Vela Luka (the island of Korcula)
Vela Luka is located on the western part of the island of Korcula, in a natural bay that is over 9 km long, and Vela Luka represents one of the best harbours for yachts and boats on this side of the Adriatic. Surrounding Vela Luka there are many islets, sharp cliffs, magnificent beaches in numerous bay, making thus this part of Korcula the ideal spot for a genuine vacation.
Today Vela Luka has about 4500 inhabitants, mostly occupied by tourism, olive growth and fishing. The beautiful preserved nation are main virtues of this area. The Blato field, with no slopes, gradually transforms to lowland hilly environment of todays small town of Vela Luka. Furthermore there is a wide bay, inside which there are few smaller islets and more bays suitable as ports. The Kale Bay is the deepest indented bay, and it is completely protected from waves and all winds.
Vela spilja (The big grotto) is situated on the southern side of the hilly Pinski rat (The Pinski Cape), above Kale Bay, and at the bottom of the most protected part of the Vela Luka bay.It is located on the northern side of two laid anticlinals that border the plain of the Blato field and its morphological continuation is a 9 km lond Vela Luka bay. To modern visitors the easiest way to approach the cave is by modern asphalt road, that rises from the Kale bay and from the northern side comes to the very entrance. The altitude is about 130 meters, and the entrance is on the southwest side. In front of the entrance there is a small (20 x 20 meters) plain, so the entrance is somewhat indented and one can see it only when very close to it. The inside consists only from one big chamber, almost oval in shape, with the lenght, together with the entrance area of about 50 meters, and width of about 30 meters. The ceiling looks as a semisphere, with the height, before excavation, of about 17 meters.
The entrance has a shape of an arch with dimensions of 10 x 4 meters. The difference in height from the netrance to the most distant part of the cave is 5 meters.
There are two appertures on the ceiling - Velo i Malo ždrilo (Big and Small Gorge), with dimensions of 11 x 9 m and 5 x 4 m. Because of its size and the disposition of entrances and appertures on the ceiling, all parts of the cave are illuminated by natural light, enough for the normal work and visit.
The surface of the cave, before the reasearch, was about 1,100 square meters, and after excavations, it was realized that it widens to the side, thus increasing in surfaces and height.
Private apartments in picturesque bays represent an ideal vacation spot, completed with quality restaurants and taverns, and with clean and untouched nature, magnificient archipelago with many islets and crystal clean sea.
Today Vela Luka has about 4500 inhabitants, mostly occupied by tourism, olive growth and fishing. The beautiful preserved nation are main virtues of this area. The Blato field, with no slopes, gradually transforms to lowland hilly environment of todays small town of Vela Luka. Furthermore there is a wide bay, inside which there are few smaller islets and more bays suitable as ports. The Kale Bay is the deepest indented bay, and it is completely protected from waves and all winds.
The surface of the cave, before the reasearch, was about 1,100 square meters, and after excavations, it was realized that it widens to the side, thus increasing in surfaces and height.
Private apartments in picturesque bays represent an ideal vacation spot, completed with quality restaurants and taverns, and with clean and untouched nature, magnificient archipelago with many islets and crystal clean sea.