Pupnatf

(461 inhabitants) is situated at the side of the main island road, 13 km from the town of Korcula and is the highest settlement on the island. It is hidden in a valley high up amoung the mountains so that enemies and pirates from the sea could not discren it. The church of Saint George was already mentioned in 1383, and the parish church of our Lady of the Snow was built in 1620. Finds from Illyrian and Roman times have been found in the village. Numerous ancient singlestory houses covered by stone slabs are preserved, especially the complex of sheep and goat houses southwest of the village. The traditional Kumpanjija battle and the sacrifice of the ox have not taken place in Pupnat for almoust 50years. The blessed Marko Tvrdeic (1733 - 1785) - the blessed Marko of Pupnat - was born here. Man from Pupnat transfered his body from his tomb in Rimini, and they revere him as a future saint. The inhabitants used to occupy themselves with wood cutting and collecting resin ; and they made lime and charcoal for use in the craft workshops in Korcula. The women from Pupnat used to bring firewood to Korcula, transported on their mules and donkeys. Agriculture is not largely developed as there are no sizable fields around the village. Today, many men and women from Pupnat work in the Korcula Hotels, offices and the shipyard. Pupnat is a very interesting place for modern tourists as a starting point for attractive walks: from the village to the top of the island, Klupca (568 m); from the village down to the village of Raciste on the north coast; from the village to the valley of Zukovica on the south coast; and by ancient island donkey tracks down to the town of Korcula (a walk of approximately 3 hours). Visitors can buy good local product here: oil, brandy, honey, dried aromatic herbs and fruit; due to the cold dry winters, very well flavoured smoked ham (prsut) and sausages are produced in Pupnat. Families from Pupnat are linked with the bay of Kneza on the north side of the island, where they have built houses and villas for tourists. On the south coast, Pupnat possesses the most beautiful bays on the island of Korcula: Bacva, Smokova, Pupnatska Luka and Ripna. It is possible to reach these natural beaches either by walking or by car. It is even possible to organize a Castaway stay in some of them. From Pupnat, the road climbs up almost to the top of the island from where a wonderful panorama streches as far as the island of Mljet to the southeast and the island of Lastovo directly the the south.>