Šipan

Šipan, the largest of the Elafiti Islands, is 9 km long with a width of just over 2.5 km. The main settlements, Šipanska Luka (on the northwest coast) and Sudjuradj (on the southeast coast), are both built at the end of deep narrow inlets and account for a total population of 436. Šipanska Luka has a palm-lined seafront overlooked by old stone buildings and the island’s only hotel – there is a decent beach a short distance from the centre. Sudjuradj is a sleepy fishing village with several small Renaissance villas and a pair of 16th-century watchtowers set back from the harbour. The two villages lie at opposite ends of Šipansko Polje, a fertile valley planted with olive trees and grape vines, and are connected by a 5-km asphalt road and a network of hiking paths.