The main characteristic of the Vis Island is that has its rich history. Vis has an important maritime importance and because of that during the history were a lot of wars in that area. Vis Island is the meeting point of sea routes, human groups of different origins and therefore diverse of cultures. On the Vis – more specifically in the Vis town and Komiza you can feel the impact of the nation, empire and countries that historically dominated on Vis Island: Greece, Rome, Venice, France, Great Britain, Austria, Italy, Yugoslavia, and finally the Republic of Croatia.
Vis is protruding Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea. It is located 45 km from the Dalmatian mainland, and from the nearest town on the Island Hvar is divided by 18 km wide Vis Channel.
What to see on Vis Island
Town Vis
Town Vis is situated in the northeastern part of the island. It developed from the former settlements Kut and Luka, which are the building of the church of Our Lady of Spilica in the 16th century merged into a single unit.
Town Vis is extremely rich with cultural heritage. The whole town is a historical monument because in many places you can see preserved buildings, such as the remains of the ancient city of Issa, Roman baths, Tito’s cave, summer houses and numerous churches.
Martvilo
Archaeological site Martvilo is located behind the sports center and is the only Hellenistic (Greek) cemetery in Croatia. Over time it was largely destroyed so that today we can see only one-fifth of its previous size. Here you can see the look of ancient Greek tombs (4-1 c. BC), and the look of their gravestones.
City Bathing – Terme
From architecture which was located between the footings and the seashore are preserved the remains of large public baths where the walls, a few meters high, flattened at the end of World War II (1944). Archaeological research in 1963 are revealed – although still incomplete – eastern part of the object which is for Issa spatial relations impressive dimensions. On the north side of the city, baths are discovered pavement.
Franciscan Monastery
By the sea in the Vis town, you can reach the Monastery of Conventual Franciscans whose monastery complex built in the 15th century. The monastery was built on the remains of the ancient theater. The remains of the theater can be seen in the monastery garden, while in the wall itself; you can see the remains of stone monuments of the ancient Issa.
Vis Museum
During the stay on the Vis Island, you’ll have a unique opportunity to see the archaeological monuments of the Vis town, which developed out of the ancient Issa, the first urban center in Croatia.
Vis Museum is located in the Austrian fortress Our Lady Batarija. On the ground floor, you can see archaeological objects and ethnographic collection that will evoke the life of the ancient people of Vis over the centuries.
Open Air Cinema
In Vis town working interesting summer, open-air cinema and movies are displayed on the projector over 60 years old. Still reliable and works well despite technology which has outdated long ago. It has a charm and romance in the summer cinema under the starry sky.
Town Komiza
Komiza is a small town over the winter has only 1,600 inhabitants. It is situated on the west side of the island in a deep bay of Komiza. Above Komiza is the Hum, the highest peak on the island from which you have the most beautiful view of the city. Since the position of Komiza was convenient for fishing, in Komiza was developed a special type of gajetas called Falkusa. Falkusa is the native Croatian ship which is in the program of UNESCO World Heritage and you will be able to see Falkusa during your stay in Komiza.Factory Neptun
The rise of Komiza fish industry in the first half of the 20th century left a few interesting ruins within the tissue of the city. In the Komiza were built the first industrial facilities in Dalmatia, the company in which was packed salty or fried pilchard and other blue fish.
Palace Zanchi
The northern brimmed of a small square Skor is dominated by a baroque three-story building that can be dated to the second half of the 17th or the very beginning of the 18th century, as Palace Zanchi was mentioned in a document from 1821.
Short Guide for the Lighthouses at the Vis Island
Lighthouse Palagruza
The lighthouse was built from stone at a height of 90 meters and is the largest in the Adriatic. It is located on the island of the same name that is located right in the middle of the Adriatic Sea between the Croatian and Italian coast. From the Croatian towns, the nearest is Komiza, at a distance of 42 NM. In the lighthouse is a small archaeological collection that is worth looking.Lighthouse Stoncica
The lighthouse Stoncica was built in 1865 on the north-east cape of the Vis Island. It consists of a high octagonal stone tower and a ground-floor building with total area of 320m2. As part of the lighthouse, there is a storage, engine room, dock, slipway and boathouse for lighthouse keepers. At the lighthouse is a constant lighthouse crew.
Lighthouse Islet Host
The lighthouse was built in 1873 on the same island at the entrance to the port of Vis. It consists of a small octagonal stone tower and a ground-floor building with total area of 80m2. As part of the lighthouse, there is a storage and dock. From the lighthouse is withdrawn lighthouse crew.
Short Guide for the Caves at Vis Island
Queen’s Cave (Kraljicina spilja)
Karst cave filled with stalactites and stalagmites is located at a vertical cliff about 70 m above the sea. It consists of five halls and channels that connect them, a total length of 60 m. Queen’s cave is also known as Teuta’s caves. The results of the research show that it was occasionally visited during the New Stone Age; its beauty is a precious geological and archaeological jewel of the island.
Tito’s Cave
Directly below Hum (the Holy Spirit), the highest peak of Vis is famous Tito’s cave (the old name Spirits Cave), wherein 1944 was headquarters of the partisan army and Tito’s seat of Tito’s government.
Medvidina Cave
In the southeastern part of the Bisevo Island along the cape Bishop is Medvidina cave into which you can enter to the narrow almost thirty meters high slit in the stone ghat. Medvidina cave on the Bisevo Island is geomorphologic very special. The cave is 160 meters long, and the main hall of the cave is at the end of very narrow and low and ends with small pebbles where once habitat of the Mediterranean monk seal was. Medvidina caves were protected in 1967 and with the Blue and Medvidina Cave on Bisevo Island are eight caves.
Green Cave
The cave on the Ravnik Island is known as Green Cave. It is abrasion cave with two entrances and the hole at the top through which the light enter and reflect from seabed walls colored in green. In the Second World War, there was a shelter for small warships.
Blue Cave
Blue Cave is the most visited cave on Vis Island. The cave is the most beautiful on a sunny day, between 11 and 12 p.m. Light blue color occurs when the sun’s rays enter through the water and reflected from the limestone rocks that are at the bottom.
The Bay
Stiniva
On Vis Island are also unique bays as for example. Stiniva. Stiniva is declared the most beautiful European beach according to the portal European Best Destination. Stiniva is the most attractive bays on the island, located south of the local road connecting the hamlet Podspilje and Pliska Field. The bay is around 600 meters wide, at the entrance about 100 meters, on both sides is surrounded by high stone walls and inaccessible rocks. At the bottom of the bay are a few uninhabited fishing houses, which together with the bay Stiniva are protected as a nature reserve.
What to do on the Vis Island
Sports enthusiasts and lovers of Active Holidays on the Vis Island can choose between paragliding, horse riding, walking in nature, hiking, cricket, and many trips around the island.
Cycling
Lovers of cycling have available paths that stretch across the entire island, and often leading to the beach which is not accessible by car. Just take a map in hand and go to Hum, Tito’s cave, the Queen’s cave, visit the cricket pitch, allies airport, Illyrian buildings, Roman baths … Wherever you go, you will not wrong.
Horse Riding
Equestrian Club “Tramontana” is located on the Vis Island in the field Malo Ljubisce. The club is surrounded by beautiful fields and nature.
Scuba Diving
The importance of those islands and the Vis Island and the waterway along them in the period of Antiquity, Medieval and modern times is reflected in the underwater – in the underwater of Vis archipelago have been recorded by numerous archaeological finds. Therefore, the underwater of Vis Island, Brusnik, Svetac, and Bisevo entered in the Register of Cultural Assets as the Underwater Archaeological Zone. Besides that, Komiza is the area where especially protect three hydro sites:
- The first is remains of a sunken cargo ship, “Teti” built in the USA in 1883, which is due to an error in navigation aground west of Komiza 1930.
- Near the Svetac under the sands of the island are the remains of an ancient shipwreck – the wooden structure of the ship and many amphoras from the 1st century.
- Near Komiza is the wreck of a Greek merchant ship “Vassilios” which was produced in Osaka in 1920 and sank in 1939 after hitting the coast.
Gastronomy
Vis except as known for its good wine is also known for its rich cuisine and specialties such as Viski cviti, Hib and Vis johnnycake.
But even if you visit all the beauty and heard all the stories, discovered all the secrets of the island, you didn’t do anything if you have not go in one of the eco households and taste the local cuisine, tasted Vugava (white wine of protected wine varieties) or Bisevo red wine Plavac. Most of these farms are producing food, fruit, vegetables, wine and liqueurs because they are surrounded by fertile fields and an abundance of fish in the Adriatic Sea. From small taverns to affordable rural households and famous restaurants, you will not stay hungry or thirsty on Vis.
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