Brač In Your Pocket by In Your Pocket City Guides

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BRAČ 2010 “In Your Pocket: A cheeky, wellwritten series of guidebooks.” The New York Times

The island continent

Brač faces both ways: out to sea, and to its ancient inland core. Feast on local, seasonal produce in the inland villages - a lamb lover’s paradise!

Discover hidden Brač N°1 - complimentary copy www.inyourpocket.com

An island with dense layers of cultural heritage waiting to be revealed. Explore ancient chapels, Roman remains, medieval cave art and medieval monasteries.

Contents

Contents Arriving on Brač

Where the action is

Basics

Don’t get caught with your trousers down

Introducing Brač

The hamlet of Murvica on Brač's southern shore is one of the most idyllic spots on the island

What’s it all about?

Towns & Villages

What you’ll find where

Culture & Events

Rock, regattas and Dalmatian Klapa

Where to stay

Home sweet home

Restaurants

Enjoy the riches

Go Gourmet

Representatives of the 25 000 strong Brač sheep community

Brač cuisine at its best

What to see

Cafés, bars & clubs

Those sights explained

Where to watch the world go by

Underwater Brač

35 44

Natural and archaeological treasures

Mail & Phones

“I just called to say I luuuurve you…”

Getting around

Hop on a bus, rent a bike...

Sport

Climbing, diving and mountain biking

Directory

Important essentials Apparently a resident of Ložišća's neighbouring village called this view “a lily in a rubbish dump”. We beg to differ…

Island map

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2010

ARRIVING ON BRAČ

FoRewoRD We’re glad that you’ve picked up the first In Your Pocket guide to an entire island. Brač is joining a family of guides to over 50 cities in 23 countries, including 12 cities in Croatia alone. We feel that Brač richly deserves its own guide as the island is so diverse and so captivating. If you've never ventured from the seashore during your stay here, we exhort you to try... the island's interior is the cradle of its culture and you’ll find phenomenal places to eat there. So, jump into a car, boat or bus, onto a moped, mountain bike or donkey and head for the hills (or the myriad coves) with a copy of Brač In Your Pocket. You'll be well rewarded, we guarantee! Our deepest thanks go to the Tourist Associations of Brač island, without whose help this guide could not have come into existence. Many thanks also go to Robert Barilla, who gave us the benefit of his encyclopaedic knowledge of the island, and to Igor Marinić who risked his life and his suspension by taking us to the island’s wildest peaks.

This rock formation near Nerežišća takes its name "Kolač" from a kind of crisp bread roll. Some say it shows the kiss of a snake and a dragon...

Cover story The cover photo shows the Blaca hermitage, a monastery built by hermit monks who fled the mainland in the face of Ottoman invasion. Unfortunately, this most spectacular of Brač sights is closed until further notice due to emergency repair works following the exceptionally harsh winter. However, you can read about it in our What to See section, and find out more at any Tourist Information Office on the island.

Brač In Your Pocket Draškovićeva 66 Zagreb, Croatia tel. (+385-1) 481 30 27, 481 10 70 fax (+385-1) 492 39 24 zagreb@inyourpocket.com www.inyourpocket.com ISSN 1847-6805 ©Plava Ponistra d.o.o. Printed by Radin print, Sveta Nedelja Cover: Robert Barilla

Brač In Your Pocket

Europe In Your Pocket

Tourist information

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Bol Tourist Board Porat

In Your Pocket is once again set to break new ground. Fresh from bringing you the most up-to-date city guides around, we have recently gone Dutch with a move into the Netherlands. The first issue of ’s-Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch) In Your Pocket is currently in the latter stages of preparation, and will appear soon. To be amongst the first to find out when the ’s-Hertogenbosch guide is published, and to keep up with all In Your Pocket news and events, become a fan of In Your Pocket on Facebook (facebook.com/inyourpocket) and follow us on Twitter (twitter.com/inyourpocket). We welcome enquiries from anyone who would like to start up an IYP. Send us an email requesting more info: the address is publisher@inyourpocket.com.

Editorial Editor Višnja Arambašić Contributors Nataly Anderson Assistant Editor Kristina Kovač Researcher Anita Piplović Layout & Design Ivana Novak, Gordan Karabogdan Photos Brač In Your Pocket team, Supetar Tourist Board, Milna Tourist Board Brač Cultural Centre, Andrija Carli, Robert Barilla Sales & Circulation General Manager Višnja Arambašić Sales & Circulation Manager Kristijan Vukičević zagreb@inyourpocket.com Account Manager Mirna Cindrić

Copyright notice Text and photos copyright Plava Ponistra 1992 - 2010. Maps copyright cartographer. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, without written permission from the publisher and copyright owner. The brand name In Your Pocket is used under license from UAB In Your Pocket (Vokieciu 10-15, Vilnius, Lithuania tel. (+370-5) 212 29 76).

Editor’s note The editorial content of In Your Pocket guides is independent from paid-for advertising. Sponsored listings are clearly marked as such. We welcome all readers‘ comments and suggestions. We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of going to press and assume no responsibility for changes and errors.

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bolskih pomoraca bb, Bol, tel. (+385-21) 63 56 38, tz-bol@st.t-com.hr, www. bol.hr. Q Jul y, Au gu s t Open 08:30 - 22:00. June, Septemb er Open 08:30 14:00, 16:30 - 21:00, Sun 09:00 -12:00. October - May 31 Open 08:30 -14:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Milna Tourist Board Milna bb, Milna, tel. (+38521) 63 62 33, tzo-milna@st.t-com.hr, www.milna. hr. Q June - September 30 Open 08:00 - 22:00. October - May 31 Open 08:00 - 15:00, Sat 08:00 -12:00. Closed Sun. Postira Tourist Board Postira bb, Postira, tel. (+385-21) 63 29 66, tzo-postira@st.t-com.hr, www. postira.hr. Q July - September 15 Open 08:00 - 21.00. June, September 15 - 30 Open 08:00 -14:00, Tue, Thu 08:00 -12:00, 16:00 - 19:00. Closed Sun. October - March 31 Open 08:00 - 14:00. Closed Sat, Sun. April - May 31 Open 08:00 -14:00, Sat 08:00 -12:00. Closed Sun. Pučišća Tourist Board Pučišća bb, Pučišća, tel. (+385-21) 63 35 55, tz@pučišća.hr, www.pucisca. hr.QJune 15 - 30 Open 08:00 -12:00. July - September 30 Open 08:00 - 12:00, 17:30 - 20:30. Selca Tourist Board Trg S.Radića 5, Selca, tel. (+385-21) 64 82 09. Q July, August Open 08:30 -20:30. June, September Open 08:30 - 15:00. Closed Sun. October - May Open according to tourist situation. Supetar Tourist Board Porat 1, Supetar, tel. (+385-21) 63 05 51, tzg-supetar@st.t-com.hr, www.supetar.hr. Q June - September 30 Open 08:00 - 22:00. October - May 31 Open 08:30 - 15:30. Closed Sun. Sutivan Tourist Board Blato bb, Sutivan, tel. (+385-21) 63 83 57, tz-sutivan@inet.hr, www. sutivan.hr.QJuly, August Open 08:00 - 21:00, Sun 08:00 - 12:00. June, September Open 08:00 - 12:00, 17:00 -20:00, Sun 08:00 -12:00. October - May 31 Open 08:00 - 14:00, Sat 08.00 - 11:00. Closed Sun.

By boat Unless you are a strong swimmer, you will probably avail yourself of a boat in order to reach the shores of Brač. Supetar and Sumartin are connected with the mainland by ferry services, while Milna (summertime only) and Bol are served by passenger boats. Departures are from Split harbour, except for Sumartin which is from Makarska further south. Wherever you arrive, you’ll find yourself pretty much in the centre of town with all facilities nearby. Bearing in mind this is a small island facilities are simple, but you should find all the essentials except perhaps public toilets. An elegant solution for this is to stop for a drink in a nearby café and make use of their facilities. Taxis usually wait near the terminals and there are bus stops nearby.

By bus Croatia is criss-crossed by good long-distance coach services. From the beginning of July, coach services from Zagreb take you direct to most resorts on the island. The reasonable ticket price includes your ferry crossing. Split, as Croatia’s second city and a transport hub for Central

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Dalmatia is amply served by domestic and international coach services. The coach station is right by the ferry terminal, and your ticket to travel on by boat or ferry as a foot passenger costs only a few euro. Ferry or passenger boat services are available to Supetar, Milna and Bol. Please consult our “Getting Around” section for timetables.

By car With the advent of the new A1 motorway (international route E65), your journey by car to Dalmatia couldn’t be easier and it’s pretty spectacular too, with the road swooping over viaducts and plunging through mountains. If you’re approaching from the north or east you’ll probably bypass Zagreb. The route on the A1 from Zagreb to Split is about 380km long and will take 3.5 to 4 hours, relieving you of 157kn (about 20€) in fees. Payment is accepted in foreign currencies and credit cards are accepted. If you’re coming from the direction of Italy and Slovenia you’ll probably travel via Rijeka. To use the motorway, head towards Zagreb and then join the A1 at Bosiljevo. You can also choose the coastal route, but it is narrow with hairpin bends and steep rocky drops, and can get very congested over weekends in the tourist season. Either way, when the signs let you know you’re getting close to Split (use the Dugopolje exit from the motorway) and head for the signs marked “Trajekt”, which will bring you to the ferry port. Head for the Jadrolinija kiosk on the waterfront to buy your ticket. You’ll pay for the car as well as for each passenger. Be prepared for long queues at weekends in high season.

By plane The island of Brač has its very own airport, presenting another arrival option for non-swimmers. It’s open all year for private aircraft, and in the summer is used by charter companies and Croatia Airlines, who run scheduled flights between Brač and Zagreb (in 2010 between 2 June and 16 October). Flights depart Zagreb every Saturday at 08:20 and leave Brač also on Saturdays at 13:10. The airport is located on the southern half of the island, 14km from Bol and 30km from Supetar. It’s small but perfectly formed, with its new building built in 2007 largely from Brač stone. There’s a café, duty free shop, cash machines and toilets. If you’re not travelling as part of a package, you’ll have to organise transport to your destination. Your host may agree to meet you; otherwise you might be able to hop on one of the buses organised by the charter companies if there’s room. Taxis usually arrive to meet the flights, or you can call for them to collect you - please see “Getting Around”. If you are travelling to Brač from destinations not served by the airport, you can reach the island via Split’s international airport. Located 30km out of town, you can travel to the centre of Split for your onward journey by hire car (several agencies operate from the airport), taxi (approx. 300kn oneway trip), public bus (15kn) or airline bus (30kn).

By train Inter-railers and train travel aficionados can travel to Split by train from Zagreb. There are several services per day, most of which take about six hours. During the summer season, you have the option of taking a night train which offers sleeping carriages and the possibility of taking your car on board. In 2010 ask for special offers: you may be able to take your car for free or at a reduced price. Also in summer there is a direct service twice a week connecting Split with Budapest, departing Budapest in the early evening and arriving in Split the next morning. The railway station is directly opposite the ferry terminal: turn right and you’ll come to the Jadrolinija ticket sales kiosk on the waterfront. There is a line of shops, travel agencies, cash machines, public toilets and internet cafes on the street overlooking the harbour. The railway station has coin-op left luggage lockers.

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BasiCs Customs All major items brought into the country (laptops, boats, sauna equipment) must be declared; to do so ensures you will be allowed to take them back when you leave. Keep your receipts (500kn minimum on one receipt) in order to qualify for a VAT refund at all border customs offices. To breeze through customs you can import up to 200 cigarettes, 1 litre of strong alcohol, plus 2 litres of wine, and 2 litres of dessert wine or champagne. There are no limits on export; however it does depend on the country you’re flying into from Croatia. Any Croatian art or cultural works must receive export approval before departure. It is issued by the conservatory department of the Ministry of Culture at Porinova 2 in Split (Open 08:00 - 14:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Tel. +385-21 30 54 44). It might take 2 days, and be sure to have 3 photos of your work of art. For further details www.carina.hr.

Electricity The electricity supply is 220V, 50hz, so visitors from the United States will need to use a transformer to run electrical appliances.

Health & Safety The Dalmatian coast and islands are safe and secure, but a cautious eye should be kept on one’s belongings at all times, nevertheless. The police (policija) are generally helpful in times of crisis; keep in mind that they also perform occasional checks of identity documents, so keep some identification on you at all times.

Money There are plenty of exchange offices on the island, as well as ATMs that operate twenty-four hours a day. Many restaurants, bars and cafés accept credit cards, but not all, so be sure to have a reasonable amount of cash on you.

Roads

If you’re under 24 years of age, the 0.0% alcohol rule applies to you. If you are, however, over that age, a limit of 0.5% applies to you, effective June 1, 2008. Once again, we’ll leave it to others to debate the pros and cons of this change, but given the mountainous terrain along the coast, this law will probably save lives. And the police are enforcing it. Speed

National holidays January 1 January 6 April 4 April 5 May 1 June 3 June 22 June 25 August 5 August 15 October 8 November 1 December 25 December 26

Brač In Your Pocket

New Year’s Day Epiphany Easter Easter Monday International Workers' Day Corpus Christi Anti Fascist Resistance Day Statehood Day Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day Feast of the Assumption Independence Day All Saints’ Day Christmas Saint Stephen’s Day

INTRODUCING BRAČ kills more people on Croatian roads than alcohol does. Speed traps are common along the Adriatic highway and speed patrol cars have been introduced on the motorways. The speed limit in urban areas is 50kph unless otherwise marked; 80kph on secondary roads and 130kph on highways. On the spot fines are payable for offences. If you are stopped for any reason, you will be expected to show your driving licence, car registration papers and insurance certificate, so make sure to always keep them with you.

Tipping Generally, Croatian people are not overly concerned about tipping, but seeing how you’re a visitor to the country and all, you can practice some small-time diplomacy and throw a bit of goodwill to your server. Croatian people typically round their bill up to the nearest whole number when they want to tip, but leaving 10% for the staff’s efforts seems like a classy thing for a visitor to do, doesn’t it?

Water Tap water is absolutely safe for drinking.

Documentary Evidence The Povlja Charter (Povaljska listina) Povlja, like all coastal settlements on Brač, was the frequent victim of pirate attacks in the Middle Ages, and it was in this way that the Benedictine monks here lost their cemetery. When the brothers rebuilt the monastery in 1184, they wished to bring into legal order the land returned into their possession. A document was finally drawn up and legally endorsed in the presence of witnesses by a legal examiner in 1250, on the basis of oral testimony and other proofs of possession. This document, known as the Povlja Charter, is written on parchment and is an important document from a historical and linguistic perspective. It’s the first written document on the island, it’s a very early example of methods of documenting land possession that are still used today, and is written in an alphabet known as bosančica, a variant of Cyrillic used in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Central Dalmatia and Dubrovnik. The language used combines the čakavski dialect used on Brač, the literary language Church Slavonic and elements of Latin, thus representing a step forward in the formation of the modern Croatian language. It is also a source of information on historical place names on Brač island. The Povlja Charter was taken to the rectory at Pučišča when the monastery in Povlja closed in the 19th century. The Povlja Lintel (Povaljski prag) An important piece of Croatian Cyrillic script which was engraved on the lintel of a door leading into the parish church in Povlja by a famous stonemason named Radonja, when the church was rebuilt in 1184. He memorialised on the lintel his contribution to the Lord through his work on the church, as well as the part played by a prince named Brečko who donated land for the purpose of building the church. The lintel later suffered the indignity of being used for many years as a seat, then it was swiped by a neighbour who built it into his wine cellar door. Fortunately it was spotted by an archaeologist who took it to the Archaeological Museum in Split, where it still resides. A copy is on display at the Native Museum in Škrip.

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Brač is a great rocky lump basking in the channel between Split and Hvar. It’s fringed with paradise beaches in white pebble and sand, and covered in pine, olive and other Mediterranean trees and shrubs. Wandering through the pine forests, olive groves and scrub, you come across remnants of civilisations reaching back to prehistory. In the hospitable island taverns, you feast on vegetables grown in the hard-won but fertile soil and lamb reared on wild herbs alone, washed down with home-made red wine, the distilled essence of the sun. The island’s spine offers spectacular views of the mainland and neighbouring isles, and you breathe in the smell of wild herbs crushed underfoot. Brač has been somewhat overlooked as a holiday destination and we believe this is one of the reasons you’ll find it so special. Since the island is so close to the mainland and even has its own airport it’s perhaps easy to underestimate how isolated some of its communities are. The upside of this is that you can still experience a way of life here that hasn’t changed for centuries, avoiding the brash commercialisation that is the fate of so many summer destinations. But perhaps the most disarming thing is the honesty of the people here. You’ll be greeted by people with a sincerity rarely encountered in a tourist setting, a people who have a deep connection with their home which they are ready to share bounteously. This may be tempered at first by a modicum of suspicion, which is perhaps understandable: for some people a visit to the mainland is a rare occasion, and the outside world is something strange and unknown. Much as people have shaped the land, the land has shaped the people. Th e fi r s t s e t tl e r s o n Brač were probably the Illyrians, whose homeland corresponded to today’s Albania and much of today’s Croatia. Illyria was celebrated in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night as a land of milk a n d h o n e y, b u t i t s coast was known for its fearsome pirates. The Illyrian settlers therefore retreated to the island’s interior, building simple shelters from the stone that lies scattered all over the fields, surviving by raising sheep. There is still evidence of the isolated life in the island’s interior in the differing dialects spoken by the people in each village. The Illyrians ruled over their lands between 400 and 167 BC. They traded with the Greeks, who never settled on Brač. The Illyrians named their island Brentista (from “brentos”, meaning “deer”), while the Greeks knew the island by the name of Elaphusa, their word for the same animal (“elaphos”). When the Romans marched into the region they established Salona (near Split) as the regional capital, and named the island Bretia, Brattia or Bractia. The closeness of Salona probably explains why the Romans did not establish urban centres on Brač, instead colonising existing settlements, perhaps erecting the occasional villa rustica on the shoreline. The Romans created splendid resting places for their dead: the island is rich in Roman sarcophagi which were made right here. Initially, they put up pagan memorial posts and then, gradually Christianised, started to build churches. Brač is rich in churches and chapels dating back to before the 6th century. To enable all this building, the Romans exploited the island’s quarries, also transporting the stone across the water to build monuments such as Diocletian’s palace

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in Split. Incursions of Avar and Slav tribes brought Roman dominion to an end in the East Adriatic, and refugees from Salona are thought to have established Škrip, the oldest village on the island excepting the isolated shepherds’ settlements. There are indications that not long after, the Slavs began to settle on the island, coexisting with their neighbours and accepting Christianity. In the centuries that followed, apart from periods of rule by Byzantium, Hungary and the Croat-Hungarian kingdom, Brač was mainly under Venetian rule, unbroken between 1420 and 1797. The Venetians assisted the islanders in fighting off the pirates that were the scourge of this sea in the middle ages, but the island retained a remarkable degree of independence thanks largely to its 12th century Statute. Upon the collapse of the Venetian Republic, Austria took over government of this part of Dalmatia, until Napoleon took control in 1805. Under his rule, the feudal system was abolished and schools were established. Then followed years of battle between the French, Russians and English until the Austrians regained power in 1814. Austrian dominion lasted until the end of the First World War, when Brač became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. Following liberation from the Axis powers in World War Two, the island was part of the People’s Republic of Croatia within the Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia. Brač took its place in an independent Croatia during the devastating war in the 1990s. Brač is for you if you cherish the rough together with the smooth: the texture of stone, the rocky terrain; the temperament of a people raised on back-breaking toil but unable to live without good humour and company; the bitter tang of a good olive oil, the aroma of sheep’s cheese and the warm tannins of a home-made wine. That’s not to say you can’t enjoy the creature comforts of civilisation, but to get the most out of your stay we recommend you try to leave those as far behind you as possible.

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towns & villages Brač is not dominated by one settlement but is dotted with inland and coastal communities. While the coastal resorts now play a leading role in the island’s economy due to tourism, the inland settlements are much older. They provided shelter from the pirates that marauded the coast, and the settlers were able to make a living from raising sheep and growing crops once they had cleared the rocky soil. For centuries the island was governed from its interior. So, although each coastal resort has its own charm, visiting the inland settlements will give you the true flavour of the island. Here, we try to give you a feel for each place. For more detailed information on the sights please turn to the “What to see” pages.

Bobovišća This tiny hamlet, perched on its hillside overlooking the coast, is an idyllic spot for anyone wh o appreciates rural stone architecture. Bobovišća grew up as a collection of shepherds’ homesteads. These industrious folk e n ga ge d i n g r o w i n g olives and grapevines, and tended fertile vegetable gardens, hence the name deriving from bob, the Croatian word for “broad bean”. Bobovišća at the turn of the 20th century was a community numbering several hundred souls, but like so many island settlements today it is sadly depopulated. However, it’s a wonderfully well-preserved little place, so we recommend stopping for a stroll to admire the view and the stone cottages and gardens. The Church of St George was built in 1914 on the site of a 17th century church, while the pre-Romanesque hilltop chapel of St Martin affords a stunning view over the narrow channel between Brač and Šolta, especially at sunset. Bobovišća is well known for its intricate lace, a craft that has been practiced since the 17th century. Some fine examples are kept in the parish church in Hvar town.

towns & villages

Bol This is the picture postcard one, sometimes derided as “just a beach”, but oh, what a beach... Known as Zlatni rat (“the Golden Cape”), it’s a triangle of shingle that changes shape with the winds and tides and juts out into a perfect azure sea. A pine forest grows along the spine of the cape providing an oasis of scented shade. Bol’s beach may not be for you if you can’t bear summertime crowds, but its great for watersports, adventure activities and sport of all kinds. Bol is also Brač’s oldest coastal settlement, the only one of any size on the island’s southern coast. There is much evidence of settlement by the Romans, who lent the place the name of Vallum denoting a settlement fortified by earthen defences or possibly the coast. The town boasts a Dominican monastery (1475) with a museum and a beautiful garden, and there are several churches containing beautiful artworks. A genteel life grew up over the centuries, and Brač boasts some fine mansions and palaces, most notably the 17th century renaissance-baroque palace that now houses the Dešković gallery, one of the richest art collections in Croatia. Add to these the 18th century Lode Palace, the Loggia, a collection of fisherman’s cottages, an 18th century windmill, a hilltop Illyrian fort and the fine building of the first winegrowers’ collective in Dalmatia (now being brought into use for the public, so you’ll have ample access to the renowned Bol Plavac), and we would argue that Bol has plenty to offer for history and culture buffs. There’s even a curiosity called “Kuća u kući” or “The house within a house”, an illustration of what can happen when a dispute over a piece of land gets out of hand…

Bobovišća na moru Coasting downhill along a cypress-lined road, you pass through a fertile valley before coming to a little fishing village huddled along a deep inlet. At the point where a stream runs into the sea is a monument by sculptor Mirko Ostoja (D o l, 1 921-2 0 0 9) to Vladimir Nazor (18761949), one of Croatia’s greatest poets and writers, whose parental home was here. Nazor was deeply inspired by the childhood days he spent here, by the peace, the mysticism and the island’s characters such as the shepherd Loda. Above his family home, Nazor erected a memorial tower as well as a faux Acropolis as a memento of his three sisters and their travels in Greece. Across the harbour is the pleasingly simple 18th century fortified manor of the Gligo family. Bobvišća na moru grew up when the inland communities of Bobovišća and Ložišća became stronger and needed an outlet to the sea. Today it’s a relaxed little place with almost no commercial tourism, offering a complete escape from the bustle of modern life.

Brač In Your Pocket

There are several churches of note including the monastery church of Our Lady of Mercy with its raftered ceiling, picture of the Apotheosis of St Dominic by Tripo Kokolje, a local artist, and a 17th century Tintoretto painting “Mother of God with Saints”. The pre-Romanesque church of Saint John and Theodore was built in the 9th and 10th centuries on the site of a 6th century chapel where fragments of frescoes were found. The town cemetery (1828), sited in an attractive cove, is also a good place to pass a contemplative moment. With its south-facing aspect, azure seas and dramatic location under the glowering peak of Vidova gora, Bol is a town of openness and light. There are several large but pleasant hotels, a scattering of good restaurants and a brace of lively bars where you can dance into the small hours. If you need to get away from it all, you can explore the string of delightful shingle beaches along the coast, visit the fascinating Dragon’s Cave and Blaca monastery, or hike to the Adriatic’s highest peak, Vidova gora, where you’ll be rewarded by splendid views of the town, the golden cape and Hvar island.

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Donji Humac

Dol Dol is an i coni c stone village. Its houses are dug into the rock, serried in rows so that they appear to be growing up the hillside, blending in with the caves that overhang them and with the colours of the landscape. Set in a fertile valley, Dol is still a farming community that offers you the chance to enjoy deep peace and the contentment of home cooking using the freshest local ingredients. Deep in the rocky karst landscape, natural freshwater accumulations were discovered close to Dol which for centuries provided drinking water for Postira, Supetar and Sutivan. When a water main was brought over from the mainland forty years ago, this local water source was locked up by the water company. Opened in April 2010 for exploration, a small shrimp-like creature was found - a new species endemic to the island. Around Dol are a number of hilltop chapels. The oldest is St Michaels (Sv. Mihalj). Surrounded by sarcophagi, the chapel’s door itsel f is made of a sarcophagus with the base sawn off. It’s easy to understand why the Romans felt this high spot, brooding over its surroundings and attracting thunderbolts, was an appropriate resting place for their dead. Today, with the bleating of multitude sheep, the scent of wild herbs and the wind all around, you can still feel a special mystical atmosphere.

Donji Humac This is one of the oldest settlements on Brač. In the nearby Kopačina cave the discovery of Stone Age implements are some of the earliest signs of human habitation in the central Adriatic. The village grew up close to the cave on the nearby hill Humac, screened from view of the pirate ships which terrorised the coast. Walking through the village, you can see the original roofs of the stone houses covered with stone slabs which give the place a primordial feel. In the gardens you can see even older field houses (bunja), shelters made from field stones heaped using a dry stone technique. On top of the hill is the Church of St Mary which boasts a 13th century Romanesque fresco believed to have miraculous powers. Under a shade of a beautiful tree is a great big stone table, a feature of almost every village and for generations the centre of social life.

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Nowadays, Donji Humac is celebrated as a centre of sculpture and gastronomy. The Jakšić family, who for generations have worked with Brač stone from the nearby quarries, have their home and atelier here. In their gallery you can enjoy sensuous stone forms and abstract art, see stylish jewellery and even fashion made of stone. They hold an international symposium of sculpture every two years, donating the results to the island communities and thus contributing to Brač becoming a big sculpture park. In Donji Humac, witty sculptures line the steps between the parish church and the Kopačina konoba. The Kopačina konoba is famed far and wide for its delicious, authentic island cuisine. From May and throughout season the konoba hosts a festival of lamb. Every Thursday a big buffet is laid on with lamb prepared in a million different ways. This is the real deal, authentic and delicious Brač cuisine. The Kopačina cave is about twenty minutes’ walk from Donji Humac, heading northwest. The cave was probably chosen as a shelter due to the spring outside the cave’s mouth (covered up when the village’s well was built). Stone Age implements, ceramic fragments and a bronze axe suggest continuity of prehistoric life here, while burial mounds, graves, sarcophagi, a mausoleum and three Early Christian chapels show human activity in Roman times. Close by is the “Vodna jama” or “Water Abyss”, also a rich find of prehistoric artefacts and with a naturally-occurring formation: a human face made of rock.

Dračevica Dračevica, an inland hamlet, is a relative youngster in Brač terms, founded in the 16th century by refugees from th e mainlan d wh o settled here by order of the Venetian doge. A number of pools provided water for the inhabitants: there are three wells on the main square. Quiet Dračevica has a simple parish church and a little chapel dedicated to Saints Cosmas and Damian, holy physicians believed to protect communities from plague. Today Dračevica seems almost deserted, its community devastated in the 19th century by the phylloxera plague which destroyed the vineyards and robbed the people of their livelihoods. However, you can see signs of homes being restored and life returning to this little rural idyll.

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towns & villages

Gažul

Murvica

On the road between Nerežišća and Gornji Humac, follow the turning for Gažul and you’ll come to a collection of stone shepherd’s cottages, inhabited during the summer months when the sheep are sent out to graze. The hamlet is still in use today. In summer a stock breeders’ fair takes place, where the island’s prize sheep, goats and cattle take part in a raucous beauty contest. With local food and drink aplenty, it’s great fun, visit if you can!

Tiny Murvica can be reached by a dirt track from Bol or from the sea. The hamlet is a collection of houses backed right up against a rocky slope, overlooking fertile fields and grapevines which stretch right down to the water’s edge. By the shore, stone homesteads lie among vineyards enjoying views of the vivid blue channel towards Hvar. M u r vi c a i s a n exc el l e n t starting point for exploring the monastic colonies that were formed close by in the 15th century. At that time the Ottoman armies succeeded in invading inland areas across the channel, forcing Christian communities to flee. Many of them ended up on Brač. Monastic colonies found shelter in the karst caves above Murvica, and from there indefatigably began to build their communities. The oldest of these made its home in the Dragon’s Cave (Zmajeva špilja or Drakonijeva špilja), founded between the 9th and the 12th centuries. The cave is one hour’s steep hike uphill from Murvica, and if you can cope with that we strongly suggest you visit. The other communities are (moving from west to east) the Dutić convent (founded 1512), the Dračeva luka hermitage (also 1512), the Silvio or Dubravčić convent (1497) and Stipančić convent (1416). The monastic complexes are now disused, having been abandoned between the two world wars as their inhabitants moved to less remote places. If you are interested in sacral architecture, history or spectacular scenery, a walking tour of this group of monasteries is highly recommended. The Blaca hermitage is also within hiking distance from Murvica. See “What to see” for more information on both Blaca and the Dragon’s Cave.

Gornji Humac The highest village on Brač, Gornji Humac is a straggling collection of stone houses with large yards fenced by dry stone walls, for centuries a centre of stock breeding on the island. It is surrounded by the remains of ancient villages such as Gradac, Mošuje and Straževnik. Unlike those old hamlets, Gornji Humac did not succumb to the plague in the 15th and 16th century, and life has continued to prosper to this day. This is a simple rural community dedicated to the daily tasks of raising livestock and growing vegetables, with few modern refinements. That is exactly why Gornji Humac is another essential stop on a tour of the finest cuisine that the island has to offer. Absolutely everything you eat here is fresh, local and home-made. On the main square of Gornji Humac there’s a simple church with a square tower, uncharacteristic of Dalmatia, with a flattish bell tower recalling the church architecture of Tuscany.

Ložišća We hardly dare tell you what awaits you when you set eyes on Ložišća for the first time, for fear of spoiling this spellbinding moment. However, since our job is to provi d e tourists wi th information we’ll just have to risk it… B u i l t o n t h e c re s t o f a hilltop and cascading into a valley, the stone village is spectacular enough in itself. But rising from its heart like a delicate stone lily is an ornate bell tower. It’s certainly the most ornate and most spectacular campanile on the island, and perhaps for miles around. Ložišća is a rare example of rural Mediterranean architecture absolutely untouched by modern life and in a spectacular setting. But it stands half deserted, its façades crumbling and its gardens, vineyards and olive groves neglected. It’s a place of beauty and of sadness.

Milna Peaceful, romantic Milna was once a centre of industry on Brač, and today is a restful holiday resort and marina. The coastal settlement was founded by the inhabitants of inland Nerežišća who sought relief here from the harsher weather inland. Due to its sheltered position, protected from harsh winds and almost never covered by snow. Milna is on a double-headed inlet, which apart from offering exceptionally good shelter to boats from bad weather has two fertile valleys produced by silt being washed down the mountains by the rain. The town grew up in the 16th century around a fort and the Church of St Mary, both built by the wealthy Cerinić family from Nerežišća. The fort is the square building with a colonnade

Brač In Your Pocket

often referred to by the locals as Anglišćina, or the English castle, although it has no such roots. The church is an attractive baroque confection with an open sided belfry. Milna was once a rather busy industrial centre. 19th century Milna was an important centre of shipbuilding on the Adriatic, turning out the sturdy wooden bracera - a typical Dalmatian boat originating from Brač island. However, this industry died with the advent of the steamboat. The town was once a stop on the Venice to Split steamboat line, and was connected to the mainland by ferry until the 1980s. An old fish processing factory is still in use today, turning out some delicious specialities. The grand (but fading) buildings you’ll see lining the waterfront are the homes of ship owners and sea captains. Towards the north end of the harbour is a renovated stone cottage, once the trading premises of the monks from the Blaca hermitage, their window onto the world. Although Milna’s golden age has passed, the marina and the tourist trade bring many summer visitors. Brač is so close to the mainland that many residents of Split have a second home in places such as Milna, often intending to retire to the island. However, the lively voices emanating from the attractive primary school suggest that this is by no means a population intending to slide into oblivion. Visitors will certainly take a second look at the pretty fountain in front of the school, the work of famous Brač sculptor Ivan Rendić. A monument on the waterfront celebrates poet Tin Ujević (1891-1955), whose mother was from Milna. Ujević, one of the greatest Croatian poets of all time, also a translator and essayist, was an eternal bohemian inspired by the spirit of the Mediterranean throughout his life and career. Milna has a 5km coastal footpath leading to some d eli gh t ful beach es and coves. To the south of the town is an inlet named Osibova, reckoned by locals to be the cleanest spot for bathing on the island. There is also a chapel there, as well as the ruins of an older one. In front of Milna’s bay lies the islet of Mrduja. Many legends surround it, but a fact is it used to be set alight to guide ships safely through the narrow channel between Brač and Šolta to their destination at Split harbour. In 1806, the citizens of Milna also used fires to aid the Russians in defeating Napoleon’s fleet, warning them of the number of enemy ships. Following the victory, the Russians established a base in Milna, which for one year enjoyed the status of island capital under the Tsar.

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base for a flagpole outside what was once the palace. In the 19th century the local nobility lived a comfortable life here, furnishing their fine houses in the manner fashionable in that period. Apart from the rather stunning parish church of Our Lady of Carmel, dating from the 13th century, a notable sight is the little chapel of St Peter which has a small but not insignificant pine tree growing from the roof of its apse. Also close to Nerežišća is a system of reservoirs named “Trolokve” or “the Three Lakes”. These for centuries provided water for the people from the Nerežišća, Bol, Dol and Pražnica territories. Today they are deserted, the lunar landscape is populated only by sheep and the occasional herd of semi-wild ponies.

Novo selo N ovo Sel o means “N ew Village”. Founded in the 16th century, it is thought that the village was settled by refugees from th e mainland fleeing from the Turks, as well as inhabitants of other island communities devastated by epidemics. The town is at the top of a hill overlooking the eastern edge of the island, with a wonderful view over the channel towards the Biokovo mountain range. The hill is topped by the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which owes its present appearance to the frontage and belltower added in 1894. There’s a stone-flagged square in front of the church, a local gathering place. All around Novo Selo you can see sculptures set along the roadsides. These are the work of one Frane Antonijević. One of the few self-taught sculptors on the island (the rest are mainly Academy educated), Mr Antonijević is simply compelled to work with stone. His tiny workshop bears testament to his passion. Visitors are welcome and works are for sale, please see “What to see” for details.

Postira

Nerežišća Built alongside a large fertile field sweeping down from the crest of a large hill that forms the very backbone of the island, Nerežišća is an old community with a strong agricultural tradition. The town occupies a strategic spot at the intersection of roads connecting all the other island settlements. For eight centuries Nerežišća was the administrative and religious centre of Brač and proudly maintained its independence under Venetian, Hungarian and Croat-Hungarian rule. Life on Brač was governed by the Brač Statute, a document dating from the 13th century. Nerežišća flourished in the Middle Ages, and eventually a class of wealthy landowners emerged. The island was governed from the Prince’s Palace (Knežev dvor) which once stood next to the parish church. You can still see a stone column bearing the Venetian lion which served as a

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Postira’s location on a wide bay exposed to the open sea gives the place a feeling of light and space. The name “Postira” is thought to derive from the Latin word “pastura”, meaning “pasture”, while local legend connects the name with the verb “prostirati”, or “to lay out”, referring to the habit of the women from nearby Dol of coming here to wash their clothes at the freshwater spring (“Vrilo”), laying out their clothes out to dry on the shore. This little coastal village is as much an agricultural community as a fishing village thanks to the fertile fields that lie above the town, where olives, fruit and vegetables are grown. Postira has the island’s first sardine factory, which was established in 1907. Today it specialises in canning oily fish such as sardines and mackerel, and employs almost 300 people. A plan to move the factory to new premises on the edge of town was announced in 2010, freeing up the waterfront for tourism. This meeting of the fruits of the sea and the hinterland is good news for the tourist: this is an excellent place to enjoy good food. Postira is fortunate in having three small privatelyowned hotels offering an excellent standard of service and accommodation to guests who appreciate a tranquil village atmosphere and pristine surroundings. There are numerous sites of archaeological interest around Postira, perhaps the most important being the sandy cove at Lovrečina. Here, close to a freshwater spring lie the ruins of a Roman villa rustica, a Benedictine convent and the

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towns & villages

early Christian basilica of St Lawrence (5th to 6th century). In the churchyard stands a cross-shaped, canopied baptistry. Around the basilica fragments of frescoes and Early Christian sarcophagi are to be found. This is a delightful spot and the remains are spectacular, we highly recommend a visit. Postira is also a centre of culture on the island. It’s the birthplace of sculptors, master builders and poets. Poet Vladimir Nazor was born in the Renaissance palace on Postira’s waterfront. His first work, “The Angel in the Bell Tower”, was a story about Postira’s parish Church of St John the Baptist. Postira is renowned for its cobbled streets made of smooth rounded stones laid out in ornate patterns, with sensuous forms inspiring many a photographer.

Povlja Approaching Povlja by road, the first sight of the village clustered on a headland and framed by the Biokovo mountains across the channel is rather special. Povlja overlooks the bustling mainland resorts of the Makarska Riviera, which is one reason why the village is a popular destination for day-trippers. The other is the presence of some first-class monuments. Povlja’s parish church is built next to the extensive ruins of a large basilica from the 5th to 6th centuries and the remains of a Benedictine monastery with a defensive tower. Povlja is also famous for two historic documents: the Povlja Charter, written on parchment, documents land possessed by th e m onas ter y, a ver y early example of this type of legal document and the first example on the island written in the bosančica script; and the Povlja Lintel, engraved in the same script by a famous stonemason named Radonja memorialising his contribution to the church, and that of a prince named Brečko who donated land for the building of the church. The original is preserved in the Archaeological Museum in Split, and a copy is on display at the Native Museum in Škrip.

Pražnica Pražnica is an ancient rural settlement laid out in a typical straggling fashion. Here one can most easily hear the diversity of dialects still to be found on the island. The name Pražnica is thought to derive from the word “pržiti” - to scorch, due to the practice of burning vegetation to increase the fertility of the land. Pražnica grew up from even older settlements and the surrounding countryside is strewn with churches and chapels. One of the most remarkable is the 13th century chapel of St Cyprian in Pražnica’s churchyard. The chapel possesses a stone triptych (1467) credited to Nicholas of Florence, a leading Tuscan sculptor of the Renaissance period. This is a remarkably expressive work important in the history of art of Dalmatia.

Pućišća Pučišča, the second largest town on Brač, grew up in the 15th century when pirate attacks on the coast ceased, emboldening the islanders to descend to the shore. The town has been lent a colourful air from a mix of architecture. Peasant cottages perch up the hill while the homes of the wealthy and fine public buildings line the waterfront. Due to the ongoing threat of Turkish invasion from the mainland, thirteen forts were built to protect the town. Some of these are still standing today.

Brač In Your Pocket

Due to the closeness of the stone quarries, and perhaps out of a contemplative intimacy enforced by the need to stay close to the protective forts, a rich cultural life developed in Pučišča. Many writers found their voice here, and the town is the home of stonemasonry and sculpture on the island, possessing a secondary school specialising in stonemasonry. There is an annual summer music school in the town, and the town was a centre for the development of the Croatian language. Under the loggia of the renaissance palace next to the Ciprijan Žuvetić fort is the door leading to the first Croatian language reading room on the island. In the summer months a festival of culture encompasses everything from classical music, jazz and pop concerts to book readings, theatre and folklore performances. Apart from the school of stonemasonry, the parish church of St Jerome with its Gothic façade and attractive red cupola is worth visiting. Next to the parish church is the red town hall building, guarded by two stone lions. The rectory houses the Povlja Charter, an important historical document (see Povlja). The cemetery church of the Blessed Virgin Mary has an impressive relief of the Madonna and Child. A 16th century waterfront palace belonging to the Dešković family now serves as a luxurious small hotel. Brač sculptor Branislav Dešković was born there; you can see his works in the art gallery named in his honour in Bol.

Selca An inland village but so close to the sea you can smell it, Selca is full of life. The town square is dominated by the stunning parish Church o f Christ the King (1921-1955) built in a neo-Romanesque style, with decorations drawing on Early Christian and gothic architecture. On the lovely, elongated stone square in front of the church shade is provided by palm, fig and other Mediterranean trees. Here there is another pleasant, simple church of Our Lady of Carmel built in the 18th to 19th centuries. Stone plaques on the wall of the square opposite testify to an annual symposium of poets held here. Every year one poem is chosen to represent the spirit of the meeting. A plaque is raised in the poet’s honour with a few lines of the poem engraved thereon. Selca has a lovely little marketplace, a pitch for boules and a park with the world’s first monument to Leo Ilych Tolstoy, raised just one year after his death. The area around the parish church is also decorated with statues, including a bust by leading sculptor Anton Augustinčić of politician and impassioned supporter of Croatian independence Stjepan

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Radić (1871-1928). Selca developed a rather cosmopolitan outlook in the 19th and 20th century. Martin Kukučin-Bencur, a leading Slovak writer, worked in Selca as a doctor from 1893 and was a member of a cultural society called Hrvatski sastanak (“The Croatian Meeting”) under the patronage of progressive bishop Josip Juraj Strossmayer. Selcan students who studied in Prague and Graz brought home new ideas from the mainland. Selca is still today a centre of culture, nurturing sculpture, poetry and literature. Selca’s orderly urban centre looks very different from i n th e vil l a ge’s medieval beginnings, wh en it was a highly dispersed community of individual homes and tiny shepherds’ hamlets. Some such hamlets still exist today, su ch as Smrčevik, Osritke, Nakal, Nagorinac, Nadsela and Zagvozd. If you are interested in seeing them, from Selca take the road to Gornji Humac and turn off where you see the sign “Zaseoci”. The isolated, self-sufficient homes there afford the best picture of the very beginnings of habitation on the island.

Splitska Splitska is a quiet village where houses with lush green gardens bump right up against a shallow fishing harbour. There are two reasons to visit Splitska. One is to enjoy long summer days strolling along the quiet waterfront to reach a rocky cove which you may just have to yourself, and evenings over a simple meal and a glass of wine, and perhaps a game of chess or cards. The other is to see the ancient Rasohe quarry, where in Roman times slave workers carved into the rock face a relief of Hercules, a symbol of strength and a demigod with the power to protect communities from harm. Splitska in Roman times acted as a port from where the white Brač stone was taken to Split, among other things for the construction of Diocletian’s palace. In the waters around Splitska, great pieces of stone lie on the seabed, accidentally fallen from the Roman ships. Although there is evidence of settlement as early as the 13th century, at that time pirate attacks prevented the communities that tried to settle there from putting down roots, forcing them to retreat to Škrip. The town started to grow around the 16th century around the fortified manor of the Cerinić family, which still stands on the waterfront, one of the best preserved fortifications on the island today. Splitska also gained a palace, the seat of one of the Brač princes.

Sumartin The youngest of Brač’s settlements, Sumartin was founded on 11 November 1646 when refugees from the Dalmatian interior and from Bosnia and Herzegovina arrived, fleeing from the wars between the Venetians and the Turks. The origins of the citizens of Sumartin can still be detected in their dialect, which is closer to standard Croatian than that elsewhere on the island, as well as in their folk dress and customs. The village is more strongly connected with the sea than many other Brač settlements, the reason being that there was no land available in the interior for the newcomers to farm. The villagers therefore became skilful seafarers and fishermen. The tradition of building wooden boats here continues to this day. Among the settlers arriving from the mainland were Franciscan monks who arrived in 1645. In 1747 friar and poet Andrija Kačić Miošić initiated the building of a new monastery here when he was elected abbot of Sumartin. The monastery has a pleasing atmosphere, modest gardens and vegetable

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patches, and is well worth a visiting for its museum collection (What to see). The attractive, tall Church of St Martin you see today by the monastery was built between 1911 and 1913 on the site of an older church. As a plaque outside testifies, in 1944 the monastery was taken over for use as a German hospital and the monks were forced to leave. The bell tower of the church was destroyed in the extensive bombing of the town and rebuilt in 1955. Sumartin still enjoys a direct connection with the mainland thanks to a regular ferry to Makarska. With its laid-back atmosphere, clean sea and shingly coves, it’s a good holiday place for people who prefer an authentic village atmosphere to a bustling resort.

Supetar Summer evenings in Supetar are lively: children run around the square, grown-ups exchange news on the waterfront, tourists select their spot for an evening meal and swifts scream overhead. The stone buildings turn pink in the setting sun, and the feeling is a very relaxed one. The town beaches offer ample facilities for sport and leisure, there are nightly folklore performances in town during the tourist season, there’s a summer carnival and a film festival: in short, enough to keep almost everyone occupied. If you’re arriving from the mainland, Supetar will very likely be your first port of call. The town is home to one fifth of the island’s population, a veritable metropolis in island terms. It’s a transport hub and has several large-ish hotels. On the shore to the west of the town centre there are shingle beaches backed by cafés, bars, fast food eateries and nightclubs, as well as sports grounds and play areas. With the island’s main bus station to hand, Supetar is also a good base from which to explore the rest of the island. The focal point of the town is a waterfront lined with cafés, bars and restaurants. A large space in front of the church and clock tower serves as the main square. The parish Church of St Peter and St Paul, often known by its secondary name of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin, was built in the 18th century on the site of a basilica dedicated to St Peter (hence the name Supetar) thought to date from the 6th century, and of which mosaic paving can still be seen. The clock tower is named the leroj (pron. “leroy”) and now serves as the atelier of artist Ivo Petrović Michelangelo. At the entrance to the church museum is a statue of St Victor and by the church courtyard of Mother Teresa, both the work of Brač sculptor Petar Jakšić. The church interior is richly decorated with paintings, sculptures. A reliquary of St Victor is paraded through the streets every May 2. To one side of the church the former rectory now serves as the church museum (see “What to see”). In Supetar, as in almost all the Brač settlements, the influence of art is very strong. One of the town’s best loved figures is Ivan Rendić (1849-1932), a bon vivant and larger than life character widely held to be the father of modern Croatian sculpture. A gallery of his works is on the first floor of the town library building. A statue of a female figure on the little lawn nearby is titled Allegory of the Mind, created by Rendić for the insurance company Austrian Lloyd Trieste. Just across the street is the chapel of St Martin which is used as an exhibition space. A little further along the quayside is a sculpture called The Water Carrier by Paško Čulo, a contemporary local sculptor. One of the most inspiring spots in Supetar is its cemetery, which like most cemeteries on the island occupies one of the most beautiful shoreline locations, here on a headland

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towns & villages

CUltURe & events

west of the town. The cemetery is a museum of sculpture, showcasing many of Rendić’s works, from a relief of the Pietà to sensual female forms, art deco mosaics and ironwork and family mausoleums. Rendić’s own resting place is also here, a restrained stone slab. Visible from the ferry is the white form of the Petrinović family mausoleum, which infuriatingly enough for Rendić was entrusted to sculptor Toma Rosandić when the former had already carried out preliminary work on the project. Nevertheless, Rosandić did a splendid job, the mausoleum is a stunning and most unusual piece of architecture, with rounded, almost Byzantine forms. The same sculptor’s masterful wellhead stands close to the mausoleum. The headland is also the site of Roman buildings such as the Early Christian chapel of St Nicholas, a villa rustica and two beautiful Early Christian sarcophagi. This spot was the first to be inhabited on this part of the coast, but was abandoned in the Middle Ages due to those pesky pirates. Today’s town grew up gradually, populated by settlers from Nerežišća, Donji Humac and Škrip. First a few rows of peasant cottages were built; then, following fortification by the Venetians in the 16th century, tall town houses appeared on the waterfront. The town developed rapidly due to its excellent position opposite Split’s harbour. In 1828, Supetar became the island’s capital.

renovation. And perhaps the most unusual home in the town is a windmill, denuded of its sails, which is now someone’s rotund beachside retreat. As is the case with many settlements, Sutivan is named after its patron saint, St John (Sv. Ivan in Croatian), since the earliest church in the locality, a 6th century Early Christian basilica, was consecrated to St John the Baptist. Today’s chapel of St John (11th century) stands close by this site, and is notable for its ichthys, a primitive drawing of a fish, the oldest Christian symbol. The remains of a monastery are also nearby. In the heart of the town rises the parish church of the Assumption of Mary in pale yellow and white stone, which together with its stone-flagged courtyard takes on warm hues in the early evening sun. And it’s certainly worth the seven minute walk uphill to the little votive chapel of St Rocco with its cemetery with catacombs. Lest we end on a note that suggests that Sutivan is anything other than lively, we should tell you that the town is particularly noted for putting on a host of events. See our Culture and Events pages to find out what’s on. And last but not least, this is a brilliant place for adventure sports: see our Sport pages.

Sutivan

Škrip

With its broad skies, overlooking the Dinaric Alps on the mainland, with good light and bracing white pebble beaches, it’s not difficult to see why Sutivan developed a tourist trade quite early in the island’s history. The first hotel was built in 1927, and two years later the town was the third busiest resort on the island, following Supetar and Bol. Sutivan still holds this position, despite having no functioning hotels. There is ample private accommodation, thus Sutivan is a good choice for those who enjoy the chance to experience the local atmosphere. An early form of tourism is visible in Sutivan’s beautiful summer residences. The poet Jerolim Kavanjin (16431714), a resident of Split whose mother was from Sutivan, completed his summer residence here in 1705. It’s fair to assume he found Sutivan’s air energising: he was responsible for writing the longest poem in the Croatian language - all 32,658 verses of it. Sadly, the Kavanjin palace is now in an advanced state of decay. Although Dalmatia offers so much of what is needed for a full and healthy life, the forces of history have sparked great waves of emigration. Thus, so many of the beautiful, historic buildings you’ll see here are suffering the same fate: scores of heirs, co-owners of the property, are scattered over the globe, and if they were all alive and traceable it would be difficult enough to decide the fate of these properties. Let’s hope a solution is found in time to prevent these marvellous buildings succumbing to the ravages of time. Another prominent if rather less spacious building on the waterfront is the 17th century Marijanović citadel, a squat tower with a sundial on its southern face. A blue plaque on this building indicates that tourists can rent a room here. Sutivan also boasts a fortified palace built by the NadaliBožičević family in 1505. Although this extensive building has undergone many changes, at least it is in good repair and is a charming sight. There is a large park on the south side of the palace. Also of note is the Definis complex which once had a luxurious Biedermeier interior, a medical library and some fine miniature portraits. The complex is currently undergoing

Brač In Your Pocket

Apart from the tiny shepherd’s hamlets, Škrip is the oldest settlement on Brač and is a rich archaeological and cultural depository, a testament to human habitation from Illyrian times to the present day. The name comes from the Latin word “scrupus” meaning the large rough stones mined in the nearby quarries from which the place is built. Škrip has a wild, primeval beauty juxtaposed with beautifully preserved peasant architecture with snow-white roofs evoking a strong sense of nostalgia. Brač’s Native Museum is here - a visit is an absolute must if you want to better understand the island past and present. See our “What to see” pages. Building in Škrip started in earnest during Illyrian times, as the remains of massive defensive walls confirm. It is thought that their purpose was to keep the Greeks out: the Illyrians happily traded with the Greeks, but fiercely defended their independence. Then followed the Romans, who in their imperial confidence felt little need for fortifications and so expressed their spiritual side instead. There is a mausoleum in the base of the tower in the museum complex, there are countless sarcophagi in the area (so much so that they are used as domestic receptacles), there is an inscription in the graveyard, there are sacrificial monuments and it is believed that a Roman temple lies under the graveyard. The pond hollowed into the rock by the cemetery is just one of many that the Romans made on Brač to ensure a supply of water. Following the arrival of the Croatians, apart from the peasant homesteads two stately homes were built in the 16th century: the complex around the Radojković tower (the latter in fact being made up of layers from all three eras) and the massive Cerinić fort. These fortifications served to defend Škrip during the Ottoman-Venetian wars. The parish church of St Helena of the Cross was built at the turn of the 19th century. In the cemetery behind are two small churches, the basilica of the Holy Ghost and the chapel of St John (in ruins). The edge of the cemetery affords a spectacular view over the karst hills. In this eerie, windy spot you feel as if you are somewhere very ancient, a million miles from the ice cream parlours and arcade games of the beach resorts.

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19.06 Saturday - 12.09 Sunday

22.07 Thursday - 24.07 Saturday

Supetar Summer Festival

International “Svpetrvs” Festival of Culture and Film

Supetar. An annual festival of art, culture and entertainment that fills the whole summer, celebrating Brač’s rich cultural heritage. On Mondays there are exhibitions by local artists; on Tuesdays island folklore displays; Wednesdays are devoted to book promotions and lectures; Thursdays are given over to haunting klapa acapella singing, while Friday is the day for theatre performances and mandolin concerts. On Sundays there are concerts of classical music. For more information, please contact the Supetar Tourist Association.

Supetar. An international festival of film, music, ballet and poetry held in the Supetrus hotel complex. Produced by Croatian film director Jakov Sedlar. Poetry evenings will take place on the beach by Hotel Kaktus.

02.07 Friday - 04.07 Sunday

Moto Party

Gažul. A bike meet lasting three days in the unlikely-sounding setting of the Gažul shepherds’ settlement, attracting thousands of visitors. On the Saturday, over 1000 bikers take part in a run from Vidova Gora via Supetar to Nerežišća where a gastronomic treat awaits. In the evening the socialising, supping and slurping continue, and a concert is laid on: this year by Bosnian hard rock legends Divlje Jagode (“Wild Strawberries”). A brilliant event, definitely one of the highlights of the year on the island.

07.07 Wednesday - 10.07 Saturday

Supetar Super Film Festival

tel. (+385-) 099 31 11 51, www.supetarsuper.com. A festival of contemporary European documentary film with a programme of accompanying events, including concerts by leading Croatian bands and exhibitions and art workshops on themes related to the programme of films. Partner country for this year is Scotland. The festival takes place over four days. This year, the festival organisers expect some 15 short and medium-length documentary films from across Europe, as well as four concerts, two film workshops and a heap of high jinks in the festival beach café. The organisers have put on an all-day programme of events in the shade of the pine trees on the beach between the jetty and the campsite, all to the beat provided by DJs. Films will be screened in the outdoor cinema, and the place to be for beachside fun is Benny’s Beach Bar.

A klapa choir in full voice

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12.07 Monday - 18.07 Sunday

Vanka Regule

Sutivan, tel. (+385-) 098 52 27 25, vanka.regule@ st.t-com.hr, www.vankaregule.com. A festival of outdoor adventure sports plus a film festival dedicated to adventure themes, with a sprinkling of photography equals fun for just about everyone. Sports featured include climbing, free ride biking, indo board, windsurfing, sailing, sea kayaking, slacklining, trail running and stand up paddling (which we didn’t think sounded very difficult until we saw the pictures).

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2010

CUltURe & events

CUltURe & events 25.07 Sunday

06.08 Friday

Livestock Show

Dalmatian Klapa

Gažul. A traditional livestock show which is great fun and therefore eagerly anticipated every year. Watch everything from sheep-shearing and milking competitions to stone masonry displays, and beauty contests of sheep, goats, horses and other assorted quadrupeds. You can try local traditional produce and generally have fun all day and late into the evening!

30.07 Friday - 01.08 Sunday

Postira Art Festival

Postira. Exhibitions by artists from Brač, performances by klapa choirs, exhibitions of local foods, a fire show, a hair and tattoo art show, all held on the specially floodlit waterfront.

31.07 Saturday

07.08 Saturday

Supetar Summer Carnival

Supetar. An evening of riotous fun in fancy dress which takes place on the waterfront and goes on into the small hours, turning Supetar into a miniature Rio. So, no excuses, get your costume ready and you shall go to the ball!

Exhibition

Mutne kale (Donji dvori), Gornja Mirca. Part of the Supetar Summer Festival, an exhibition of paintings that takes place in the old streets of Gornja Mirca (the inland part of the village Mirca), with fresh grilled sardines and local wine as refreshment.

1000 Islands Race

10.08 Tuesday

An evening of cultural, documentary, multimedia entertainment 17, 24 and 31.07; 7, 14 and 21.08

Postira. The famous sandy Lovrečina beach, considered one of the loveliest on the island, is the setting for an annual Picigin party. Picigin is an acrobatic, non-competitive form of water polo played in the shallows and involving spectacular dives. Great fun! There’ll be DJs, a relaxed atmosphere and all in all a perfect feeling of summer.

A woman from Brač wearing traditional attire, Robert Barilla

Exhibitions

Picigin Party

13.08 Friday - 14.08 Saturday

15.06 - 15.07 Exhibition of paintings by Croatian artists on religious themes, from the collection of Pero Dragičević, Church of St Anton, Postira 02.07 - 11.07. Exhibition: Karin Grenc, Gallery Dom kulture, Bol 04.07 - 18.07 Exhibition of paintings by Cvijeta Škarić, Moj Mir atelier, Postira 11.07 - 20.07. Exhibition Đani Martinić, Gallery Dom kulture, Bol 16.07 - 30.07 Exhibition of paintings by Vinko Šaina, Church of St Anton, Postira 20.07 - 29.07. Exhibition Kristina Restović, Gallery Dom kulture, Bol 29.07 - 07.08. Exhibition Zejna Kušeta, Gallery Dom kulture, Bol 02.08 - 16.08 Exhibition of paintings by Josip Botteri Dini, Church of St Anton, Postira 07.08 - 17.08. Exhibition Koraljka Kovač, Gallery Dom kulture, Bol 17.08 - 25.08. Exhibition Stipan Radić, Gallery Dom kulture, Bol 25.08 - 04.09. Exhibition Frane Šitum, Gallery Dom kulture, Bol 04.09 - 13.09. Exhibition Jelena Bando, Gallery Dom kulture, Bol 06.09 - 20.09 Exhibition of paintings by Postira amateurs, Church of St Anton, Postira 13.09 - 22.09. Exhibition Tea Morić & Željka Cupek, Gallery Dom kulture, Bol 22.09 - 30.09. Exhibition Andrea Resner, Gallery Dom kulture, Bol

Brač In Your Pocket

Klapa is a stirring acapella singing style with delicate harmonies, performed by small choirs numbering anything from three members upwards. Often made up of informal groups of friends with an instinctive feel for age-old Adriatic melodies, these choirs are an important focus of local life. Typical klapa songs focus on traditional Adriatic concerns: falling in love, man and the sea and saying goodbye to loved ones. The style retains a raw emotional edge: hearing a klapa perform live - whether on stage, in the street or at the table of a konoba - can send shivers down the spine. On 6 August, you’ll have the chance to witness ten klapa choirs, the best in Dalmatia, singing on Supetar’s “mali plac” - the five-a-side football court.

Guitar Weekend

Supetar Parish Church. New in 2010, a weekend of classical guitar music held in Supetar’s Parish Church. Concerts start at 21:00 and entry is free.

Petrito Fabjanović is not only a legend in the game of bocce, playing for his club in Škrip, but he is also a founder of the Native Museum and a keen antiques collector, Robert Barilla

27.08 Friday - 28.08 Saturday

“Čakavske riči” Festival

Brač Native Museum, Škrip. A festival held on the 100th anniversary of the birth of Stjepan Pulišelić, the greatest poet to write in the Čakavian dialect. His poems did much to preserve the specific Brač vernacular and resonate with his deep love for his island home. Over two evenings, his fellow islanders pay tribute to him with readings, drama and renditions of his verse by Dalmatian klapa singers.

06.09 Monday - 11.09 Saturday

The 2nd Island Festival

Supetar. A festival promoting the traditional island way of life. Along with exhibitions, presentations of gastronomy and concerts, there’ll be performances by 15 klapa choirs from Brač and the neighbouring islands of Hvar, Vis and Šolta of traditional island songs and new compositions on island themes. Held at various locations around Supetar, the klapa concert will be on the boules court.

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2010

CUltURe & events

Brač online

More Fun…

Lost the beat? brač.inyourpocket.com 19.08 Thursday - 21.08 Saturday

VO’I’SA Days of Urban Music

Supetar (Tri mosta beach, Acapulco, Benny’s Bar). In Croatia the term “urban music” encompasses styles such as house, electronica, hip hop and alternative genres defined by their development from urban cultures as opposed to the folk tradition, and therefore with a more cerebral edge. The VO’I’SA festival brings internationally renowned DJs to Supetar, and the closing concert will be by Rambo Amadeus, an artist popular throughout the former Yugoslavia and known for his satirical lyrics and criticism of bigotry and cheesy music.

Sport events 18.06 Friday - 24.06 Thursday

The St John’s Bocce Cup Sutivan.

12.08 Thursday - 18.08 Wednesday

The St Rocco Five-a-Side Football Cup 14.08 Saturday

A Little Night Regatta

Postira. The sails in this regatta are filled with the “gažul” - the night-time breeze that wafts down from Vidova gora directly into Postira’s bay. The Postira waterfront becomes a floodlit stage and the action takes place to the tune of Mozart’s “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” - a delightful spectacle.

Brač In Your Pocket

25.09 Saturday

79th Mrduja Regatta

Milna. tel. (+385-21) 39 85 83, labud@jklabud.hr, www.jklabud.hr. First held in 1927, this is one of the oldest regattas in Europe. The race starts in Split harbour. Crews head for the Mrduja islet just off Milna, turning sharply and heading back for Split - a total of 22 nautical miles.

01.10 Friday - 03.10 Sunday

Inline Slalom Blue Sun Dalamatia Cup

Bol. A new adrenaline sport: the steep road in the Blue Sun hotel complex in Bol turns into a ski run for three days. Watch competitors armed with ski poles dice with death as they swoop downhill on inline skates. Hair raising!

14.07 Wednesday - 16.07 Friday

K1 MAX Supetrus Fight Night 3

Supetar. Fans of K1 kickboxing will enjoy the third Supetrus Fight Night. The best fighters from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Slovenia battle it out for a place in the middleweight K1 MAX tournament, and there’ll be a fight for the title of WKA Professional European Champion in the under 75kg category. The action takes place on the Supetar waterfront, in the Supetrus hotel complex and on the town playing fields.

Swimming Marathon (07.08 Saturday) and Supetar Triathlon (29.08 Sunday) Taking place at the twin locations of Ratac and the Šjora Olga bridge in Supetar, these competitions are for amateurs and tourists are welcome to join in. Just turn up and fill in your application form on the spot and you might just win one of the prizes!

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24.06 Postira: Ciciljona Folklore Society and Tambura Group, on the waterfront 27.06 Postira: Fisherman's Festival and concert by Klapa Boduli, exhibition of olive oil, on the waterfront 02.07 Bol: Fashion.hr show, Zlatni rat beach 03.07 Bol: Fashion.hr show, Zlatni rat beach 04.07 Bol: Theatre: Ho capio by P. Hektorovoć from Stari Grad (Hvar), Teatrin Summer Stage (Frane Radića 14) at 21.00 05.07 Bol: Concert - Simply Brass 06.07 Bol: Classical music concert - Majda Goluža (violin), Dominican Monastery at 21.30 08, 15, 22, 29.07 Bol: Fisherman's Festival, on the waterfront at 21.00 10.07 Postira: Grand regatta of the Postira festival 13.07 Bol: Classical music concert – Nataša Antoniazzo at the Dominican Monastery at 21.30 14.07 Bol: Theatre – Bog, žurim, nazovi, Teatrin Summer Stage (Frane Radića 14) at 21.00 15.07 Postira: Brassčuta Orchestra, on the waterfront 17.07 Postira: Bracera, Dol 17.07 Bol: Concert - Petar Čulić (guitar), Dominican Monastery at 21.30 18.07 Postira: Fisherman's Festival and concert by Klapa Boduli, exhibition of olive oil, on the waterfront 18.07 Bol: Braciera klapa concert 21 .07 Postira: Ciciljona Folklore Society, on the waterfront 21.07 Bol: Theatre performance - Gola u Kavezu, Teatrin Summer Stage (Frane Radića 14) at 21.00 24.07 Sutivan: “Stivanska” Fisherman's Festival 25.07 Postira: Exhibition of authentic local food, on the waterfront 25.07- 25.08 Sutivan: “Stivansko lito” summer festival 27.07 Postira: “Postira Games”, on the waterfront 27.07 Bol: Classical music concert – MAROF, Dominican Monastery at 21.30 28.07 Bol: Jazz concert – Renato Svorinić 30.07 Bol: Theatre – Zečja rupa, Teatrin Summer Stage (Frane Radića 14) at 21.00 30.07 Postira: Traditional klapa concert, on the square 31.07 Bol: Theatre – Heidi, Teatrin Summer Stage (Frane Radića 14) at 21.00

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01.08 Bol: Braciera – klapa concert, Teatrin Summer Stage (Frane Radića 14) at 21.00 03.08 Bol: Classical music concert – Mislav Režić, Dominican Monastery at 21.30 05.08 Postira: Pričigin – storytelling festival, Riva 06.08 Postira: An evening of klapa on the square 08.08 Postira: Performance on the square 08.08 Bol: Theatre – The Three Little Pigs at the Teatrin Summer Stage (Frane Radića 14) at 21.00 09.08 Postira: Fisherman's Festival and concert by Klapa Boduli, exhibition of olive oil, on the waterfront 10.08 Bol: Classical music concert – Marin Limić, klavir Dominikanski samostan at 21.30 11 .08 Postira: Ciciljona Folklore Society, on the waterfront 11.08 Bol: Jazz concert - Vesna Pisarović, Matija Dedić at Teatrin Summer Stage (Frane Radića 14) at 21.00 12, 19, 26.08 Bol: Fisherman’s Festival, Studenac at 21.00 13.08 Bol: Braciera – klapa concert at Teatrin Summer Stage (Frane Radića 14) at 21.00 13.08 Postira: Exhibition of authentic local food, on the waterfront 15.08 Postira: Ciciljona Folklore Society and concert Postirski pivoči, on the waterfront 16.08 Postira: Klapa Morbin, on the waterfront 16.08 Bol: Theatre – Bez trećega, Teatrin Summer Stage (Frane Radića 14) at 21. 00 17.08 Bol: Classical music concert. – Uroš Rojko, Klara Tomljenović, Dominican Monastery at 21.30 20.08 Bol: Pučišća Jazz School 22.08 Postira: Fisherman's Festival and concert by Klapa Boduli, exhibition of olive oil, on the waterfront 23.08 Bol: Jazz concert, Branislav Dešković Gallery 24.08 Bol: Classical music concert – Nataša Milić, Dominican Monastery at 21.30 25.08 Bol: Jazz concert, Marinero Café 28.08 Bol: Final Concert of the Pučišča Jazz School, on the waterfront at 21:00 31.08 Bol: Classical music concert – Syrinx (flute quartet), Dominican Monastery at 21.30 03.09 Bol: Užonca – klapa koncert at Teatrin Summer Stage (Frane Radića 14) at 21.00 11.09 Bol: 3rd Summer Carnival, on the waterfront

2010

CUltURe & events

Gastro Events 01.06 Tuesday - 15.09 Wednesday

Kopačina Lamb Festival

Cultural Centres

Local Religious Festivals

Centar za kulturu Brač Sv. Petra bb, Nerežišća,

17.01 Monday

centar.za.kulturu.brac@st.t-com.hr.

17.01 Monday

02.08 Monday

St Vitus, Vidova Gora.

St Anthony the Abbot, Novo Selo. 02.02 Wednesday

Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, Dol. 23.04 Saturday

St George - Brač Saint Protector, Bobovišća.

23.04 Saturday 24.06 Friday

Hrapaćuša Night

St John the Baptist, Povlja.

Dol. Held in Dol, the home of this special cake, or to be more precise, in the cave where the rough stone walls inspired the cake’s name because of the thick layer of chopped, caramelised almonds and walnuts that coat it. You can feast on the cake and enjoy an accompanying drop of liqueur or dessert wine. This event is being put on for the first time, so turn up, indulge and support your friendly hosts!

26.06 Sunday

St John and St Paul, Ložišća. 29.06 Wednesday

St Peter and St Paul, Supetar. 02.07 Saturday

27.09 Monday - 02.10 Saturday

Our Lady of Mirca, Mirca.

Festival of Grapes and Wine - Days of Varenik

13.07 Wednesday

At this festival you’ll be able to celebrate the harvest: grapes, figs and nuts are collected at this time of year and made ready for winter, and an unusual ingredient called Varenik is prepared. It is thought that Varenik has been made here for 2000 years - it was known by the Romans. It’s made by boiling local wine down to a concentrate, which is added to food to give it a delicious flavour (think of a red wine reduction). Ask local restaurants for specials made with Varenik at festival time.

April 2011

Biser Mora - International Culinary Festival Put Vele luke 4, Svpetrvs Hotels, Supetar. The “Pearl of the Sea” festival collects several hundred chefs from over 15 countries every year, who present their cuisine through competitions, presentations, tastings and workshops. There are meetings of sommeliers, olive oil tastings, and Brač gastronomy plays a special role in the proceedings.

May 2011

Kužina o’ Štajuna Festival

Riva, Supetar. In 2011 this festival will be held for the second time, since it was such a hit the first time. As we all know, there’s no better way to eat than organic, local and seasonal food since this is best for our bodies, best for the environment and for our communities. The name of the festival means “Seasonal Kitchen” in Brač dialect.It’s held on the waterfront, and as you stroll past the stalls you’ll have the chance to sample ingredients that are hard to find in other parts of the country such as chard, broad beans and wild greens - healthy and delicious.

January 2011

The 3rd Oblica Fest Olive and Olive Oil Days Postira. A festival celebrating olives, olive oil and their long history of production on the island of Brač. Organised by the Postira Agricultural Cooperative in January, when the oil is fresh and ready for consumption after the November harvest.

Brač In Your Pocket

St Anthony the Abbot, Pražnica.

Konoba Kopačina, Donji Humac, tel. (+385-21) 64 77 07. Konoba Kopačina puts on a Festival of Lamb every year in May that lasts throughout the summer tourist season. The succulent lamb is raised on the slopes of Vidova gora and this konoba really knows how to prepare it, so we definitely recommend you try it. Every Thursday, starting from around 7pm, you can try about 15 different specialities made from lamb, including lamb’s liver pate, lamb with broad beans and a host of different specialities. Be sure to reserve your table - it’s very busy!

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St Margaret, Nerežišća. 16.07 Saturday

Our Lady of Carmel, Postira. 16.07 Saturday

Our Lady of Carmel, Milna. 16.07 Saturday

Cinemas

Our Lady of Carmel, Selca. 26.07 Tuesday

We adore the summer cinemas on Brač! There’s one in Supetar and one in Bol, and both have a traditional break in the middle of the film so you can go and get an ice-cream or beer and sup or slurp you way through the rest of the film. Now that’s what we call entertainment! The Supetar one has the most stylish neon sign in the world.

St Ana and St Joachim, Donji Humac.

Kino Bol Riva bb, tel. (+385-21) 63 11 44. Kino Supetar Porat bb, tel. (+385-21) 63 11 57.

Feast of the Assumption, Splitska.

02.08 Tuesday

Our Lady of the Angels, Sumartin. 05.08 Friday

Our Lady of the Snow, Bol. 15.08 Monday

16.08 Tuesday

St Rocco, Sutivan.

Crickets On a hot summer day, the air on Brač is filled with the deafening screech of crickets. These little fellows look similar to grasshoppers, but are usually brownish. They produce sound by drawing one wing, which has a serrated bottom edge, along the other. Crickets are numerous on islands like Brač which are covered in Mediterranean scrub, pine and olive which provide shelter. Their song for many of us is definitive of soporific summer days. The hotter the weather is, the faster crickets chirp, which is why it’s possible to measure the air temperature by the rate of their screeches. And thankfully, this means that their song becomes a soothing sonata once night falls.

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18.08 Thursday

St Helena of the Cross, Škrip. 26.09 Monday

St Cosmas and St Damian, Dračevica. 30.09 Friday

St Jerome, Pučišća. 06.12 Tuesday

St Nicholas, Gornji Humac. 08.12 Thursday

Immaculate Conception (of the Blessed Virgin Mary), Murvica.

2010

wHeRe to staY Symbol key P Air conditioning

A Credit cards accepted

O Casino

H Conference facilities

T Child friendly

U Facilities for the disabled

R Internet

L Guarded parking

F Fitness centre

G Non-smoking rooms

K Restaurant

D Sauna

C Swimming pool

6 Animal friendly

In this section you’ll find a list Brač’s hotels and campsites. There’s a plethora of private accommodation also available, far too much to list here. To find a private room, apartment or cottage, an internet search with the name of the destination of your choice should do the trick; or contact a travel agency or tourist information office. Be aware that from the beginning to the middle of August the island can get very full, so it’s best to book well ahead if you plan to travel at that time.

Upmarket Agroresort Bračka Perla Put Vele Luke 53, Supetar, tel. (+385-21) 75 55 30/(+385-) 091 335 29 49, fax (+385-21) 75 55 47, info@perlacroatia.com, www. brackaperla.com. “Wow!” we said when we saw the beautiful bathing area, small but with gorgeous decking and comfy sun loungers. “WOW!” we said, when we saw the suites, each themed in a single vivid colour inspired by the flora of the Mediterranean, with painted motifs. It might be a bit too much for any Zen minimalists among you, but it’s certainly cheerful and very, very comfortable. The staff at this boutique hotel goes all-out to please, leaving guests feeling very happy and that the rather high prices are deserved. Town is a 15minute walk away, and there’s a beach just in front of the hotel. Q11 rooms (3 doubles €220 - 280, 6 suites €245 - 365, 2 Junior Suites €245 - 365). PA6FLGDC hhhh Bluesun Hotel Borak Bračka cesta 13, Bol, tel. (+385-21) 30 62 02, fax (+385-21) 30 62 15, borak@ bluesunhotels.com, w w w.bluesunhotels.com. Full marks to Hotel Borak. Although it’s a large resort-style hotel, it doesn’t feel overwhelming and it fits discreetly into its surroundings. It really offers something for everyone. For active types, there’s a multitude of sports facilities, from jogging on the forested beachside path to free climbing and windsurfing. For kids, there’s a swimming pool, playground and plenty of organised fun. There’s a pleasant beachside restaurant and cocktail bar right here for lovers of good food and drink, while for anyone wanting to relax and enjoy the natural and cultural surroundings, Bol’s famous beach and historic centre are just a stone’s throw away. Throw in superfriendly service, excellent food and spotlessly clean rooms and facilities, and you’ve got a recipe for a super holiday. Q Open May 29 - October 20. 184 rooms (133 doubles €31 - 83, 3 suites €215 - 395, 48 Family Rooms €43 - 112). PTAFLGKC hhhh Bluesun Hotel Elaphusa Bračka cesta 13, Bol, tel. (+385-21) 30 62 00, fax (+385-21) 63 54 77, elaphusa@ bluesunhotels.com, w w w.bluesunhotels.com. The most luxurious of the three Bluesun hotels in Bol. Although the Elaphusa is large, it is well-designed to fit in with its surroundings, incorporating stone elements that reflect the local landscape and architectural vernacular. Inside, simplicity Brač In Your Pocket

wHeRe to staY is the key, but one slight grumble is the huge expanse of marble flooring which lends a rather clinical air, and which apart from being rather noisy can be slippery. However, the pool area is lovely, and the Zlatni rat beach is right on your doorstep. There’s a smallish indoor pool and an excellent wellness centre. Apartments are equipped with jacuzzis and rooms are decorated in a clean, modern style. The Elaphusa’s dining facilities are excellent, and the offering is completed by conference facilities that can cater for up to 1000 attendees. Q Open March - November. 306 rooms (144 doubles €42 - 98, 156 triples €49 - 111, 3 suites €455 - 750, 3 Junior Suites €315 - 550). PTHA6UFGKDC hhhh Hotel Palača Dešković Pučišća, tel. (+385-21) 77 82 40, fax (+385-21) 77 82 56, h.palaca-deskovic@ st.t-com.hr, www.palaca-deskovic.com. If you go weak at the knees for old-world elegance, this is the place for you. The Dešković family home dates back to the 15th century and is still in the family: Countess Ružica Dešković is your hostess. The palace has been sensitively restored and the selected period furniture is in keeping with the aristocratic atmosphere. The Countess is a great art lover: the hotel has a gallery and is filled with original artworks, while guests can participate in art workshops and use the studio. A games room, library, restaurant and boat mooring are also at your disposal. The view from the front of the hotel is over the harbour of Pučišća, spiritual home of sculpture on the island. Q Open May - November. 13 rooms (7 Standard Rooms €124 - 206, 6 Junior Suites €151 - 248). PALGBK hhhh Lipa Postira bb, tel. (+385-21) 59 94 30, fax (+38521) 63 20 75, ture@optinet.hr, www.hotelpastura. hr. This small hotel is built in local stone and wonderfully situated right on the waterfront in the heart of tiny Postira. Inside, modern design ethics predominate. All rooms have sea views and are beautifully appointed in shades of lilac and brown. The restaurant is a relaxing space fitted out in a youthful style, while the terrace is a wonderful spot to drink in the atmosphere. There’s a pretty little pool at the back, and when we visited a wellness centre was still under construction: guests can in the meantime use the wellness facilities at nearby Hotel Pastura. Friendly service proves that good things do indeed come in small packages! Q Open April - November. 28 rooms (2 doubles 39 - 82€, 18 triples 39 - 82€, 8 suites 43 - 86€). Prices are per person / per day. PAGBKDC hhhh Pastura Vrilo 28, Postira, tel. (+385-21) 74 00 00/ (+385-21) 63 21 00, fax (+385-21) 63 21 09, pastura@ st.t-com.hr, www.hotelpastura.hr. Of the three hotels in Postira, the Pastura is the largest and most modern in design, with bright shades inside echoing the blue exterior. The hotel and adjoining apartments are very well equipped: there’s a gym, sauna, massage area and lovely oval pool, as well as plenty of excursions to choose from. Hotel Pastura is clean and friendly, the only niggle being the half board food: you might consider going B&B and eating out, self-catering or treating yourself to something from the extensive à la carte menu. The hotel is next to Postira’s famous sardine factory. While very few guests complain of any smells, if you can’t handle the occasional fishy waft you might choose one of the other hotels. Q Open April - November. 50 rooms (31 doubles €44 - 82, 6 suites €48 - 86, 4 apartments €52 135, 8 Junior Suites €46 - 84, 1 Presidential Suite €48 - 86). PHAUFLGBKDC hhhh Vrilo Porat 39, Postira, tel. (+385-21) 54 12 50, fax (+385-21) 54 12 60, vrilo@optinet.hr, w w w. hotelpastura.hr. A delightful, small modern hotel right on the water in the centre of Postira. Rooms are comfortable, all have

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a sea view and are decorated a little more conservatively than Postira’s other two hotels. There’s a little area with a Jacuzzi, sauna, steam room, solarium and massage area, while guests can use the gym and pool at Hotel Pastura. Vrilo’s monochrome dining area is modern and tastefully decorated, with large glass windows looking over the front. Overall, very nice indeed! Q Open May - November. 18 rooms (9 doubles €40 - 75, 4 triples €32 - 60, 5 Junior Suites €45 80). PJAGKDC hhhh Waterman Svpetrvs Resort Put Vele Luke 4, Supetar, tel. (+385-21) 63 11 33, fax (+385-21) 63 13 44, sales@ watermanresorts.com, www.watermanresorts.com. This hotel and apartment complex is on the western edge of town, set in lush gardens offering a wonderful sense of wellbeing. The buildings are set discreetly amidst the greenery, and the complex has been renovated in soothing cream, lemon and white tones. There’s a small wellness area and conference facilities for up to 420 bodies. There are sometimes a few teething troubles with the fittings in the rooms, which also lack tea and coffee-making facilities - a bind if you’re in one of the annexes. The quality of food and drink at the buffets could be better, but in general this is a pleasant hotel catering to package tour groups, probably best suited to retired people and young families. Q440 rooms (78 singles €100 - 131, 78 doubles €64 - 85, 277 triples €64 - 85, 63 suites €92 - 116, 22 Junior Suites €73 - 94). PTAUFLGBKDC hhhh

Mid-range Bluesun Hotel Bonaca Bračka cesta 13, Bol, tel. (+385-21) 30 62 69, fax (+385-21) 30 62 56, bonaca@ bluesunhotels.com, w w w.bluesunhotels.com. The Bonaca is positioned halfway between the Zlatni rat beach and Bol’s town centre, on the pine-scented promenade. Of the three Bluesun hotels in Bol, this is the most basic, but rooms are comfortable, service is excellent and the hotel is spotlessly clean. Notwithstanding the all-inclusive arrangements the food is reliably good, though drinks tend to let the side down. The Bonaca is the most family-oriented of the three hotels: the range of activities on offer and spacious pool and play areas will keep everyone occupied all day long. Q236 rooms (95 singles €59 - 125, 95 doubles €39 - 83, 93 triples €39 - 90, 48 apartments €52 - 129). PTAGKC hhh Bretanide Sport & Wellness Resort Put Zlatnog Rata 50, Bol, tel. (+385-21) 74 01 40, fax (+385-21) 74 01 71, office@bretanide.hr, www.bretanide.hr. This luxury hotel right on the Zlatni rat beach is Austrian-owned, meaning that the majority of guests are German-speaking, although staff speak several languages. The surroundings are pleasing, with plenty of greenery, while the hotel itself is unobtrusive, arranged in low-rise blocks. The pool area is a delight, and guests and visitors can use a small but wellequipped wellness centre. Activities laid on include Pilates and QiGong, guided tours by bike, Nordic Walking excursions, tennis lessons and dance weeks (all conducted in German). The hotel operates on an all-inclusive basis, with three pleasant restaurants catering for guests. The suites come particularly recommended for their stylish modern decoration and equipment. Q Open April - October. 287 rooms (260 doubles 57 - 96€, 27 suites 71 - 138€). Prices are per person / per day. PTHAUFLGBKDC hhh

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2010

wHeRe to staY

Explore Brač, Andrija Carli

Illyrian Resort Mala Biaka bb, Milna, tel. (+385-21)

63 65 66/(+385-) 098 75 96 57, fax (+385-21) 63 65 33, info@illyrian-resort.hr, www.illyrian-resort.hr. On the waterfront just outside Milna, this small complex has been recently built in a style that’s in harmony with the traditional architecture of the island. There’s a lovely beach right in front and a heated seawater pool in the central courtyard. The restaurant terrace is perfectly situated for watching the sun go down, accompanied by a good meal and music to match. Plenty of sports and excursions are on offer, including diving and cave exploring. Accommodation is simple and clean and prices reasonable - a good deal all round. Q35 rooms (35 apartments €56 - 125). PALBKC hhh Kaštil Frane Radića 1, Bol, tel. (+385-21) 63 59 95, fax (+385-21) 63 59 97, kastil@kastil.hr, www.kastil. hr. Hotel Kaštil has an army of devoted fans worldwide for its brilliant location in the very heart of Bol, its pleasant surroundings, friendl y ser vice, good break fasts and reasonable prices. Light sleepers may like to request a room at the back since the pizzeria and disco outside can be lively in high season, but the good double glazing and air conditioning mean that most people don’t experience problems. Some people find the room a bit on the small side, but most agree that the hotel’s position, character, service and reasonable

Brač In Your Pocket

wHeRe to staY prices more than make up for it. Q Open April - October 15.32 rooms (28 singles 290 - 540kn, 28 doubles 220 400kn, 4 triples 435 - 810kn). Prices are per person / per day. PJAEGBK hhh Velaris Tourist Resort Put Vele Luke 10, Supetar, tel. (+385-21) 60 66 06, fax (+385-21) 60 66 00, velaris@ velaris.hr, www.velaris.hr. A resort of two halves on the western edge of town: Hotel Amor, and the two pavilions Vlačica and Vrilo. While the latter were renovated in 2006 and offer three star accommodation, it’s Hotel Amor that attracts the envious glances. The design of the place is simply rather lovely, a stylish, modern combination of stone and natural wood complemented by an abundance of olive and lavender in the gardens. There’s a nice beach and a wellness centre, a conference room seating 260 people and a meeting room catering for 25. Guests are recommended to take bed and breakfast and enjoy the restaurants that the town has to offer since the hotel food is rather disappointing, but enjoying the local restaurants is part of the whole point of your visit, we feel. Q125 rooms (120 singles €38 - 103, 120 doubles €56 - 156, 2 suites €150 - 200, 3 Family Rooms €90 - 238, 77 E x tra Beds €66). PTHAFLGBKDC hhh Villa Adriatica Put Vele Luke 31, Supetar, tel. (+385-21) 75 50 11, fax (+385-21) 75 50 15, info@ villaadriatica.com, www.villaadriatica.com. A real find: a small hotel offering a warmth of welcome you usually only receive from your favourite aunt and uncle, but with facilities most larger hotels would be proud of. The stylish white buildings with wooden shutters are set in beautifully-kept gardens: sitting under the palms with a cocktail is a real pleasure. The rooms are a little on the small side, as is the outdoor pool area, but the location is excellent: quiet, with the town centre a short stroll away and the main town beach close by. But the thing that clinches it is the staff: they really go out of their way to help and to make your stay as pleasant as possible. Q23 rooms (23 singles €50 - 105, 23 doubles €79 - 168, 23 Extra bed €20 - 42). PHA6FGKDC hhh

Budget Britanida Hrvatskih velikana 26, Supetar, tel. (+38521) 63 10 38, fax (+385-21) 63 00 17, britanida@ st.t-com.hr. Hotel Britanida has a convenient location for island-hoppers or those not able to walk far: it’s close to the ferryport, the town centre is just a short stroll away and there’s a decent beach close by. This small hotel has an informal, family atmosphere; rooms are basic but clean and with nice bathrooms. The restaurant turns out good cooking and there’s a pleasant terrace for all fresco dining. Rooms are air-conditioned and there’s free wireless internet. All-round good value! Q15 rooms (12 singles €42 - 64, 12 doubles €36 - 68, 3 Family Rooms €). GBK hh

Camping Aloa Bol, tel./fax (+385-21) 63 53 67, tel. (+385-)

098 177 64 84, www.camping-bol.com. Aloa is sited on the way to the little hamlet of Murvica, so you can choose between Murvica’s lovely, secluded beach or the big one at Zlatni rat. It’s a good place if you’re a bit of an escapist, since the centre of Bol is about 4km away - clean air and peaceful surroundings are guaranteed. Tents and caravans are available to rent, and there’s a kid’s play area. Q Open May - October 15. Person / per day 3 - 9€, Car, Tent or Camping trailer 3€, Accomodation tax 1€. Dominikanski samostan Šetalište Anđelka Rabatana 4, Bol. This campsite is within the Dominican monastery on the eastern edge of town, and is run by the monks. It’s very

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popular as it’s so well-kept, has two beautiful small beaches close by and has such a glorious setting, so do book ahead to reserve your spot! Obviously, modest attire is required in the camp and on the beach outside the monastery. Q Open June - October. Person / per day 15 - 50kn, Tent 10 - 20kn, Accomodation tax 7kn.

Kanun Bračka cesta bb, Bol, tel. (+385-21) 63 52 93/(+385-) 098 42 27 87, vojmir.cvitanic@st.t-com. hr. Spectacularly located under Vidova gora, the plots at Kanun are nice and grassy, dotted with olive trees, and the atmosphere is friendly and relaxed. Bathroom and kitchen facilities are fine, and there’s a pleasant eating and grilling area. Q Open May - November. Person / per day 20 - 60kn, Camping trailer 10 - 15kn, Car 5 - 10kn, Accomodation tax 5.50 - 7kn.

Kito Bol, tel. (+385-21) 63 55 51/(+385-) 098 28 68 78, kamp_kito@inet.hr, www.camping-brac.com. This campsite is a short walk from the town centre. The plots are pleasantly grassy, and bathroom and kitchen facilities are fine. This is one of the larger campsites in Bol, and has a pleasant konoba on site so you can have breakfasts here or even stay half-board. Q Person / per day 1.40 - 7€, Car 1.10 - 1.40€, Tent 0.70 - 1.10€, Camping trailer 1.40 - 4.20€, Accomodation tax 1€. Mario Gospojica 2, Bol, tel. (+385-21) 63 50 28/ (+385-) 098 22 95 01, fanika.eterovic@st.htnet. hr, www.kampmario-bol.com. This is one of the larger campsites in Bol, and the closest to town. It has a restaurant on site, serving grilled and peka style food and local wine. There’s plenty of space for camper vans, and you can rent a trailer, tent or bike. Bathroom and kitchen facilities are fine. Q Person / per day 2.7 - 7.2€, Accomodation tax 0.75 - 0.95€. brač.inyourpocket.com

Njiva Put Podkaštilje 20, Bol, tel. (+385-21) 64 20 46/ (+385-) 091 898 72 22, 091 795 70 88, kamp_njiva@ hotmail.com, www.bol.hr. This little campsite looks over the Zlatni rat beach and is a great place to go if you enjoy a warm, family-run atmosphere: your hosts couldn’t be kinder. They’ve made an effort to ensure that each tent enjoys its own terrace planted with trees and flowers. There are spotlessly clean new bathroom facilities, and guests can use fridges, a washing machine and a pleasant covered terrace with a grill for eating al fresco. Q Open June - October. Person / per day 20 - 50kn. L Tennis Potočine bb, Bol, tel. (+385-21) 63 59 23/ (+385-) 098 60 91 75, darko.karmelic@st.t-com.hr, www.bol.hr. A nice little camp on the way to the Zlatni rat beach, dogs are allowed and you can hire a “frigo box” and a safe. There are plots for both plots and camper vans, and facilities for chemical toilets. Pleasant bathrooms and a big kitchen space for preparing food. Q Open May - October. Person / per day 20 - 55kn, Camping trailer 10 - 30kn, Accomodation tax 5.50 - 7kn.

Hostel Funky Donkey Ive Jakšića 55, Supetar, tel. (+385-21) 63 09 37/(+385-) 091 510 62 55, 091 143 23 72, info@ brachostels.com, www.brachostels.com. The former Shangri-La hostel, renovated and re-opened in 2009 is a brilliant place for backpackers seeking a friendly environment. It’s clean and bright, there’s free wifi internet and laundry, big lockers, a computer, DVD library and book exchange, games, a kitchen with fridge and microwave and a terrace with grill. Linen is included, and they’ll lend you towels for free. It’s located uphill, a few minutes’ walk from the centre, and there’s free parking. Q Open April 15 - October 15. 12 dorm beds, 110 - 135kn per person. LG 2010

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Air conditioning Live music Child friendly Non-smoking areas Casino Internet

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Credit cards accepted Take away Facilities for the disabled Guarded parking Animal friendly Outside seating

Most restaurants on Brač are called konoba, which is something rather like a taverna: a rustic-style place serving traditional food, once the haunts of local fishermen. On Brač, with its rich tradition of agriculture in the island’s interior, you can usually find several meat dishes on the menu as well. We list the places where, in our experience, the food and service is at least of reliable quality.

Bol Bistro Terasa Santo Frane Radića 3, tel. (+385-21) 71 71 94. A friendly place with a lovely seafront terrace and a menu offering an escape from the run-of-the-mill. One of the most popular dishes, refreshing on hot days, is the Santo salad: chicken on a bed of lettuce with balsamic vinegar and peanuts, while marinated prawns with peppers and pršut come a close second. Also recommended are the house specials of fillet steak in roast bell-pepper sauce and “mother’s brudet”: a mix of lobster and fish cooked in garlic, wine and tomato. Q April - November Open 07:00 - 23:00. AGB Konoba Gušt Frane Radića 14, tel. (+385-21) 63 59 11/(+385-) 098 42 30 03, info@konobagust.hr, www. konobagust-bol.com. Decorated in a rustic antique style, Gušt is a recreation of a traditional fisherman’s restaurant. It’s known as a haven of good Dalmatian-style cooking, sometimes with a twist: for example, the black squid ink usually used in risotto here appears in a gnocchi dish. The lobster salad is excellent, as is lobster with spaghetti, or try gregada, a delightfully simple dish of top quality white fish cooked with potato, onion and garlic and lashings of olive oil and parsley. Q April 15 - June Open 14:00 - 24:00. June September 30. Open 12:00 - 24:00. October 1 - October 22 Open 14:00 - 24:00. (60 - 150kn). NB Konoba Mali raj Put Zlatnog rata, tel. (+385-21) 63 52 82/(+385-) 098 26 58 51. Not the local Indian restaurant but a traditional style konoba on the far western corner where the Zlatni rat peninsula joins the mainland. The name, meaning “little paradise”, is truly apt: this is a delightful, lush garden ringed by stone walls and affording great mountain views. The menu consists of fish, seafood and meat classics, and the octopus is considered among the best in town. Q May 20 - October Open 12:00 - 24:00. NB

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Konoba Vallum Bračka cesta 13 (Bluesun Hotel

Elaphusa), tel. (+385-21) 30 62 00, www.bluesunhotels. com. Vallum is the Latin name for Bol, and denotes a fortification made of earth with defensive fencing. This konoba in the four-star Hotel Elaphusa complex is a good bet for excellent quality, Dalmatian cooking in a pleasant atmosphere. It’s a bit of a walk along the beachside promenade to get there from town, but after a good meal, you won’t regret the opportunity for a pine-scented walk under the stars. Q March - November Open 12:00 - 15:00, 19:00 - 22:00. PALG No. 1 Finger Food Rudina 32, Bol, tel. (+385-21) 63 55 01. Brand new in 2010, at this cute little place they’ll rustle up scrambled eggs for breakfast; sandwiches, cakes and croissants are available all day and there are tapas-style snacks such as fillet steak with rucola and grana padano for a light meal. Drinks include a selection of top-class wines and champagne. The place is run by the same people who run “No. 1”, a nice little club in Zagreb, and with the DJ decks already in place there’s sure to be summertime shenanigans afoot - hooray! QOpen 09:00 - 02:00. PNB Pizzeria Skalinada Rudina 30, tel. (+385-21) 63 57 27, baka-007@net.hr. Up a little stone staircase that gives this restaurant its name, this old-fashioned pizzeria turns out thin and crispy pizzas with delicious toppings, together with Topolino the best pizza in town. Be warned, the service can be painfully slow, but if you’ve time to linger and enjoy the atmosphere and the views, it’s well worth the wait. Q June 15 - September 15 Open 13:00 - 24:00. April - June 15, September 15 - November Open 17:00 - 23:00. PNB Pizzeria Topolino Frane Radića 1 (Hotel Kaštil), tel. (+385-21) 63 59 95. Topolino’s pizzas are among the best in town, but this restaurant additionally has a wide ranging menu, including excellent breakfasts (e.g. scrambled eggs with shrimps, healthy “wholemeal platter”), and brunch served ‘til 14:00. The standard of food is reliably high, with high quality ingredients used. Service is excellent. Live music livens up the evening atmosphere at this waterfront eatery. Q May - October 15 Open 08:00 - 23:00. B Plaža Borak Bračka cesta 13, www.bluesunhotels. com. The beachside restaurant, idyllically situated in the pinewoods on the way to Zlatni rat beach, is a firm favourite with hotel guests, visitors and locals. Food is good quality, with fresh ingredients and plenty of choice. It’s a big place, so no problem if you’re with a larger group. Q April 20 - October 20 Open 09:00 - 24:00. ALB Ribarska kučica A. Starčevića bb, tel. (+385-21) 63 50 33, info@ribarska-kucica.com, www.ribarska-kucica. com. This delightful stone fisherman’s warehouse occupies the tip of a headland with perfect, tiny beaches either side. It’s on the eastern edge of town, before the Dominican

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monastery. With wraparound sea views, this is a wonderful place to enjoy a long lunch while sea breezes soothe the heat away. This is really a place for seafood, although there are a handful of excellent meat offerings as well. The lobster salad regularly receives rave reviews, while the home-made gnocci with gorgonzola and prosciutto sauce are excellent if you need a more filling meal. This is an excellent place for scampi, either simply grilled or buzara style with wine, tomato and garlic. Don’t come wearing white! Q May - October Open 10:00 - 24:00. PNB Taverna Riva Frane Radića 5, tel. (+385-21) 63 52 36. This family-run restaurant has a 30-year pedigree and enjoys a reputation as the finest restaurant in town. The menu features both local classics and international dishes, including desserts such as semifreddo and panna cotta. The service is highly professional and we found the home-produced red wine excellent, but we were a bit surprised that the seafood tagliatelle was drowned in cream, while the gravy-like green peppercorn sauce didn’t do the tender, perfectly-cooked fillet steak justice. However, the chips were home-made and perfectly cooked in their skins - a delight! Q Open 11:00 15:00, 18:00 - 22:00. May - October Open 14:00 - 24:00. AGB Vusio Frane Radića 1 (Hotel Kaštil), tel. (+385-21) 63 59 95/(+385-21) 63 59 96, www.kastil.hr. This stylish summer terrace (which doubles as the breakfast terrace of Hotel Kaštil) is one to choose if you’ve something to celebrate. The concept is top class Dalmatian food using only the highest quality, fresh local ingredients. Even the grill is fired on natural wood from the island. The whole experience is complemented by the stunning sea views and an excellent wine list - a real treat. Try the fresh young cheese škuta as a dessert. Q June - September Open 08:00 - 23:00. PAGB

Dol Crkveno konoba Dol bb, tel. (+385-21) 63 71 13. The name literally translates as “The Church Cellar” - and churches do indeed have wine cellars for storing the communion wine. This, however, is a small vintner offering you the chance to try local wines and spirits before you buy, and to enjoy a few Dalmatian-style nibbles as you go. Q July - October Open 18:00 - 24:00.

Konoba Toni Dol, tel. (+385-21) 63 26 93/(+385-)

091 516 65 32, 091 572 19 54, tonci.matulic1@st.tcom.hr, www.toni-dol.info. Toni is famed far and wide as a bastion of excellent quality, simple, traditional cooking. Located in a lush valley, there’s an ample source of fresh home-produced vegetables and meat, and fish is also fresh and expertly prepared. But we recommend you make the trip to Toni for these three things: the friendly atmosphere, the view up to the village which looks as if it’s grown of its own accord from the rock, and Auntie Barica’s Hrapačuša cake. This is a speciality otherwise known as “Dol Viagra” - the combination of almonds, walnuts and caramelised sugar will certainly leave you feeling frisky… Q April - November Open 08:00 - 24:00. B

Donji Humac Konoba Kopačina Donji Humac, tel. (+385-21) 64 77

07/(+385-) 098 68 97 60, ivojugovic@gmail.com, www. konoba-kopacina.hr. Almost unparalleled in its reputation as the best place to eat on Brač, if you only venture into the island’s interior in order to eat here, it’ll be worth the trip. Only fresh, natural food is used, the soups are brilliant and there are fabulous seasonal specials on the menu such as grilled lamb steak with cheese and young broad beans. Although Kopačina is always busy, the service is very friendly so let your waiter guide you to the best thing on offer. The brave may be enticed to try local speciality Vitalac: see our Go Gourmet pages. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. PIGB

Gornji Humac Konoba Tomić Gornji Humac, tel. (+385-) 091 225 11

99/(+385-) 091 225 11 77, info@konobatomic.com, www.konobatomic.com. Hidden away in the middle of this ancient stone settlement is the home of the Tomić family: an 800-year-old house with adjoining wine cellar that now serves as a restaurant. In the very barrels you see here the wine you are drinking is matured; and the konoba is full of the scent of woodsmoke from the open fire. Since the family grows vegetables and rears livestock for the restaurant, everything that you eat is fresh and organic, including the bread. Try the veal, or take the chance and try goat meat, you won’t regret it. Q Open by prior arrangement. June 15 - October Open 18:00 - 02:00. NB

Milna Fontana Žalo bb, Milna, tel. (+385-21) 63 62 85, 63

63 55/(+385-) 091 520 04 71, www.mb-vicic.com. Named after Rendić’s fountain in front of the school on the square, Fontana is a family-owned place with a slightly oldfashioned but sunny interior, a pleasant, spacious terrace and cooking that brings in locals and the yachtie crowd alike. Try their green manestra: pasta with seafood sauce. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00. NB Galicija Galicija bb, Milna, tel. (+385-21) 63 63 12. A little set back from the waterfront in a green residential area, Galicija’s terrace is an idyllic spot to while away a long lunch. This is a good place for a simple meal of fried sardines, or mackerel, tuna or meat grilled over charcoal. There are a few house specialities such as medallions of meat with asparagus and cheese, meat fondue and refreshing plate salads. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. INB

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2010

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RestaURants court proceedings, since no good comes of these to any side. Never a truer word was said. The view is on to the famous little church with a pine tree growing out of its rear end. QOpen 14:00 - 23:00. PAB

Postira Konoba Galija Postira bb. A simple waterfront restaurant,

offering good pizzas and plate salads. There’s shady seating in the little sidestreet. Q May - October Open 11:00 - 24:00. NB

Povlja Konoba Pipo Uvala Luke, tel. (+385-) 098 78 13 58.

Konoba Smrčeva (Lučice bay) Uvala Lučice, tel.

(+385-) 091 422 21 10/(+385-) 091 335 54 86, www. achoragecroatia.com. Konoba Smrčeva is remarkable not only for its spectacularly unpronounceable name, but also for being run by former Hajduk football star Marino Lemešić, his journalist wife Dragica and their son Leo. The family have gained a reputation for excellent food and a wonderfully unspoilt atmosphere at this out-of-town konoba. To get here by boat, head for the Lučice bay directly south of Milna and keep an eye out for the green sunshade on the left hand side. You can also get here by car: from Milna head for the cemetery, and from the crossroads keep following the signs. Since this is a small place, it’s advisable to call ahead to let the family know you’re coming, and they’ll gladly help you out if you get a little lost along the way. Q May - October Open 12:00 - 22:00 NB Palma Milna. The shady terrace of Bistro Palma, a little restaurant at the entrance to town, is a pleasant place to escape from the heat of the day. Worshippers from all over Croatia come here for the beef with gnocchi in mushroom sauce. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. (35 - 100kn). PINB

Murvica Konoba Marija Murvica bb. Escapists should definitely

take the trek along the dirt track to Murvica, an oasis of peace with stunning views and a delightful little beach. This friendly konoba consists of a simple, roofed terrace with an open fire offering good food at reasonable prices, it’s a great place to kick back and relax through a sweltering afternoon. The menu has most of the standard classics, including pizzas and pasta dishes, but for the ultimate experience we suggest you order lamb roast on the spit or veal, lamb or octopus cooked peka style. Call ahead to order the latter and to reserve for larger groups. Q June - October 15 Open 10:00 - 24:00. (50 - 150kn). NB

Nerežišća Gažul Gažul, tel. (+385-) 098 993 09 43. This little traditional stone konoba is set in the shepherds’ settlement of Gažul, inland on the road between Nerežišća and Gornji Humac. Although Gažul is nowadays only inhabited in the summertime, the konoba is open from February to November but only by prior appointment. Logically enough, the menu is devoted exclusively to lamb, and all the ingredients used in the preparation of your meal are grown or reared by your hosts themselves. A really authentic experience, and delicious too! Q Open February - November by prior arrangement. NB Tinel Nerežišća, tel. (+385-21) 63 72 22. A brand new pizzeria with a modern interior containing a true curiosity: a stone plaque exhorting the locals to avoid getting involved in Brač In Your Pocket

In a deep inlet on the way to Povlja, Pipo is only reachable by boat (head for the Luka bay near Povlja). A little slice of paradise: a traditional stone house located on the site of an old quarry at the head of the inlet, where all the food on offer is home grown, including the mussels and oysters. The views are phenomenal, there are five little beaches and a playground for the kids. If you fall hopelessly in love with the place, you can rent a room and potter to your heart’s content in one of the family’s boats. Q May - October Open 07:00 - 24:00. NB Taverna Kala Povlja, tel. (+385-21) 63 90 24. A pleasant and clean little konoba with wooden benches on the waterfront, well patronised by locals due to the freshness of the fish. For a lighter meal, try a plate of fried small fish (sardines or similar), while the oily fish (mackerel or similar) is a little more substantial. If you’re treating yourself, choose top quality sea fish or scampi. Meat and pasta are also on the menu, but it’s a pity to miss out on a rare chance to enjoy truly fresh fish and seafood! Q April - November Open 07:00 - 24:00. B

Pučišća Konoba Lado Pučišća, tel. (+385-21) 63 30 69. A little

restaurant with a nice big terrace, offering local specialities such as žutinica (wild greens, tasty and slightly bitter), asparagus, tripe and bakalar - salt cod, usually served as a stew. The restaurant has its own boat, so you can be sure of the freshest fish here. Q May - November Open 11:00 24:00. INGB

Selca Agroturizam Hacienda Selca bb. A huddle of beautiful stone cottages with a delightful central garden. Take a peep into the main building, a fabulous old-fashioned barn-style construction. Family run, everything that reaches your plate is home grown right here, including the fruit from which the renowned sour cherry juice is made. Lamb features high on the menu, roast on the spit, under an iron bell or in true local style, chunks lanced on a špica - a skewer, browned over an open fire. Service is sometimes on the slow side, but the family are very friendly, the atmosphere is pure relaxation and there are even two tiny cottages where you can stay overnight. Q May - October Open 12:00 - 23:00. NB

Splitska Konoba kod Tonča Riva bb, Splitska, tel. (+385-21) 71 77 16/(+385-) 091 534 36 85. This is an old-fashioned stone konoba, famil y run, with seating on Splitska’s waterfront. It serves traditional Dalmatian food, including specialities made to order such as pašticada (a beef stew with gnocci) or brudet od jastoga: lobster cooked in tomato and red wine, served with macaroni. Q May - September Open 09:00 - 24:00. (50 - 250kn). NGB brač.inyourpocket.com

Vala Riva bb, Splitska, tel. (+385-21) 63 29 05. Vala

has a spacious terrace at the head of Splitska’s harbour, and has no interior dining space. It’s a place for sampling grilled fish and meat, including lamb. They also serve food cooked peka style. Try octopus, if you’re feeling daring - it’s juicy and delicious. Q May - November Open 08:00 - 24:00. (50 - 150kn). NGB

Sumartin Bistro Dalmatino Riva bb, Sumartin, tel. (+385-21)

64 81 55. If you enjoy the romance of dining by the water, Dalmatino is the place to be, since its pleasing terrace is set atop a little stone pier. You can keep the nautical theme going with a plate of the fisherman’s favourite, fried sardines, or a grilled piece of tuna, while simple meat dishes such as mixed grill and ćevapi - spiced meat patties - keep the carnivores happy. Q Open 06:30 - 22:00. June - October 15 Open 06:30 - 24:00. NB Vrh Brača Riva, Sumartin. “Vrh Brača” is an old name for Sumartin, indicating the village’s position on the very tip of the island. This brand new pizzeria impressed us with the simplicity of its décor, all in local white stone inside and out on the terrace. Try the house pizza topped with a classic Mediterranean quartet of pancetta, anchovies, olives and capers. Q May - October Open 07:00 - 22:00. NGB

Supetar Agroturizam Ranjak Supetar, tel. (+385-) 091 631 66

99. This is an “agri-tourism” venture: a family home open to visitors, exclusively offering home produce prepared by Mrs Ranjak, who is a simply fabulous cook. The sweet toothed may be tempted by her “hroštule” - scented fritters as light as a feather, while those keen to taste local specialities might ask for vitalac or tripe. The pleasant garden is in an olive grove and has a play area to keep kids occupied while you munch. Located a few kilometres out of Supetar, on the way to Nerežišća. Q Open by prior arrangement. April - November Open 12:00 - 24:00. N Bistro Palute Porat 4, Supetar, tel. (+385-21) 63 17 30. Palute gets the thumbs-up for its side dishes of homemade chips and tasty rice with vegetables. Another favourite is spinach pasta with crab meat. Palute is on the busiest part of the waterfront, close to the ferry and bus station, and is a good place to pick up a tasty, quick and reasonably priced meal. Nice atmosphere and good value for money. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. NGB Bistro Punta Punta 1, Supetar, tel. (+385-21) 63 15 07, www.vilapunta.com. Occupying a peninsula on the western edge of town by the Hotel Svpetrvs complex, Punta’s terrace has lovely views over the mainland. Punta also has a stylish interior and is known as a place offering good quality cooking and a varied international menu, as well as meat cooked under a traditional peka. Q April - November Open 08:00 - 02:00. NGB Konoba Gušti mora Ive Vojnovića 16, Supetar, tel. (+385-21) 63 10 56. Run by a family who are impressively devoted to their customers. Almost everything is made on the premises or by trusted local suppliers, this is a good bet for cheese and pršut. Apart from classics served with an imaginative twist, the menu includes international dishes such as scallops in wine and cognac or pasta with salmon and caviar. Try the pancakes with škuta or baked figs in honey sauce for dessert, and don’t miss the range of homemade liqueurs, mellow and not too sweet. Q July, August Open 12:00 - 24:00. May, June, September, October Open 15:00 - 22:00. NGB

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Konoba Lukin Porat 32, tel. (+385-21) 63 06 83/

(+385-) 091 591 62 88, raull@vip.hr. This simple konoba has a pleasant location on the western end of the Supetar harbour. Lukin serves all the classic fish and meat dishes: we tried the black risotto and found it to be tasty. Soups are home-made, not out of a packet. The interior is in stone and wood, while the toilets are impressively clean and snazzy. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. (20 - 390kn). NB Konoba Vinotoka Jobova 6, tel. (+385-21) 63 09 69/ (+385-) 091 207 44 70, kanoc@st.t-com.hr. Vinotoka has an old konoba and a new space across the street which is possibly the loveliest restaurant premises in town: a large raftered space on the upper floor of a building, with windows all around. Vinotoka has a standard menu, the quality of the food is solid and in general the restaurant offers good value for money, though the service could do with being a little more attentive. QOpen 15:00 - 24:00. AG

Sutivan Bracera Riva bb, Sutivan, tel. (+385-21) 63 84 52. The

smells that waft from this pizzeria are a good guide to the tempting pies that are rustled up inside. Bracera is a relaxed little place right on the waterfront by the big wooden fishing boat, and has a pleasant stone interior. Q April - November Open 07:00 - 01:00. NGB Dora Sutivan, tel. (+385-21) 63 81 97/(+385-) 098 937 73 65, bartul.luksic@live.com. The entrance to the restaurant is amid lush greenery by a little roadside shrine, two blocks away from the waterfront. The lovely terrace affords a full view onto the kitchen area, where fish and seafood are grilled and meat is cooked under the peka - an iron lid heaped with embers. This place has been kept in the same family for decades, and has been rewarded by legions of fans for its excellent food and friendly service. Q June - September 20 Open 16:00 - 24:00 (45 - 150kn). AB Konoba Porat Riva bb, Sutivan, tel. (+385-21) 63 84 94. Porat’s interior is delightful, all in wood with a gallery and fresh blue and yellow nautical details. When the fine weather arrives, the tables spill out over the seafront. This is a good place to eat fish, including delicious, healthy varieties such as mackerel and tuna which won’t break the bank. Q Open 16:00 - 22:00. June - September Open 12:00 - 24:00. Closed December and January. NGB Miki Riva bb, Sutivan, tel. (+385-21) 63 82 99. At Miki, you can choose between the atmospheric stone vaults of the interior, or a large shaded terrace with an open kitchen. The restaurant owner has his own fishing boat, so if you take the waiter’s recommendation and go for the fish platter you can be sure it’s freshly caught. Q June - October Open 12:00 - 23:00. NGB

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go goURMet We like meeces to pieces! A culinary speciality of which the Bračans are very proud is Myoxus glis or Glis glis - otherwise known as the edible or fat dormouse. Oh no! When we saw these fat, bushy tailed little creatures, reminiscent of grey squirrels but with chubby faces and great beady eyes, eating them was the last thing that sprang to mind. But the tradition of eating this animal, known as a “puh” in Croatian (and pronounced to rhyme with “woof”), goes back to Roman times. In countries where the puh is common it may be considered a pest due to its penchant for nibbling through useful things like electric cables. Interestingly, there is a colony of 10 000 around the English town of Tring following a great escape of the intrepid animals from the private collection of the 2nd Baron Rothschild in 1902. In the UK they enjoy some degree of protection. In Slovenia, however, not only is their eating a part of the folk culture but their fat has been prized as a medicament since the Middle Ages. On Brač, the puh is considered an exceptionally healthy animal to eat since its diet primarily consists of clean stuff like acorns and grapeseeds. For the full puh experience you’re supposed to catch the animal yourself by setting a trap in a tree. It should be roasted over an open fire and it has to be fat! If you intend to try this unusual delicacy, ask your host in one of the island’s more traditional restaurants who may be able to source it for you. But we say: leave da liddle bebbehs alone! Pooh to eating the puh!

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go goURMet Three words describe authentic Brač cuisine: local, organic and seasonal. We urge you to track down restaurants that serve good quality food using the freshest local ingredients - natural, healthy and delicious. See our Restaurants section for our recommendations for the best and most authentic Brač restaurants, and turn to the Culture and Events pages to find out about gastronomy festivals where you’ll have the chance to sample all kinds of local specialities. Here are a few pointers for things to look out for… Ask any Croatian person what springs to mind when they think of Dalmatian food and they’ll also throw three words right back at you “riba i blitva” (“fish and chard”). Of course, what better to eat than fresh, locally-caught fish from the clear waters of the Adriatic? On Brač there is no shortage of restaurants with a hotline to a good local fisherman, or where the proprietors themselves are fishermen as well as restaurateurs. Brač also has two commercial fish factories: one in Postira, which was established in 1906 and specialises in canning oily fish such as sardines, tuna and mackerel, and one in Milna which opened for business in 2005 on the basis of a long tradition of processing fish in the village, and which has an interesting range of products such as smoked and marinated fish and seafood. Several restaurants now offer their smoked tuna as an appetiser - try it drizzled with olive oil. Of course, there are a million ways of preparing fish but it’s hard to beat the most simple: grilled over charcoal, smothered with olive oil, parsley and garlic and served with a side dish of chard - a leafy green vegetable not unlike spinach but without the odd feeling on your teeth. At certain times of the year you may be offered wild greens - do try if you get the chance. Other seasonal vegetables which are rather special are asparagus - usually the slim, potent, wild variety (divlja šparoga), and broad beans (bob), both of which can be prepared in myriad ways. Brač is known as the “inland island” since for centuries its interior was far more populated than the coast. The inland culture of raising stock can still be discerned through the island’s cuisine, in which fish is balanced by meat dishes, traditionally lamb and goat. The inhabitants of these inland communities also lived from the production of olive oil and wine. You can buy both commercially-produced and homemade Brač extra virgin olive oil, which has a delightfully strong, fruity flavour. Don’t be shy to try home-produced wine either, it can be very good. The local variety is Plavac Mali, which thrives best on the south-facing slopes on the southern shore of the island. Plavac Bol and Plavac Baković (from Murvica) are two labels you might come across. A new local vineyard is Bosso, with a 2008 Plavac Mali matured for one year in French barrique barrels, and cellared for a further six months in the bottle. As for white wine, you’ll find a Chardonnay and a Dalmatian variety called Pošip in the traditional konobas in Gornji Humac. Speaking of desserts, naturally the local sweets are made from ingredients indigenous to the island such as figs, honey, carob, nuts, grapes and cherries. Hrapačuša is a cake made primarily of almonds, walnuts and lemon: its spiritual

home is the village of Dol. Bračka torta (Brač cake) is a traditional cake from the village of Škrip made with almonds and chocolate. Sweet specialities common all through Dalmatia which you’ll also find here include rožata, similar to crème caramel, light and crispy fritters called hroštule and mendule u cukru, almonds rolled in caramelised sugar.

Choose a cheese If you get the chance to sample some Brač island cheese, we highly recommend you do so. Matured for three or more months before consumption, it’s a semi-hard cheese made from sheep’s milk and has a subtle nutty tang. You can sample it in the better eateries as listed in our Restaurants section, but beware, it’s not always easy to find and your waiter may tell you that Brač cheese has run out, offering Pag island cheese instead, which is also excellent. Think of a milder, slightly softer version of Parmesan and that approximates Brač and Pag island cheeses. In the spring running up to the tourist season, a feverish battle rages between restaurateurs eager to get their hands on the year’s cheeses before stocks run out. Therefore, each restaurant owner guards the phone number of his or her sheep’s cheese supplier like the crown jewels, and sadly there’s little available for sale to the public. One other cheesy local speciality is škuta, or curd cheese. It’s made from the very first curds gathered from the top of milk, and lasts no more than two or three days. It has a mild, fresh flavour and you’ll come across it in better restaurants served as a dessert, with honey or pancakes.

Varenik

Olives

An unusual ingredient called Varenik is thought to have been made on Brač for 2000 years - it was mentioned during Roman times. It’s made by boiling red wine down to a concentrate, which is then stored in bottles and added to all sorts of foods, sweet and savoury, to impart a unique and rich flavour. During the time of the Varenik festival at the end of September, dishes are prepared showcasing the use of this ingredient, and the island’s restaurants have a range of specials on the menu.

The variety of olive most widespread on the island of Brač is called Oblica, a native variety that thrives in local weather conditions. The olives are green until they start to ripen, when they turn black. In Croatia, olives are usually picked when black for eating and for production of oil, though they can also be picked for oil when only partly black.

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Vitalac Fans of offal will be overjoyed to learn that one of Brač’s culinary specialities is made from those idiosyncratic segments of a goat or a lamb. Not only is it a delicay that is raved about by afficionados, but the tradition of making it is so old and so unique that Vitalac is listed as an item of non-material cultural heritage in Croatia. A skewer is threaded with small pieces of kidney, lung or what have you, salted and wrapped in soft piece of muscle tissue, gently barbecued, then wrapped in a piece of intestine and roasted for a further hour until crispy on the outside. For best results, the victim should be a little baby lamb not even weaned from its mother’s milk… sniff! The resulting sausage-shaped delicacy is removed from the skewer, salted, sliced and served warm. The administration of lashings of extra virgin olive oil makes the ingestion of this almost bearable for those who are not fans of offal.

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2010

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CaFÉs, BaRs & ClUBs Cafes & Bars

A traditional stone vessel for storing olive oil In Brač’s olive groves you may notice the trees have broad, low crowns as they are often pruned to avoid them getting too tall, to make picking easier. Olives are harvested in November, when it’s all hands to the pump to pick the fruits and deliver them to the local press where oil is made. In Croatia, olives for eating are usually preserved simply in salt water. Alternatively, they might be slightly roasted and dressed in oil, or frozen and eaten au naturel.

Hrapačuša The village of Dol has i t s ve r y o w n l i v i n g legend - a lady named Barica who is proud holder of the title of World Champion in the making of Hrapačuša cake. Some may point out that Hrapačuša is only made on Brač and in particular in Dol and that this is therefore no achievement at all, but we defy anyone to taste the cake of Barica and tell us that she is not among the greats of this planet, or even neighbouring galaxies, Auntie Barica, World in the ar t of making Champion maker of cake. Her Hrapačuša Hrapačuša cake is a crescendo of nuts, l e m on, c a ra m eli s e d sugar and egg yolk, a calorific atom bomb that induces an intense sugar rush and has been named “Dol Viagra” with good reason. Try Barica’s award-winning cake in Konoba Toni or at island gastronomy festivals.

Brač In Your Pocket

Brač island oil is very flavourful, and a local producer, the company Bracchia, has won an award for excellent oil which is beautifully presented in stone bottles. It will set you back a few euro, but makes a stylish gift. If you’re buying for yourself or your loved ones for everyday use, the oil offered by locals can be delicious. Try before you buy, and transfer the oil from the plastic bottle into a glass or stone container as soon as you can. Expect to pay about ten euro for a litre. There is talk of organising olive picking activities for tourists, and we’ll let you know as soon as we have news. However, you can take a hike through the olive groves around Mirca on three marked trails, between 4.3 and 6km (3-5 miles) long.

Sorting the sheep from the goats To say that rearing sheep and goats has been an integral part of life on Brač for millennia would not be an overstatement. The earliest Illyrian settlements on the island were small groups of herders’ cottages in the rocky hinterland which you can still see today. Today, flocks of sheep are a familiar sight, some estimating the ovine population of the island to be 25 000. On your travels you are sure to come across on an elderly person leading a handful of goats or sheep to pasture. Lamb plays a central role in the cuisine of Brač, the meat being considered particularly tasty and tender due to the salt-encrusted wild herbs that form their diet. The local way of preparing the meat is to roast chunks on skewers over a wood fire (na špicu). Goats are hardy creatures which can thrive in tough conditions such as the rocky slopes of Adriatic islands. They can digest a much broader range of plants than sheep, and the number of medicinal plants goats graze on coupled with their active lifestyle are thought to be the reasons why goat meat and milk are particularly healthy for humans. Kid goat meat is less fatty than lamb and has a milder flavour, although the meat of male goats older than six months takes on a pungent smell and is usually avoided. Goat’s cheese, more pungent than sheep’s cheese, is highly prized, although an acquired taste for some.

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Coffee is an integral part of daily life in Croatia, and drinking coffee is the occasion for socialising and swapping news with friends. Although (almost) every settlement has at least once café serving the needs of the local populace, we list below some of the more comfortable spots where you’ll enjoy relaxing with a brew and watching the world go by. Arca Petra Jakšića 1, Supetar. The stone terrace of this little sidestreet café, shaded by lemon trees, is just the spot for a relaxing coffee and a newspaper; later on, it’s a lively meeting spot. Q Open 07:00 - 23:00. June - October Open 07:00 - 01:00. NGB Barbara Porat 17, Supetar, tel. (+385-21) 63 15 02. Right on the seafront close to the ferry terminal, Barbara is a little unusual for its cosy stone and polished wood interior. Since they serve good coffee too, it’s an especially good place to come if you need to retreat indoors. Q Open 06:00 22:00. June - September 15 Open 06:00 - 02:00. NGB Barka Porat bolskih pomoraca bb, Bol. A waterfront café in the town centre with a good terrace. The tiny interior is more for the young’uns, there’s an arcade game inside and the music tends to the raucous side. Barka is a lively place and is open late at weekends. Q April - November Open 06:30 - 24:00. B Benny’s Bar Banj beach, Supetar, natasaann@yahoo. com. A stylish café and bar complex on Supetar’s main town beach east of the centre, just by the toboggans. This is a place you’re likely to find a contemporary mix of urban music, including live concerts by some important names on the Croatian music scene. Q June - September Open 10:00 - 02:00. C BenQuick Vlačica 19, Supetar, tel. (+385-21) 63 05 41. West of the harbour, Ben Quick’s terrace is in deep shade and has comfortable chairs. Playing low-key rock music, it’s a good place to come for early evening drinks (including cocktails), and is lively until late. Croissants and cakes come to the rescue if you get an attack of the munchies. Q Open 07:00 - 24:00. June - September Open 06:30 - 02:00. NGB Big Blue Podan glavice 2, Bol, tel. (+385-21) 63 56 14. A colourful little place on a point on the waterfront towards the east of the town centre, if there’s a cooling breeze to be found you’ll be able to catch it here. The shop next door sells equipment for adventure sports, everything from hiking to windsurfing. Q Open 08:00 - 22:00. June - September 15 Open 08:00 - 01:00. B Bolero Bluesun Hotels & Resorts, Bol. Sited in the pine woods on the promenade to the Zlatni rat beach, this cocktail bar is an essential spot to call in for early evening drinks on your way back from a hard day’s bathing. With lounge style furniture and low-key electronic music as the backdrop, it’s also a lovely place to laze in the shade on a hot day with a coffee and a newspaper. Q May - October Open 08:00 - 01:00. Brentos Ratac 2, Supetar, tel. (+385-21) 63 12 03. At the beginning of the beach area west of the centre, Brentos has a terrace under the pines where you can retreat from the sun, while pool, table football, arcade games and kids’ ride-on toys come to the rescue if beach boredom sets in. Q Open 07:00 - 22:00. June - September 20 Open 07:00 - 24:00. NGB Faul Riva, Sumartin. Evenings in Sumartin are livened up by Faul (pronounced, and meaning “foul” as in “no way ref!”). Popular with a young local crowd, there are sometimes live bands and the bar hosts cocktail parties on Saturdays. Out front there are good benches for watching the world go by, and

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the interior is a good place to sit out a bit of bad weather. Q Open 07:00 - 23:00. June - September Open 07:00 - 01:00, Fri, Sat, Sun 07:00 - 02:00. NB Fjaka Milna. “Fjaka” is a word denoting a state of mind and body induced by soporific heat or the sweltering south wind when you just don’t feel like doing anything - a feeling that ideally results in a delightful siesta. This café, popular with the locals, is on Milna’s waterfront and offers a range of cocktails. QOpen 06:00 - 02:00. NB Galeb Supetar. This waterfront café has a relaxed, lived-in feel and is a lively meeting point for coffees and cocktails. What impresses most is that they actually use limes in the cocktails: all too often in Croatia lemon is substituted, a terrible disappointment to fans of the Margarita, the Caipirinha and the Mohito. Q Open 07:00 - 20:00. June - September 15 Open 07:00 - 01:00. NB Kavana Palma Lučica bb, Sutivan. Palma has a lovely seating area on a little wooden pier, right over the water. It’s a great spot to watch the sun go down, and is a favourite destination for evening drinks before continuing to Modrulj for cocktails and dancing ‘til the sun rises. If the weather’s not great, Palma has a pleasing interior with a pool table. Q Open 07:00 - 01:00. June - September 15 Open 06:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 06:00 - 03:00. PNGB

Ko - To Porat bb, Pučišća, tel. (+385-21) 63 33 92. In the centre of the shady square at the top of Pučišća’s harbour is a pleasant wooden deck where you can enjoy a relaxing cup of whatever your heart desires. It’s surrounded by barriers carved with humorous cartoons featuring La Linea, a character created by Italian cartoonist Osvaldo Cavandoli. Q Open 07:00 - 23:00. July - September 15 Open 07:00 - 02:00. NB

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CaFÉs, BaRs & ClUBs Essential Brač Blaca tel. (+385-) 091 516 46 71 / 091 512 93 12. Blaca is perhaps the most stunning sight on the Brač, and is certainly among the most incredible cultural monuments on the Adriatic. This inhospitable rocky gorge became the home of an order of Glagolitic monks who nurtured the Croatian language using the oldest Slavic alphabet. They left the Republic of Poljica south of Split following the Ottoman invasion of the mainland. In 1550, the Brač authorities allotted them land in the Blaca canyon some 3km from the coast. The refugees initially settled in one of the many caves to be found in this karst landscape. Brač online

La Luna Postira. Postira may be very far from party central,

but in La Luna it does at least have one late-opening cocktail bar with DJs and live music. It’s right on the waterfront in the centre of town. Q May - October Open 08:00 - 02:00 Lanterna Supetar, tel. (+385-21) 63 07 78. Lanterna is newly refurbished in a modern cruiser-themed style, which confounds locals of a certain age who used to frequent this place fifty years ago, when it was the most glamorous disco in the Yugoslav Adriatic. Lanterna nowadays upholds those past glories by offering an excellent selection of drinks and snacks. There’s a full cocktail menu and a selection of fabulous - but pricey - wines (nibbles are supplied free of charge). If you go for a Dalmatian-style breakfast, you’ll get smoked fish and other delicacies. The freshly squeezed orange juice is great! Q Open 06:00 - 23:00. June - October Open 06:00 - 01:00.

Lovrečina Lovrečina Beach. New in 2010, a beach bar

on the sandy Lovrečina beach, reckoned by many to be the most beautiful cove on the island, renowned for its ancient archaeological remains. The bar will be serving up soothing summer sounds, cold drinks, coffees and delicious cocktails. Q June - October Open 11:00 - 21:00. Loža Porat bolskih pomoraca bb, Bol. The name refers to the loggia, or colonnade under which this café is sited. The loggia was built in 1884 to serve as a meeting place for locals, a function which it still fulfils today. Therefore, Loža, with its pleasant waterfront seating, is a good place to watch the locals catching up on the daily news, while evenings are animated, sometimes with live music. Q Open 06:00 24:00. June - October Open 06:00 - 02:00. B Marina Supetar. If you’re out for a night on the town, Marina is a good stopping-off point: it has a large terrace with a well-stocked cocktail bar featuring nightly fire shows in summer. Q Open 06:30 - 23:00. June - October Open 06:00 - 02:00. Monaco Put Vele luke, Supetar. A great café for watching the World Cup, it has four TV screens. Right on the beach, it’s clean and modern, with DJs spinning tunes at the weekends. Q Open 07:00 - 23:00. June - September Open 07:00 - 02:00. NB Monte Carlo Pučišća, tel. (+385-21) 63 32 58. Under the colonnades of one of Pučišća’s finest palaces is a café, a beloved spot of the locals for catching up with the daily grapevine. In the building behind is the first Croatian-language reading room on Brač - until then, Italian was used. Q Open 07:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat, Sun 07:00 - 02:00. June - October Open 07:00 - 02:00. PNGB Pink Panther Postire, tel. (+385-21) 63 20 48. Postira is a delightfully laid-back little village, but if you’re still having a hard time relaxing, Pink Panther is here to the rescue. Sit back on the comfy waterside seating, let the music work its way into your bones and repeat after us “doing nothing is gooood,

Brač In Your Pocket

doing nothing is goooood”… If a squall should interrupt your bliss, simply retreat to the lovely stone interior and start again.

Q June - September 15 Open 07:00 - 01:00. NB Pjerin Put Vele luke bb, Supetar. A waterfront rock bar with a clean and modern interior. Q Open 07:00 - 23:00. June 21 - October 21 Open 07:00 - 02:00 NB

Vox Žalo bb, Milna. Vox’s terrace is in the shade of a rather lovely red building in the centre of Milna, overlooking the little harbour. The café’s interior is tucked away in the nearby sidestreet, it’s rather a stylish little place with a few historical artefacts in glass display cabinets, it’s a popular gathering place for the locals. QOpen 07:00 - 02:00. NB

Clubs Brač is not the place to go to for an Ibiza-style party, nor would we want it to be - it’s a place to kick back and appreciate a way of life that has all but disappeared elsewhere. Nevertheless, there are a few spots where you can have a low-key, fun night out. A lot of cafés double as bars and are open ‘til the small hours: see the Cafés section. La Dolce Vita Event Hacienda Selca bb. Keep your eyes peeled for what’s on at the Hacienda estate near Selca, a knot of stone cottages serving as a restaurant, and doubling as an entertainment space in the evenings. Events range from dinner time jazz and live concerts through to DJ parties with house music keeping things jumping ‘til dawn. Q July - October Open 23:00 - 05:00.

Mali raj Put Zlatnog rata, Bol, tel. (+385-21) 63 52 82/ (+385-) 098 26 58 51. A lovely stone-flagged garden of a taverna transforms into a party zone when the restaurant closes around midnight. House and techno predominate, but since Mali raj doesn’t get too busy, it’s more a place for a few drinks as you wait to watch the sun rise from the paradise beach. Mali raj is located at the beginning of Zlatni rat on the side facing away from town, a good 20 minutes’ walk from the town centre. Q July 20 - September 20 Open 24:00 - 05:00. Modrulj Sutivan. This beachside cocktail bar right on the waterfront on the western edge of town is a popular spot for relaxed drinks during the day and for dancing ‘til the small hours of the morning. Q June 15 - September 15 Open 09:00 - 05:00. Varadero Frane Radića 1, Bol. An open-air cocktail bar right on the seafront in the centre of town, in the summer months Varadero is Bol’s party central. The DJ plays an excellent mix of music that somehow hits the spot with punters of all tastes, and the atmosphere is one of friendly holiday fun. Everyone’s in the mood for mingling, with people spilling out onto the streets and dancing right there on the waterfront. Great fun! Q April - October 15 Open 07:30 02:00. NB brač.inyourpocket.com

Blaca, Zoran Erceg

Caves Brač is a karst island, meaning that it is composed of limestone and dolomite, relatively soft rock that is easily moulded by the elements. This is why the rock of which Brač is composed is something like Swiss cheese - full of caves, sinkholes and other formations. Brač is a paradise for cavers, potholers and anthropologists - there is a history of human habitation of Brač’s caves. There are more than 200 caves and gorges documented on Brač, and there are sure to be many more which have not yet been discovered. Not many of these are easy to visit unless you’re an expert caver and know the area well, as the entrances are often small and hidden from view and there may be narrow spaces, large vertical drops and water to contend with. However, some of the notable caves which are on the tourist route include: • Kopačina near Donji Humac: rich in evidence of human habitation during the Stone Age, Bronze Age and Roman times; • Blaca: now mostly visited for its monastery, which was built by a hermit community that first inhabited nearby caves; • The Dragon’s Cave: a monastery and church were carved out of the rock face in the cave, the walls of which are carved with an incredible high relief of the Apocalypse; • The medieval cave monasteries near Murvica on the southern shore. We’d also mention the Povlja Beauty (Povaljska ljepotica) - a cavern filled with breathtaking formations of stalagmites, stalactites and other formations, although it’s almost impossible to find if you don’t know the area and has a narrow and steep entrance. If you’re interested in caving please contact Profunada speleological society (Davor Cvitanić 095 82 44 322).

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Slowly but surely, the monks improved their quarters and started to use the plentiful rock to construct buildings. The first church, consecrated to the Assumption of Mary, was completed in 1614. Eventually a monastery, living quarters and farm buildings grew up. This complex, built flush against the sheer rock and totally in harmony with its surroundings, is absolutely breathtaking to behold. The diligence of the monks was boundless. The Blaca buildings were destroyed several times over by fire and flood, but the monks each time simply made sure their next rendering was better than the last. They improved public roads and regulated watercourses to tame the seasonal floods. Their diligence in the fields, coaxing life out of the stone, resulted in an extensive and thriving farmstead with vineyards and olive groves, orchards and vegetable gardens. To sustain this miracle of agriculture the brothers built greenhouses and an irrigation system for watering crops and animals. They developed unique stone beehives which still stand today in their hundreds, surrounded by rosemary plants to ensure a plentiful supply of aromatic honey every year. The rights and responsibilities of the members of the community were enshrined in 1570 in the regulations of the first Agricultural Co-operative, based on the principles of voluntary work, communal ownership and profit-sharing. All work, all transactions and all business connections were painstakingly documented, providing a valuable collection of historical and meteorological records. In the 18th century the hermitage obtained its first boats and developed trade links throughout the Mediterranean. You can see a figurehead from one of Blaca’s cargo ships in Brač’s Native Museum, which famously won a David and Goliath battle with an English corvette in Split harbour. Goods were not sold for money but exchanged for items needed by the community such as books and furniture.

Blaca has a beautiful library with almost 8 000 books, a printing press and a music room with a piano that was carried here on foot. You can look round the simple but elegantly furnished rooms where the brothers lived and worked, all preserved as an in situ museum. An observatory with a research library and the third most powerful telescope in Croatia is listed as a cultural monument. Blaca also played a vital part in the community with its school, which managed to function even through the years when communism threatened the existence of religious communities. Due to the monastery’s isolated position, in cold weather the pupils were asked to bring log for the fire every day in return for their schooling. In the oldest building of the complex, right next to the cliff by the church is the heart of the monastery, the kitchen. The fire in the hearth was kept burning throughout the year and, according to local custom, only put out at Easter when the fireplace was cleaned out blessed. This communal centre of

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wHat to see brotherhood is where the events of the day were discussed over a well-earned meal. The last Blaca friar died in 1963, ending this miraculous story that lasted for four centuries. In 2007, the complex was entered on the tentative list of UNESCO monuments of cultural heritage. The hermitage remains very close to peoples’ hearts, with a pilgrimage taking place every year on the first Saturday after the Feast of the Assumption. This is a wonderful place to visit for all the reasons we’ve mentioned, but perhaps the most important one is that this is a place that puts in focus the power of human endeavour, and a place of peace and hope that strengthens the spirit. How to get here: trips are organised from Bol approaching Blaca bay from the sea, from where you have a 25 minute walk. From Nerežišća it’s a 10 minute drive to Dragovode followed by a 30 minute walk. Important note: Unfortunately, the Blaca hermitage is closed until further notice due to emergency repair works. Large amounts of rain during the exceptionally harsh winter has rendered the overhanging cliffs unsafe, and the area is closed to the public until this problem has been rectified. Please contact any Tourist Information Office on the island to find out the latest information on the expected reopening of the monastery and museum.

wHat to see

The Dragon’s Cave (Zmajeva špilja) A spectacular natural, cultural and spiritual monument, in the 15th century this cave became a home and a place of worship complete with awe-inspiring reliefs carved into the rock. The steep south-facing karst hills close to Bol are pitted with caves which, in the Middle Ages, provided shelter for refugees from mainland convents and monasteries who fled from the invading Ottoman armies. Since these were eremitic orders living an ascetic life of solitary prayer, these isolated caves, apart from providing a safe hiding place, were a logical choice for habitation. However, the friars and nuns worked hard at making their abodes fitting places for service to God, and thus in this 20 metre long cave four halls were created that comprised a monastery and church. A chapel and an altar were carved into the rock, there are water cisterns, graves and niches for solitary prayer and the walls were decorated with fabulous carvings.

The Brač Statute In Dalmatia in the Middle Ages, it was common practice for life to be governed by a collection of regulations contained in a Statute. Brač’s statue is among the oldest, dating back to at least 1305 and suspected to be considerably older. It was thanks to this Statute that Brač, in the centuries that Dalmatia was under the dominion of powers such as Venice and Austria, enjoyed a remarkable degree of autonomy, for years appointing its own prince and managing the island’s government locally. The Statute at some point was lost, and was resurrected in 1655 by a councillor named Petar Matiazza, who probably reconstituted it from old documentation and oral testimony from the islanders. This copy is now kept in the research library in Zadar.

Brač In Your Pocket

So bold, so powerful and well-executed are these carvings that they are clearly the work of a master stonemason. They depict scenes from the New Testament Book of Revelation, also known as the Apocalypse. The Apocalypse is an allegory of the struggle between good and evil played out by characters such as multi-headed beasts, a dragon representing Satan and the heroic Lamb. There are also carved symbols such as a pelican - a symbol of Christian self-sacrifice, as well as angels and lunar motifs drawing on Slav mythology. By portraying these scenes the sculptor spoke of the suffering of Christians throughout history with the benefit of ample personal experience. Visiting this cave is a powerful experience. It’s a steep one-hour hike from Murvica, near Bol. You should allow four hours for the round trip, as there are abandoned chapels and monasteries along the way which are worth looking round. You need a sturdy pair of trainers, plenty of water and adequate sun protection in hot weather. An English and German-speaking guide will take up groups, pointing out all the sights and explaining their history in full. Call Zoran on 091 514 97 87 Vidova gora At 778m, Vidova gora is the highest peak in the Adriatic islands. It broods over Bol, gathering thunderclouds, a mystical place since time immemorial. The peak was dedicated in pagan times to the Slavic god of light, Svevid, a deity of war, fertility and abundance. In Christian times it was named after St Vitus (Sveti Vid), who among other things is said to guard against lightning strikes, which makes perfect sense on this lonely hilltop. At the top of the peak you can see the remains of an Illyrian fortress and an early Croatian chapel consecrated to St Vitus. On a clear day a hike to the peak will reward you with a thunderbolt of a different kind: an incredible view. Bol is laid out like Lego at your feet, with the Zlatni rat beach clearly in view. The green bird-like shape of Hvar island lies calmly in the brilliant blue sea, while in the opposite direction you can see the peaks of the Dinaric Alps on the mainland. Vidova gora is an easy one-hour hike from Bol, the best maintained trail starting from the Loggia. You can also reach the peak from the other side from the main road between Nerežišća and Pražnica. Either way, there are many points of interest on the route, and your way is scented by wild sage, rosemary and other aromatic herbs. At the top there’s a konoba serving food and drink. The best time to hike is in spring or autumn, when the sun is not too strong, or in the early morning before the heat of the day. It is possible to reach the peak by road, but if you are blessed with a full set of moving legs, we urge you to work up a good appetite and take the walk, it’s an invigorating experience in itself.

War memorials

Boris Kragić

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Every village on Brač has a war memorial. Outraged by the betrayal of the quisling government of the Independent Republic of Croatia which handed this part of Dalmatia to Fascist Italy in 1941, the majority of Brač islanders rose up to fight against fascism. Thousands fought to defend their home, either on the island or as part of the Partisan forces fighting the Axis powers on the mainland. The damage, physical and emotional, inflicted on the island was great. Among the worst affected places was Gornji Humac, where every single male found in the village was shot. To this day, the women of Gornji Humac do not celebrate the 8th of March, the day set aside in honour of women in Croatia and many other countries.

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Franjo Antonijević

Ateliers Duško Rakita Uvala Mala Lozna, Postira, tel. (+385-21) 63 27 68 / 098 953 02 79. This artist does not work in stone but an equally iconic material indigenous to Brač - olive wood. This Bosnian sculptor worked in clay until he came to the island, having left his home which was rent by war. He fell in love with this demanding yet sensuous material and is a prodigious creator of beautiful feminine and abstract shapes. An essential port of call on a sculpture tour of the island. QOpen 08:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. Franjo Antonijević, self-taught sculptor from Novo Selo Novo selo. In the same way that teenagers

seem compelled to express their love through hearts and arrows engraved in trees, some people have to express themselves in sculpture. There is evidence on Brač island that the compulsion to create in stone reaches back to the time of the slaves in the Rasohe quarry who told the story of their plight in relief form, the story picked up later by the settlers in the Dragon’s Cave. Many people on Brač have refined this instinct to create by the classical route, attending art schools and academies. But one has to respect the selftaught sculptor. As far as we know the only such sculptor on the island today is Frane Antonijević, whose little homestead is on the edge of Novo Selo. You can’t miss it since on the grass verges around his home, his works form an open-air gallery. Mr Antonijević is happy to show visitors his workshop, where he has worked for decades. You can see some of his earliest works there, such as portraits of his parents. Other creations, large and small, are for sale, with prices starting at just 200kn. We can’t think of a better souvenir or gift: an authentic piece of Brač sculpture! Ive Kora Polježice 57, Postira, tel. (+385-21) 63 21 35 / 098 70 21 85, ivan.markovic@st.t-com.hr, www.ivekora. com. A self-taught sculptor in Postira who works in olive wood, Ive Kora’s works have a central theme of the Madonna and Child: beautiful female forms and a strong spirituality. His atelier is a good place to pick up an original souvenir, from a piece of sculpture to a bracelet or pair of earrings all in tactile olive wood. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00.

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wHat to see Jakšić (Jakšić galerija) Donji Humac, tel. (+385-21) 64 77 10 / 098 42 24 99, drazen.jaksic@st.t-com.hr, www.dražen-jaksic.hr. The Jakšić family has for generations been connected with Brač stone: quarrying it, dressing it, sculpting it and generally in love with it. Their small estate at Donji Humac comprises their home, their workshop, a gallery and a little chapel. This little complex is a pleasing blend of traditional architecture and tasteful modern design. In the gallery, you can see art and sculpture created by the academyeducated members of the family, with works ranging from abstract sculpture and painting to decorative jewellery.Q Open by prior arrangement.

wHat to see The My Peace Atelier (Atelijer Moj mir) Postira, tel. (+385-) 098 76 23 82. Sandra Nejašmić is a young contemporary sculptor born in Split. Her works include beautiful doves in white Brač stone, abstract and realistic human portraits and a series of works based around the Crucifixion. Her Postira studio, set in a delightful stone cottage, is a must for art lovers. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00.

Churches Church of Our Lady of Carmel (Crkva Gospe od Karmela) Nerežišća bb, Nerežišća. Its fitting that

Nerežišća, once the capital of Brač, should have the most impressive church on the island. The Church of Our Lady of Carmel dates from the 13th century but was enlarged over the centuries and took on its present Baroque appearance in the 18th century. It has a typical Dalmatian belfry. The church stands on a fine square where public proclamations were once made outside the Prince’s Palace, the centre of the island administration which no longer stands. The church has eight altars. The main altar is made of marble and has a fantastic medieval painting of Our Lady of the Rosary.

Church of Our Lady of the Annunciation (Crkva Gospe od Blagovijesti) Milna bb, Milna, tel. (+385-

Chapels and churches The Brač landscape is dotted with tiny chapels and churches: it seems that wherever you are, there is always at least one in sight. Many of the oldest ones are on hilltops, the places first settled by the Illyrians in the Bronze Age. These windswept places, the early settlers believed, were the residences of, or places of communion with, the gods and spirits. They buried their dead here, erecting cairns and posts in their memory. When Christianity came to the island, since these sacred places served the secretive dwelling places in the island’s interior, they were also chosen as the sites for building the first churches, thus continuing the traditions of human worship. Brač has five churches still visible that were built between the 4th and 6th century, and eighteen built in the Pre-Romanesque style between the 9th and 12th centuries. One third of preserved PreRomanesque churches in the whole of Dalmatia are to be found right here. If you obtain a good map of the island it will be marked with the sites of most of these chapels. Many of them are today rather off the beaten track, but it is possible to get to them, if not by car (some of the rough tracks will play havoc with your suspension) then on foot. Many of the churches are still visited today, at least once a year by the local villagers celebrating the saint’s day to which the church is devoted. Sadly, most of the chapels are at other times kept locked so it’s not possible to see inside them. An excellent way to get closer to them is to visit the exhibition in the Native Museum, where you’ll find floor plans, photographs and other information. Do make the effort to visit at least one of these little churches, each of which has its own story and character, and many of which are very beautiful, some with a restrained simplicity, some with an earthy, primordial appeal. You’ll experience the mysticism of the wild hilltops and enjoy some spectacular views.

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21) 63 60 44. One of the loveliest Baroque churches on Brač, Milna’s Church of Our Lady of the Annunciation has some beautiful Venetian paintings from the first half of the 18th century and statuary by Brač sculptor Ivan Rendić, including a stone statue of St Joseph on the main altar and some cemetery sculpture: look out for the tombstone of S. Tomaš and the chapel of the Mandinić family. Mass: 17:00, Sun 10:00. Church of St Rocco (Crkva Sv. Roka) Sutivan. The votive chapel of St Rocco was built in 1635 to guard Sutivan against plague. According to the custom for such churches, it was built at the entrance to the town. Inside the chapel there’s a collection of pictures and models of ships donated by the town’s sailors and fishermen to give thanks after they were delivered from cruel storms at sea. This peaceful hilltop chapel stands by Sutivan’s cemetery which is famous for its catacombs.

Church of the Ascension of Mary (Crkva Uznesenja Marijina) Sutivan bb, Sutivan, tel. (+385-21) 63 81 96.

Sutivan takes its name from the town’s patron saint St John (St Ivan). The village’s first parish church, dedicated to St John, was built on the ruins of a 6th century basilica. A large new parish church was built between 1576 and 1590 in a late Renaissance style, which with later adaptation took on today’s Baroque character. Raised up on a low terrace,

Branislav Dešković This sculptor was born into the noble Dešković family, whose palace you can see on the waterfront in Pučišča. Although Pučišča and Brač are so closely connected with stone, Dešković (1883 - 1939) chose bronze as his medium. Dešković studied at the academies of arts in Venice, Vienna and Paris, exhibiting his works at the Paris Salon. He is best known as an animalist. A keen hunter in his youth, he portrayed hounds with a realism supported only by his memory of working with the animals, and his manner of expression took on an impressionistic slant. He also produced some excellent portraits and heroic sculptures in his time. Unfortunately, Dešković’s career was cut short by illness, and he died in a Zagreb psychiatric hospital, which is one reason why his collection of works is not extensive. But small, as they say, can be beautiful.

its harmonious form and delicate belfry create a landmark on the western side of the harbour. The village’s dead were buried in the church and churchyard until a cemetery was built in the 19th century, but some of the gravestones still stand outside. The church interior is notable for its Baroque elements and beautiful marble altars. The 17th century altar painting of Our Lady of the Rosary is particularly worthy of note. Mass: Sun 10:00. July, August 10:00, 19:00. Q July, August Open 08:00 - 22:00. September - June Open by prior arrangement.

Parish Church of Christ the King (Crkva Krista Kralja) Trg Stjepana Radića 7, Selce. The most modern

church on the island, Selca’s parish church of Christ the King was built between 1921 and 1955. The imposing church is said by some to belong in a much larger and more modern setting, but the white stone fits in with the dominant architecture of this harmonious little inland town and is an awesome decoration. The church is beautiful inside, its stone walls left unplastered, an oasis of quiet simplicity with decorative capitals and a wooden roof. A statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus behind the main altar by Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović is made from the cases of shells left behind from the Second World War, thus creating an ode to peace from a means of destruction. The statue is echoed on the front of the church in stone. There is also a beautiful statue of the Madonna and Child. The walls of the church are lined with a fascinating display of architectural designs and photos showing how the church was built. Mass: 08:30, Sun 10:30. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00.

Parish Church of St Helena of the Cross (Crkva Sv.Jelene) Škrip, tel. (+385-21) 63 27 00. Built in 1768

and completed in the early 19th century, this attractive church is crafted entirely from smooth stone. Its harmonious simplicity is preserved in its interior. The most valuable item inside the church is a rare example of a beautiful gilded altar, unfortunately in dire need of restoration. There are two beautiful paintings by Palma the Younger; two more were stolen in 1974 and have never been found. The church’s consecration to St Helena speaks of a local legend that the saint, the mother of Emperor Constantine I, was born here. Behind the church is one of the oldest cemeteries on the island, rich in Roman remains and with two chapels. Mass: Sun 09:30. Q If you would like to see inside the church, please call the Native Museum on 64 63 25.

Parish Church of St Jerome (Crkva sv Jeronima)

Pučišća. The parish church of St Jerome was built in 1566 and extended in 1750. It stands on the main square on Pučišča’s harbour, next to the red town hall building. The church has a Gothic façade and an attractive red cupola on its slender, ornate bell tower. Its interior is ornate, with a relief of the church’s patron saint in olive wood above the altar, which is also a beautiful wooden construction. Among its artistic treasures is a painting of St Rocco by Palma the Younger, a pupil of Titian.

Born in Dubrovnik, Ignjat Job (1895-1936) was a supporter of the movement for Croatian national selfdetermination, earning himself a spell in prison by the age of 19. He is best known for his paintings of Mediterranean landscapes inspired by his time in Supetar, in which he said “the beneficial influence of the Brač landscape can be felt, also of the hot sun, blue sea, green branches of olive trees swung by the breath of maestral”. His early works were inspired by art nouveau, later influenced by fauvism and expressionism. The majority of his works are on display at the Dešković Gallery in Bol.

Parish Church of St John the Baptist (Župna crkva sv. Ivana Krstitelja) Povlja, tel. (+385-21) 64 81 00.

Povlja’s parish church is built next to the extensive ruins of a large basilica from the 5th to 6th centuries. The basilica’s portal and apse with a three-light window are some of the best-preserved remains from that period. The basilica’s size suggests that this was an important religious centre not only for Povlja and the island but possibly for the mainland too. It possessed an imposing and rare octagonal font covered with a cupola, which along with the baptistry at the Euphrasian Basilica in Poreč is the only preserved example of a 6th century covered baptistry on the Eastern Adriatic. The baptistry was incorporated into the parish church of St John the Baptist, and is venerated as the resting place of a saint, St John of Povlja. In the churchyard, the remains of a Benedictine monastery can be seen, together with a defensive tower which was added to protect the complex from pirate attacks: the monastery was destroyed in 1145 by the fearsome pirates from Omiš. Mass: Sun 11:00 except the last Sunday of the month 09:30. St Nicholas Church (Crkva sv. Nikole) Pjaca, Gornji Humac, tel. (+385-21) 62 20 89. This delightfully simple little church stands on a stone-flagged courtyard on the main square of the rustic upland settlement of Gornji Humac. The low campanile with its flattish roof is unusual in Dalmatian church architecture. The church owes its looks to Baroque features added in the 17th and 18th centuries. The highlight of the interior is a marvellous stone triptych by Juraj Dalmatinac, a renowned 15th century sculptor. Mass: 09:00. Q Open during mass only.

The Church of St John and St Paul (Crkva sv. Ivana i Pavla) Ložišća bb, Ložišća, tel. (+385-21) 63

St Michael’s Chapel

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Ignjat Job

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60 44. This picturesque Baroque church was built in 1820 in the midst of the steep cobbled streets and stone houses of Ložišća. It is most famous for its ornate campanile, the design of famous Brač sculptor Ivan Rendić, which was added in 1889. According to local sources, Rendić was commissioned for this project by his sponsors, the Nazor family from Bobovišća na moru. Apparently his payment was 24 bottles of fine prošek dessert wine as drunk at the imperial court in Vienna.

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wHat to see Landmarks Chapels of St George (Kapelice sv. Jurja) Brač is

well known for its multitude chapels and churches. What is less well known is that the chapels dedicated to the island’s patron saint, St George, are connected visually; that is, from any given chapel of St George, you can see the next one. We have yet to try, and would love to hear from anyone who has and who can confirm that this is true!

Ivan Rendić

wHat to see Kogul - Cobble! In some of Brač’s seaside villages you

might notice intricately-laid cobbled streets. These cobbles are known in Croatian as kogule. Postira is particularly renowned for its kogule: the street connecting the parish church with the waterfront is the longest on the island which is paved in this way. It was laid out in honour of the visit of Emperor Franz Joseph in 1875. The smooth, rounded stones and ornate patterns have inspired many a photographer fascinated by the play of light on the stones’ surface, creating sensuous effects. Rock cake The karst landscape of Brač is rich in fascinating geological formations. One of the most stunning is known as the “Kolač”, which is the name of a ring-shaped type of Dalmatian bread cake. Presumably the rock was given this name as it is about as hard as the cakes, which have to be soaked in coffee before eating otherwise they break your teeth off. Seriously, it’s the shape which gives the Kolač its name. It’s made from dolomite, a softish rock related to limestone, and is formed from two rocks leaning together and worn away by erosion and other factors until the giant ring shape was formed. The Kolač is a two-hour round trip hike from Nerežišća and is not too easy to find - be prepared to ask the way.

The catacombs in Sutivan’s cemetery (Sutivanske

One of Supetar’s best loved figures, I van Rendić (1849-1932) is widely held to be the father of modern Croatian sculpture, an excellent portraitist and sculptor of allegorical figures. His talent was spotted at a young age, and Rendić was sent to Trieste to study. He enjoyed the cosmopolitan life of the city, and became a popular figure in society due to his generosity of spirit and carefree nature. Rendić was a born prankster. One story from Trieste involves the sculptor replacing the sugar cubes in a smart coffee house with little cubes of white stone. He laughed heartily at the sight of the fine patrons frantically stirring their coffee, and the joke is still remembered today. Rendić remained faithful to his roots, and because of his unwillingness to Italianise he was never quite accepted as an artist in that country. He moved to Zagreb a few times in hope of making a living in his home country, but his efforts fell on barren ground. There were simply too many demands on public money for the authorities to commission public sculpture. So Rendić mainly lived from private commissions from patrons of Croatian art, and in particular for memorials such as headstones, cemetery sculpture and mausoleums. Rendić was never quite able to cut his coat according to his cloth: he simply could not give up his generous treatment of his friends and acquaintances. Eventually, following the death of his wife, Rendić died almost destitute in Supetar. However, he leaves us a legacy of beautiful, ornate sculpture in cemeteries, parks and cities throughout Croatia and in Trieste, as well as monuments such as the campanile in Ložišća and the fountain on Milna’s square. Rendić wrote at the end of his life: “Inspired by the fire of art from all centuries of the Ancient World, I always tried to leave a trace of folk art, faithful as I am to the legends of our sea and our beaches. I leave to the next generations my modest but Croatian soul carved and cast in stone and bronze.”

katakombe) Sutivan’s cemetery was built when new sanitary regulations forbade burial within the town. A peaceful spot was selected for the cemetery, overlooking the sea and next to the chapel of St Rocco. Since space was at a premium, underground chambers were built with rows of spaces for graves stacked one on top of another. One half of the cemetery has regular graves covered with stone slabs, while in the other half you’ll spot little roofs with glass in them. Looking down, you can see into the catacombs, where you might see candles burning left by relatives. The entry to the catacombs is through a tiny chapel at the back of the cemetery.

stands in the centre of one of Nerežišča’s three main squares. A real curiosity: out of the chapel’s semicircular apse grows a pine tree, giving the chapel the endearing air of a sprightly little chicken. The tree is small enough, but has survived there for about a century - a kind of Dalmatian bonsai. The Romanesque and Gothic chapel holds a fine altar relief of the Madonna and Child in stone, the work of sculptor Nikola Lazanić.

The Petrinović family mausoleum (Mauzolej obitelji Petrinović) Approaching Supetar from the sea,

one of the first things you notice is an exotic, luxurious building all in white, set amid the pine trees on a headland west of town. Is it a palace? Is it a church? No, it’s the Petrinović family mausoleum. Although it is a thing of beauty, a richly ornamented building with oriental elements, its story leaves a bitter aftertaste with the people of Brač. Ivan Rendić, one of the leading sculptors of the 19th century, had established a reputation as a leading sculptor of cemetery statuary, headstones and mausoleums, especially in his home town, Supetar. Knowing this, wealthy emigrant Frane Petrinović engaged the sculptor to build his family mausoleum. Rendić duly began work. However, the sculptor was approaching the end of his life, his powers were perhaps fading and other sculptors were coming into fashion. Petrinović saw the massive mausoleum of the Račić family in Cavtat by the master sculptor Ivan Meštrović, was impressed and cancelled his order with Rendić. Meštrović refused to take the order, it seems out of respect for the older sculptor. However, Meštrović’s contemporary Toma Rosandić of Split did not turn the work down. Rendić was left destitute and ridiculed in his home town, and died almost in poverty. Rosandić’s mausoleum, however, is quite spectacular, and the well close by is also a powerful piece of work. Windmills (Vjetrenjače) Brač, like Spain, is a land of windmills, or at least it used to be. Most of these are no longer standing, but you can see a few. One in Bol is now a restaurant, another in Sutivan has been converted into a delightful beach house, while a third stands at the entrance of Hotel Pastura in Postira. The windmills, which lost their sails long ago, were used to grind wheat for making bread.

Museums Brač Native Museum (Muzej otoka Brača) Škrip,

tel. (+385-21) 64 63 25, centar.za.kulturu.brac@st.tcom.hr. Škrip is in itself a museum with abundant Illyrian and Roman remains and a true Croatian folk flavour given by a scattering of ancient rural cottages. The Native Museum is in a complex of buildings with snow-white stone rooftops beautifully set in a small walled garden. The Radojković tower at its core is a unique and valuable construction with Illyrian foundations and a Roman mausoleum at its base. The defensive upper part of the tower was built in the 16th century during the time of the Venice-Ottoman wars. The Museum’s collection covers: archaeological remains from prehistoric and Roman times; an exhibition of pictures and ground plans of the island’s many chapels; artefacts such as a copy of the Povlja lintel and the figurehead from a cargo ship owned by the Blaca monastery, which played a key part in defending Split harbour from an English pirate ship. An ethnographic collection includes an old pasta-making machine, an ancient photocopier from the Postira sardine factory, a decorative cypress dowry chest, a beautiful grey wedding suit and velvet jacket which any fashionista worth her salt would kill to get her hands on, and travel chests used by émigrés starved out by the phylloxera blight for their passage to South America.

Galleries Branislav Dešković Fine Arts Gallery (Galerija umjetnina Branislav Dešković) Porat bolskih pomoraca bb, Bol, tel. (+385-21) 63 52 70, centar. za.kulturu.brac@st.t-com.hr. This art gallery, housed in a 17th century Renaissance and Baroque palace on the Bol waterfront, is named after sculptor Branislav Dešković (1883-1939) of Pučišča. Its collection of art, one of the richest in the country, is focused on artists connected with Brač or inspired by Mediterranean themes, at the same time offering a valuable insight into the development of Croatian

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The Chapel of St Peter and St Paul (Crkvica sv. Petra i Pavla) Nerežišća. This chapel, built around 1400,

art as a whole. The ground floor and gardens are dedicated to sculpture, while on the upper floors you’ll find paintings. There is, of course, a collection of works by Dešković, a sculptor best known for his portrayal of hunting dogs in their instinctively elegant, powerful poses, and all other artists featured are leading Croatian sculptors and painters, making this a vital spot on the island’s cultural itinerary. Look out for the temporary exhibitions which are also held here during the summer months. QOpen 10:00 - 12:00, 18:00 - 22:00. November - May Open 09:00 - 13:00. Admission 10kn. Ivan Rendić Gallery Jobova bb,Supetar, tel. (+38521) 63 06 76, www.knjiznicasupetar.hr. This gallery is dedicated to Supetar resident and leading Croatian sculptor Ivan Rendić (1849-1932). On the first floor of the town’s library building, this single room houses a collection of busts and drawings of the sculptor’s many memorials. There are also other designs, such as that for the sublime campanile in Ložišća, as well as artefacts such as a letter from English Prime Minister Gladstone thanking Rendić effusively for the gift of a bust which the artist sent to him. Outside the gallery is a bronze sculpture of a female figure named “Allegory of the Mind”. A visit to this gallery is essential for anyone who would like to get deeper into the story of Rendić, the larger-than-life figure from Brač. You can buy a beautiful coffee table book with the history of his life and photographs of his works. QOpen , Mon, Wed, Fri 14:30 - 19:30, Tue, Thu, Sat 08:30 - 13:30. Closed Sun. July - August Open 20:30 - 22:30.

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wHat to see The exhibits are well labelled in Croatian and English, and the museum guide is friendly, knowledgeable and will tell you more than you’ll ever be able to remember about the museum and its exhibits in perfect English. We definitely recommend you visit Škrip and learn more about the island’s past in this delightful little museum. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00. November - May Open by prior arrangement. Admission 5 - 10kn.

Religious collections Ar t Collection of the Parish Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Zbirka umjetnina župne crkve Uznesenja Blažene Djevice Marije) Sutivan bb, tel. (+385-21) 63 81 96. A small

collection of religious art, with books, paintings and more.

Q Open June 15 - September 15 from 18:00 to 22:00 or by prior arrangement.

Dominican monastery (Dominikanski samostan sa Crkvom Gospe od Milosti) Šetalište Anđelka

Rabadana 4, Bol, tel. (+385-21) 77 80 02. The Dominican monastery in Bol was built in the 15th century on a beautiful little promontory named Glavica just east of the town, flanked by two perfect shingle beaches. This was the former site of the palace of the Bishop of Brač and Hvar, and in the local vernacular the monastery is still referred to as “the Bishop’s house”. The monastery has a superb historical and religious collection including: prehistoric remains from the Kopačina cave; a collection of coins from all periods of the island’s history; Greek and Roman artefacts recovered from the sea bed; beautiful, ancient sculpture; incunabula and other liturgical texts including items written in the Glagolitic script from the nearby cave monasteries; religious paintings including a beautiful Renaissance altar painting by Tintorello, icons and other beautifully framed works; a collection of historic photographs and rich liturgical robes, silverware and wooden liturgical sculpture. The monastery garden is a delightful seashore oasis. The monastery church of Our Lady of Mercy has some of the most beautiful altars on the island. Mass: 07:00, Sun 10:30. Q June, September, October Open 10:00 -12:00, 16:00 - 19:00. July, August 10:00 - 12:00, 17:00 - 20:00. Closed November - May. Admission 10kn.

wHat to see The Museum Collection of the Franciscan Monaster y (Muzejska zbirka Franjevačkog samostana) Sumartin, tel. (+385-21) 64 81 00.

Franciscan monks arrived in Sumartin in 1645, and in 1747 Sumartin’s abbot, poet Andrija Kačić Miošić, initiated the building of a new monastery. The lovely, peaceful little monastery has a gem-like museum collection. Among the notable objects are Baroque paintings including a depiction of the Last Supper from the 17th century, a collection of chalices, documentary archives on the history of Sumartin and of the monastery including a register written in the old Bosančica script, and a superb library including an old atlas printed in Amsterdam. Q Open by prior arrangement. No entry fee, voluntary donations only.

The Sacral Collection of the Parish of St Peter (Sakralna zbirka župe Sv. Petra) Kipara Rendića 6,

Supetar, tel. (+385-21) 63 13 29, zu-supetar@st.t-com. hr, www.zupa-supetar.hr. The former Supetar rectory now holds the religious collection of the Supetar parish. As well as liturgical silver, robes and wooden sculpture including a marvellous Baroque altar, the collection includes archaeological treasures including items found on the early Christian basilica where the parish church now stands. There is a copy of a primitive painting, the earliest depiction of a boat found on the wall of the chapel of St Lucas near Donji Humac, old photographs of the Supetar parish and a collection of votive paintings and model boats created or donated by parishioners. Mass 07:30, 19:00 (July 01 - August 15 20:30), Sun 07:30, 10:30, 19:00 (July 01 - August 15 20:30). Q June - September Open 10:30 -12:00, 20:00 - 23:30. September - May Open by prior arrangement on 098 28 72 69. Admission 10kn.

Heart of stone We heard a story that on Bol’s famous Zlatni rat beach, you can find pebbles worn by the sea into the shape of a heart. If you chance upon one of these, keep it – it will ensure that your life is filled with true love until the end of your days. Even if it’s love for this magical beach, it can’t be bad...

Boat excursions Frane Bol, tel. (+385-) 098 44 74 83/(+385-21) 63 52 89. Trips to Vrboska, Jelsa on Hvar Island (Mon, Fri), Hvar town on Hvar Island (Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun - July and August only) and Blaca hermitage (Wed). Start at 09:00 with breakfast on board included in price. Q May - October 25. Kokotić Bol, tel. (+385-) 098 61 94 34. Excursions organised for groups up to 10 people by telephone arrangement. Lucija Supetar, tel. (+385-) 091 521 17 78. Organised fish picnics, trips to Omiš and other excursions according to your wishes. Q May - September 15. Veli Bol, tel. (+385-) 091 798 42 82, milan. karmelic@gmail.com. Trips to Hvar town and Pakleni otoci in high season, Starigrad, Vrboska, Jelsa, Blaca in low season. Start at 09:00 with breakfast included in price. Reservation needed evening before the trip from 18:00 - 24:00. Zlatni rat Bol, tel. (+385-21) 63 51 36. Trips to Hvar and Jelsa on Hvar Island. Q May - September 30.

Vladimir Nazor Vladimir Nazor (1876-1949) was a politician, prolific writer and literary translator who was born in Postira and spent much of his childhood in his paternal home in Bobovišća na moru. After his childhood schooling on the island, he attended grammar school in Split, then studied natural sciences, mathematics and physics in Zagreb and Graz. He became a grammar school teacher in Zadar before moving to Istria, where he taught for fifteen years. He then became head of a children’s home in Zagreb - his name is strongly connected with education and writing for children. Nazor managed to combine these activities with a significant output of writing of all kinds and a career in politics. He joined the Partisan anti-fascist resistance movement in 1942, and following liberation became the first president of the Croatian Parliament. The highest decoration of the Republic of Croatia is called the “Vladimir Nazor Prize” which is awarded for excellence in the areas of literature, film, music, applied arts, theatre, architecture and urban planning.

www.inyourpocket.com Brač In Your Pocket

brač.inyourpocket.com

In love with stone Stone Much has already been said about the relationship of the p e opl e of Brač an d stone, more eloquently th an we ever could. We’ll just tr y to gi ve you a feel for what that relationship is, and how i t came abou t. Since the Illyrians inhabited the island in the Bronze Age, the task of staying alive entailed clearing by hand, painstakingly, ba ck-breakin gl y, th e mul ti tude stones that are scattered in the topsoil. Over the Stonemason Daslav Petrović, c en turi es, cl earin gs who works in the school of were made where olive stonemasonry in Pučišča and trees grew, vineyards has a workshop close by flourished and sheep and goats grazed. The stone was used to build homes and fence homesteads and fields using a dry stone technique which has endured for centuries and is stunning in its craftsmanship. Stone that was not needed was simply heaped into tidy mounds. This is what gives the landscape its dappled character: green (or ochre in the summer) interspersed with grey. It has been estimated that the amount of stone moved by hand in this way exceeds that used in the construction of the Pyramids. In the perilous years when Brač was threatened by pirate attacks and Ottoman incursions, the coast was too dangerous to live on and the islanders retreated inland. Refugees from the mainland settled in caves where you can see the expression of their fear, spirituality and joy in fabulous carvings. Stone is both a hard taskmaster and a giver of life. It is still today a source of income: the island’s high quality white limestone was first exploited in Roman times and used for great buildings such as the palace of the last Roman Emperor Diocletian in Split. Therefore, it’s not surprising that a percentage of Brač’s inhabitants is always born with the urge to create in stone. Thanks to this drive, over the centuries generations of stonemasons have bequeathed to the island beautiful campaniles and churches, statues, headstones and mausoleums. The island is a living sculpture museum. This tradition continues to this day, as several sculptors continue to create to the delight of visitors who are welcome to visit their ateliers and take home a piece of tactile sculpture. You can also visit school of stonemasonry, where future generations of masons learn their art. Bunja If you keep an eagle eye open on your travels through the Brač countryside, you might spot openings in some of the stone cairns heaped in the fields. These are stone field cottages, called bunja in this part of Dalmatia, built using dry stone techniques. It is thought that as far back as the Bronze Age they were used for human habitation. Every bunja is a different shape, each adds its own character to the countryside. In more modern times, bunja were used as shelters for farmers and shepherds or were used to store farm implements. There are hundreds of bunja on Brač. Similar buildings are to be found on neighbouring Hvar, on some parts of mainland Dalmatia, in Istria and other parts of the Mediterranean - with different names, of course. brač.inyourpocket.com

Dry stone walls (Suhozid) As the islanders cleared the

land so that they could grow crops and feed their livestock, not all of the stone went to waste. Much of it was used to fence off the boundaries of the owners’ plots, and to keep in the livestock. These centuries-old stone walls are built without a drop of mortar to hold the stone in place. This is done by using a “dry stone” technique to keep the stones in place and render the wall stable. Readers from many countries will recognise the technique, which has been used from Majorca to Machu Picchu. Since these walls are such a valuable monument to an ancient culture and centuries of work, please don’t climb on them as you may damage them! Stone cairns As you drive through the island interior, for mile upon mile you see a landscape regularly dotted with piles of stone. It’s hard to believe that human hands formed such tidy piles to clear large expanses of land for agriculture and pasture. Sadly, most of that land is no longer farmed and is overgrown with scrub. When the phylloxera epidemic took hold of the island, countless families who had tended the fields were forced, starving, to leave and seek a new life in the New World. Sadly, where grapes and olives once grew, the pine forests are once again taking over.

Stonemasons’ school (Kamenoklesarska škola)

This fine building with its white stone columns is home to a high school dedicated to the craft of the stonemason, established in 1907, one of only three such schools in Europe. Although there has been much discussion on setting up a museum here, the way this place works is still charmingly informal: just wander in, and you can watch a class working away at enormous lumps of white stone, creating columns and capitals, fountains and filigree window lights. You feel like you’ve stepped back in time, since the forms are familiar to us from the world’s most beautiful Greek, Roman and Gothic buildings. The school can educate about 100 high school pupils each year, who come from all over the country.

The school is closed for the summer holidays from June through to the end of August but there is usually someone on duty. If you’d like to look around, please call ahead to make sure that someone will be there to let you in. If you’d like to visit as part of a group please call ahead as well: obviously, the workshops can be busy and potentially dangerous places, so there is some need for a bit of planning. Alternatively, contact a travel agent who can arrange a guided tour.

2010

UNDERWATER BRAČ

Mail & PHones

The crystalline water is just one reason why Brač is a diver’s paradise. The second reason is the underwater world of wildlife, and the third is the wealth of geological and archaeological places of interest waiting to be explored. Clay amphorae, sarcophagi and blocks of stone speak of shipwrecks that took place in the days when Greek ships traded with the islanders and Roman colonisers exported the beautiful white Brač limestone to construct their grand buildings and monuments. The richest underwater archaeological sites are scattered on the seashore around Splitska, the harbour used for transporting stone to Split. There are several sites to dive from Bol, which has several diving centres. Diving from the tip of the Zlatni rat beach is a good introduction to diving here. Though it may seem that there’s not much to see on the sandy bottom due to the constant action of currents, if you move further out to where the seaweed starts you’ll come across flora and fauna. Be aware that there can be quite strong currents at this location, so you need to be a strong swimmer. Also near Bol, Drasine is an interesting site suitable for novice divers where you can see the remains of a Roman mosaic at a depth of 5 to 8 m, as well as an abundance of sea life hidden in crevices and holes. The rocky and sandy sub-aqua terrain at Golubinja Cove is home to gobies, cuttlefish, wrasse and conger eels. On the island of Hvar but reachable from Bol are Smočiguzica on the Kabel peninsula (the name sounds rather amusing, meaning “Wet Bottom”) and Tatinja. The first is rich in a variety of fish species, while at the second you’ll find coral. Watch out for strong currents in both these places as well.

Postal rates Letters up to 50 gr Croatia 3.10kn, Abroad 7.10kn Postcards (standard) Croatia 1.60 kn, Abroad 3.10 kn

Post

www.inyourpocket.com Andreas Ahrens The Lučica bay is on the southwest side of the island between Milna and Bol. There is an underwater cave here with its entrance at a depth of 5m. You can enter at one of two points, which are 2m and 3m wide. Dropping down, you come to a large cavern with a sediment bottom at 42m. Here you’ll find the entrances to two blind tunnels, stalagmites and a siphon which comes out on the land. Divers report swimming with greater amberjack here - powerful fish which can reach up to 2m in length. As experienced divers will know, to reach depths of over 40m and to enter caves, you need specialist training and equipment so don’t try this on your own, kids. The same goes for visiting shipwrecks. One of these is to be found 40m east of the islet of Mrduja, just off the coast of Milna. There’s also a wall here, which is fun to explore. Ptičji rat (Bird Cape), close to Povlja, also has a beautiful wall. This is a geologically fascinating site with underwater caves, channels and springs. It goes without saying, diving can be dangerous and you must seek expert guidance. To dive in caves and other formations you need a permit from the Ministry of Culture. Protected sites are patrolled, and penalties for breaking the rules are stiff. To be on the safe side, please seek guidance from a professional diving centre - see our Sports pages.

Fun for the whole family brač.inyourpocket.com

IIf all you need to do is send a postcard or a letter, you can buy stamps on pretty much any kiosk, just make sure they’re right value for what you are sending and where. Once you put it on, drop your mail in any post box. These are the small yellow boxes attached to buildings around town. Post Office Bol Uz Pjacu 5, tel. (+385-21) 63 56 78. Q Open 08:00 - 15:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Post Office Gornji Humac Gornji Humac, tel. (+38521) 64 70 02. QOpen 12.00 - 14:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Post Office Ložišća Ložišća bb, tel. (+385-21) 63 41 21. QOpen 08:00 - 12:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Post Office Milna Milna bb, tel. (+385-21) 63 62 01. QOpen 07:30 - 14:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Post Office Nerežišća Nerežišća bb, tel. (+385-21) 63 71 22. QOpen 08:00 - 15:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Research completed June 14 2010 by Kristina Post Office Postira Postira bb, tel. (+385-21) 63 21 05. Q Open 07:30 - 14:00. Closed Sat, Sun. July, August Open 07:30 - 14:30, Sat 07:30 - 12:00. Closed Sun. Post Office Povlja Povlja bb, tel. (+385-21) 63 91 89. QOpen 08:00 - 12:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Post Office Pražnica Pražnica bb, tel. (+385-21) 64 60 19. QOpen 08:00 - 10:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Post Office Pučišća Pučišća bb, tel. (+385-21) 63 32 00. QOpen 07:30 - 14:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Post Office Selca Trg Stjepana Radića bb, tel. (+38521) 62 20 08. QOpen 07:30 - 14:30. Closed Sat, Sun. Post Office Sumartin Sumartin bb, tel. (+385-21) 64 80 01. QOpen 07:30 - 14:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Post Office Sutivan Sutivan bb, tel. (+385-21) 63 80 18. QOpen 07:30 - 14:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Post Office Selca Trg Stjepana Radića bb, tel. (+38521) 62 20 08. QOpen 07:30 - 14:30. Closed Sat, Sun. Post Office Sumartin Sumartin bb, tel. (+385-21) 64 80 01. QOpen 07:30 - 14:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Post Office Sutivan Sutivan bb, tel. (+385-21) 63 80 18. QOpen 07:30 - 14:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Public telphone All public phones in Croatia are card operated and you can purchase one (telefonska kartica) at any kiosk - they come in 15 - 100 units and cost 15, 30, 50 and 100kn respectively. You can also buy pre-paid phone cards which give you substantial discounts when calling abroad.

Internet places Info graf Nova riva bb, Pučišća, tel. (+385-21) 63 36 15. 3 computers, 20kn/h. Q Open 08:00 - 13:00, 16:30 -20:00. Interactiv Rudina 6, Bol, tel. (+385-) 091 572 58 55. 11 computers. Q June 15 - September 15 Open 09:30 - 24:00. May - June 15, September 16 - 31 Open 09:30 - 13.00, 16:30 - 22:00. 30kn/h. Internet Corner 1 Porat bb, Supetar, tel. (+385-) 095 907 32 40. 15min/10kn, 30min/15kn, 60min/30kn. QJune - September 30 Open 09:00 - 22:00. Internet Corner 2 Put Vele Luke 9, Supetar, tel. (+385-) 095 907 32 40. 10 computers. 15min/10kn, 30min/15kn, 60min/30kn. QJune - September 30 Open 09:00 - 24:00. Internet Cyber Room Milna. 7 compu ters. Q June - September 15 Open 09:00 - 14:00, 17:00 -22:00. 15kn/15min, 30kn/30min, 40kn/60min. Malo misto Ive Marinkovića 6, Sutivan, tel. (+385-) 098 950 71 71. 3 computers. Q June 15 - September 15 Open 09:00 -12:00, 16:00 -21:00. First 10min/10kn, each additional 30min/15kn. Waterman Svpetrvs Resort Kaktus Hotel, Supetar, tel. (+385-21) 63 11 33. 2 computers at the reception. Q 50kn/h.

Making the call

Mobile phones Mobile phone use in Dubrovnik is typical to most everywhere in Europe: they appear to be permanent growths that have attached themselves to ears or cheeks. Unique however, are the numerous and exciting tonal renditions of show-tunes and 80s glam-rock that shatter the most tranquil of moments. It seems that churches and cinemas remain the only structures holy enough to warrant the tragic silentmode designation in this central European location. The networks that exist are VIP (091), T-Mobile (098) and Tele 2 (095) and their SIM cards can be bought all over the place. Buy pay-as-you-go cards in news kiosks, or top up at a cash machine.

You’ve memorised the misleadingly simple code breakdown, and are ready to take the plunge (let’s hope you decided not to drop that tricky calculus course). Local Calls: Here’s the trick: dial the subscriber’s six- or seven-digit number, and place the receiver to your ear. National Calls: Dial the Croatian city code (01 if you’re calling Zagreb for instance) followed by the subscriber’s number. Calling Abroad: Dial 00 (the international access code), the appropriate country code, a city or area code if applicable and the subscriber’s number. Calling Croatia from Abroad: Dial your international access code, 385 (Croatia’s country code), the city code (dropping the initial 0) and the subscriber’s number. Calling a Mobile: Mobile numbers are 9 or 10-digits and begin with either 091, 092, 095, 098 or 099. Dial the subscriber’s number and wait for a human voice. For an international call to a Croatian mobile, dail your international acess code, 385 (country code), drop the 0, and then dial the remaining digits.

Andreas Ahrens

Brač In Your Pocket

brač.inyourpocket.com

2010

getting aRoUnD

Maxi Supetar & Pučišća, tel. (+385-) 098 78 13 77. Mia Bol, tel. (+385-) 098 20 70 22. Ombre Bol, tel. (+385-) 095 909 41 24. Peša Supetar, tel. (+385-) 098 77 78 28. Santo Bol, tel. (+385-) 091 522 99 23. Valiž Supetar, tel. (+385-) 098 38 52 74. NR Supetar, tel. (+385-) 091 502 78 77.

Rent a car / scooter / bike Adria Tours Bračke ceste 10, Bol, tel. (+385-21) 63 59 66. Cars and scooters. Q June - September 15 Open

Public transport The company Autotrans operates a network of buses serving the needs of the local population, especially school children, throughout the year, and a special service with tourists in mind during the summer season (1 July - 31 August). Supetar forms the natural hub, and is connected with all the island’s main communities by bus - the main bus station is just east of the ferry terminal. This means that you should have little problem in being able to explore the island at least a little using public transport only. Please see the route map on page 50 and the schedule. Prices are set according to distance (buy your ticket from the driver except for at Supetar bus station): Zone 1 (under 7km) single 12kn, return 19kn Zone 2 (7-19km) single 18kn, return 29kn Zone 3 (20-35km) single 23kn, return 37kn Zone 4 (35-61km) single 35kn, return 56kn Autotrans Porat 12, Supetar, tel. 060 39 30 60, info@ autotrans-brac.hr, www.autotrans.hr.

Taxi Taxi services on Brač are operated by small private companies, so you’ll see a host of different numbers advertised. These operators have, in the main, accepted a standard tariff: start 20kn; 1km / 10kn; waiting 80kn / hour; 5kn per large item of luggage. To avoid misunderstandings, please confirm the price with the driver before you start your journey. Filomena Supetar, tel. (+385-) 095 908 92 69. Kacavida Supetar, tel. (+385-) 091 522 43 79/(+385-) 098 26 56 92. Kupina Bol, tel. (+385-) 098 26 52 19. Lastavica Bol, tel. (+385-) 098 26 49 90.

Brač In Your Pocket

08:00 - 20:00, May, September 16 - 30 Open 09:00 -19:00, October - April 30 Open 09:00 - 15:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Big Blue Sport Bol, tel. (+385-) 098 21 24 19, www. big-blue-sport.hr. Bike rental. Q April - October 31 Open 09:00 - 19:00. 22kn/h, 60kn/4hrs, 90kn/day. Boltours V.Nazora 18, Bol, tel. (+385-21) 63 56 93. Rent a car. Q June - October 09:00 - 23.00, April, May Open 09:00 - 13:00, 17:00 - 20:00. Midea Stjepana Radića 2, Supetar, tel. (+385-) 098 175 22 49, info@midea.hr, www.midea.hr. Cars and scooters. Q May - October Open 09:00 -23:00. More V.Nazora 24, Bol, tel. (+385-21) 64 20 50. Cars and scooters. Q June 15 - August 31 Open 08:00 - 23:00. April, May - June 14, September, October Open 09:00 - 14:00, 16:00 -21:00. Motorino Put Vele Luke bb, Supetar, tel. (+385-) 099 856 16 94/(+385-) 095 903 64 30, www.rentamotorino. com. Scooter, ATV / QUAD. Q May - October 31 Open 07:00 - 22:00. November - April 30 Open by arrangement. Rado Sumartin, tel. (+385-021) 64 82 71/(+385-) 091 729 18 03. Scooters and bikes. Q June 20 - September Open 08:00 - 20:00.

Rent a boat Midea Stjepana Radića 2, Supetar, tel. (+385-) 098 175 22 49, info@midea.hr, www.midea.hr. Q May - October 30 Open 09:00 - 23:00.

Moreta Bol, tel. (+385-) 091 211 82 72. Q June October 31 Open 08:00 - 18:00.

Airport Brač Airport is open all year for private aircraft, and in the summer is used by charter companies and Croatia Airlines, who run scheduled flights between Brač and Zagreb (in 2010 between 2 June and 16 October). Flights depart Zagreb every Saturday at 08:20 and leave Brač also on Saturdays at 13:10. The airport is located on the southern half of the island, 14km from Bol and 30km from Supetar - the best way to reach it is by taxi unless you have another form of transport available. Please see the “Taxis” heading to get an idea of the price, which will be something between 150kn (Bol) and 300kn (Supetar), possibly more to Milna. Brač Airport Supetar, tel. (+385-21) 55 97 01, info@ airport-brac.hr, www.airport-brac.hr.

Ferries and boats

Jadrolinija Hrvatskih velikana bb, Supetar, tel. (+38621) 63 13 57, www.jadrolinija.hr. Q June - October Open

Harbourmaster’s office

Gas station

Sat 07:00 -13:00, Sun 08:00 -11:00. October - May 31 Open 07:00 -14:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Milna Milna, tel. (+385-21) 63 62 05, www.mmpi.hr. Q June - September 30 Open 07:00 - 13:00, 18:00 - 20:00, Sat 07:00 -13:00, Sun 08:00 -11:00. October - May 31 Open 07:00 -14:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Supetar Porat 4, Supetar, tel. (+385-21) 63 11 16, www.mmpi.hr. Q June - September 30 Open 07:00 13:00, 18:00 - 20:00, Sat 07:00 -13:00, Sun 08:00 -11:00. October - May 31 Open 07:00 -14:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

04:30 - 20:30, 22:00 - 22:45.

Ina Bol Vladimira Nazora 3, tel. (+385-21) 63 51 19. Q June - August 31 Open 07:00 -21:00. Ina Milna Milna, tel. (+385-21) 63 63 40. Q June August 31 Open 07:00 - 21:00.

Ina Supetar Mladena Vodanovića 1, tel. (+385-21) 63 11 37. Q June - September 15 Open 06:00 - 22:00. September 16 - May Open 07:00 - 19:30. Sun 07:00 13:00.

Island bus services Days 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567

Location BOL - SUPETAR SUPETAR - BOL G.HUMAC - SUPETAR SUPETAR - G.HUMAC PRAŽNICA - SUPETAR SUPETAR - PRAŽNICA NEREŽIŠĆA - SUPETAR SUPETAR - NEREŽIŠĆA D.HUMAC - SUPETAR SUPETAR - D.HUMAC DRAČEVICA - SUPETAR SUPETAR - DRAČEVICA POVLJA - SUPETAR SUPETAR - POVLJA N.SELO - SUPETAR SUPETAR - N.SELO SUMARTIN - SUPETAR SUPETAR - SUMARTIN SELCA - SUPETAR SUPETAR - SELCA DUNAJ - SUPETAR SUPETAR - DUNAJ PUČIŠĆA - SUPETAR SUPETAR - PUČIŠĆA POSTIRA - SUPETAR SUPETAR - POSTIRA SPLITSKA - SUPETAR SUPETAR - SPLITSKA DOL - SUPETAR SUPETAR - DOL ŠKRIP - SUPETAR SUPETAR - ŠKRIP MILNA - SUPETAR SUPETAR - MILNA BOBOVIŠĆA - SUPETAR SUPETAR - BOBOVIŠĆA LOŽIŠĆA - SUPETAR SUPETAR - LOŽIŠĆA BOBOVIŠĆA N/M - SUPETAR SUPETAR - BOBOVIŠĆA N/M SUTIVAN - SUPETAR SUPETAR - SUTIVAN MIRCA - SUPETAR SUPETAR - MIRCA

Departure 07.45, 10.45, 12.45, 13.45, 16.20, 17.50, 19.15 06.15, 09.00, 10.25, 11.45, 12.25, 14.00, 15.25, 17.50 06.15, 08.00, 11.00, 13.00, 14.00, 16.35, 18.05, 19.30 06.15, 09.00, 10.25, 11.45, 12.25, 14.00, 15.25, 17.50 06.15, 08.05, 11.05, 13.05, 14.05, 16.40, 18.10, 19.35 06.15, 09.00, 10.25, 11.45, 12.25, 14.00, 15.25, 17.50 07.15, 08.20, 11.05x, 13.20, 16.55*, 18.25, 19.50 06.40, 10.25, 11.45, 12.25, 15.25, 18.05* 07.10, 08.25, 11.00x, 13.25, 17.00*, 18.30, 19.55 06.40, 10.25, 11.45, 12.25, 15.25, 18.05* 07.00x, 10.50x 06.40x, 10.25x 05.30, 12.15, 15.55*, 17.20 10.10, 12.15, 15.15, 18.05* 05.35, 12.20, 16.00*, 17.25 10.10, 12.15, 15.15, 18.05* 05.45, 12.30, 16.10*, 17.35 10.10, 12.15, 15.15, 18.00* 05.55, 12.40, 16.20*, 17.45 10.10, 12.15, 15.15, 18.00* 06.00, 12.45, 16.25*, 17.50 10.10, 12.15, 15.15, 18.00* 06.35, 07.50, 11.20, 14.20, 16.55, 18.25 06.15, 09,00, 10.10, 12.15, 14.00, 15.15, 17.50 06.55, 08.10, 09.15, 11.40, 14.40, 15.00xx, 17.15, 18.45 06.05x, 06.15, 09.00, 10.10, 12.15, 14.00, 14.35xx, 15.15, 17.50, 18.10# 07.00, 08.15, 09.30, 11.45, 14.45, 15.15xx, 17.20, 18.50 06.05x, 06.15, 09.00, 10.10, 12.15, 14.00, 14.35xx, 15.15, 17.50, 18.10# 06.35x, 09.20, 15.05xx, 18.40# 06.05x, 09.00, 14.35xx, 18.10# 06.20x, 09.35, 15.20xx, 18.25# 06.05x, 09.00, 14.35xx, 18.10# 06.50, 10.45, 13.10, 14.30, 15.45, 18.20** 06.20, 10.10, 12.25, 13.55, 15.35, 17.45** 06.55, 10.50, 13.15, 14.35, 15.50, 18.25** 06.20, 10.10, 12.25, 13.55, 15.35, 17.45** 06.55, 10.50, 13.15, 14.35, 15.50, 18.25** 06.20, 10.10, 12.25, 13.55, 15.35, 17.45** 07.00, 10.55, 13.20, 14.40, 15.55, 18.30** 06.20, 10.10, 12.25, 13.55, 15.35, 17.45** 07.10, 09.15, 11.00, 13.30, 14.50, 16.05, 17.00, 18.00xxx, 18.40** 06.20, 09.00, 10.10, 12.25, 13.55, 15.35, 17.45 07.15, 09.20, 11.05, 13.35, 14.55, 16.10, 17.05, 18.05xxx, 18.45** 06.20, 09.00, 10.10, 12.25, 13.55, 15.35, 17.45

* - Only Fri ** - only Fri, Sun and holidays x - not Sun and holidays xx - not Sat, Sun and holidays xxx - not Fri, Sun and holidays # - only Sun and holidays ___ - start from the main road stop Schedule is valid for period 01.07 - 31.08. Brač In Your Pocket is not responsable for schedule changes.

Apart from the island’s connection to the mainland, you can also travel directly to the island of Hvar. An evening boat leaves Bol for Jelsa, and on Tuesdays a boat leaves Milna at noon for Hvar town. (Neither service takes cars on board). Unfortunately these timetables don’t allow for day trips, but it’s good to know if you plan a short stay on the neighbouring island. Local operators organise day trips by boat to popular local sightseeing spots.

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Bol Loža 18, tel. (+385-21) 63 59 03, www.mmpi.hr. Q June - September 30 Open 07:00 - 13:00, 18:00 - 20:00,

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2010

getting aRoUnD

Ferries and boats From Milna (LNP catamaran) Days 1-3-5-1-3-5-------7 From Bol Days 123456------7 From Bol (Jadrolinija catamaran) Days 1234567 The view over Hvar from Vidova gora (Bol and Zlatni rat can also be seen)

Sumartin tel. (+385-21) 64 82 22, www.mmpi.hr.

June - September 30 Open 07:00 - 13:00, 18:00 - 20:00, Sat 07:00 -13:00, Sun 08:00 -11:00. October - May 31 Open 07:00 -14:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Marinas ACI Milna Milna bb, tel. (+385-21) 63 63 06, m.milna@

aci-club.hr, www.aci-club.hr. 150 berths for boats up to 12 metres and 50 places on land. Q July, August Open 08:00 - 21:30, April, May, June, September, October Open 08:00 -20:00, November - March 31 Open 08:00 - 16:00. Marina Vlaška Milna, tel. (+385-21) 63 62 47 / 63 60 28/(+385-) 099 244 74 10, milna@marinavlaska.com, www.marinavlaska.com. Marina Vlaska is a new marina on the northern part of the Milna bay. Capacity for 90 vessels; daily and annual berth rentals. Rent-a-bike and rent-a-car services, exchange office, travel agency and a sandy beach close by. Q Reception Open 08:00 - 20:00.

Parking There are pay car parks in Supetar, Bol and Sutivan. Supetar’s two pay car parks operate all year. One is to the left of the ferry terminal as you arrive, and the other is to your right at the entrance to town. Prices from 1 May to 31 October: open 06:00 - 22:00 daily 5kn / hour, day ticket 30kn. At other times of the year the price and opening hours are the same but a day ticket costs 25kn. Bol also has two pay car parks: one on the waterfront and another by the Zlatni rat beach. Town car park opening hours: 1 May - 15 October 08:00 - 17:00, tourist season 15 June - 15 September 06:00 - 23:00. Price: 10kn / hour. Parking at other times of the year is free of charge. Beach car park operates only 1 May - 15 October, open 08:00 - 20:00 daily. Day tickets only, 50kn or for longer periods by arrangement. Sutivan has a car park close to the centre, by the entrance to the town. Operates 1 July - 15 September 06:00 - 24:00 daily, prices 5kn / hour, 25kn / day, 110kn / week and 130kn / 10 days. Parking is free at other times of the year.

Taxi boat Gugy Bol, tel. (+385-) 091 523 71 80. Q May - November

Open 09:00 - 18:00 and by telephone arrangement. Irante Supetar, tel. (+385-) 098 20 74 46, irante@ yahoo.com. Q June 15 - September 30 Open by telephone arrangement. Perna Bol, tel. (+385-) 098 26 49 90. Q By telephone arrangement.

Transfers Koki Bračka cesta 4, Bol, tel. (+385-21) 63 53 43, mail@koki.hr, www.koki.hr. Q April - October 31 Open 08:00 -20:00.

Road help 987 Brač In Your Pocket

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From Milna (Jadrolinija catamaran) Days -2----From Milna (Jadrolinija catamaran) Days -2----From Supetar (Jadrolinija ferry) Days 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 From Sumartin (Jadrolinija ferry) Days (June) 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 Days (July, August) 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567

To Milna Dep. 09:15 17:30 19:45

Destination SPLIT SPLIT SPLIT

Days 1-3-5-1-3-5-------7 To Bol Days 1234567

Dep. 06:35 07:35

Destination SPLIT SPLIT

Dep. 17:30

Destination JELSA (Hvar) JELSA (Hvar)

Dep. 14:30

Destination SPLIT

Dep. 12:00

Destination HVAR

Dep. 05:00 06:30 07:45 09:00 10:30 11:45 (02.07 - 05.09) 12:30 14:00 15:30 16:30 (02.07 - 05.09) 18:00 19:30 20:30 22:45

Destination SPLIT SPLIT SPLIT SPLIT SPLIT SPLIT SPLIT SPLIT SPLIT SPLIT SPLIT SPLIT SPLIT SPLIT

To Bol Days 123456------7 To Milna Days -2----To Milna Days -2----To Supetar Days 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567

Dep. 06:00 (08:00 on Sun) 11:00 15:00 18:30

Destination MAKARSKA MAKARSKA MAKARSKA MAKARSKA MAKARSKA MAKARSKA MAKARSKA MAKARSKA MAKARSKA MAKARSKA

Days (June) 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 Days (June) 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567

Dep. 8:15 16:30 18:45 Dep. 16:00 (16:30 on Fri)

Dep. 06:00 07:00 Dep. 11:30 Dep. 13:45 Dep. 05:15 06:15 07:45 09:00 10:30 (02.07 - 05.09) 11:15 12:45 14:15 15:15 (02.07 - 05.09) 16:45 18:00 19:15 21:00 23:59

To Sumartin

06:00 09:30 13:00 16:30 20:00

Dep. 09:00 12:30 17:00 20:00 08:00 11:00 14:30 18:00 21:00

Mon - 1, Tue - 2, Wed - 3, Thu - 4, Fri - 5, Sat - 6, Sun - 7. Brač In Your Pocket is not responsible for schedule changes. Schedule is valid for period 01.06 - 30.08. For full schedule check www.jadrolinija.hr, www.lnp.hr.

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2010

sPoRt

getting aRoUnD

Brač is a super destination for fans of sports of all kinds. The island’s shores are brilliant for pottering around in boats and the warm crystal waters are ideal for watersports of all kinds. There are plenty of sports grounds in Bol and Supetar in particular to keep the most active bodies happy.

Adventure sports Brač is becoming increasingly popular with lovers of adventure sports, from rock climing to caving, from paragliding to sea kayaking, diving, hiking, windsurfing, mountain biking and more. The VankaRegule festival in July is the place to meet up with fellow adventure sports enthusiasts - see our Culture&Events section. Aldura Porat bb, Sutivan, tel. (+385-21) 63 85 12/ (+385-) 098 52 27 25, 098 42 36 89, info@aldurasport.com, www.aldura-sport.com. Windsurfing, Trekking, Climbing, Mountain Biking, Sea Kayaking and Sailing. Q Open 08:00 - 13:00, 16:00 - 21:00. Amber Supetar (Velaris tourist resort), tel. (+385-) 098 922 75 12/(+385-) 095 825 58 73, grazyna@amberdivecenter.com, www.amber-divecenter.com. Scuba diving. Q May - October Open 09:00 - 18:00. Big Blue Diving Put Zlatnog rata bb, (Hotel Borak) Bol, tel. (+385-21) 30 62 22/(+385-98) 42 54 96, igor.glavicic@gmail.com, www.big-blue-diving.hr. Diving centre. Q April 15 - November Open 09:00 - 18:00. Big Blue Sport tel. (+385-) 098 21 24 19, tomaz@bigblue-sport.hr, www.big-blue-sport.hr. Diving, windsurfing, mountainbiking, kayaking. Q April - October 31 Open 09:00 - 19:00. Dolphin Potočine bb, Bol, tel. (+385-21) 31 98 92 //091 250 80 33, matej.lisicar@vip.hr, www.divingdolphin.com. Scuba diving Q May - October Open 09:00 - 21:00.

Legend: Line Nr.

Stations

Supetar - Pučišća - Povlja

Supetar - Nerežišća - Povlja

Supetar - Pučišća - Bol

Supetar - Nerežišća - Bol

Supetar - Škrip - Postira - Dol

Supetar - Sutivan - Milna

Supetar - Nerežišća - Dračevica

Climbing

Interchange point

Climbing is gaining in popularity in Croatia: climbers love it here for the combination of challenging rock faces, spectacular views and great weather. There are climbs to suit all levels in the area of Sutivan, where there is also an artificial climbing wall where you can learn to climb from an instructor.

www.inyourpocket.com MTB cycling route link Route No. MTB cycling route link

ISLAND BUS LINES AUTOTRANS d.o.o. RIJEKA PJ Brač Information and tickets: Put Hrvatskih velikana bb tel.: 060 393 060 | fax: 021 630 414 Brač In Your Pocket

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Bol - Vidova Gora

Length (km) Elevation Gain (m) 32.4 1100

Technical Difficulty ****

11 21 42 52 60 71

Sumartin Povlja Selca - Kastil Sveti Duh - Bol Bol - Smokovje Sutivan - Ložišća

16.1 16.3 15.1 9.0 16.5 21.7

320 450 340 180 430 500

* ** ** **** **** **

72 74 75

Supetar - Vidova Gora Milna - Vidova Gora Nerežišća - Milna

52.8 21.0 15.7

1280 850 310

** ** ****

77 78

Pučišća - Gornji Humac Postira - Vidova Gora

22.3 44.9

640 1160

** ***

Sumartin - Vidova Gora

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Notes The downhill section from Vidova Gora is technically demanding!

The downhill section is technically demanding! The downhill section is technically demanding! The short section near the Franz Joseph bridge is technically demanding! The downhill section from St Martin's chapel is technically demanding!

The downhill section from St Barbara's chapel is technically demanding! 34.8 1030 ** All routes are shown on the map on pages 55-58

2010

sPoRt Draulik Milna bb, Milna, tel. (+385-) 098 23 56 62, petronijehr@yahoo.com. Scuba diving Q April - October Open 08:00 - 19:00 Fun Dive Club Put Vele luke 4 (Waterman Svpetrvs Resort Hotel Supetar), tel. (+385-) 098 130 73 84, dive@ fundiveclub.com, www.FunDiveClub.com. Diving centre. Q May - September 30 Open 08:00 - 18:00. Gugy Zlatni rat Beach, tel. (+385-) 091 523 71 80. Water sports. Q June - October Open 11:00 - 17:00. Johnny’s Windy Way V.Nazora 26, Bol, tel. (+385-) 091 276 11 11/(+385-21) 63 59 46, jofa@pu.t-com. hr, www.jofa.hr. Windsurfing school. Q April 15 - October 15 Open 09:00 - 19:00. Manjana Sumartin, tel. (+385-21) 64 80 73/(+385-) 091 768 34 22, manjana@manjana.cz, www.manjana. cz. Diving centre. Also in Milna. Q June 17 - September 10 Open by prior telephone arrangement. Nautic Center Bol tel. (+385-) 098 36 16 51/(+385-) 098 177 64 84, ncb@mail.inet.hr, www.nautic-centerbol.com. Water sports. Q April - November Open 08:00 - 19:00. Paintball club Brač Vidova Gora, tel. (+385-) 091 541 34 06, bobanjure@gmail.com, http://paintballbrac. bloger.hr. Q Open by prior arrangement.

Bowling Bluesun Elaphusa Hotel Bračka cesta 13, Bol, tel. (+385-21) 30 62 00, www.hotelelaphusabrac.com. Q Open 17:00 - 23:00. 1.5kn/min.

Indoor Golf Bluesun Elaphusa Hotel Bračka cesta 13, Bol, tel. (+385-21) 30 62 00, www.hotelelaphusabrac.com. Q 200kn/h.

Tennis Bol Tennis Centre tel. (+385-21) 63 52 12. 27 courses. Q Open 08:00 - 19:00. 75kn/hour, special discounts for Blue Sun Hotels guests.

Waterman Tennis Centre Waterman Svpetrvs, Supetar,

tel. (+385-21) 63 11 33, www.watermanresorts.com. 6 courses. Q April - October Open 08:00 - 20:00, November - March Open 08:00 -16:00. 50kn/h.

Examples of hiking routes Bol - Vidova Gora Murvica - Zmajeva pećina (Dragon Cave) Nerežišća - Blaca

Length (km) 5.2 1.5

Farska - Blaca

6.0

Sumartin - Planik

2.5

8.6

Brač beaches

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Examples of hiking routes

Brač In Your Pocket