Dugi Otok
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dugi Otok (Croatian for “Long Island”, Italian: Isola Lunga) is an island in the Adriatic Sea, part of Croatia. It is located off the Dalmatian coast, west of Zadar.
It is the largest and eastern-most of the Zadarian Islands, and derives its name from its distinctive shape (it is 45 km long by 5 km wide). Its elevation reaches 300 m; many of its higher portions contain stands of Maritime Pine. The western coast is tall and rugged, and many of the towns are clustered on the eastern side. These include Sali, the largest, and Božava, Dragove, Soline, Brbinj, Luka, Polje, Verona, Savar, Veli Rat, Zaglav, and Žman. A nature park, Telašćica covers southern part of the island and is adjacent to Kornati national park. The village of Veli Rat is also home to the lighthouse at Veli Rat another spectacular sight.
There are eleven villages concerned primarily with fishing, although salt was once produced here. This beautiful island, with a Mediterranean climate and Italian culture, receives very few visitors. Olive oil, figs, cheese and wine accompany the seafood in the natives' diet. A definite step back in time, the island boasts an ancient pre-Roman church and some Roman ruins. It is in close proximity to Kornati National Park.