Summer Dreams [Part 1/3]: Exploring the Island Brac

The summer season is still going strong in Mostar, yet my summer vacation is fading into a blissful memory. I visited the island Brac and spent 7 amazing days there. During that time I really got a chance to explore the island and see a lot more then the town Bol, where most of the vacation was spent. In this first post I want to actually go away from the beautiful beaches and show you what the inner island has to offer. Bol is located on the south side of Brac, and as you drive away from the town you actually drive up the hills so there are a few spots from which you can take a good look back.

This is a three-part travel series. Other Parts include:
Part 1: Exploring the Island Brac
Part 2: From North to South - Exploring Supetar and Bol
Part 3: Vidova Gora and Western Brac

Nerezisca

In the past, Nerezisca was the capital of the island. It was founded inside the island, not on its coast, because of fear of pirates marauding the Adriatic Sea. Once these pirates were eradicated by the Venetians, the locals started populating the settlements by the sea, especially Supetar and Sutivan, the first of which is the capital of the island today. As most of Brac, I loved this place. During the visit it was midday, and everything was completely quiet. Roaming the streets was a breeze and there is a lot of wonderful old architecture to be seen. The town is located on a hill and huge steps lead you towards the top where you can find an old church.

I loved the many doors and entrances, the rugged look, worn out walls and many hidden details. Nerezisca is small, but the size of it is made up by the rich sights it offers. There is truly bliss here, a welcoming breeze that fills your lungs and uplifts. As you walk towards the church sights from the past are almost rushing by, since every corner is filled it.

On top of the hill, the Church of Our Lady of Carmel is surrounded by symmetrical blocks of nobility mansions build in stone and richly ornamented. Small plebeian stone houses, narrow little streets and small squares add to the charm and ambience of this Dalmatian village as you reach the top. The sights of the surrounding valley are equally charming.

A Drive Inland to Skrip

The long history and culture of the island of Brac is best seen in Skrip, which is the oldest settlement here. Prehistoric town walls, numerous archaeological finds, several sarcophagi, reliefs and medieval graves are an evidence of the long history of the place and the lives of its people. Where there once stood Illyrian town walls from 1400 BC, later was a Roman mausoleum, then a Radojkovic Tower built for defensive purposes and today it is a museum of the island of Brac. The museum displays interesting exhibits from Kopačina cave, Roman tomb-stones, sea charts and diverse folk handicrafts from the entire island.

Skrip was a great place to visit. From the old buildings and graveyard to the oil museum and museum of Brac, there is a lot to see in such a small place. It was definitely the most charming town inland, and the perfect reason why it's important to discover it all. Most wouldn't think of going inland, when there are so many beautiful beaches and coastal towns, but Skrip was more then a reason to pack up and make the drive. On Brac everything can be reached within the hour so exploring is a very easy task.

End of Part One

To be continued...

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