English

Although Sutivan is among the hottest places on the Adriatic, typically Mediterranean climate and its location by the sea make visits to this town particulary relaxing. Days are hot and suitable for swimming or other sea activities while nights are cool and pleasant for sleeping.

Sutivan’s beaches are well known for their outstanding beauty, beginning with the ones that are located right in the town. Towards the west there are more than twenty unique bays and beaches of different size.
Even in the middle of the summer season, brightness of the sky and cleaness of the sea can be enjoyed there in undisturbed solitude.

During the hottest hours, coolness and rest can be found in shadows of Mediterranean pine and cypresses growing right by the sea.
Sutivan is an ideal place to get away from the stress of a big city, as it possesses the beauty and tranquility which make it perfect choice for discovering complete relaxation.

24th of June – St. John’s Day

Sutivan was named after this saint and his day is highly respected in the town. It is also the day of the Sutivan community. During the day there are organized some sport activities (football tournament or “balote” – for women!) as well as spontanious or organized authentical singing performances called “klapa”. The final celebration of this day is in the evening when all gather around big fire in front of the chapel of St. John.

15th of July – 15th of August – Sutivan Summer

“Sutivan summer” (Stivansko lito) is a festival which happens traditionaly every summer in the town and it consists of various cultural and artistic performances. Among others there are all kinds of exibitions of paintings, sculptures or ethnographic collections, open-air theatrical plays, authentical singing performances of “klapa” in the Kavanjin summer residance, painting work-shops, concerts of classical music in the church, jazz evenings and folk-dances or popular dances in the port of Sutivan.

16th of August – St. Roko’s Festivity
St. Roko is the procector of Sutivan. On this day you can participate in the church festivities and join the traditional procession of St. Roko through the town in the morning or in the afternoon hours. Every year it is organized a football tournament for the amateurs. Evening is always reserved for entertainment and dance in Sutivan’s port till the early morning hours.

24th – 30th of July – Extreme Sports’ Summer Festival “Vanka regule”

In the summer time happens traditionaly in Sutivan The Extreme Sports’ Summer Festival called “Vanka regule” (out of rules). This festival consists of various competitions in extreme sports: free climbing on artificial wall and natural stone, mountain biking (disciplines freeride and trial), seminars and courses in free diving etc. The most interesting events of this festival are climbing to the church towers in Sutivan and nearby village of Ložišća as well as various lectures about adventure and extreme sports, or interesting photo exibitions. As a part of “Vanka regule” from 2005 happens also international Outdoor Adventure Film Festival. Evenings are always reserved for concerts and parties of urban music. This festival is worth to visit even if you are not extreme sports’ fan because of the great and relaxed atmosphere and good vibrations. The organiser will surely find a way to amaze you with new and imaginative events every year.

Dalmatian specialities are :

Pršut – smoked ham
Brodetto – fish stew with polenta
Pašticada – beef goulash and gnocchi
Škampi na buzaru – shrimps cooked in their own juice
Salata na hobotnicu – octopus and spring onion salad
Riba na gradele – freshly grilled fish
Crni rižot – black rissoto cooked in cuttlefish ink
Don’t miss to try “Peka” – traditional method of cooking meat or octopus beneath a metal dome buried in glowing embers.
” Rožata” is similar to creme caramel and it’s also popular.

Vegetarian options are available in all restaurants in Sutivan and pizzerias.

If you are in apartment and looking for preparing some food, in the harbour of Sutivan is small fish market and it’s possible to find fresh fish every early morning or latest afternoon.
For vegetables and fruits, check the market near the post office.

On the Brač you can taste a very popular Plavac wine, specially from Baković vineyards. A very good desert wine produced along the islands coastline isProšek.

The most popular spirit on Brač is Rakija Lozovača which is a produced from wine grapes.

There is also a lot of others very aromatic grappas like Orahovica (with nut), Ruža (with rose) or Travarica (with a few herbs from island Brač).

If you want to take some quallity souvenires from Brač, check out the farmer’s markets or ask
someone from Sutivan where you can find a home-made grappa or original and virgin olive oil.
There are a number of family-run wine and oil cellars (look for signs saying “Prodajem domaće vino, rakiju i ulje”)
Just step in old small stone streets in Sutivan and sit with different generations of local families and taste some of their products.

Greek colonization was not present like on the other islands, but in the Roman time were formed many Roman settlements (villa rustica), thanks to the exploitation of the well known stone. From this white stone was built the Diocletian’s palace in the town of Split.

In the 7th century came Croats and, after their Christianization, life on the island became more dynamic. Venice had big influence on the island because it ruled almost 4 centuries. The danger of the Turks on the mainland was the reason that Brač had more and more immigrants. In the time of French ruling, thanks to the numerous reforms, life on the island became better for its habitants, and then in the time of Austrian Habsburg monarchy in the 19th century important settlements on the island were connected by roads.
In that time Brač became known for its quality wine which was exported around Europe.

In the biggining of the 20th century vineyards were slowly distroyed by the disease and this was the reason for a massive emigration to oversea countries, especially to Chile. In the 1st and in the 2nd World War the life on the island was very difficult. After liberation from the fascism island Brač became part of the socialistic Yugoslavia. From 1991. island Brač is part of the independent Republic of Croatia.

Desert Blaca is situated on the west side of the mountain Vidova gora. It can be reached only by macadam road (around 6 km) and walking path (around 30 min. walk). Blaca has great cultural, scientific and architectural importance, not only for the island Brač then for the whole of Dalmatia. Desert Blaca is actually an eremitial monastery which was founded by the glagolitic priests from the mainland who escaped the Turks around year 1550. After the permission of the island authorities to settle down on this area, throughout the centuries this simple cave shelter of Ljubitovica became monastic and economic complex of great importance. The priests lived independently over 400 years till 1963 when the last priest died and the monastery turned into a museum. Monastery Blaca was built in an interesting position hidden between high cliffs of the canyon and this gives it a misterious charm. Within the monastery there is a church, then a school for children, a library with nearly 8000 books on 5 languages, an astronomical observatory etc. The monastery of Blaca will surely surprise you with its beauty and history, so don’t miss to visit this exceptional locality.

DRAGON’S CAVE

Zmajeva špilja (Dragon’s cave) is situated on the south side of the island, underneath the cliffs of Vidova gora and over the village of Murvica. It can be reached by the picturesque walking path (around 40 min. walk). The historians didn’t exactly establish when or who made this rare monument, but its cultural and artistic (and secret!) value is not in question. Inside the cave there are many reliefs of figures from the Slavic mitology and Christianity made in the very stone of the cave. The dominant figure is one with the dragon and the cave was named after it. The eremites who lived here long time ago probably enjoyed beautiful nature and the panoramic view as well as todays visitors who are coming to see this misterious cave. Nearby there are several abandoned monasteries which are also worth to visit.

REGIONAL MUSEUM OF THE ISLAND – ŠKRIP

Škrip is the oldest settlement on the island of Brač. Set on the top of the hill, with its belfry, church facade and huge towers it appears like a town lost in this stony area by coincidence. Škrip is a town-monument in which Illyrians, Romans and Croatians deposited their ethnic layers, as the evidence of their presence. It is the whole of Brač in itself and it represents a very heart of the authentic island. In Škrip, there is the Regional Museum of the island with its rich collection from Roman time, late antiquity and early medieval monuments and sculptures as well as interesting ethnographic collection.

SCHOOL FOR STONE-CUTTERS – PUČIŠĆA

On the island Brač which is an everlasting source of white stone, the tradition of stone-cutting dates back to the time of Romans. From this famous stone were built some of the world well-known buildings (the Diocletian’s palace in Split, the White house in Washington, the Parliament in Budapest, the Reichstag in Berlin etc.) This old tradition continues even today, especially in the town of Pučišća where exists an unique school for stone-cutters (the only one in this part of Europe). In this school young people learn, like their ancestors, how to do this difficult job.

VIDOVA GORA

“The continent of Brač” is an exceptional island because of the Vidova gora mountain which is the highest peak of all Adriatic islands (778 m). The very top of the mountain can be reached by a car, and from the top spreads a breathless view on the slope of the south side of the island, the town of Bol and the famous beach Golden Cape (Zlatni rat) as well as on the islands of Middle Dalmatia. At high visibility even the Italian coast may be seen. Vidova gora hides many wonders of nature: from the dense forest of authentic black pine trees (Pinus niger Dalmatica) and its rich herbal and animal world to numerous caves and pits.

DOMINICAN MONASTERY – BOL

Dominican monastery in the town of Bol is, beside the Franciscan monastery in Sumartin, the only one on the island who survived untill now. It was founded at the end of the 15th century when there was no more danger of the pirates from the town of Omiš. This monastery partly helped the town of Bol to divelope itself. It is situated on the very east of the town and with its belfry and its church gives Bol a special charm. Within the monastery there is a botanical garden as well as the museum of island antiquities: archeological collection from various times, original manuscripts, church books and objects, numismatic collection, valued pictures from 15th to 18th century etc. The most valued picture is one from the late Renaissance made by the great Venice painter Tintoretto.

The Romans chose this coast to settle and built their villas, palaces, whole towns, in fact – to indulge in leisure, entertainment and delight.

Nowhere else through the Mediterranean you will find so many islands, bays, coves, pitoresque beaches and cliffs glided with sunshine.
The towns along the coast are true jewels of authentic Dalmatian architecture.

Each stone can tell its own story as their memory reaches far back into history, recalling the sails of the Argonauts and those of Roman galleies.

It’s not just a phrase when we say that there are more than a hundred small towns, villages and islands on the Dalmatian coast where one gets the impression that time stopped long ago; somewhere in the Middle Ages or in the Renaisance.

Beside the old towns you will see cypresses and olive trees, lavender and immortelle flowers and vineyards. In the shade of pine trees you will witnes day-to-day life, aboundant with incredible scents and sounds.

Experience the heaving green sea of olive trees and vineyards in the hinterland and notice the scattered herds of sheep, the dry-stone walls and myriad hamlets and villages.

If you wish to see and feel the Mediterranean as its best, all you have to do is visit it and it will become clear to you why the Dalmatian coast of the Adriatic Sea is often called the jewel of the Mediterranean.

Croatia is a multy-party parliamentary republic with Legislature and an Executive.
Elections for the Legislature are held every four years and presidential elections are held every five years.
The Republic is divided into 20 administrative counties or Županije.

PASSPORTS AND VISAS

A valid passport must hold all foreign nationals entering Croatia.
For stays of less than 90 days many Europeans (including all EU citizens) and those from South America, the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand do not need a visa to enter Croatia.
South Africans require a 90 – day visa to enter Croatia and should seek advice from any Croatian Embassy.
Visitor to Croatia are legally required to register with the police even visiting friends.
Hotels, camps and agencies offering private accommodation automatically take care of the papework.
Those who do not register may experience difficulties if they need to report anything to the police. It is essential to travel with a passport at all times.

Full list of countries whose citizens require a visa to enter Croatia can be obtained from CONSULAR DEPARTMENT OF THE CROATIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY
www.mvp.hr

CASH, MONEY MATTERS & TAX

Croatia’s currency is the “kuna”: 100 lipa make 1 kuna.

Approximate Exchange Rates :
Euro – 7.5 kuna
Pound – 11 kuna
US dollar – 6 kuna

Euro and US dollar Travellers’ cheques can be exchanged at many banks and exchanged offices for a commission of up to 2 percent when accompanied by a valid passport.
American Express travellers’ cheques can also be exchanged through Atlas travel agencies.

Debit cards carrying the Maestro, Mastercard, Visa and Cirrus symbols are widely accepted.
Credit cards are a good way to settle bills, with American Express and Mastercard being more widely accepted than Visa.

Western Union Money Transfer services are also available at more than 1000 post offices through Croatia.

Value Added Tax is applied to all purchases in Croatia and charged at 22 percent.
Visitors to Croatia can claim back up to 16 percent of the VAT that they pay on shop purchases over 5.000 kuna when leaving the country. Refunds are only made if the Tax Free Cheques have been stamped by customs.

HEALTH AND INSURANCE

A visit to Croatia does not carry any specific health risks and no vaccinations are needed.
However, it is advisable to take precautions against sunstroke, sunburn and dehydration in the summer.
It is safe to drink tap water throughout Croatia.
If you’re taking specific medication should take adequate supplies with them, which will help pharmacists supply replacements if necessary.

Citizens of most European countries are entitled to free medical care due to a mutual health care agreement.
If no such agreement exists patients are charged according to a standard price list.

Credit cards often offer limited insurance when they are used to book a flight or holiday and some household insurance covers personal possessions away from home including cover abroad. Terms and conditions should always be checked throughly prior to departure.

CLIMATE

The Adriatic coastline has a Mediterranean climate.
The sea is warm all year round with a low of 12 °C in winter and a high of 26 °C in summer.
The type of clothing required depends on the season and intended activities.

At the high of the tourist season in Juny, July and August temperatures in the sun can exceed 30 °C so it is essential to wear light, loose non-synthetic clothing, sunglasses and a sun hat.

Night temperatures are mild making it possible to wear shorts, T-shirts and sundresses through to bedtime.

In spring, early summer and early autmn, when average temperatures are lower , a sweater or light jacket will also be requried.

November through to March are cold months and if you are in this period in Dalmatia be prepared for the possibility of rain or cold wind named ” bura “.
For more information about weather in Croatia, check this site:
www.dhmz.htnet.hr