A new season is upon us, and for many tourists coming to Hvar, that will include one of the top day trip attractions in the region - the Blue Cave, a spectacular natural phenomenon whose water turns a surreal blue due to the sunlight pasing through a crack in the cave, as you can see above in an excellent photo by Osijek maestros Romulic and Stojcic. Couples with the lesser known and greener Green Cave, a speedboat tour to Bisevo close to neighbouing Vis is one of the great day trips from Hvar.
Alas, such magic used to be kept to just a few people, and now the Blue Cave has organised speedboat tours from several other islands, and as far away as Split.
"It is like watching a motorway on the southern shore of Vis, a local told me from Komiza last summer. It used to be such a tranquil place, but now it is so much busier than before."
The Blue Cave tour - it is one of the most advertised, and it comes usually with the standard cave visits plus a swim at the not so hidden Stiniva beach on Vis, which was recently named the most beautiful in all Europe. All these three are must-sees and as long as you can find the right agency to navigate the crowds, a fun day is ensured, but there is SO much more to see and do on Vis than one gives the island credit for, and it is a shame that so many people experience one Vis beach on their day trip.
For this is an island which is absolutely FASCINATING. Closed to foreigners until 1991, its military history alone (hidden submarine base, military tunnels, British fortresses, Allied cemeteries and WWII airfield), its 200-year cricket heritage (the oldest in Europe outside the UK), its rich heritage, food and wine (don't miss the indigenous Vugava white), I had the most extraordinary day out last summer, as a guest of Hvar Tours. I incorporated just a fraction of what I experienced in 25 Things to Know about the Island of Vis.
I encourage you to read that article, and then to consider this rather tasty itinerary from Hvar Tours, who kindly showed me their Vis, which was so much more than the Blue Cave and Stiniva beach. For this summer, Hvar Tours have several new products, but there are few tours out there which pack in as much magic in one day as their Vis Islands Highlights and Secrets tour, see below.
09:00 Hvar town departure
09:45 First stop, including time for a swim is the Green Cave, which is not as popular as its Blue cousin, but well worth a visit. The Green Cave (called Želena Spilja by the locals): a small opening in the ceiling of the cave lets the sun light pass through, creating an image very similar with a flashlight cone in the night. The cone is also visible in the water and you can clearly see the spot where it hits the seabed.
10:30 Stiniva bay – hard to spot with its cliffs protecting its location, Stiniva is divine, a small ray of heaven which is collecting several international accolades, the lastest of which was best beach in Europe by European Best Destinations. Enjoy the moment with a dip in true Dalmatian heaven.
11:00 The Blue Cave is a water-logged sea cave located in a small bay called Balun (Ball in the local dialect), on the east side of the island of Bisevo and about 4.5 nautical miles (8.3 km) from Komiza. The grotto is one of the best known natural beauty spots on the Adriatic and a popular show cave because of the glowing blue light that appears at certain times of day.
12:00 – 12;30 pick up in Komiza, short refreshement and a brief introduction into the Secret Vis tour with refreshments (why not try a glass of the famous Vugava white wine from Vis, or beer lovers might be interest in the island’s very own craft beer only the second to be produced on a Croatian island), which will take place either side of lunch learning about the harsh conditions Dalmatians endured on this former wine island before mass emigration due to phylloxera and a poor economy caused mass emigration. A key part of the tour is military history, LOTS of amazing military history.
1pm – 1:30 guided car transfer and tour towards lunch place
1:30pm Lunch at Roki’s estate, a veritable feast of Dalmatian peka, and the sitting of one of the most remarkable stories in Dalmatia, for your host Roki was solely responsible for continuing one of the island’s more unusual claims to fame – the oldest cricket club in Europe outside the UK. With regular international games and tournaments on the edge of the military airfield which played such a crucial role in World War II, the stories and setting are a match for the excellent gourmet experience.
3pm departure for the 2nd part of the inland tour with various stops. Discover the role the British have played over the centuries on Vis, with their forts, Allied cemeteries and role in refugee evacuation to the Sinai Desert. And as fascinating as those stories are, Vis is famous for its submarine base (you will visit), as well as its tunnels and ramparts built into the hills by Tito, as well as a missile loading site. Imagine a current tourist island which was closed to the world just 25 years ago.
5:30pm town of Vis – departure to Hvar town
An optional extra is a unique experience on the traditional wooden sailing boats of Komiza – the falkusa. Beautifully restored, sail out to the bay of Komiza and experience sailing like the participants of the first regatta in the world did back in 1593. Yes, that took place in falkusa – on that secret island of Vis!
For more information and to book, visit the Hvar Tours website.
