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Information and Things to Do in Bol and the Island of Brac, Croatia.
VIDOVA GORA (Mount St Vitus). At 2,560 this is the highest peak
in the Adriatic Islands, and the summit is accessible either on foot
or by car from Bol.
MILNA was founded at the beginning of the 18th Century and faces
a sheltered bay. The exterior of the Church of the Annunciation of Mary
(Velika Gospa) is Baroque - the interior is decorated in the Rococco style.
It is one of the few places that have so far escaped development.
All of the classical Dalmation components are there. A higgledy piggledy
old town, a crumbling old church, a wide waterfront and some excellent
seafood restaurants.
BRAC SUMMER CULTURAL FESTIVAL runs from June to September
where traditional folk music and classical concerts are held in Brac's
main towns - most of them are free.
EXTREME SPORTS in BOL start in August an Extreme Sports Festival
is held on Brac. One of the main events is 'Sky Running' in which
competititors run from sea level at Zlatni Rat right up to the 2,560
summit of Vidova Gora: Other events include 'Free Diving', similar
to
scuba diving but without the aid of an oxygen tank.
WATER SPORTS on BOL: Croatia is the perfect place for water sports.
The sea is azure blue and crystalline with none of the pollution that
may be found in other Mediterranean and Adriatic countries.
TENNIS on BRAC: The Croatian Bol Ladies Open Tennis Championship
is
played out annually in Bol. The local tennis centre is situated at Potocine.
Ex-Wimbledon champion, Goran Ivanisevic who lives in Split, is well known
here as he regularly visits the island.
The Major Attraction of Bol on the southern coast of Brac is its
famous long
beach, Zlatni Rat (meaning Golden Horn), a triangular spit of shingle
which
reaches out into the sea and changes shape with the seasonal tides.
Bol has its own small beach which is situated next to the
Catamaran dock.
The Monastery beach, too, is well worth a visit. This is five minutes
out
of Bol along the Coastal Path that begins beside the Tourist Office in
the Venetian building on the harbour.
Lovrecina Beach, a short distance from Postira, is also a lovely
beach
with its own little restaurant, but there is never a difficulty finding
somewhere to swim & enjoy the sun on Brac as there are many little
beaches all around the island.
The BRANISLAV DESKOVIC Gallery was founded by Branislav Deskovic,
a native of Brac. It lies within a charming Baroque building on the seafront
in Bol. This gallery concentrates on 20th Century Croatian artists who
have been inspired by Dalmatia, and includes works by Ivan Rendic,
Ivan Mestrovic and expressionist painter, Edo Murtic.
NUDIST BEACH. As well as Zlatni Rat there is a stretch reserved
for nudists
known as Paklina, this is just 200 mtrs west of the Cape (of Zlatni Rat).
DOMINICAN MONASTERY was founded in 1475 and stands on a charming
headland at the edge of Bol. The beautiful church is decorated with
paintings, including a 'Virgin With Saints' attributed to Tintoretto.
A rich treasury includes liturgical objects.
DRAKONJINA SPILJA (Dragon's Cave) is a pleasant 5km walk west
of Bol
brings you to the hamlet of Murvica. Just 200 mtrs above this tiny
settlement the Drakonjina Spilja is a 20 metre long cavern divided into
four halls by a series of walls. The first hall is decorated with bizarre
reliefs
carved into the stone, depicting dragons and other fabulous creatures.
It is said to be the work of the monks from Blaca and kept locked.
However, if you ask the Bol Tourist Office they can arrange for someone
to open it for you!
PUSTINJA BLACA, a little way down the coast from Bol is Pustinja
Blaca,
an impressive 16th Century monastery built into the cliff face which is
accessible by boat from Bol: The last monk to live here, Father Niko
Milicevic Mladi was a keen astronomer who set-up an observatory in
1926 - besides his astronomical tools, left behind a collection of old
clocks.
Visitors can see these, along with the old-fashioned kitchen, an armoury,
and a display of period furniture. Local tourist agencies organize trips.
SELCA; In Selca, quarrymen can be seen at work, and the roman
quarries
where they extracted extracted stone can also be visited. The romans
loaded the solid blocks onto ships at the port of Pucisca, a lovely peaceful
spot similar to Sumartin further east, which was built around a monastery
founded by the Franciscans of Marcarska in 1645.
The monks brought with them a treasury, and many of the paintings
are now preserved in the monastery.
SCRIP is probably the site of the first settlement on the island
(although Bol claims this, too) and is the presumed birthplace of Helen,
mother of the Emperor Constantine. The Church and painting by
Palma il Giovane on the main altar, are dedicated to Helen.
BRAC MUSEUM is a fortified stone house in Skrip houses the
Brac Museum and exhibits archaeological finds, evidence of Mankind's
presence on the island.
NEREZISCA in the centre of Brac was for a long time the main town
on the island. The Governor's Palace, the Loggia and a pedestal with
the Lion of St Mark are signs of its former status.
ART IN BOL;
En route, around Bol Harbour, to the Venetian building that is the
Tourist Office you pass a one-storey stone building on the harbourside.
This has arched windows and if you venture inside you discover some
really fine sculptures and paintings by famous Croatian artists.
Right next door to the Tourist Office is a stone courtyard that also
contains fine sculptures. Walk through the little alleyway beside the
Tourist Office and you come to the Coastal Path. 5 minutes walk brings
you to the Dominican Monastery which has some fine Works of Art!
RESTAURANTS in Bol:
If you walk through the little alleyway beside the Tourist Office you
come to the Coastal Walk. Five minutes along this and you arrive at the
Monastery beach with it delightful restaurant, situated in a restored
fisherman's house. The beach is lovely and the Monastery is worth a visit
to as it has some notable Works of Art.
A good restaurant to visit is Gust - You find this just around the corner
from the Cocktail Bar up a little alleyway. Reasonably priced, the food
is good and their fish is especially recommended.
At the other end of the harbour is a Pizza Restaurant.
GUST, Frane Radica 14, Bol
RIBARSKA KUCICA, Kucica, Bol
TAVERNA RIVA, Frane Radica 5, Bol
BARS in BOL:
There are many little bars in Bol and probably the best known is the
Cocktail Bar which is on the harbourside close by the main church in Bol.
Here you can sit under straw rotunda and sip rum punches or Singapore
slings to your hearts content whilst gazing out at the azure blue sea.
A good place to retreat to in the heat of the day.
The Moby Dick, in the Loza just back from the Harbour, is a very popular
watering hole. From its vantage point you can look out over the whole
of the harbour whilst enjoying a drink or cappuccino. Another popular
bar
is the Three Palms Bar on the Harbourside.
INTERNET CAFÉ;
If you wish to use the internet there is an internet café in Bol.
It is just by the Church in the centre of Bol, almost next to the Post
Office.
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