Mljet: Hygge on Odysseus island

Summer time is definitely not a hiking time in Croatia. Degrees are flying over the roof, the air is heavy, people are everywhere, therefore the only option is the sea. The target for our summer trip was one of the most beautiful islands in Croatia, Mljet. An island that has both natural and cultural importance. Few know that it was an important part of the antient Greek and thus world literature history.

In the search of peace from the crowd, the plan was a few days trip far away from the city. Mljet is located in Dubrovnik region (Dubrovačka županija) and big part of it is categorized as a national park. Mljet is undoubtedly an island that you will fall in love with or…no other option. Peace, sea, chilling and enjoying the nature. It’s like a dream.

DAY 1

3h drive from Split over the beautiful new bridge of Pelješac and an hour of ferry ride from Prapratno to Sobra was all it took. We arrived at our apartment in Polače, within the national park, around 14 o’clock and firstly made some snack for a quick energy boost. I (Lovre) am from Split and I have seen my share of blue sea, but this one still managed to make my jaw drop.

Afterwards there was nothing else we could do than simply throw ourselves in this magical liquid. Our plan for this day was absolutely nothing, but to relax and enjoy the sun. Our favourite place to jump in was exactly the one in front of our apartment, literally 6 m away. Just when we thought that our mood couldn’t get better we were honoured with a visit by two of the cutest guests.

The most adorable cat and a tiny little kitten made our our day go from awesome to nirvana. Peace, blue sea, no people near by, vitamin D all over the place and these two little fellas. We think that this face indeed said it all, what a life.

We ended our first day in paradise with dinner at a small local restaurant with local food (or Konoba as we call it in Dalmatia). With stomachs full of fresh fish and wine we went back to our apartment and enjoyed the views until the late hours.

DAY 2

Mljet is perfect for active vacation and obviously the best way to explore is with a bike. Like most of Dalmatia, Mljet is not flat and has its ups and downs. Riding a bike equals a really nice workout for your legs. Luckily for some, electrical bikes got invented and made things much easier. Tess went with the e-bike while Lovre remained old school with the regular one. Yes, it was hard at moments, but he is glad he did it as he now has Hulk legs.

The bridge between the lakes gets really busy because it is a cute photo spot. The Small lake trail was short (around 1.5 km), but it’s nice to see it from all sides. The Big lake trail though offered more in it’s 12.5 km. Many nice views and spots along the way, like the island of Sv. Marija that has a church of the same name located in the middle. A small ferry sails often to the island, so it is easy to reach.

The sun started to show its face around 14 o’clock. We crossed to the other side of the lake and took a lunch break before heading back. Awesome thing about this place were so many wild beaches along the road. Whenever we wanted to throw ourselves in, we just did.

Once cooled down we sat on our bikes and pedaled our way back to Polače. Like a cherry on top we were greeted with a steep 1 km uphill for our final test before Polače. Only one of us got sweaty…Our 27 km ride was done and now the only thing left to do was eat and sleep.

DAY 3

MORNING

Days were just flying and it felt like we just got there. For the third day we had a car ride around the island in store and of course a hike. It just wouldn’t feel right if we didn’t climb somewhere. Swimming suits were in the bag, camera in the car and we hit the road. Our first stop was the beach Ropa aka “Port des pirates”!

This beach was definitely one of the gems of the island because it’s unique and wild. As we observed its surroundings with the sharp high cliffs, splashing strong waves and aggressive character it became even more impressive. The vibe it gave off was as if pirates smuggled stolen goods and rum here every night.

Without a doubt, beautiful. Our next spot on the list was another beach called Sutmiholjska. A place you definitely want to have your sun umbrella with you as it offers minimum natural shade. Luckily we came early enough to catch some and left early enough not to get burned.

AFTERNOON

After couple of hours of swimming we went to the other side of the island to check one of the sandy beaches called Mala Saplunara. Lovre is not a fan of sand like Tess (she’s from Denmark, that’s all they have there), but this one wasn’t that bad even for him.

EVENING

After this tasty meal we took a nice swim, relaxed some more and headed back to Polače. For the end of the day we saved ourselves a treat – a sunset hike. We were aiming for a peak called Mt. Montokuc. Not the highest point of Mljet, but it offers unique views worth seeing. Original purpose of the hut on top is a fire lookout tower and is located at the height of 251 m.

We started the hike from the park entrance gates and the remaining was pretty straightforward. The hike was 4.5 km in total and it took us 1.5h. One important note! If you were swimming before take a shower to remove the salt, otherwise you will end up sweating like in the 9th circle of Dante’s hell. Especially if it is warm outside, believe us.

15 mins later we came out of the forest when this soothing scene appeared in front us. In the distance there was another gem of Croatia, the beautiful Pelješac peninsula. 1.3 km later we reached the Mt. Montokuc. The cosiness of the wooden lookout tower in addition to the beautiful 360 degree views gave off the hyggest vibes.

This was unquestionably one of the most relaxing moments. The warmth of the sun slowly drifting away while observing the scenery made any worries disappear. Unfortunately, the sun finally set and it was time for us to head back. What another lovely day this was.

DAY 4

Time for The Odysseus Cave, one of the most memorable landmarks of Mljet. At the beginning of this post we mentioned that Mljet was an important part of the famous poem Odyssey written by Homer.

THE STORY ABOUT ODYSSEUS

As Odysseus was returning home to Ithaca from the Trojan war, he experienced a shipwreck. His journey back lasted for 10 years and his family assumed he was dead. Odysseus’s ship sunk near the island Ogigija where he swam to the shore to save himself. A nymph called Calypso lived in the cave, fell in love with Odysseus and wanted him to become her husband. Odysseus was enchanted by hers and the islands beauties and consequently got trapped there for 8 years. By the order of the Peaky… sorry, the Zeus itself, Calypso let Odysseus free and he returned home after 20 long years. That cave now carries his name.

This magnificent sight for the eyes was so mesmerizing and overwhelming that we were left speechless once we got inside of it. The key feature of the cave, beside its look, was the colour of the sea in front of the cave’s entrance until the point where the sun could not reach. It was so turquoise blue and so bright that it seemed unreal. The secret behind the colour was the angle of the sun when it hits the sea on a clear day and it’s visible only from 10-14 o’clock.

Once we opened our eyes under the sea surface a whole new world appeared. We could see everything so sharp, vivid and clear. Unbelievable experience of the underwater world. Nemo would be found within minutes here! Once we were inside we got the feeling of the cave’s size. Take a look at that.

We tried to enjoy this day as much as we could as this was our last day on Mljet and what a day it was. A magical place worth every drop of sweat we wiped of our foreheads while reaching it. A definite must.

DAY 5

So the day came unfortunately. We took the last swim, packed our things and left the apartment. Even the sky told us goodbye with heavy clouds. We had the most amazing time on this magnificent island. With our batteries full and a tear in our eye we had to say “until next time, Mljet…”.