Zlatni Rat (Golden Horn)

Zlatni Rat, the Golden Horn, is the most famous beach in Croatia and one of the most photographed on the Adriatic, a long, narrow spit of white pebbles that points out into the sea from the coast near Bol, on the south side of the island of Brač. It is about five hundred metres long and shaped like a horn or a tongue, and what makes it unique is that its form is never fixed. The spit is built by currents and waves from the pebbles of the shore, and the wind and the sea move it, so that its tip bends to one side or the other, and it grows and shrinks over the years, which means that no two photographs of it are quite alike. It is protected as a natural monument.

The reason for the contrast between the two sides of the spit is the wind. A steady afternoon wind called the maestral blows from the west in summer, building waves on one side of the horn while the other side stays calm, so that you can swim in smooth, clear turquoise water on one flank and watch windsurfers and kitesurfers on the other. This is why Bol has become one of the main centres of windsurfing on the Adriatic, with schools and rental stations, and the beach is lively in the afternoons, when the sails go up. Early in the morning, before the wind rises, the water is flat and the scene is peaceful.

The setting is part of the pleasure. Behind the beach is a pine wood that provides shade and a pleasant place to rest during the hottest hours, and above, the bare slopes of Vidova Gora, the highest mountain on any Adriatic island, rise to nearly eight hundred metres. The pebbles are smooth and round, and white in the sunlight, and the water is exceptionally clear, in shades from pale green to deep blue. A promenade, lined with palms, pines and cafes, leads along the shore from the centre of Bol to the beach in about twenty minutes on foot, and there is also a small tourist train and boat service.

Facilities include sunbeds and umbrellas for rent, showers, toilets, beach bars and sports rentals, and in summer, the beach can be very crowded, so go early or late in the day, or in June and September. Water shoes are useful for entering the sea, and a hat and sun protection are essential. Nudism is practised in some areas at the western end.

Bol offers other places to visit, such as the Dominican monastery by the sea, the art gallery and the olive grove trail, and the village of Gornja Sela, all listed in this guide. The road and the trail up Vidova Gora give some of the best views in Dalmatia. Allow a few hours or a full day. The beach suits everyone, from families to windsurfers and photographers.