Thanks to Gorky Brkic for submitting this article about his trip to thre Dalmation islands.
He tells us “Last summer I spent my holidays visiting three Croatian islands – Korcula, Vis and Hvar. Although they are physically near each other, I learned they were quite different in many ways, but that only made my holiday more diverse and interesting. If you’re interested in visiting these islands, here are some tips and recommendations on how to reach them and what to see or do.
My first stop was Korcula; as I landed in Split I figured out that finding a ferry to Korcula won’t be hard, and it wasn’t – there’s a number of ferries and catamarans going every day; just be careful as some go to Vela Luka and some to Korcula Town – both are settlements on Korcula but on the opposite sides of the island.
I stayed at one of the local four star hotels (I spent five days at Korcula); the island is quite popular among tourists and it was pretty crowded. The things you should see are mostly in Korcula Old Town, with plenty of historical buildings (and my personal favorite – the Marco Polo museum). Plus a little discovery of mind – an art gallery called Vapor near the port has many awesome paintings, so pay it a visit if you can.
I also liked how the locals are especially proud of their winemaking tradition; they have this white wine called “posip”, you can get it at any tavern (or “konoba” in Croatian) which is really great and goes well with fish. And various fish dishes are staple food of the island and the region.
Every morning I would go to Pupnatska Luka beach; it’s one of the most popular beaches near Korcula Town, and it’s truly great; it gets a bit crowded around noon, so come earlier if you want a good spot. Unfortunately I didn’t get to explore the other settlements on the island as a new adventure awaited me: Vis Island.
The only way to reach Vis directly is by a ferry from Split or for those with more adventurous spirit by hiring a boat; the timetable varies depending on the month of the year, but the lines are most frequent in the summer. It takes about two hours to reach the island. But since I was on Korcula, I had to find another route, and I did: I took a 13.30 ferry to Starigrad, which is a settlement on Hvar, then proceeded via bus to Hvar Town, where I caught a 19.10 ferry to Vis. It took a whole afternoon, and it’s a shame there is no direct line from Korcula to Vis, but I got there.
Vis is a bit of a mystery island to most tourists; it was apparently a Yugoslav army base, cut off from tourists until the country’s dissolution. As Croatia emerged as a popular tourist destination, most of its islands were quickly urbanized; hotels were built in large numbers. But Vis was spared of this – its nature remained untouched, and it’s a must-see for anyone who appreciates authenticity, beautiful sights and peace and quiet. There are two settlements: Komiza and Vis Town (I arrived to Vis Town).
I immediately liked the quiet atmosphere of chill and relaxation; I previously booked a room from one of the locals and spent the next 4 days at the island. There were some smaller concerts in the center of the town, but nothing big. I would spend my days just sunbathing and swimming. I visited the local Archaeological Museum and a few other historical buildings mentioned in a brochure my host had given me, but the thing I liked the most wasn’t on Vis: the third day I went to an excursion on a nearby islet of Bisevo to visit the famous Blue Cave. It’s a sea cave unique because the sunlight, reflected from the seabed, creates a beautiful glowing effect. If you’re ever at Vis, be sure to check it out!
My last destination was Hvar: I took a ferry from Vis to Hvar in the morning and the trip took only an hour. Hvar is altogether pretty well connected with the mainland; after I was done with Hvar I returned to Split via catamaran (there is a one every few hours during the peak of the season).
I spend only three days at Hvar – in Hvar Town, to be precise. I would recommend seeing the old Hvar Fortress and the Hvar Public Theater (which I think is the oldest theater in that part of Europe). Hvar Town is also a party destination and I was out twice, both times to Carpe Diem, apparently the most popular nightclub on the island, and it was great, but I have another recommendation to make. If you want a cozy after-dinner drink, head out to Lola Bar near the town center. Its retro music, cool atmosphere and great interior design were really awesome.
All in all, visiting these islands was great. I learned a lot about them, enjoyed staying at each and had tremendous fun. Of course, there’s much more to them than I had described, but I definitely recommend visiting them. Besides, discovering more about them on your own is the whole point – have fun!
