🧭 Every country, and the places worth the trip NEW 26,489 places written across 243 countries 🎮 Guess the country As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases
Meridiela.
Čitaj na hrvatskomThis page is also written in hrvatski.

Veli Rat Lighthouse

The tallest lighthouse on the Adriatic, whose walls are said to have been mixed with thousands of eggs.

Saved in this browser only - no account, nothing sent anywhere. See your map

WhereZadar County
Nearest cityVeli Rat on Dugi Otok; ferry from Zadar to Brbinj or Sali
Best seasonMay to September
Time to allowHalf a day
Getting thereRoad to the northern tip of Dugi Otok, then a track and short walk
EntryFree to view; the tower is not open

Veli Rat light was built in 1849 at the north-western tip of Dugi Otok and its tower is about 42 metres, the tallest on the Adriatic. The story attached to it, told by every guide on the island, is that thousands of egg yolks were mixed into the mortar to make it hold and to give the render its yellowish tone; it is repeated as fact locally and there is no documentary evidence for it, which is the honest position. The keepers' quarters are let as holiday accommodation. Around the point are shallow bays with pine down to the water, and the beach at Sakarun is a short drive south.

What you actually see

  • The tallest Adriatic lighthouse - about 42 metres, built 1849.
  • The egg-yolk mortar story - told everywhere, evidenced nowhere.
  • Keepers' quarters as lets - the buildings around the tower.
  • Pine and shallow bays - the coast at the island's tip.

When to go

May to September; ferries thin out sharply off season. Half a day.

Honest expectations

The tower cannot be climbed. Getting there means a ferry plus a long island drive on a narrow road. There are no services at the point. The last stretch is a rough track.

Nearby

Sakarun beach is south; Telascica and Kornati are at the island's other end.

What to pack for Veli Rat Lighthouse

Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.

All packing kits →

Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.

← More landmarks & history in Croatia

One postcard a week.

A short Friday email: one place worth knowing about, the story behind it, and what is in season right now. No noise - leave whenever you like.