Camino Korčula Day 2 (Saturday, December 2nd, 2023) Žrnovo – Pupnat- Čara – approx. 22 km (modified section for the purpose of event organization)

On the second day, we gather at the bus station in Korčula and leave for Žrnovo. We start in front of the cave of Our Lady of Lourdes, influencing Her and St. James, our patron on the way and the saint whose path we follow on our pilgrimage. We are joined by new pilgrims, local resident who are not all Croatian. A couple of Frenchmen are with us, who were welcomed by all the pilgrims with joy. After all, it is the Camino, the Road that connects!

We walk along Marmont’s road, a five-kilometer-long bicycle path and promenade that leads through olive groves and vineyards.

  We pass through the forest and fields, watch magnificent scenes from the beautiful viewpoints of the Korčula coast and slowly descend towards Pupnat.

During these two days, we walk along roads that even our Ivo, a native of Korčula, says he is going there for the first time. The fascination with the island, it seems, is not only for tourists and pilgrims, but also the residents and connoisseurs of Korčula themselves, it is precisely on the camino paths that they get to know some new, unexplored paths and roads of their island and rediscover its beauty, interesting facts and the secrets it keeps. Our guides are also full of information that leaves even the locals amazed, and by combining the image with the tone, that is by listening and seeing what they are talking about, we remember what we see and can’t wait to recount what we learned.

The temperature is still an incredible 19 degrees, cloudy with a light wind. Ideal for walking. According to the forecast, it was supposed to rain, which did not deter many pilgrims, but the grace of God rewarded us for our persistence and there is no rain. The descent to Pupnatska luka is a challenge for many, and local tourist guides Andreja and Nikoleta entertain us with legends and anecdotes of the local area. The beauty of the Camino is that in addition to walking through beautiful nature while praying, you get to know people, regions, customs, local food and drinks, and you have the opportunity to feel, try and ask everything you are interested in. That’s how we learned about medicinal herbs and edible plants, the history of the island, how people used to live here, and what challenges they face today.

From Pupnatska luka, the ascent takes us through olive groves and vineyards to Čara. We cannot help but be amazed by the hard work of the islanders and the rich reward with which they were rewarded for their dedicated work. Vineyards and olive groves have been harvested, and their nectar is stored in cellars. The charm of the Pošip region is a particularly delicious white wine, and it is the pride of this region.

In front of St. Peter’s Church in Čara, we collect the last stamp of the second day and tired but fulfilled, we are transported to Korčula by bus. We have the opportunity during the holy mass to participate in the wedding of a young couple from Korčula. After sending off the newlyweds with song and music, we are directed to the multimedia exhibition “The Camino – The Path that Connects” and the presentation “The Camino Experience” in the City Museum of the city of Korčula, right across the street from the St. Mark’s Cathedral, organized by the Brotherhood of St. James in cooperation with the city museum of Korčula.

Happy and fulfilled, we end the second day of the Camino Korčula weekend.