Brač is Croatia's third-largest island and home to the country's most famous beach — Zlatni Rat (Golden Horn), a white pebble spit that extends into the sea and shifts direction with the current. It's also the source of the white limestone that built Diocletian's Palace in Split and, later, the White House in Washington DC.
Brač limestone — the brilliant white stone that gives the island's name to the rock — has been quarried on Brač since at least the Roman period. Diocletian chose it for his retirement palace in Split (the quarries at Škrip supplied stone that was ferried across the 50km channel to the construction site), and in the 19th century the same limestone was used for parts of the White House in Washington DC. The quarries at Pučišća are still working today, supplying stone to buildings across Europe, and the town of Pučišća has a world-famous stone-cutting school that has trained craftsmen for 500 years.
The island's contemporary fame rests almost entirely on Zlatni Rat (Golden Horn) — a 634-metre-long white pebble spit extending from the cape below the town of Bol on the island's south coast. The spit changes shape and direction depending on current and wind conditions, which makes it photographically unique: no two photographs of Zlatni Rat look exactly alike. The sea on both sides of the spit is shallow and clear, and the Maestral (northwest wind) that blows consistently from late morning makes Zlatni Rat one of the best windsurfing beaches in the Mediterranean.
Beyond the famous beach, Brač has considerable depth. The abandoned hermitage of Blaca (Pustinja Blaca) — a monastery built by Glagolitic priests fleeing Ottoman expansion in the 16th century, clinging to a cliff face in a remote karst valley — is one of Croatia's most extraordinary historical sites, accessible only on foot or by boat. Bol itself is a charming small town with excellent seafood restaurants and a Baroque church. Windsurfing and kiteboarding schools operate from Bol from May through October.
Local Tip
Zlatni Rat is best in the morning before the Maestral wind picks up (after 11am the water gets choppy for swimming but perfect for windsurfers). Go at 8am for the best swimming conditions and empty beach.
The consistent Maestral wind at Bol makes this the best windsurfing beach in Croatia — lessons available for complete beginners, equipment for experts.
Learn More 🪁Bol is one of the top kiteboarding destinations in the Mediterranean — the combination of steady wind and flat water is ideal for progression.
Learn More 🏝️Combine Brač's Zlatni Rat with Hvar's Pakleni Islands in a single boat day — two of Dalmatia's finest island experiences back to back.
Learn More 🥾Two-hour hike through karst valley to the 16th-century cliff monastery of Blaca — one of Croatia's most extraordinary and rarely visited sites.
Learn More 🛶Kayak the dramatic south coast sea cliffs of Brač from Bol — limestone walls dropping directly into the sea, sea caves and deserted coves.
Learn More 🗺️50-minute ferry from Split makes Brač easily reachable as a day trip — ferry to Supetar, bus or taxi to Bol and Zlatni Rat.
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