several times throughout the day. It is a 20-minute boat ride from one port to the other (Dubrovnik–Koločep) by ferry, or 10 minutes by water taxi. The island lent its name to Koločepski Channel - a part of the Adriatic Sea between the Olipa and Koločep islands and the mainland opposite of them.

Population and transportation

There are two settlements on the island called Gornje Čelo and Donje Čelo. Both are situated in their respective coves and connected with a paved road. Koločep is car free but many paths and walkways criss-cross the island.

Climate and vegetation

Koločep has an average of 215 sunny days a year. Its climate is of a moderate

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...

type, and due to the isle's indented coastline and small area, the predominant climatic features throughout the island are influenced by the Adriatic. The sea moderates the air temperature considerably keeping the average monthly daytime highs above in the winter time and below in the summer. Clear waters surrounding the island range from deep blue to turquoise aqua. The coastline has with a number of hidden coves: the Blue Cave can be accessed swimming from one such cove on the south side of the island. An area off shore where lobsters abound is another one of Koločep's features. The islands flora includes stands of tall pine and olive groves.

History

Earliest known traces of human habitation date to the times of

Ancient Greece Ancient Greece () was a northeastern Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of classical antiquity (), that comprised a loose collection of culturally and linguistically r ...

. In the times of the

Republic of Ragusa The Republic of Ragusa, or the Republic of Dubrovnik, was an maritime republics, aristocratic maritime republic centered on the city of Dubrovnik (''Ragusa'' in Italian and Latin; ''Raguxa'' in Venetian) in South Dalmatia (today in southernmost ...

, Koločep was an important shipbuilding site. Two members of Christopher Columbus’ crew on the Santa Maria were sailors from the island. Archaeological remnants of ancient European conquerors have been found on the island: from the ancient times of

Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...

and

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

to the Napoleonic times. The island has seven pre-Romanesque churches dating back to the times of Croatian kings, from the 9th to the 11th century.

Dubrovnik Čilipi approach

A non-directional beacon used for landing at Dubrovnik Čilipi airport is located on Koločep Island.

References

Bibliography

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Kolocep Islands of Croatia Islands of the Adriatic Sea Landforms of Dubrovnik-Neretva County Car-free islands of Europe