Bol

General information

Situated in a secluded place, on the southern coast of Brac, Bol is the oldest town of Brac and one of the most famous seaside resorts of the Adriatic. Apart from cultural monuments, Bol also features a number of natural beauties. East and west of Bol are numerous shores, beautiful beaches; the most famous - and probably the most beautiful on the Adriatic - is Zlatni Rat. This pebble cape is a unique phenomenon - it stretches into the open sea in the shape of a tongue, with its tip changing the form and moving to one and another side, according to the direction of winds and waves. A story has it that this is the only beach in the world that runs vertical to the coast. Above Bol is the mountain range of Bolska Kruna (Bol Crown), the Illyrian hill-fort Kostilo and Vidova Gora (778 m), the highest peak of the Adriatic islands.

Bol has a years-long tradition in tourism. The Society for Beautification of Bol and Tourist Traffic was established here in the 1920s. The construction of the first accommodation facilities started in 1963, to experience a rapid development during the seventies. Today Bol offers a number of modern, high-class hotels, hotel villages and apartments.

Numerous restaurants in the town offer specialities of local and international cuisine and exquisite wines of Brac (the famous "Bolski Plavac"). Bol also offers many cultural and entertainment programs. The most important event is the folk feast of Our Lady of the Snows (5th of August), in commemoration of the day when, a legend has it, it was snowing here; it is also the day of the Bol municipality.

To those who are keen on sports and recreation Bol offers 25 tennis courts, the central court having 1,820 seats. This is also the venue of top-class tennis tournaments (WTA Croatian Bol Ladies Open). Other sports opportunities include windsurfing, water sports, boccia, bowling, indoor football, basketball, volleyball. Diving, underwater fishing and hang-gliding (from Vidova Gora) are also organized.

Bol lies only 15 km from an international airport for small aircraft and has very good communications with major European cities. Connections with Split are provided by means of fast boats and a ferry line via Supetar.

During the tourist season, excursions are regularly organized (to Split, Dubrovnik, Makarska, Hvar, Jelsa, Vrbovska, Mljet, Medugorje). In the vicinity of Bol is one of the most attractive excursion destinations on Brac, the famous Blaca. West of Bol, above the village of Murvica is a cave called Drakonjina Spilja (Dragon's Cave), featuring numerous reliefs, carved in stone, of a great artistic value - depicting dragons and other fabulous creatures. Attractive are also excursions to Vidova Gora, with a wonderful view on the neighbouring islands and the typical Brac specialities - prosciutto, cheese, lamb, wine - in a wine cellar situated immediately below the highest peak of the Croatian islands.

BOL, a town and harbour on the southern side of the island of Brac, at the foot of Vidova Gora (778 m) and Dratevo Brdo (627 m), in a fertile field with permanent sources of potable water; population 1,478. The name originates from the Latin word vallum: an earth fortification with palisades. Economy is based on farming, viticulture (Bol houses a wine cellar with a capacity of 150 wagons), fishing (salting of anchovies) and tourism. Sand and pebble beaches (Zlatni Rat, etc.) stretch in the total length of some 15 km (from the Martinica Cove in the east to the Blaca Cove in the west). The southern coast of the island (west of the Konjska Cove) offers excellent opportunities for underwater fishing. Bol is located on a regional road. A steep hiking trail leads from Bol to the vista point on Vidova Gora (Vitus' Mount). About 5 km west of Bol is the village of Murvica, above which is a deserted monastery with a cave church.

[Text by Croatia.hr]