Bol, Croatia

Bol is a small town on the south of the island of Brač in the Split-Dalmatia county of Croatia, population 1,661 (2001).

Bol is renowned for its beach the Zlatni rat ("Golden horn"). It is a promontory composed mostly of pebble rock that shifts with the tidal movement.

Zlatni rat is 1 km outside of Bol itself. It can be accessed either by walking around the harbour and out on the coast road; by means of the road train that chugs back and forth to the beach during the summer, or by boat from a location outside the Three Palms bar.

The water at Zlatni rat is quite spectacularly crystalline. When the rocks beneath the boat are 30 feet down they look only an arm's length away, and if the midday sun becomes too hot [despite the beach umbrellas and recliners that are available in abundance] you can rest in the shade of the pine trees that grow down the middle of Zlatni rat [there is a beach on either side of the horn]. Here you can buy freshly barbequed meat with salad for your lunch, as the barbeques amongst the pine trees are busy all the summer

Bol itself is a great place to visit with its harbourside bars and restaurants. The Valdera Cocktail Bar is especially vibrant [though rather noisy] in the summer months, but here you can drink the most delicious cocktails whilst gazing out to see. Another watering hole to visit is the Moby Dick bar, just up the Loza from the harbour. Or, you might want to do a spot of shopping in the open air market in the Loza or look for your latest designer 'fix' from one of the boutiques around the harbour.

August is the month when the big yachts come in, bringing people like Bernie Ecclestone and his family to Bol [his wife is Croatian].

If you don't have a yacht you can get to Bol either by means of the catamaran that travels over from Split Harbour every evening [departing Split at 4 pm]! This returns to Split from Bol Harbour at 6 am the following morning, having spent the night on the island of Hvar.

Otherwise, you can use the Jadrolinija Ferry that plies its way back and forth between Split Harbour and Supetar, the pretty little ferry port for the island of Brac.

Bol is predominantly a town for the young [or young at heart]. There are a multitude of sports available, from windsurfing, kite surfing and water skiing. If you like diving you can try Big Blue, the diving centre with its trendy sports shop and bar on the harbour. More sedate travellers can find quieter amusements in one of the big hotels just outside the town.

• Bol Info

43°16′N 16°39′E