Exploring Brač: Your Brač island Bucket List

Meet Brač (pronounced with a ‘ch’), the largest island in the Dalmatia region, which has become a center for summer tourism in recent years. Known for Croatia’s most photographed beach, US-president-approved limestone, and having some of the country’s best lamb, Brac has quickly gained popularity among international travelers, mainly thanks to its proximity to the Dalmatian capital of Split. If you’re in Diocletian’s playground, you can hop on a ferry to Brac in less than an hour!

But if your sailing holiday takes you to the island of Brac, there is a bucket list of items you’ll have to check off your list. We’re here to give you a taste of Brac’s best bits.

Where to anchor: 

Brac is a paradise for sailors thanks to an abundance of blissful bays your sailboat can call home for the night. Take the deep bay of Bobovisca, for example, located on the western side of the island where you can find the quiet village of Bobovisca na Moru and one of the most important sites of Illyrian-Greek civilization in Croatia! Lucice, on Brac’s southern shore, is a wind- protected safe harbor for sailors with the charming town of Milna within reach. Blaca is perhaps Brac’s favorite cove, enveloped by dense forest and heightened by a cave monastery which is a must-visit on your Brac to-do list (we will get into more detail later).

Towns to visit:

The coast of Brac is decorated with picturesque towns like Pucisca, a white-stone- wonder located on the island’s northern coast, known for its long tradition of masonry and a quarry that provided stone to build the White House! Bol, on the other hand, is Brac’s best-known beach resort, home to the uber famous Zlatni Rat beach, and is the oldest coastal settlement on the island.

Luxury-hotel-enthusiasts shouldn’t miss the town of Sutivan and the striking Lemongarden hotel for a sunset cocktail or dressed-up dinner affair, while Supetar, known as the island’s capital, is the center of family-fun with watersports and kid-friendly activities enhancing the busy coastline.

Top attractions:

The Blaca Monastery and Hermitage is an absolute must on your trip to Brac. Erected in a karst cave by two monks in 1551, Blaca is a well-preserved Renaissance hermitage monastery that once acted as shelter from the Turks. Today, Blaca intrigues history buffs and anyone with an eye for beauty, with ancient artifacts and over 8,000 books exhibited in its museum!

Speaking of museums, Brac is home to one dedicated to olive oil, which presents the olive oil >traditions on the island and is enhanced by paintings and sculptures of oilery workers. When you visit, you’ll get to taste olive oil, cheese, and other local treats, too! But if you’re looking to pay tribute to the island’s stone history, head to the town of Splitska and the Rasohe quarry, where you can find a relief of the Greek divine hero Heracles, said to be the work of one of Diocletian’s sculptors!

What to eat:

If you like lamb, then you’re on the right island. Brac is known for its ancient lamb recipes, particularly vitalac, which dates back to the first contacts between Greek civilization and Brac inhabitants! While this dish may not be for everyone (unless you’re a fan of bizarre foods), Brac offers other lamb specialties a bit more friendly to the everyday palate – like stuffed lamb leg (butalac) or stewed lamb. The moral of the story? When on Brac… eat lamb.

What to drink: Paying homage to the island’s celebrated stone tradition, Stina is THE place to sip wine on your Brac sailing route. With a tasting room located just as few meters from the sea in the town of Bol, the Stina wine tasting experience is housed in the first-ever Dalmatian Wine Cooperative, established in 1901. The rustic stonework on the inner walls gives insight into the importance of this sedimentary rock, enhancing the flavors of wines ranging from Posip to Opol and Plavac Mali.

Where to go to the beach:

You haven’t really been to Brac unless you’ve visited the poster child of the island- Zlatni Rat beach. Located near the town of Bol, Zlatni Rat is unique because its tip is steadily altered given the influence of the winds and sea currents, which helps you better understand how it got its name (Golden Horn, or Cape). Today, this tourism hub attracts all types of tourists with bustling beach content all summer long. It is especially enticing for windsurfers when the Maestral wind blows!

Activities: 

Did you know that Brac boasts the highest mountain on all Adriatic islands? Covering more than half of Brac island, Vidova Gora stands 778 meters tall, is wholly deserted and uninhabited, and offers stellar views if you can endure the hike up. While not particularly difficult, the hike could take up to 5 hours, which is best avoided in the peak summer heat. However, you’ll be rewarded with views that reach Hvar Island on a clear day, while lunch can be enjoyed sky-high from a picnic table that offers a glimpse of Brac’s most famous beach!

Sail, explore, enjoy in Croatia

Just think, we didn’t even mention everything there is to know about Brač and this is only ONE island.

Book your yacht charter today to sail, explore and enjoy Croatia this summer!