Veli Rat

Veli Rat is the northernmost village on Dugi Otok, set inside Čuna bay, with roots going back to Roman times; its parish church is dedicated to St Anthony. The village gives its name to the Veli Rat Lighthouse, standing about three kilometres to the northwest on the cape of Punta Bjanca.

Built in 1849, the lighthouse is commonly cited as the tallest on the Adriatic, with a structure rising some 42 metres and a light visible for 22 nautical miles. Its keeper's house is famously painted yellow — according to local tradition, using a mixture bound with thousands of egg yolks to help it withstand the salt air. A small chapel dedicated to St Nicholas stands in the lighthouse courtyard and is occasionally used for weddings, and since 2000 some of the rooms inside the lighthouse have been rented out as holiday accommodation.

Southeast of the village lies Sakarun, a shallow, sandy bay often ranked among the best beaches on the Adriatic, while smaller coves such as Soline and Pantera offer quieter anchorages nearby. A modern marina at Veli Rat provides moorings, water and electricity for visiting boats. Between the lighthouse, the beach at Sakarun and the pine woods that shelter both, Veli Rat is worth a visit if you're chartering a gulet in Croatia and sailing the Zadar archipelago.