What to see in Vis

Vis is a town in Croatia, on the island of Vis. It lies in a large and naturally protected bay, the bay of St George, on the north-eastern side of the island. The town faces Hvar and the Dalmatian mainland. The town harbour is set back on the south-western shore of the bay, which is protected by the islet of Host and the peninsula of Prirovo.

High hills separate the town from the fertile fields of the island, but these are nonetheless well used and form the basis of the economic development of the place. Viticulture is an important activity of the islanders, but in recent years tourism has been growing steadily.

Until the middle of the twentieth century the main source of income for the inhabitants of this town was their vineyards, that is, wine production. Today the situation is somewhat different, and most families are mainly engaged in tourism and related activities.

The smaller islands near Vis have great tourist potential. We mean the islets of Budihovac and Ravnik.

Beaches of the island of Vis

A little about the history of Vis

The first settlement on the site of today's town was called Issa, and it was founded by Greek colonists from Sicily as early as the 4th century BC. On this site the town of Vis as we know it today developed. Ancient Issa was at one time the urban and economic centre of this part of the Adriatic, and it served as a base for settling nearby parts of the Dalmatian mainland. From the very beginning Issa functioned as a city-state, and it kept its independence until the 1st century BC, after which it became part of the Roman Empire. After that Vis lost its importance, and it is mentioned only occasionally in medieval documents and in inscriptions discovered from that period.

Today Vis has become interesting to many, and its real tourist boom is yet to come. Although it hosts a large number of guests even today, its potential for development in that direction is far greater.

Interesting facts about Vis

From everything you have read above, you can conclude that Vis is probably the oldest urban settlement on the territory of present-day Croatia. This is certainly an interesting fact, especially since many towns in Croatia have a very long history. The old town of Stari Grad on the neighbouring island of Hvar is 2,400 years old, and it still competes with Vis for the title of the oldest.

Throughout its history Vis had two separate parts – Luka and Kut, so the locals built a parish church and later a school between the settlements, in order to connect and join them over time.

From 1807 to 1815 Vis was under English rule, and the English built a system of fortifications around the town and named them after their rulers and military commanders. Thus we have the forts Bentinck, George III and Wellington.

Enough about interesting facts and history. We will continue the story of Vis in the direction of tourism and the tourist development of the town and its surroundings.

Tourism on the island of Vis

Vis is still insufficiently discovered, and herein lies all the charm of this place. Despite very good visitor numbers, the opportunities for a tourist boom are much greater.

The islanders have recognised the good sides of tourism, and with that in mind they have turned their lives in that direction. The rich offer, unexplored nature and beautiful landscape attract a large number of guests every year. Although the town is on an island, it is only 1 hour and 10 minutes away by regular ferry from the mainland. You reach it from the port of Split, with a pleasant crossing and a beautiful view of the nearby islands and islets.

The tourist offer comes mainly from the island's rich history, its natural beauty and the existing gastronomic offer. Guests who have been on the island say: „Nowhere is the food as good as on Vis!“

For a shorter period Vis was an island on which a Yugoslav army barracks was located, and an area where military secrets were hidden. After the army left the island, a large number of tunnels and a labyrinth remained on Vis, which still attracts many tourists today. For precisely this reason many come here even outside the summer season. Military and caving tours are part of a special kind of tourism, and of special guests who do not care about the season and are not bothered by the temperature of the sea or the surroundings. A former restricted zone is today a draw for many and is of great importance for the development of tourism on this island in general.

Vis is in fact a small island in area, but it is very rich and offers more than many much larger islands. Of course, it is not right to compare it with other islands, since each of them has something to offer, but we want to point out that, considering the area of Vis, this island offers really a lot. If you want to visit Vis, the town or the island, be sure to take an organised tour – which will present the interesting features of this place.

Accommodation capacities are sufficient for the number of guests who come, and as that number grows, new private accommodation is of course being built. If you wish to come to the island, be sure to look at the offer of private apartments on Vis.

Gastronomic offer on the island of Vis

They say the best food is eaten on Vis, at least as far as the Croatian part of the Adriatic is concerned. It is a statement that many like to repeat, so we have no reason to doubt its truth.

In fact there are several reasons why Vis has placed itself at the very top of the gastronomic offer on the Adriatic. We will touch a little on that topic below, so read on.

Many consider that the climate particularly favours gastronomic custom, experience and cooking culture. The unique microclimate of the island, the rich and fertile high plateau with its many fields, and the strongest fishing zone in the central Adriatic have always guaranteed the quality and variety of the island's produce.

The island's tradition is the second good reason for such good cuisine. The simple way of preparing fresh seasonal ingredients has marked the whole Dalmatian cuisine. The inhabitants of Vis have taken that way of preparing food a step further, so they boast of specialities such as grilled sardines, freshly caught and uncleaned squid on the grill, baked tomatoes, aubergines and courgettes. All these dishes are part of a centuries-old fishing tradition and the farming life of the island.

Apart from the simple preparation of food, the need to preserve food and provisions played an important role in the island's gastronomy. The ingenuity of the islanders made it possible to use food in full. Because of this we today have tasty dried, salted and smoked fish specialities. The imaginative recipes were created out of the needs of the past, and today they are the pride of the island's inhabitants and something they rightly boast of.

Such isolation has also been reflected in the people. As sincere lovers of gathering over a meal, the Vis restaurateurs are all islanders of a distinctive character. They are good friends, always ready to help one another, but also good at a joke during evening get-togethers. The venues on the island have a special character, which in fact charms the locals and their hospitality.