If we were to observe the Kornati from above, they resemble a stone rosary cast upon the dark blue silk of the Adriatic. The dry-stone walls that crisscross them – totaling an incredible 330 kilometers within the Park itself – are a testament to the superhuman effort of the laborers who, stone by stone, wrote the history of survival on the Kornati. In addition to the dry-stone walls, the medieval church of Our Lady of Tarac and the 6th-century Byzantine fortress of Tureta, along with other traces of a turbulent past dating back to the Illyrians, bear witness to life on these open-sea islands and their strategic importance in the Adriatic.

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The reason the Kornati were declared a national park in 1980 lies not only in their number, indentation, rugged beauty, or the dramatic contrast between the blue of the sea and the white of the stone, but also in the fact that these islands are a unique geomorphological phenomenon with an incredible wealth of marine ecosystems. The trademark of the Kornati are crowns – vertical cliffs that, on some islands, reach over 80 meters above and over 90 meters below sea level. They are home to rare birds like the peregrine falcon and the European shag in their heights, as well as coral gardens in their depths. Although they may appear harsh and desolate at first glance, the Kornati are full of life: over 850 species of organisms live in the underwater world, and while sailing through this archipelago, one can often encounter bottlenose dolphins and loggerhead sea turtles.

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There are no permanent settlements on the Kornati in the traditional sense, but life pulses through the summer homes of the people of Murter, who have maintained their properties for generations, turning barren coves into gastronomic and nautical oases. On islands without running water or constant electricity, the cuisine has been reduced to the essentials – top-quality ingredients. The gastronomy of the Kornati is based on fresh fish, seafood, and lamb. Due to grazing on sparse soil rich in sea salt and medicinal herbs like sage, the meat of Kornati sheep has a specific, naturally seasoned flavor and is considered one of the most prized in Croatia. In the Kornati taverns, you eat the freshest fish possible, drizzled with olive oil from groves that generations of the people of Murter have tended to. grown in karst terrain – there are around 18,000 olive trees within the National Park. Hidden coves conceal some of the best seafood restaurants on the Adriatic, where a rustic, off-the-grid atmosphere meets top-tier service.

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From Šibenik, you can sail to the Kornati islands as part of an organized full-day boat excursion, or rent a smaller boat or sailboat for a more intimate experience of the archipelago. To stay within the Kornati National Park, you must have a valid ticket, which can be purchased before entering the Park or upon arrival, though tickets bought in advance are more affordable. We recommend checking the official Kornati National Park website for ticket prices and other details. A visit to the Kornati islands—which, like the nearby Šibenik archipelago, enjoy 2,700 hours of sunshine per year—is the perfect escape from walking through the narrow streets and fortresses of Šibenik. Since you are already in the area, we suggest staying a little longer to visit the other pride of the Šibenik region: Krka National Park.