Island Brač - Day trip from Villa Yanko
Updated: Nov 22, 2023
A magnificent landscape dominated by a karst limestone relief, various gullies, crevices, round valleys, and coves, Brac Island is the third largest among islands on the Adriatic coast. Several towns, sleepy villages, and a sensational Mediterranean landscape with many steep cliffs, inky waters, and pine forests are a true feast for the eyes.
Bearing Vidova Gora in itself, the highest peak of the Adriatic islands (778 m), with a richness of Flora and Fauna, and a stunning panoramic view from the top of the mountain, this island paradise presents the perfect summer destination :)
Although Brac has been inhabited since the Neolithic era, records begin with the Illyrians. Indeed the island's name stems from the Illyrian word, Brentos which means deer. The Greeks arrived and named it Elafusa from the word Elaphos which also means deer.
The olive oil in Brac!
The olives are of a rare variety called buhavica and there are over a half-million trees. Olive cultivation dates back to the Venetian years. Back in 1655, the Venetian senate insisted that the island be carpeted with olive trees and imposed fines upon anyone with the temerity to damage the trees.
The highest peak on Brac Island is Vidova Gora at 778m which is the highest peak on the Adriatic islands. The interior of Brac is mostly small valleys and fields while on higher ground, north of Vidova Gora you'll find an endemic species of pine. Along the coast, the woods are mainly Aleppo pine.
Brac is most famous for its beautiful white building stone which has been exploited since ancient Rome. Diocletian's Palace in Split was built from Brac stone and it is still used in the construction of buildings as far afield as Europe and North America. Wight House is built with this stone too.
Supetar is the main entry point to Brac island, its capital, and largest town. There are a few elaborate beach resorts, an 18th-century parish church, and a cemetery crammed with sculptures.
Although many people only give Supetar a passing glance on the way to the much more touristed and beachy Bol, it merits more. The fertile surrounding countryside with vineyards, olive groves and orchards, pine woods all along the coast, the bay of Vlacica, and its beaches make Supetar an excellent base to explore the island. The town itself is busy with tourists in summer but languid the rest of the year.
The most outstanding attraction in town is the Church of the Annunciation which is worth checking out for the altar painting of the Annunciation and monumental staircase. It stands on the site of an early Christian basilica, St Peter's, from which a mosaic and a number of old tombs were preserved. The basilica burned down and was rebuilt in 1604. In 1729 that church was destroyed in a fire, to be rebuilt in 1733.
On the southern coast of Brac Island, Bol is a secluded harbor town near the famous Zlatni Rat beach, one of the Adriatic's most distinctive beaches and one of the best beaches in Croatia.
The pebble cape stretches into the open sea like a finger whose tip changes form according to the direction of the wind and waves. A mile-long promenade shaded by pines links Zlatni Rat Beach with Bol Harbor making a particularly pleasant walk.
Archaeological finds confirm that the area was inhabited in Roman times. Evidence suggests that Bol was destroyed by Arabs in 872. In the port is a 15th-century palace with decorated Gothic windows on its southern facade, and there are also two Renaissance citadels. A fortification near the coast is from the 17th century. On the ridge of Glavica, on the eastern side of the village, is a Dominican monastery from 1475 with a 15th-century Gothic church. On the paneled ceiling are illusionistic paintings by the local Baroque artist Tripo Kokolja. In the gallery is a painting from the Tintoretto school.
Bol town is really a village stretched along the harbor. The seaside promenade gets crowded in Bol's short summer season that runs from mid-June through August. The rest of the year it slumbers.
Passenger ferries
Split-Bol-Jelsa runs all year but the timings are inconvenient
Dubrovnik-Korcula-Hvar-Bol-Split daily from June through September
Split-Bol-Makarska-Korcula-Mljet-Dubrovnik daily from late May through early October
Split airport-Split-Bol-Stari Grad This new service connects Bol directly with Split airport from June to mid-September
Zlatni Rat Beach
Zlatni Rat Beach (Golden Horn or Golden Cape) is one of the most beautiful beaches in the Mediterranean and thanks to its particular shape it is also one of the most exceptional beaches in the world. Many world-famous business and travel magazines like the New York Times, National Geographic, the Insider Travel listed it many times in their articles as one of the most spectacular beaches in the world. Zlatni rat’s elegance and appeal have made it the symbol of both the town of Bol and Croatia and it is protected by the government of Croatia as a geomorphological monument. But it is not just its shape that makes it so beautiful and unique. It is surrounded by the crystal clear sea that goes from turquoise blue to dark blue in just 10 to 20 meters and it is bordered by decades-old pine trees, planted by the locals to create some natural shade.
The beach is situated less than 2 km from the town of Bol, connected with a lovely promenade under the pine tree's shade, along which you can find many other small beaches. This fascinating 500-meter-long pebble beach has a unique shape, like a small peninsula that stretches into the sea and on both sides together has almost 900 meters of beach sea line. The area of the beach is over 20.000 square meters and can comfortably accommodate over 10.000 people. The curiosity about this beach is that it changes its shape and position, depending on the wind, tide, and the current, and sometimes, the tip of the beach rotates so significantly that it forms a small pool. Usually, the mornings are windless and the wind blows every afternoon, but one side of the beach has always calm water and offers perfect conditions for families with small children.
Interesting facts about Zlatni Rat Beach
First, let me tell you that many people ask if the Zlatni rat is a natural or man-made beach; it is a natural phenomenon and is solely built by nature without any kind of human intervention.
One mistake most people make when imagining the beach is that it is a sandy beach, well; it is not a sandy beach. Zlatni Rat Beach is a pebble beach; pebbles are small fine round stones that are really nice to walk on. They are great to lay on since they shape under you anatomically as the perfect mattress. The size of the pebbles is getting smaller as you are reaching the sea line.
Apart from its top moving and shifting from one side to the other, there are a few other interesting facts about Zlatni Rat Beach. When the top is turning, there are times when it forms a lake on top of the beach as its point turns all the way to touch the beach back. Until the 1950s, an area that is now covered with pine trees used to be a vineyard. Only in 1950 government take possession of the land and Bol municipality planted pine trees there.
Another interesting fact is that Zlatni Rat Beach is growing, it is getting longer over the years. The latest data shows that from 2006 until this year, Zlatni rat beach grew in length by roughly 80 meters. The east side was measured this year at 500 meters (420 meters in 2006.), the west side measured 468 meters (360 meters in 2006.) and the center from the last tree to the top of the Zlatni rat is measured at 197 meters (158 meters in 2006.).
What to do on Zlatni Rat Beach
Zlatni rat beach is famous among adrenaline junkies and those in love with windsurfing and kitesurfing. The strong thermic wind called “Maestral” blows on a regular basis during nice weather and it gives experienced windsurfers and kitesurfers the adrenaline they need. Nearby the beach there are several windsurfing and kitesurfing centers where you can take lessons and also rent the equipment.
But the beach also offers plenty of other interesting things to do for young children and adults like beach volley, parachute rides that give you an amazing bird’s eye view of the beach, jet ski, banana boat rides, and an enormous water park, etc. Near Zlatni Rat you can also go scuba diving, and play tennis or volleyball on the Borak beach. There are rental motorboats that you can rent and explore many other secluded beaches west and east of Bol. On Zlatni Rat beach you can also rent paddle boats with slides, or kayaks for exploring the coastline. There are two restaurants just a few steps from the beach, where you can enjoy local specialties under the natural shade, and several stands where you can buy fresh fruit, smoothies, pancakes, etc.
Two curiosities to mention for all those planning a visit to Zlatni rat, the first one – is don’t forget to visit the remnants of an ancient Roman Villa Rustica, hidden among the pine trees just a few meters from the beach. The second one is to see how lucky you are and find a “stone of happiness”. Well, it is a small stone that closes the seashell, looks like a snail fossil, and brings luck to its finder. You can probably find them on the whole beach, but the best place to search for them is on the west side beginning of the beach.
We cannot forget to mention that Zlatni Rat Beach has the “Blue Flag”, so be sure that you will find all the comforts you need, but most of all a clean beach and clean waters, so help us keep it that way.
Getting from Bol to Zlatni rat beach
For getting to Zlatni Rat you can choose one of four options. The least recommended is by car, since Bol is a really small town and driving a car in the summer months is not really a pleasure. If you do choose to go there by car, there is a large parking for you to leave your car there for the day (the cost is 9 EUR).
Really nice option is to walk from Bol to Zlatni Rat Beach by the sea, there is a beautiful promenade (walkway) that is in the shade of pine trees and the walking from Bol is roughly 20-30 minutes, with easy and relaxed walking speed. Your third option is a street tourist train, that rides all day back and forth from Bol center (near the petrol station) and costs roughly 2,5 EUR one way. The fourth and most interesting option is taxi boats that go all day from Bol Center straight to Zlatni Rat Beach. These are small taxi boats that carry from 20 to 50 people. The ride is fun along the coast and takes 10-15 minutes. It costs also roughly 2,5 EUR one way.
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Important note:
We remind you, our guests of Villa Yanko, that you could make a daily trip from our house instead of staying on the island.
Villa Yanko is an excellent base to explore all of the islands in Makarska Riviera. The ferry from Makarska to Sumartin (Brač) takes about half an hour to bring you and your car there. All islands are busy with tourists in summer but the rest of the year, especially in pre and post-season is the best to visit this island.
Book your stay at Villa Yanko: https://www.makarskarivieravillayanko.com/book-a-holidays-in-croatia
Leave a comment, and share your experience if you've visited this wonderful island before.
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