About Racisce Village
Racisce village, actually written Račišće in Croatian, is located on the north coast of Korcula Island. It is situated in a deep, well-protected bay with houses dotted around and with fertile rolling hills as a backdrop.
Racisce is one of the newest settlements on Korcula Island. It was established at the time refugees flocked to its shores in the 19th century. Many skilled sailors and fishermen have come from the village. Racisce also used to harbour several large wooden boats used for shipping or trade during the late 19th century into the 20th century.
It provides the perfect place for a tranquil retreat; as well as offering some wonderful walking, hiking & cycling trails ideal for the more active traveller.
Getting There
From Korcula Town
- Jadrolinija car ferry from Orebic (on Peljesac mainland, if driving up from Dubrovnik or down from Split) to Korcula. Schedule & reservations HERE
- Jadrolinija passenger catamaran from Split to Korcula Town. Schedule & reservations HERE
- Kapetan Luka passenger catamaran from Split to Korcula Town. Schedule & reservations HERE
- The drive from Korcula to Racisce village is 13kms / 15 minutes
- Autotrans bus from Korcula to Racisce. Schedule & reservations HERE
- Taxi from Korcula to Smokvica costs approx. €23
- You can cycle from Korcula to Racisce, it’s a straight-forward coastal road all the way (takes approx. 45 minutes – 1 hour)
TIP: You can hire cars, bikes and scooters from Korcula Town at a reasonable cost (cars being a little more expensive). There are several rental agencies offering this, try Kaleta or Korkyra Info.
Getting Around
Racisce is small so you can easily walk around the village. For sure you will want to head to the beaches of Vaja or Samograd, which are located a little way out of the village. You can walk to both of the beaches, cycle or drive (although be cautious driving to Samograd as the track is not always easily passable by road vehicles).
Where to Stay
There is a hotel of sorts in Racisce village, but the best choice of accommodation is in private apartments, rooms and villas. You’ll find plenty to choose from around the bay, many of which include wonderful views looking out to sea. If you stay here, you’ll love the views from a private balcony, so much so you probably won’t want to leave! Have a look through this list of places to stay in Racisce and book your dream view!
Read more about where to stay on Korcula Island.
Where to Eat & Drink
Racisce village offers 3 restaurants.
Bistro Cin-Cin is a friendly cafe/bar and restaurant which serves great value pizzas, pasta, salads and sandwiches. The wine & beer also comes cheap! This place was our haven when we got lost a few years back and missed the bus home!
Vala Konoba is nestled in a small courtyard next to the small church. Again serves good food at a reasonable price. This TripAdvisor review sums up the menu nicely: “straightforward Croatian. Fullstop. Meat. Fish. French Fries. Vegetables. Salad”.
Hotel-Restaurant Mediteran completes the Racisce food scene and is particularly popular with locals hanging out drinking coffee and wine. It’s also the venue for local events which take place throughout the year.
In the bay of Kneze, 3 kilometres away, there are a couple more restaurants. The popular Bistro Dalmatino is set in a fabulous waterfront location. A bonus is a small beach in front of the restaurant where you can bathe and swim. Choose something from the grill – meat, seafood or fish.
Other Amenities
There are limited amenities available in Racisce. There is a small Studenac supermarket, a post office and fishermen selling their day’s catch. Korcula Town is a 20-minute drive away where you will find larger supermarkets, ATMs, butchers, fish markets, a pharmacy and a petrol station. There’s also a small greengrocer in the next bay of Kneza.
Things to do in Racisce Village
Churches
There are two churches which you can visit in Racisce. The smaller Church of Our Lady which was built in the 1600s by the arriving refugees. St Nicholas Church, the larger & more modern parish church built at the end of the 19th century.
Walking/Cycling
There are many marked and hidden paths surrounding Racisce, providing fantastic views over the mainland peninsula, Peljesac. A simple walk is to head up the hill behind the village where you will be rewarded with fabulous panoramic views of this quaint village. A longer walk will take you up through the olive groves and into the countryside, all the way to the village of Pupnat. You can cycle in either direction past Samograd towards Prigradica or the scenic coastal route back towards Korcula Town.
Hit the Beach
Racisce is home to arguably two of the most beautiful and secluded beaches on Korcula Island. You need to head out of the centre up the steep hill. Straight ahead, around a 15-minute walk away, you’ll reach Vaja beach. It is a brilliant turquoise-blue bay with large white pebbles and the clearest water for snorkelling. Heading to the left as you leave the village centre and around a 30-minute walk away, you’ll reach Samograd, an aqua-deep bay with smaller white pebbles. You’ll rarely see anyone else at Samograd even during the peak season.
Play Boche
Next to Bistro Cin-Cin you will see a boche pitch. This bowl-type game (la boule) is popular across Korcula and you’ll find pitches in lots of places. The idea is to throw heavy metal balls underarm along the length of the pitch, aiming to get as close as possible to the jack. You can be sure there will be a friendly local hovering nearby to give you some tips!
Visit Samograd Cave
The composition of Korcula Island is nearly all rock. To be specific: limestone, marl and dolomite. A landscape made up of these rocks is known as a karst landscape. Water on its own or slightly acidic water erodes the stone through time (millions of years). This is what has happened to Korcula and why there are so many caves. There are dozens of cave sites on Korcula but one of the most impressive and less explored due to its remote location is Samograd Spila.
Patron Saint Day
As a Catholic country, the celebration of local saints is important to the residents of Korcula. Racisce celebrates Our Lady of Perpetual Help on May 24. After a special mass, local people join in a procession around the village accompanied by singing.
Music and Food Festivals
Throughout the summer Racisce hosts live music and Klapa performances. They also put on some culinary evenings including the Seaman’s Night at the end of July. Keep informed of events via the Korcula Tourist Board.
Olive Picking
If you are walking amongst the numerous olive groves from late October into November, be sure to help the locals harvest their olives.
Have you been to Racisce? Did we miss anything? Or are you planning a trip to Racisce? What are you looking forward to most there?
