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My husband and I visited Brač as part of our two week holiday in Croatia. Brač is a gorgeous Croatian Island easily accessible by ferry from Split (which arrives in the port of Supetar) or Makarska (which arrives in the port of Sumartin). It boasts ancient Venetian villages and one of Croatia’s most famous beach, Zlatni Rat. It tends to be quieter and less ‘touristy’ than the nearby islands of Korcula and Hvar, which was one of the main attractions for us. Not only is it a popular spot for beach lovers, it also offers perfect conditions for water sports.
We got to Brač via the car ferry from Split where we had stayed and explored the night before. If you are planning on making the same trip, at Split ferry port, follow the signs to the Supetar ferry to ensure you get in the correct line. It can get a bit confusing as it’s a very busy port with lots of ferries going different places. Ferry times can be found on the ferry website and vary depending on the season. Once you park your car in line for the ferry, you need to purchase your ticket from the nearby ticket office. Boarding usually commences 15 minutes before boarding so arrive early to give yourself time to purchase your ticket. During the busy summer months the ferries can get busy, so I would suggest arriving even earlier to ensure you secure a place in the line.
Unfortunately, our wait for the ferry did not pass uneventfully. About 10 minutes before we were due to board, a massive storm swept through and with it came devastating hail. It was one of the most terrifying experiences. When I lived in Australia I experienced large hailstones, but it was always from safely inside a building, not trapped inside a car. It was like someone was attacking the car with a baseball bat and each blow to the windscreen threatened to break it. Every time we thought it was easing, another gush of rain and hail would sweep through. After about 10 minutes, the storm finally began to ease up. We jumped outside to survey the damage to the hire car and our hearts sank. It really did look like someone had taken to it with a bat. But we didn’t have long to dwell on it before the ferry began loading. It was such bad luck, because if the storm had just come through 10 minutes later the car would have been safely parked in the covered car ferry.
Supetar
The ferry crossing only took just under an hour. When we arrived in Supetar the sun had finally come out and it had warmed up, so we decided to explore the town for a few hours before heading onto Bol. Supetar is the main city on the island and many people pass just pass through it, but Supetar also has a lot to offer.
In the town centre there is a lovely church called St Peter’s parish which was built in 1733 on the ruins of the original basilica from the 5th century. In front of the church there is a mosaic from the VI century. The surrounding buildings include Leroj – the bell tower and Church museum.
We headed out along the harbour where we found a lovely sheltered pebble beach with a family friendly gentle slope and an inflatable water park. The beach area had a nice resort feel to it with tented massage booths, both standard and luxury cabanas, restaurants, and some nice accommodation. I liked the relaxed feel of the place and that there were no hideous high rises.
Further along the harbour we discovered some Roman ruins, Villa Rustica, which are the remains of a Roman residential and economic complex. However, the highlight of Supetar was the Mausoleum of the Petrinovic family and the nearby church and cemetery which had a number of beautiful sculptures and tombstones by the famous Croatian sculpture Ivan Rendic.
After some icecream, we hit the road and continued on our way towards Bol. It was a very picturesque drive up and over the mountain range. Along the way there were lots of olive trees and vineyards. If you have time, then stop in the town of Nerezisca to do some wine, olive oil, and cheese tasting at Wine Tasting Brač.
Accommodation Options in Supetar
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There are no 5 star super luxurious hotels here, but there are some nice 4 star properties:
Bol
The drive from Supetar to Bol takes only about 45 minutes. Despite needing to drive over a winding mountain range, the roads were very good. When we arrived in Bol it was quite quiet, being September I think most of the summer crowds had moved on. We were glad to be staying three nights in Bol as this was the perfect place for us to relax and enjoy some beach time.
There are a huge number of activities to enjoy in Bol, so I think it is the perfect holiday destination for active people and families, as there is something to keep everyone happy and busy. Those that love water sports can enjoy wind and kite surfing and diving. You can also hire a boat and explore the island coastline, go quad biking, kayaking, segway tour, or go on a variety of boat tours. For those looking to relax, the larger resorts such as Bretanide Sport & Wellness Resort and the Thalasso Wellness Centre at the Bluesun Hotel Elaphusa near the famous Zlatni Rat beach offer wellness centre and spa experiences.
There was plenty to see and do in Bol over our four day stay, and I felt that we could easily have stayed longer. The town is perched on the harbour and very picturesque. There are plenty of delicious restaurants, some even have seats perched on the edge of the water. There are lots of small beaches dotted all along the Bol coastline, all in walking distance, and one of them also has an inflatable water park. Toilets and showers are available at the beaches, but you need to pay for them, so save your coins up. I was impressed that there was a disability elevator into the water as it is not something you often see, and the esplanade also had a good flat path, so I think this would be a reasonably accessible place to stay for people with disabilities.
The popular Zlatni Rat beach was about a 20 minute pleasant stroll along the flat esplanade from the town centre. It was well serviced with cabanas and lockers for hire, food and drink booths as well as a bar. From the photos you see online the beach looks like its sand, but it’s actually pebbles. It’s a very pretty beach, but it can get very crowded, and, with the music blaring from the bar, it is not a particularly tranquil spot. If you are looking for a more peaceful spot to relax, then there are plenty of other options in Bol.
Personally, our favourite spot was the beautiful little beach called Kotlina which was on the opposite side of town, just before you reach the Dominican Monastery. As you leave the busy harbour area, you keep walking until you reach a restaurant the takes over the path. As you round the corner you will see the monastery in front of you and the path leads you down onto the lovely pebbly beach (it is also accessible by the road above). It’s a particularly quiet spot and quite sheltered from the sea breeze that can come up in the afternoons. There is also another nice quiet beach called Martinica on the other side of the monastery. Although it is a bit further from the restaurants, there is a menu board as you enter the beach where you can phone in an order for food and drink to be delivered to you on the beach!
One of the highlights of our stay was wine tasting at Bol’s Stina Winery. Their extensive wine menu offered not only their own wines, but also wines from the smaller local vineyards. The prices were reasonable and they offered tasting menus too, but the glasses were like normal size! Bonus! We chose the trio of white, red and rosé which also came with some cheese and bread drenched in delicious olive oil. They also offered some additional nibbles such as cheeses, meats and olives. They have a lovely seating area out the front and you can also take a tour of the facilities.
Another highlight of Bol was the views from the mountain Vidova Gora. It is 778m high so you need to do this when you’re feeling energetic, as it does take a good part of your day to make the return trip. Vidova Gora is actually the highest peak of all the Croatian islands. I think it would be much harder to do during the hotter summer months. There are no services available at the top, so you need to ensure you are carrying LOTS of water with you. However, there is also a car park at the top, so if your short on time and energy just drive there.
When our time to leave arrived, I was sad that we couldn’t spend more time here as it really is a special place. We were heading on to Makarska, so took the ferry from Sumartin. Sumartin is the perfect place to stay if you are wanting somewhere quiet. It’s a fishing village but there are several restaurants and a couple of lovely beaches about a 20 minute walk from the town.
If you are planning on taking the same journey, the ferry is much smaller than the one from Split and doesn’t leave as regularly. There is only the one ferry, so as you drive into Sumartin the ferry line splits off to the right to form its own lane. The ticket office is just across from the ferry terminal. In order to get your car onto the ferry you need to reverse it on and the passengers need to get out before loading as the vehicles get tightly packed. Arrive early, as boarding commences about 15 minute prior and you also need time to buy your ticket.
Accommodation Options in Bol
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Other Sights on Brač
One of the sites that we didn’t get time to see was the Monastery Pustinja Blaca, which is over 400 years old and is on the southern side of Brač. In the early part of the 16th century two Glagolitic monks fled the Turks and found shelter in Bol and were offered the cave as protection. Later they established the monastery of Blaca and built a church surrounding the cave. You can either get there by boat tour or car along a rather bad road. If driving, you will need to park in Dragovoda and then take a short 30 minute hike to the entrance, if by boat, you will need to climb about 2km to get to the entrance. Make sure you take plenty of water with you.
Practical Tips for Visiting Brač
- How long should I visit for? At least 2 nights, however, there is enough to keep you busy for longer, especially if you want time for both exploring and chilling on the beach.
- How to get there: By ferry from Split, which arrives in the port of Supetar or Makarska, which arrives in the port of Sumartin. If you don’t have a car, then buses run from Supetar to Bol and take about an hour. Buses only run from Sumartin to Bol during the summer.
- Language: Croatian. Although most people we came across spoke some English, do try your hand at a few Croatian words:
- Yes = Da (da)
- No = Ne (ne)
- Please = Molim (MOH-leem)
- Thank you = Hvala (HVAH-lah)
- Hello = Bok (bohk)
- Currency: Croatian Kuna.
- Tipping: Not required, but people usually round up.
- Electricity: The electrical current is 230 volts AC. Wall outlets generally take the European two round prong plugs. However, you are better off purchasing a worldwide adaptor that can be used in Croatia as well other countries. At least then you can potentially get some further use out of it on future vacations. If you’re taking a number of electronics with you, then I would recommend purchasing a couple of these adaptors.
- Navigating: We used Google’s free Offline Maps. Google Offline Maps allows you to access free maps for navigating that can be used offline i.e. you don’t need WIFI, data, or roaming to be able to use them. Follow this detailed guide on how to use Googles Offline Maps. Using your phone as a GPS will drain your battery quickly, so use a portable battery charger which you can use to charge your phone and any other USB chargeable devices. If you prefer a paper map, then purchase a Croatian road map before you go. At least it’s reliable and won’t run out of battery or malfunction like the electronic options!
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