Stiniva beach on Vis Island is one of the most picturesque swimming spots from our travels in Europe! A small pebble beach flanked by canyon walls with stunning emerald waters. The backdrop of the hills behind you and the small peak of ocean beyond the gap in the canyon only adds to the spectacle. You will likely have seen photos of Stiniva beach when researching Croatia, with it regularly appearing on the ‘best beaches of Croatia’ and ‘top beaches in Europe’ lists. Additionally, photos of Stiniva beach are plastered on tourist information boards for day trips. Have a read through the blog to see some stunning photos, and recommendations about how to get there and make the most of your visit.
Getting to Stiniva Beach:
The beach is situated around 20-30minutes drive (car or moped scooter) away from Vis Old Town. You have 2 options to reach this beach, with varying pros and cons to each.
Option A: drive.
We hired a moped scooter and drove from Vis Old Town. The journey was quick and easy, despite limited road signs (Google maps saves the day!). Parking at the top of the beach was 15kn per hour or 50kn for the day. If you drive to Stiniva, be prepared to hike! To get down to the beach from the road is only about 30-60minutes walk, but the incline of this trial is significant. The trail has a gravel and rock path which rapidly descends down the cliff to the beach below. You need good walking shoes (thongs and sandals aren’t adequate), and an ability to climb up/down uneven terrain. Despite the short length in nature, we found this hike to be a decent challenge. Note that the trail has no safety barriers, and the rocks on the steep decline can be slightly loose, so be aware of slipping. The reward for our hard work was wonderful views on the descent, and the stunning beach when we arrived.
Option B: boat tour.
If you read the details of the hike above and feel like this option isn’t for you, then the other option to visit if via a boat tour. All of the major town centres of Vis, Brac, Hvar and Split will offer private and group tours to this beach. However, be prepared to pay, and your timing will be dictated by the tour company. The boat tours typically rock up after 11am, and stay for 15-30minutes.
Recommendation:
If you are physically fit enough, take good shoes and do the hike! It’s cheaper, more scenic, and you get a feeling of accomplishment when you arrive at the beach. You can also arrive earlier to beat the crowds and the peak heat of the day. Remember: wear appropriate shoes!
Arrive early!
As mentioned previously, the tour boats typically begin to rock up from around 10-11am. This means the peaceful little beach can become busier and lose a little of it’s ‘untouched’ feel. The boats can not moor on the beach, so they do not completely ruin the vibe, but it is a different atmosphere (and worse for your photos). We arrived around 9.30am for our hike down, having the beach relatively calm for around an hour before the boats started to roll in (and we decided to leave!).
Additional Info:
There is a cute little bar at the bottom of the hill offering drinks and food. You will likely pay a ‘location tax’ as it’s the only place on this remote beach. However, a coffee or drink with that view is likely worth the price.
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