Ubli

Ubli is the main port of Lastovo, the most remote inhabited island in Croatia's southern Adriatic, and for nearly everyone who comes to the island it is the first place they set foot on. The ferries and catamarans that link Lastovo with the mainland and with other islands call here, and the harbour, a small stone quay with a modest waterfront, is the start of the island's single main road to Lastovo Town. The island is far out to sea, closer to Italy than to Dubrovnik, and arriving by boat gives a sense of the distance travelled.

The settlement itself is small and functional, which fits the character of the island. Beside the quay there are a few essential services: a restaurant, a bar, a post office and the only petrol station on the island, so it is worth remembering that fuel is available here and nowhere else. Ubli has the atmosphere of a place where people are going somewhere else, but the harbour is pleasant, with fishing boats and sailing boats, clear water and views of low forested hills. A short walk along the shore leads to quiet coves where you can swim.

Ubli makes a convenient base for exploring the rest of Lastovo. The island is part of the Lastovo Archipelago Nature Park, which protects dense forests of Aleppo pine and holm oak, small islets, reefs and a rugged coast with very little development. The population is under a thousand people, and the island was closed to foreign visitors for decades when it served as a military zone in the Yugoslav period, only opening to outsiders at the end of the 1980s. That isolation kept it unspoiled, and today it is one of the best places on the Adriatic for quiet, slow travel. The night sky is exceptionally dark, and stargazing is one of the island's pleasures.

From Ubli, a road runs inland and then across the island to Lastovo Town, the historic village with its stone houses and distinctive chimneys, a short drive or bus ride away. Skrivena Luka, the Struga lighthouse and other sights in the archipelago can be reached by road, by bicycle or on organised boat trips. The island's cuisine is based on fish, lamb, local wine and olive oil, and restaurants serve simple dishes in season.

Plan the trip around ferry timetables, which are limited and can change with the weather, particularly in winter. Book accommodation and boat tickets in advance in summer, and bring cash, since services are few. A stop in Ubli itself is short, but it is the doorway to the island. It suits people who like quiet islands, cyclists, divers and walkers.