Žitna – A Cove Different from the Rest

Žitna is often mentioned as the most beautiful cove on the island of Korčula. We have mixed feelings about it.

This beach belongs to Zavalatica, a village located in the neighboring bay. Zavalatica is situated in the middle of the island on its southern side. This makes it a logical choice for accommodation if you plan to explore the island extensively. Choosing Zavalatica as your base will save you a lot of time and fuel, as both Korčula town and Vela Luka will be equally distant.

If you also choose one of the houses at the top of the bay, you don’t even need to start your car to go down for a swim at Žitna. It will literally take you about ten minutes to reach the beach, and you can choose the path from either side of the sports fields.

If you go to Žitna by car, the path from the northern side of the field is more convenient, as it is paved all the way to the end where the parking lot is located. There is space for just over 15 cars. Even when it’s full, there is enough room to turn around, and on the way back toward the fields, you can look for a suitable parking spot along the road. From the parking lot to the beach, concrete stairs lead down for about 70 m.

Žitna really is a special cove. When you spot it through the trees, its color is reminiscent of the Una River when you first see it while descending toward Štrbački Buk.

Most of the bay is turquoise. The view from the parking lot truly gives a WOW effect. Swimming through the bay is also a special experience, as the beautiful sea color you see from the parking lot extends through most of the bay while you swim through it! The cove is very well protected from winds, so the sea here is mostly calm.

So why, despite all of this, do we have mixed opinions?

What we didn’t like is the beach itself. It is filled with artificial pebbles unsuitable for this cove. Since the beach is quite famous, it is regularly crowded, so you don’t feel great either on the beach or for the first few dozen meters in the sea. At the edge of the beach stands a somewhat ugly house that completes the list of this beach’s shortcomings.

So, besides the thrill of the sea color and swimming further away from the shore, we liked many other coves on Korčula more. This doesn’t mean Žitna shouldn’t be visited. It should be an indispensable point during any visit to Korčula, because it is specific and different!