The sea and the sky come together in a spectacular play of blues and greens in the heavenly lagoon on Budikovac Island. Just across from Milna, Budikovac is within easy reach from Vis.
Don’t expect to meet too many inhabitants, though, as only one person resides on the island full-time.
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Beams of sunlight sneak into the cave through the cracks in its ceiling. Traveling through the sea, they reflect against the algae-covered floor, filling the entire space with an emerald-colored light. Echoing in birds’ song and the meditative beat of water drops, this moment inside the Green Cave feels like all of nature’s glory captured in a single heartbeat.
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Shaved barren by the gusts of bura wind which roll off the slopes of Velebit Mountain, the northern shores of Pag Island appear like a deserted moonscape. But look beyond and you’ll find millennial olive groves of Lun, taste famed sheep cheeses of Gligora, and enjoy an entirely unique face of Croatia.
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Lighthouse Tajer is Croatia’s only lighthouse made entirely of metal. Outsourced from France during the Austro-Hungarian rule, it took months to assemble prior to starting operation. Still today, it stands as a tribute to the finest craftsmanship of the era - none of its iron bolts had to be changed from the installation in 1876 to the present day.
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Untouched and pristine, Vis offers a plentitude of opportunities to experience the true Mediterranean joys first-hand. Awaken your inner child by jumping off the many cliffs along its shores! Whether at the famed Stiniva, repeatedly proclaimed one of the world’s most beautiful beaches, or off a small rock in a secret bay, Vis offers more than one chance to get back to innocence.
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Fresh catch is delivered daily to the chef of Toto's restaurant on Palmižana. Savor his classic Dalmatian masterpieces, then stretch your legs with a stroll through the restaurant’s own botanical garden. Started a century ago by the owner’s grandfather, the arboretum will engage all your senses, with the scents of the typical Mediterranean herbs, like rosemary and lavender, the joviality of exotic cacti and beauty of the palm trees lining the seafront.
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A spoonful of honey encapsulates time on the island of Šolta. Here, bees feed on wild rosemary, creating a unique and widely praised flavor of the island’s honey – in fact, internationally awarded multiple times. The island's first cooperative started operation in 1875, but today, the centuries-old traditions of beekeeping and honey making rest in loving hands of several local families.
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Inspiration-seekers ourselves, we have become painfully aware that the tourism spotlight, now shining so brightly onto Croatia, has chipped away at the experience of its most famous highlights.
But Croatia is not only the one you see in the brochures. Over our two decades on the Croatian tourism scene, we have curated a colossal collection of unique moments so often missed by the masses. The images you see here are merely a taster, a sample of what Croatia abounds in.
With Secret Dalmatia, discover a country that will inspire your curiosity.
When beams of sunlight squeeze into the cave through a single crack in its ceiling, magic happens: the entire space becomes colored in an intensive, translucent blue light and all the objects inside get a silver glow. Hence the name – the Blue Cave. This magnificent natural phenomenon on the island of Biševo is well-worth a visit from Vis or Split.
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About 120 bottlenose dolphins who reside in the waters of Kvarner region are all known by name! Cheerful and laidback creatures, dolphins like to keep close to home, so they have been studied in this area for nearly three decades. In 2006, their habitat got an upgrade, as the area was proclaimed the first Dolphin Reserve in the Mediterranean Sea.
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Standing grand and commanding on the northwestern tip of Dugi Otok, Veli Rat lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse on the Croatian coast. At its 42 meters, it is nearly as tall as Arc de Triomphe. Built in the mid-19th century, it is also the yellowest lighthouse of the era. As oral traditions tell - that is due to over 100.000 egg yolks used in its construction! The small romantic chapel next door bears the name of the patron saint of sailors, St. Nicholas.
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Brač is a hikers’ dream-come-true. Climb to the highest point of the Adriatic region, called Vidova Gora, and breathe in all the vastness of the crisp blue sea, seeing as far as Italy on clear days. Or trek inland, seeking Croatia’s lost monasteries and hidden hermitages. Or simply let the ribbon of seaside trails guide you along the island’s rugged shores, immersing you in the soothing blues of its sea, rhythmic chirping of crickets and divine scents of pines.
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Sailors love Pantera Bay, poised on the northwestern side Dugi Otok, because it provides a breathtakingly beautiful shelter from all the winds except bura. As if its sole beauty wouldn’t suffice, the stunning Panthera Bay is in immediate vicinity of one of Adriatic’s most beautiful lighthouses, Tajer and a shipwreck site which enthralls visitors and divers alike.
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One of the more recent Croatian archeological finds happened in 2015, and was downright spectacular. By the island Ričul near Zadar, a team of underwater archeologists discovered remains of a settlement and its adjacent harbor. Overflowing with traces from prehistory, the site was subsequently dated 3.500 years back to the times when the Illyrian tribe Liburnians inhabited the area.
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Like a gently-knit piece of lace, the intricate weave of Korčula’s streets inspires wanderlust. It is no surprise, as one of the world’s greatest travelers, Marco Polo, was allegedly born here. Look for his traces as you wander the herring-bone layout of the town, adorned with masterly crafted stonework – a true trademark of Korčula. Then find a glass of Pošip or Grk – authentic local sorts of white wine.
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For the better part of the 20th century, Vis was a Yugoslav military base, remaining as such, out of reach to the general public. This shield did wonders to preserve its nature and beauty for the present day. The allure of Vis are its two towns, sailors’ Vis and fishermen’s Komiža, but even more so, the many uncharted, untamed sites where you drop the anchor, swim ashore and feel like on a private island.
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A stark contrast to the bustling boardwalks of Hvar town, the southern shores of the island come stunningly quiet. Sail by pristine coves and quiet bays, by houses that rise like mermaids from the water, and then find the Red Cliffs. The grey limestone of these sky-high rocks comes lined with vertical streaks of red iron deposits, setting a dramatic backdrop for a day away from the world.
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All forces of nature – sun, wind, earth, and stone - come together in harmony to nurture the divine in the vineyards of Pelješac peninsula. Stretched long and snuggled close to the mainland, with fields and slopes covered in vines, Pelješac is home to some of Croatia’s most acclaimed wines like Dingač and Postup and houses some its most renowned wineries, including Grgich and Miloš.
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