Bol

Charming old town at the foot of Vidovaya Gora (View Mountain)

The town of Bol, nestled on the southern coast of the island of Brac, is one of the most popular and oldest settlements on the island. It attracts tourists not only because of its proximity to the famous Zlatni Rat beach, but also because of its picturesque promenade, ancient architecture and relaxed atmosphere.

How to get there

Bol can be reached in several ways. There are regular high-speed passenger catamarans from Split, and there is also a catamaran connection to the town of Jelsa on the island of Hvar. Tourists with cars use the Split-Supetar ferry or the Makarska-Sumartin ferry.

Island of Brac, port Bol, small pier

If you are travelling on Brač itself, there are shuttle buses from Supetar and other settlements to Bol. Of course, you can always use a car or taxi. The town is located at the foot of the highest point of the Adriatic Islands, Vidova Gora.

What to see

One of the main attractions of Bol is the Dominican Monastery (Dominikanski samostan), founded in the 15th century. It is located on the picturesque Glavica peninsula (poluotok Glavica), east of the town centre, and is surrounded by a beautiful garden.

Dominican Monastery, Bol

The monastery houses a museum with a collection of archaeological finds, paintings and liturgical objects. The walk to the monastery itself along the sea is very pleasant.
In the centre of Bol, on its lively promenade (riva), the building of the old wine cooperative stands out, which now houses the modern winery “Stina”. Here you can not only see the wine production process, but also taste local varieties such as Plavac Mali.

Bolu is particularly charming due to its narrow, stone-paved streets of the old town, framed by traditional Dalmatian stone houses (kamene kuće) with green shutters and tiled roofs. Art connoisseurs will be interested in the Galerija umjetnina “Branislav Dešković” (Branislav Dešković Gallery ), where works by Croatian painters and sculptors of the 20th century are on display.

Old stone House in house

Beaches in Bol (except Zlatni Rat)

Apart from the world-famous Zlatni Rat, there are other, less crowded beaches in the neighbourhood of Bol. In the area of the Dominican Monastery there are the pebble beaches of Kotlina (plaža Kotlina) and Martinica (plaža Martinica), known for their clear water and calm atmosphere.

Kotlin beach

Martinitsa Beach, Bol

Also along the coast on both sides of Bol you can find small secluded coves (uvale), ideal for those looking for quietness. The part of the coast between Martinica beach and the beach at Cape Grabov rat is occupied by nudists, it is not marked on Google maps, but on local tourist maps it is marked as FKK. The Dominican Monastery and the beaches near it are on the outskirts of the town. If we walk along the promenade towards the town centre, we will come to Račić beach.

Račić beach, Bol

Reaching the harbour, the back side of the ferry pier suddenly has a designated swimming spot – Veli Most beach.

Veli Most beach, Bol

If you go round the harbour and continue towards the Golden Cape, you will meet Borak beach near the Kate School and further on Potočine beach.

Where to eat

Conoba Mlin (Conoba-Mlin, Bol). A tavern

Bol offers a wide range of establishments to suit all tastes and wallets. Along the seafront and in the old town there are numerous restaurants serving fresh fish and seafood grilled on the grill (na gradele), as well as traditional Dalmatian meat dishes. Also popular are konoba (konoba), taverns with an authentic atmosphere and homemade food. Of course, there are also pizzerias and cafes with lighter snacks. What I like about Croatia is that almost everywhere you can order local bottled wine. Yes, a glass of cold Malvasia on a hot day by the sea under the walls of the Dominican Cathedral is just what you need for a great atmosphere of relaxed holiday.

Entertainment

Bol is known for its active life, especially during the summer season. There are numerous tennis courts, where international tournaments are also organised. Diving centres (ronilački centar) are available for diving enthusiasts , organising dives in interesting locations. Various boat trips (izleti brodom) to neighbouring islands or picturesque bays depart from the port of Bolá . In the evening, the seafront comes alive with bars and nightclubs in some places.