Brac, Croatia

• More about your oliver guide: Courtney Leary
• Trip type: Family, Beach
• Activity level: moderate
• Ideal length of trip: 3 days/ nights to 1 week

to & from

Getting to the islands of Croatia is a bit of a chore from the states no matter how you do it.

• Fly into Split– Easyjet has a daily flight.
• Hire a private boat or take a ferry from Split to Bol.  The private boat is more convenient as it will meet you at the airport when you arrive and deliver you directly to Bol but more costly ($350 approx.) and can be hard/un do-able if it is too windy. Ferry is common and very user friendly but only runs 1-2 times a day so you must work your flight schedule accordingly.  Additionally, the airport is not right in the town of Split so you will need to take a taxi from the airport into Split to catch the ferry or the other way around.
• Once on Bol, we did not rent a car but did rent mountain bikes from Active Bol to get us in and out of town quickly for groceries etc. Taxis were very available and not too expensive so we used these as well.

Where to Stay

Rent a house or apartment near/ within walking distance to Zlatni Rat beach. There are many available. We rented The Beach House  which we loved for THE VIEW, the simple pretty decor, the pool & wood burning stove for cooking, and the amazing covered porch where we spent hours. This was a very happy place to wake up.  That said, it is UP a HILL so be prepared for a HIKE (not a walk) back from town or the beach. The owners were also wonderful with providing information on restaurants, helping to arrange transfers to and from the island and lining up our bikes for us upon arrival. I would not stay here with children under 6 unless you want to rent a car– not necessary with older kids.

Where to Eat and Drink

• Senjkovic Winery: We visited this special winery for a dinner and tasting and were absolutely blown away by the experience! The food was among the best and the most creative we have had is our lives and the owners-- chef and winemaker could not have been more pleasant or hospitable. This is truly a very casual spot but a once in a lifetime dining experience.
• Restaurant Borak: The only real restaurant directly ON THE BEACH. We loved the beach club feel of this spot and had great steak, prawns and salad. They have a kids menu but be warned the burgers do not taste like they do in the states.
• Konoba Dinko: A small restaurant over looking the water at the other end of town (from the main beach and our beach house), we all loved our meals. Very simple but delicious food.
• The main beach of Zlatni Rat offers lots of food and drink stands-- fast food like; chicken nuggets, pizza, crepes, fruit cups and smoothies.
• In the center of town there is a fish market, a bakery and a "farmers market" where we picked up dinner quite a few nights. The fish market is only open from 8am-10am so get there early and be sure to ask them to clean the fish! They are truly right off the boat.

What to Do

• Hang out at the beach!
• Hike the island's highest peak, Vidova Goa. Even if you do not make it to the top the trail is steep and fun.
• Mountain bike-- alternate trails to Vidova Goa provide great and long mountain bike rides.
• Charter a boat or take a ferry to other islands-- check out Split and Hvar in particular as they are close and easy to get to. We used Magnum Yachts  for a charter and had a great experience. (Be sure and finalize your itinerary at the time of booking.  There was no leeway for deviation from the original plan.)

inside scoop

We found the Croatians to be very friendly and speak English most of the time. Communication was not a problem.

What to Pack

• Beaches are rocky, pack water shoes especially for kids.  They are the norm in Brac.
• Brac is very casual.  You do not need to pack fancy clothes.  It is also very warm in the summer so if this is your chance to wear your sundresses, break them out!
• Running/hiking/ biking shoes and sturdy sandals for getting around and exercising are a must.

more...

You may also want to check out Barbara Ray’s guide to Zadar Croatia if you want to move about the country a little more than we did.