Our favourite island in Croatia – Vis!

The next stop of our European adventures was the stunning island of Vis, located a few hours directly off the coast of Split.

Why choose Vis over Hvar or Brac?

Good question. Hvar and Brac are the most popular are ‘touristic’ islands in Croatia. Hvar has probably the most aesthetic old town and the best partying, whilst Brac has the world famous Zlatni Rat beach. However, Ky has previously travelled to both, and found that the crowds and costs associated with both of these islands were something we wanted to try and avoid. Additionally, we consulted with popular Croatian photographer (@timotej on Instagram), who recommended Vis as a great place for couples to stay a week. Vis turned out to be the perfect 1 week stay, striking a great balance between relaxation, exploring and stunning beaches.

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Our top moments from Vis

Swimming multiple times per day in some of the clearest water in the world

The crystal clear waters of Vis make it pretty hard to not jump in and have a dip the second you arrive, and that’s exactly what we did! While there’s a small pebble beach about a 5 minute walk from the Vis ferry port some of our favourite swimming spots were a little further along the promenade towards Kut (on the other side of the town, but still only a 15 minute walk away).

Of course, if you have the means of getting out of the main town you’ll likely find some even more incredible, and less populated swimming spots (more on this below).

It’s useful to be aware though that we saw a fair few sea urchins scattered throughout the shallower waters – definitely keep an eye out for these if swimming away from the popular beaches! We also noticed many locals/European tourists wearing water shoes while they swam, potentially as a precaution because of this.

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Hiring a scooter to explore some of the more ‘untouched’ parts of the island

Hiring a scooter to explore some of the more ‘untouched’ parts of the island

The island of Vis is small, but full of so many great towns, beaches and places to explore. Getting to the towns and hidden beaches of the island requires a mode of transport, with moped scooters the most common choice. You can also hire at car, bike, private boat or join in a quad bike tour. We opted for the scooter, spending one of the best days of the trip exploring Vis!

Do not miss:

• Vis Old Town: if you aren’t staying here, then this is a must to check out.
• Komiza: the second biggest town in Vis is Komiza, and was one of our stops on our Vis day trip. Have a read below about our morning in Komiza!
• Stivina Beach: a small beach with emerald waters, flanked by towering cliffs! You will likely have seen photos of Stivina beach on ‘best beaches of Croatia’ or ‘top beaches in Europe’ lists! It’s incredible! However, reaching Stivina beach from land requires a 30-45minute hike with significant incline. You can get there by water in the form of a boat tour. We advise to arrive early before the crowds! Read more here!
• Swimming off the rocks around the island: As mentioned above, we stopped multiple times for little swims around the island. Our favourite stop with in Rukavac, with the water stunningly clear, and the beach areas almost completely to ourselves.

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A morning in Komiza

As mentioned above we hired a scooter to get from the town of Vis to Komiza which we absolutely loved. Like much of the island it boasted stunning ocean views with mountains overlooking the town below. The key difference here though was it had much more of a ‘local’ feel. Without the constant turnover of Sail Croatia and Yacht Week visitors it felt like the perfect spot to really slow down for a prolonged period. We particularly savoured our morning coffees at Fabrika along the main strip.

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Seafood at Buffet Vis

Seafood on an island was something we had high on our wish-list when planning our trip. Our favourite meal out on Vis was at a little unassuming restaurant called Buffet Vis. Yes, the name doesn’t inspire confidence of ‘high quality food’, but this place isn’t the buffet the name suggests. We may be biased, as this little seafood restaurant was situated directly below our accommodation with views of the port. Whilst not the cheapest meal of our trip (spend is about $30-60 per person pending choices/drinks), the seafood was fresh, and the staff were particularly friendly and welcoming (slight contrast to some other restaurants in the main town). The warm octopus salad was a particular highlight!

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Coffee and cocktails at Frutarija

We fell in love with Fruitarija the first time we walked past it and continued to come here on average twice a day for the remainder of our trip.

This little outdoor café/bar is open from 08:00am to midnight every day serving coffees and drinks on its gorgeous outdoor terrace. With fairy lights in the evening and occasional live music at night, it’s the kind of place you could easily stay for a couple of hours to watch the sunset. The thing that makes this place a real winner though is its ‘hidden’ deck literally on the water, where you can drink your coffee and contemplate whether this is in fact real life or a very vivid dream. 10/10 would recommend.

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Running along the Vis Old Town promenade

The old town of Vis was particularly cute, with the promenade along the harbour offering constant views of the blue waters. We enjoyed trying to keep fit on holidays, and a run in a new town is one of our favourite things to do. Over a week stay we complete a few runs, and apart from a stunning view accompanying your exercise, the post run swim was one of the best we have had! Pro tip: if planning to run in summer, go early or late in the day to avoid the heat and lessen the crowds!

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A drawing class at Konoba & Bar in Vis

Why not lean into your creative side and try your hand at some drawing during your stay? Tess just happened to stumble across a class run by an artist turned art teacher now living on Vis (check out her website vis-ualarts.com for more info on class dates and times). She was more than happy for Tess to drop in for a one off session and caters to all age groups/skill levels. Running from 10am-12pm this was the perfect escape from the heat of the day and a lovely way to meet people while learning a new skill.

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Where to eat and drink in Vis:

Coffee:

• Frutarija – Vis
• Fabrika – Komiza

Seafood:

• Buffet Vis
• Note: all of the restaurants offer seafood, and due to the location on a port, the is likely fresh. We didn’t try many of the other restaurants due to the cost, however many of them looked to offer great options! Comment below if you have tried any other excellent restaurants in Vis.

Wine & Cocktails:

Generally, everywhere in the old town has a good atmosphere for a drink. Grabbing a take-away wine or beer from a bottle shop and sitting by the harbour or at the beach is also an excellent option.

• Our favourite: Frutarija for unmatched views and waterside vibes.
• Konoba & Bar

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Where to stay in Vis?

Option A: Stay in the Vis Old Town. This is the logical option as you are close to the port, lots of restaurants and bars, with more vibe and atmosphere.

Option B: Stay in Komiza. With a similar set up to Vis Old Town, however smaller and a more ‘relaxed feel’, Komiza is the place to stay if you want to get away from the crowds.

Accommodation:

Where we stayed: want to stay right on the harbour with views of the port? Our second floor apartment was on top of a fish restaurant and had views of the water. Overall, good value for money and worth considering if staying in Vis. Check it out here. Or take a look at some more options listed below:

• Treat yourself at Luxury Lighthouse Villa – Stay in a lighthouse with panoramic views and private swimming spots!
• Stay at a seafront apartment in the heart of Vis town!
• Komiza – Stay in a beautiful apartment with views in Komiza!

Want to have a look at other accommodation options in Vis?

Booking.com

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WANT TO SEE MORE TRAVEL MEMORIES?

See stunning photos and pick up advice from our travels in Croatia! Have a look here!

Read up on tips, advice and memories from a wonderful month in Italy. Check out the highlights!

Check out further highlights from our time in the Europe! Take a look!

Keen to hear our thoughts on how to choose a good restaurant in Europe? Have a look here!

Keen to take a look at further travel memories and advice? Take a look here!

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