Korčula to Kočje Hike: Trail Guide & Map

After enjoying some incredible hiking on Hvar with kids, we were eager to explore more hiking trails in Croatia. During our 3 days in Korčula with kids, we decided to try the Korčula to Kočje Hike, which turned out to be one of our favourite hikes of our entire Croatia family vacation.

What made this hike so memorable was the variety of scenery along the way. We walked through historic villages, followed quiet country roads with beautiful views of the Adriatic Sea and eventually entered the lush green forest of Kočje Protected Area. The enormous moss-covered rock formations were unlike anything else we had seen while hiking in Croatia.

The hike wasn’t always easy, especially with our two young kids, but there was plenty to keep them interested along the way. If you enjoy exploring beyond the usual tourist attractions, hiking from Korčula Town to Kočje is well worth considering.

In this guide, we share our complete hiking route, including distances, trail conditions, directions and maps to help you plan your own visit to Kočje Protected Area.

This post contains compensated links.

Korčula to Kočje Hike Overview

Located near the village of Žrnovo, not far from Korčula Town, Kočje Protected Area is a small forest reserve known for its unusual limestone rock formations. Large boulders and towering rock walls are covered in thick green moss and ivy, creating a completely different landscape from the sunny coastal scenery found elsewhere on Korčula Island.

For us, exploring Kočje was the highlight of this Korčula hike. Our kids loved wandering between the enormous rocks and exploring the narrow passages through the forest. It felt like a fun little adventure after the longer walk to get there.

While the Kočje Protected Area itself is relatively small, our hike from Korčula Town was a much bigger outing. The route included some steep sections, uneven trails and a fair amount of walking on roads. Families hiking with younger children should be prepared to carry them for portions of the journey.

If you’re looking for a memorable hike on Korčula Island, Kočje is a great option, especially if you enjoy exploring unique natural areas rather than simply hiking for the views.

Korčula to Kočje Hike: Distance, Time & Difficulty

Our Korčula to Kočje hike covered just over 12 km (7.5 miles) and took us 4.5 hours to complete. Starting near sea level in Korčula Town, we reached a maximum elevation of 227 m (745 ft).

We found the hike moderately challenging, especially on the narrow, overgrown trail leading to Kočje Protected Area. Some sections were rocky and uneven, with slippery rocks and large steps to navigate. Be sure to wear good hiking shoes with plenty of grip.

Despite the challenging sections, we found this to be a great hike on Korčula with kids. We carried our kids along the roads, but they managed to hike almost half the distance themselves. The changing scenery kept them interested throughout the hike, which made the experience more enjoyable for all of us!

Hiking from Korčula Town to Kočje: Our Route

Our Korčula to Kočje hiking route is a little different from the shorter trail maps you’ll find on AllTrails. Below, we walk you through the route we took from Korčula Town to Kočje Protected Area and back, including the highlights and some of the trickier sections.

Keep reading to our Hiking Korčula to Kočje Trail Map section, where we explain how our route compares to the ones shown on AllTrails.

Leg 1: Korčula Town to Forteca

We left our rental apartment just south of the Korčula Old Town to begin our day of Korčula hiking at 7:45 am. We had the kids in their carriers at first so we could get some good hiking distance under our belts quickly.

We started hiking west up a set of stairs on Bernarda Bernardi. The stairs wind between houses until you leave Korčula Town, cross a road and enter a park.

At the top of the stairs, you’ll reach Forteca, also known as Fort Wellington, a British tower built in 1813 within an older Venetian fortification.

You can’t go inside Forteca, but it’s fun to take a quick walk around. Sadly, after all that effort climbing the stairs to see Forteca, the surrounding trees block the view of the historical Korčula Old Town below. 

Leg 2: Forteca to Žrnovo

After a minute or two walking around Fortica, we continued our day of Korčula hiking down the hill on the opposite side of the fortress until we arrived at the main highway.

We walked along the edge of the highway for about a kilometre before turning onto a quieter country road. Watch for the sign to Kočje marking the turn.

Soon you’ll arrive at a junction with the Korčula hiking trail forking into three; we took the middle trail. Our kids loved running along this quiet road on Korčula, where we didn’t see another soul.

Leg 3: Walking Through Žrnovo

This tree-lined trail leads to Žrnovo, one of the oldest settlements on Korčula Island. It’s a beautiful historic village, worth taking some time to explore. We enjoyed seeing the old buildings, churches, ruins and flower gardens

If you’re passing through later in the day, you may be able to stop for refreshments at a café in Žrnovo. We put the kids back in their toddler carriers so they could enjoy a snack while we hiked slowly south though Žrnovo (while also not having to worry about them on the roads).

Soon we turned west at what appeared to be a WWI memorial. This road leads you out of Žrnovo and back onto an old country road. It is here that you get your first taste of the interesting rock formations you’ll see throughout the countryside on this enjoyable Korčula hike to Kočje.

Leg 4: Žrnovo to Kočje Protected Area

The scenery after leaving Žrnovo is beautiful, with vineyards, old ruins, stone walls and church towers in the distance.

After about a half-mile (800 m) of hiking, watch for a small green Kočje sign in the grass, pointing to a hiking trail which veers off to the right.

There is a tall hill with many interesting rock formations on it to your right. This new Korčula hiking trail takes you around to the west side of it, ending at the Kočje Protected Area.

The final section of the hike to Kočje is challenging and will likely slow you down. The trail narrows to a single-file path through tightly packed shrubs and trees

This section of the hike to Kočje was especially tough with kids. Our two-year-old didn’t like bushwhacking and wanted to be carried, which made navigating the narrow trail even harder. Thankfully, our four-year-old ran through the bushes as if they weren’t even there.

Leg 5: Exploring Kočje Protected Area

Your reward for getting through this tight section of Korčula hiking trail is the Kočje Protected Area. You enter the Kočje Protected Area through a small valley with large, interesting rocks on both sides.

Kočje is a very special place and our kids absolutely loved running around and exploring. In fact, our time at Kočje turned out to be our favorite thing to do on Korčula with kids.

The Kočje hiking trail descends into the valley below and it just becomes this magical emerald forest. You really need to hike to the Kočje Protected Area to see it with your own eyes. Our words and pictures can’t really do it justice.

Moss and ivy cover every inch of Kočje and it just glows green, even in the shade. It’s a bit slippery in the Kočje Protected Area, with some large rock steps to maneuver, so watch your kids closely.

Leg 6: Returning from Kočje to Žrnovo

Finding our way out of the Kočje Protected Area wasn’t easy. The trail continues north, but we had to look carefully to find it.

You emerge from the Kočje Protected Area and end up on a Korčula hiking trail which runs east-west. To head back to Žrnovo a different way, go west.

This section follows a country road with beautiful views of the Adriatic Sea and the Pelješac Peninsula below.

Leg 7: Žrnovo to Korčula Old Town

When we finished hiking back to Žrnovo, we took the time to walk up the main street again and then we walked back to Korčula via a different hiking route.

We left Žrnovo on the same path we’d arrived on, but almost immediately turned left onto a trail heading steeply downhill to the north. The bottom sections of this hiking trail are overgrown bush as well, which isn’t overly enjoyable, but it’s a short stretch.

The hiking trail ends at a paved road. Turn west and follow it to a T-intersection, then turn right onto the road towards Žrnovska Banja.

Unfortunately, this is a paved road the whole way back to Korčula, which can be a little busy at times, but the payoff is that this beautiful Korčula walk hugs the Adriatic Sea nearly the whole way back.

You follow the road around several bends and into many little coves, with charming little boats and incredibly blue water. Our feet were getting a little sore by this point and walking on pavement didn’t help, but we sucked it up and enjoyed the coastal scenery which makes this part of Croatia special.

Hiking Korčula to Kočje Trail Map

When we did this hike, we couldn’t find any trail maps online. We ended up taking a few wrong turns and probably didn’t follow the most direct route to Kočje Protected Area.

Thankfully, there are now AllTrails maps to help you find your way. Neither follows our exact route, but you can use them together with the Google Maps links in our directions above to follow the same hike we did.

Here’s how to match our seven hiking legs with the available maps:

• Legs 1 and the first half of Leg 2: These sections, from Korčula Town past Forteca and towards the trail to Žrnovo, aren’t shown on either AllTrails map. Follow the Google Maps links in our directions above to find your way.
• Legs 2 and 3: Once you reach the trail towards Žrnovo, follow the Korčula to Kočje trail on AllTrails. This map shows the hiking trail we followed into Žrnovo.
• Legs 4 to 6: For the hike from Žrnovo to Kočje Protected Area and back, switch to the Žrnovo to Kočje trail on AllTrails. This map more closely follows the route we took through the protected area.
• Leg 7: Our return route from Žrnovo to Korčula Town isn’t shown on either AllTrails map. You can follow the Google Maps links in our Leg 7 directions or simply return to Korčula Town the way you came.

We recommend having both AllTrails maps saved before starting your hike, especially since you’ll be switching between them. You can also use our Google Maps links to help navigate the sections not covered by AllTrails.

Follow Along on our Croatia Family Holiday

We started our Croatian family holiday with a fun day in Zagreb with kids. From there we hopped on a bus from Zagreb to Plitvice Lakes National Park, which was amazing! See our 15 tips you need to know when visiting Plitvice Lakes with kids.

Then, after three days in Split with kids, we continued island hopping, beginning with 3 days in Hvar with kids, followed by 3 days in Korčula with kids. We finished our family trip to Croatia with a very fun trip to Dubrovnik with kids.

Read more about our European family vacation with stops in the Czech Republic with kids, Budapest with kids, Croatia with kids and a final stop in Iceland with kids.

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