A car-free slice of Adriatic calm
Koločep (locals call it Kalamota) is the tiny, car-free island escape just off Dubrovnik that makes you instantly slow down. It’s one of the inhabited Elaphiti Islands, only 2.44km², with just two little settlements – Donje Čelo and Gornje Čelo – linked by piney paths and sea-view strolls.
Getting here is part of the fun: hop on a ferry from Dubrovnik and you’ll be island-side in roughly 35 minutes. Then it’s all about the simple stuff done beautifully: swim in clear coves, wander olive-and-cypress lanes, and stop whenever the view tells you to (which’ll be often).
Koločep’s main vibe is “choose-your-own-pace”. Do a lazy beach day at Donje Čelo, or grab a snorkel and chase that electric-blue glow in the famous Blue Cave when the seas are calm. As the sun drops, follow the waterfront for seafood and a glass of local wine, then listen to the island go quiet. No traffic. No rush. Just you, the Adriatic, and tomorrow’s boat timetable if you feel like it.
Explore our map of Kolocep Island