Mljet

Mljet is a long, thin island—37 km (23 miles) long and an average of 3 km (2 miles) wide—of steep, rocky slopes and dense pine forests, more than a third of which is contained within Mljet National Park. It is the southernmost of the Dalmatian islands, and one of the most peaceful and natural. There is one main road that runs the length of the island from the national park in the west to the sandy beaches and lagoons in the east. In the middle are olive groves, sleepy stone towns, and magnificent views. For a small island of 1,100 inhabitants, it has two significant historical claims to fame. The first is being the Biblical island of Melita, where the apostle Paul was shipwrecked. The second is being home to the cave where Greek legend Odysseus spent seven years with the nymph Calyspo. Whether either claim is true is up for debate (most Biblical scholars place Melita as modern-day Malta), but what is undoubtable is that Mljet has a magic that pulls people in and you, like Odysseus, will not want to leave.