Excursions in the area
Island Brač, with the area of 395 km2, is the largest Dalmatian island, also features the highest peak, Vidova Gora 778 m (2552 ft) above sea level. From this view-point you can see all Dalmatian islands, in clear weather even the Italian coast. The mountain got its name from St. Vid, his church is near the peek.
|
|
Blaca Hermitage (Postinja Blača), a monastery built in XVIth century by Glagolita priests is on the south-west ascent below a high cliff with bearthtaking view. For a long time, no settlements existed on the coast of the island due to frequent pirate attacks. The monastery served as a shelter in war times, like in 1551 during the Turk invasion. It encloses a church, an elementary school, an old observatory with telescopes, a museum of ancient weapons, old clocks and rich library with lots of manuscripts poljicka, written in Croatian Cyrillic and maps dated 1623.
The Golden Cape (Zlatni rat) in Bol is considered the most beautiful beach in entire Dalmatia. This pebble-stone, unique cape extends into the sea for a 650 m, with a continuously changing shape due to the wind and waves. Zlatni rat is well known among surfers for ideal wind conditions. On Glavica peninsula a Dominician monastery and church were built in 1475. This monastery has a unique botanical garden and museum with collections of pre-historical and ancient maritime archeology, important historical artifacts, sacral objects and baroque paintings. The most interesting is the altar painting of "Madonna with a child and saints" by Tintoretto from 1563.
|
|
7 km to the west from Bol, above Murvica, is the Dragon's cave (Dragonjina spilja). The whole cave was altered and used as a church or hermitage, it is a first-rate monument of the cave life of Glagolitic priests from the 15th century. Main relief represents the fight between good and evil and contains elements of Slavic mythology (fairies, werewolves and witches). It holds the Mediterranean stories about Orkomarin, one-eyed giant who lives in a cave.
The Kopačina cave near Donji Humac is also interesting for its archaeological findings from neolithic era. This is the oldest site in Dalmatia.
|
|
Skrip is the oldest settlement on the island. Here can be found the ancient fort built in the 15th century in wich is a Native Museum of the island of Brač, a rich ethnographic collection of Radojkovic family. Museum keeps many valuable findings from all parts of the islands from ancient times, remains of Illyrian, Roman and Croatian culture.
|
|
Nerežišća was the earlier centre and the capitol of the island, far from the sea. It regressed by populating the coasts so today most of the houses are uninhabited. It is worthy to visit the The Prince’s Palace and the Roman St. Nicholas church. As a unique phenomenon, a pinetree grew in the stone salted roof of the St. Peter church, estimated to be 100 years old. Not far from there you can admire natural attraction Kolač (Cake) stone.
Northern coast
Supetar with its very rapid development became capital of the island. The port-town takes its name from Saint Peter. In the town the more important spectacle are the attractive Mausoleum of the family Petrinović on the old cemetary, the parish church of Mary Annunciation (18th century) with the monumental stairway, was built on the ruins of the original basilica from the 5th century, the Leroj Bell-tower with clock and the church museum. From the harbour there are different whole day excursions (to the north coast of the island with swimming, Omis – rafting and shipping possibilities on river Cetina, Trogir – fishing).
In Povalja, in the Benedictine Monastery (built in 9th-10th century upon the ruins of roman early-christian basilica) founded the manuscript Povaljska listine - The register of Povlja (from 1184, the oldest Cyrillic dokument wrote in Croatian-Cyrilic script). Original now kept in Pučišća in the parish office, a copy of it can be found in Skrip.
|
|
From quarries of Pučišća came the marble-hardness white stone. It has been used to build some of the grandest buildings in the world such as and the Diocletian palace in Split, the Reichstag in Berlin, the Parliament building in Vienna, the Whitehouse in Washington. The town is the center of Brač's famous white stone industry, with the only stone-mason school for young carvers in all of Croatia. Their masterpieces are on exhibit along the streets.
Postira is a fisherman's settlement. There is the only fish factory on the island, which is the center of fish-processing. To the east of Postira is a sandy bay, Lovrečina. There you can find the remains of Roman estate and also the early Christian St. Lovre basilica, dating from the 5th century.
Dol is sheltered in a deep valley field with mandarine and kiwi orchards, lies the village. In this little village there is the famous "Konoba Toni", pleading local cuisine and warm entertainment.
|
|
Western coast
Sutivan, the fast-growing township got its name from the early Christian basilica and Benedictine monastery of St. John (Sv. Ivan) from the 6th century. In the cementery there are unique katakombes with 126 underground graves. Not far in Livka bay we can find sandy coast. 3 kilometer from Sutivan in a pinewood you can find Park prirode, a warren on 12 thousand quadratkilometer.
Lozisca has chosen its site in a very steep stone glade. This town preserved its original appearance. It’s beautiful the baroque belfry from the second half of the 19th century. Not far we can find "Most Franje Josipa", an old stone bridge.
|
|
Milna was an occasional winter home for sheperds until the 16th century with it’s plateaus naturally protected from strong winds. So became center of the administration onto the 17th century. The noble family Cerinic built a church St Mary. In time, a village grows arround the church, and in 1783 a new Baroque church was built, a nunnery works here now. In the very centre of the town is a small, typically Mediterranean harbor.
South of Milna there are small harbours. The most beautiful are Osibova, with old Romanesque church of St. Joseph and the spacious bay Lučica, with numerous small coves. From the apartment estate the village of Bobovisca with its beautiful bay is within walking distance.
Other possibilities
From Milna to Split there is a catamaran four times a week. It leaves at 10 in the morning and comes back at 16:30 from Split. Split is the largest and the most important town in Dalmatia. It was developed around the huge palace which was erected by the Roman Emperor Diocletian in the 4th century. Diocletian’s Palace, the Cathedral built on the remains of an ancient shrine, Jupiter's temple and the swirl of the open market located just next to the the harbour, in the very heart of the old part of Split,
All day’s programs or sights on the way
- Plitvice Lake National Park
- Omis and canyon of the river Cetina, rafting on riffles
- Trogir
- Krka National Park
- Mostar and the Neretva valley
- Dubrovnik