'Bathed in warm sirocco winds and blessed with stunning scenery, Brac is one of the Adriatic's most beautiful islands.'
Prepare to be captivated. It's located just a few miles off the Dalmation Coast near the Croatian capital, Split. But charming Brac is still one of the country's best kept secrets. Its main asset is its wonderful landscape. You've got Vidova Gora – standing at nearly 800m, it's the highest peak on any of the Croatian islands. An abundance of pine forest. And more olive groves than you can shake a bottle of extra virgin at. Then there's the quaint little villages harking back to a time when the island was populated only by fishermen and pirates. It's fantastically rustic, but at the same time there's the full monty of holiday attractions, including lively towns well-stocked with restaurants, bars and nightlife. Outdoor pursuits are plentiful, with opportunities to enjoy watersports, scuba diving, tennis, cycling and more. Then, of course, there are the beaches. As well as the much-photographed, V-shaped 'Golden Cape' at Bol, there are a multitude of picturesque bays and hidden coves where you can escape for some quiet time. And with nearly 3000 hours of sunshine on average each year, the opportunity to catch some rays is almost guaranteed. Add to all this plenty of fine food and wine - including a surprisingly good local red wine called Plavac - and you have the recipe for a really relaxing holiday. Finally, one other fascinating fact about the island of Brac that you probably didn't know - its main export is stone, used in many famous buildings around the world, including none other than the White House in Washington DC.
The island has been inhabited since the Neolithic era and has many archaeological remains dating from then. At various times, Brac has been under Byzantine, Croatian, Bosnian, Venetian, Austrian, French, German and Italian rule. However the first recorded inhabitants were the Illyrians and they were followed by the Romans in 160 BC.
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Brac Island hotels and apartments
Our hotels and apartments in Brac Island include Rajski Dvori.
More Croatia holiday destinations
Looking for holidays in Croatia? Our Croatia holiday destinations include Baska Voda, Bol, Brac Island, Brela, Brtonigla, Cavtat, Dubrovnik, Hvar, Korcula, Labin, Lanterna, Lopud Island, Loviste, Lovran, Makarska, Mlini, Novigrad, Opatija, Orasac, Orebic, Pjescana Uvala, Plat, Porec, Pucisca, Rabac, Ravni, Rovinj, Ruzici, Sibenik, Stikovica Zaton, Supetar, Trogir, Trpanj, Trsteno, Tucepi, Umag, Zaton Mali and Zaton Veliki.
Beaches
Croatia's most famous beach is Zlatni Rat at Bol, a spectacular golden shingle cape. Supetar has shallow, sandy beaches fringed with pine trees and popular with families. The beaches and coves at Postira are edged by pine forests, olive groves and vineyards. Sultivan and Milna offer sandy coves and pebble beaches, while Pusisca has a sheltered cove with bathing, watersports, yachting and windsurfing.
Eating out
Taverns and restaurants offer a wide number of local specialities. Fish and seafood are a major attraction, but you can also order meat or vegetarian cuisine, and, of course, the local wine such as Bolski plavac. For a more informal feel, there are barbeques on the beach. Organized fish picnics, where a guide grills fresh fish for you at the cove of Lovrecina, near Postira, are especially popular.
Nightlife
The island has a busy nightlife, with cafe bars, cocktail bars, dance floors, discos and nightclubs. In summer, the entertainment includes concerts and fashion shows. For something a little quieter, sample the local wine and seafood.in one of the island's many restaurants.
Shopping
The island has two large towns, Supetar and Pusisca, both of which have a reasonable selection of shops. Local produce is available in the villages. Postira boasts a fruit and vegetable market, supermarket, bakery and fish market, or if you prefer, you can buy fresh fish direct from the fishermen.
Local information
There are ferries between Supetar and the mainland towns of Split and Makarska. You can travel around the island by bus, or hire a car in Supetar. The island is popular for yachting, windsurfing, and other maritime activities. The area around Cape Gomilica is good for underwater fishing. Sporting (for instance, tennis and basketball) facilities are available at Supetar, Postira and many other locations.
There are numerous ancient hill-forts and burial mounds or tumuli scattered around the island. Roman villas and tombs can be found in the interior and along the coast. Local archaeological finds are on display at the Museum of Brac in the village of Skrip.
Location
Off the Dalmatian coast, between the island of Hvar and the mainland town of Split
Transfer time
About 30 minutes by coach to Split and 1 hour by ferry from Split. Transfer times will be longer in July and August due to ferry connections.
Recommended
Luxury
