Island of Vis
About Vis island
The Island of Vis, known for its fishermen and seafarers, lies far from the mainland in middle Dalmatia. Greeks were big travelers and have left their impact on many lands in Croatia and island Vis is one of them. The Greeks founded their first colony on Vis (named Issa) and planted the first grapevine there as early as the 4th century. A Franciscan monastery was built on the remains of the Greek and Roman theatre in the small town of Vis in the 16th century.
Because of its great geographical position, Vis has been a part of almost all the empires of the world – British, Venetian, Ottoman and Yugoslav. It was considered to be a military island and in the age of Yugoslavia, Tito had built hidden tunnels that stretch through the whole island. There are military tours on the island explaining the history and the island’s military purpose. Now, Vis is a beautiful green island that attracts many tourists.
Harbor and anchorage
There are two main villages, Vis and Komiža where you can be moored. We strongly recommend Vis harbor because it’s much better protected if bad weather occurs.
Vis has a 5 km long harbor with plenty of mooring space. Best is to find a place as deep as you can go in the bay. Also, it’s possible to be on anchorage but be aware that the opposite side of the bay is a nudist beach so some unpleasant views might occur.
Beaches on Vis
On the island is located the most beautiful beach in Croatia, called “Stiniva”. The cliffs seclude the bay making it impossible for big yachts to enter. If you wish to escape from the people and noise, Vis hides many bays where you can enjoy and relax. There are plenty of natural pebble beaches on Vis, and the sea is extremely clean and transparent, perfect for diving, jet ski, windsurfing, and other activities. Stončica, Stiniva, Rukatac and Rogačić are just some of them where you might wish to go for a swim.
Komiža village
Go and visit the town Komiža, feel the fisherman atmosphere and have lunch in a restaurant. Fish is almost served directly from the fisherman’s boat. There is a great festival held every year when local fishermen go on the sea in small boats. Teams of 6 paddle on the open sea toward the best fishing locations. It is like a race for best spot. After they return there is a great festival and dinner where all locals arrive.
Restaurants on Vis
Vis offers a diverse gastronomical offer. From luxurious fish restaurants to small households. There is one amazing restaurant on the island which offers a famous Croatian specialty – meat under the steel bell. This meal is made on a fireplace and hot coal is placed over the steel bell so meat or octopus with potatoes and other vegetables are slowly cooked and baked at the same time. This meal has to be ordered in advance so make sure to point this out when booking a table. Name of the restaurant is “Konoba Golub”.
If you wish to try one of the best pizzas, Vis is a great village to do so. “Nona Darinka” is the pizzeria and they use a traditional brick oven.
Things to do in Vis
Vis is also a pretty high island so there are two locations for rock climbing. It is perfect for adrenaline addicts. If you wish to explore the island more by yourself, you can rent a scooter and drive around. The island is small and safe, and the people are always helpful.
One more famous attraction is near island Vis, on another island called Biševo. The Island of Biševo is on the south-west part of the Island of Vis, having many caves carved into its steep coast. Inside the island is The Blue Cave (Modra spilja) and it has entrances both above and below sea level. When the sea is calm, the light diffracts and paints the interior of the cave blue, and anything below the water line, silver. For those few minutes, the cave will leave you speechless and you will just sit in the barge gazing in the blue.
Besides visiting Blu Cave, the Military tour is one of the most interesting ones. Local people will take you to see underground tunnels, atomic shelters and one old airport.
