The Elaphiti Islands or the Elaphites (Croatian: Elafitski otoci or Elafiti) is a small archipelago consisting of several islands stretching northwest of Dubrovnik, in the Adriatic sea.[1] The Elaphites have a total land area of around 30 square kilometers and a population of 850 inhabitants. The islands are covered with characteristic Mediterranean evergreen vegetation and attract large numbers of tourists during the summer tourist season due to their beaches and pristine scenery.
Main islands
Only the three main islands are permanently inhabited, each of which supports a modest tourist industry. They are connected with the mainland via daily ferry lines operated out of Dubrovnik.
- Šipan – The the farthest and largest island in terms of area (15.8 km2) and population of 436 inhabitants. It also has two settlements, Šipanska Luka and Suđurađ, both served by Jadrolinija ferry lines.
- Koločep – It is the closest island to Dubrovnik, located 5 km from the Dubrovnik harbour at Gruž. It used to be an important shipbuilding site in the Republic of Ragusa period. It is one of the most indented and the southernmost permanently inhabited Croatian island with a population of 294 inhabitants. It has seven pre-Romanesque churches dating back to the times of the Croatian kings, from the 9th to the 11th century.
- Lopud – Second in size and best known for its sandy beaches, it is located between Šipan and Koločep islands. It's well developed in terms of tourism infrastructure, including the Lafodia hotel in the town of Lopud.
Other notable islands
- Crkvina - Uninhabited islet.
- Daksa – Uninhabited islet. It used to be home to a 13th century Franciscan monastey of Saint Sabina, which was abandoned at the time of Napoleon's conquest in the ealy 19th century. Later, it became infamous as the site of the Daksa massacre, in which the partisans had executed 48 prominent citizens of Dubrovnik in October 1944.
- Goleč - Uninhabited islet.
- Jakljan – It has children’s rest and a recreation center.
- Kosmeč - Uninhabited islet.
- Mišnjak - Uninhabited islet.
- Olipa – The westernmost of the Elaphiti islands. It has a lighthouse located on its southern part.
- Ruda - Uninhabited islet.
- Sveti Andrija – Uninhabited rocky island with a rich fauna, has the status of a bird reserve. The island has a lighthouse, which the Austro-Hungarian government had built in 1873.
- Tajan - Uninhabited islet.
