SOUTHERN Europe is teeming with tourists at this time of the year. The Med is mayhem, the Riviera rife with crowds. Trains, planes, hotels, restaurants and monuments are packed as people from all over the world flock to soak up the sun in the south of France, Italy or the Greek ­Islands. Then there are places like Rasisce.

Located on Korcula, one of 1185 islands in Croatia and ­reputedly the birthplace of Marco Polo, the tiny seaside village of Rasisce is a rare gem on which to stumble in bustling peak season southern Europe.

A shady spot on the edge of Rasisce harbour, Korcula island.

We not so much stumbled on it as pinpointed it on the map, Rasisce being the birthplace of my sister-in-law who had extolled its beauty and charm before my wife, son and I set off on our six-week “trip of a lifetime” to Europe.

I say trip of a lifetime because my wife is petrified of planes and it took years of coaxing and courage-mustering to get her in the air. But ­Europe was on her bucket list, and determination (and a few strong sleeping pills) eventually overcame fear.

Rome was breathtaking but also breathtakingly busy and after two nights we happily boarded the train to Florence.

We had six nights high in the Tuscan hills overlooking Florence, then took the train to Vernazza on the Cinque Terre.

We’re ocean people and while Tuscany was superb, it felt good to see the sea again as the train wound its way around the steep cliffs of this World Heritage-listed coastline.

From there we travelled to Ancona and on to Croatia on the overnight ferry. Sunrise ­revealed the Dalmatian coast in all of its glory: impossibly blue water, lush emerald ­islands and the stark limestone hills of the Peljesac peninsula.

After a brief stopover in Split, the ferry took us to Korcula, the sixth-largest island in the Adriatic and the second most populous in Croatia.

The author, doing it tough on a deserted beach near Rasisce.

Despite its size, Korcula is not nearly as hectic as other Croatian destinations such as Dubrovnik, Split and Hvar.

But its popularity is growing, with some likening the fortified Old Town, established in the 13th century, to a mini-­Dubrovnik without the crowds. Korcula Town is laid out herringbone-style, with narrow, cobbled lane ways laden with shops and restaurants (including an uber-cool turret bar accessible only by ladder). The Cathedral of St Mark, built between 1301 and 1806, dominates the main square and affords spectacular views from its bell tower.

Korcula’s Old Town at sunset.

Hanging umbrellas form a colourful work of art in Korcula Town.

Marco Polo’s reputed (many say hotly disputed) birth house, and a monument to Korcula’s claim to fame as the first place in the world to abolish slavery, in 1214.

Daily market stalls selling souvenirs and local handicrafts tempt tourists to part with their kuna, as do a long row of waterfront restaurants, where the pizzas are tastier and cheaper than we found in Italy.

We spent two nights in an 18th century penthouse in the heart of the Old Town and ­another five in an “apartman” just out of town overlooking the aquamarine strait between Korcula and Peljesact. The views from both were to-die-for and our days were spent in idle bliss: swimming in the Adriatic, windsurfing and kayaking, lunching on our balcony or strolling the streets of Korcula Town.

After our town experience, a bus took us 12km up the ­island to the piece de resistance of our holiday, Rasisce.

Fishing boats bob in the marina at Rasisce.

Our first glimpse is of a small village (population 477) nestled around a beautifully blue bay, bobbing with fishing dinghies. The main landmark is the bell tower of the newer of Rasisce two churches (the older one, St Vlaho where my sister-in-law was baptised, was built in 1682 but is now closed). The village also has two restaurants, a tavern and a small supermarket.

Tourists are not prevalent in Rasisce and the locals, few of whom speak English, can be a little stand-offish toward strangers. But when word gets out that we have family connections to the village, the daily greetings of “bok” (hello) become warmer and friendlier.

A hidden bay on Korcula island.

Our days in Rasisce ­invariably start with an invigorating 500m swim from the pontoon at the bottom of the street across to the limestone sea wall that juts out from the other side of the harbour, dazzlingly blue and clear.

Then it’s over to the Cin Cin Cafe for morning coffee followed by breakfast of fresh bread, cheese, salami and tomato on our sun-soaked balcony.

Days in Rasisce go by languidly: swimming and snorkelling in the crystal-clear water, sunbathing on the white-stone shore, moped rides and walks to tucked-away bays and beaches, devouring delicious Dalmatian cuisine on the waterfront and necking crisp Croatian “tallies” with the ­locals while watching a boisterous bocce game.

A two-night side trip to Hvar, Croatia’s answer to Ibiza, only has us longing for Rasisce again and we gladly leave the party playground to return to our little village.

Welcome to paradise … Korcula island, Croatia.

GO2 KORCULA

Getting there: Korcula is accessible via passenger ferry from Split and Dubrovnik, with regular services in peak season. Many airlines fly to Split from the European capitals, while there are also overnight ferries to Croatia from Ancona and Bari in Italy.

More:korculainfo.com and croatiaferries.com