If you are planning an active vacation on the Adriatic, some of the most popular travel destinations are mostly
Croatia's hidden natural treasures, respectively numerous islands and islets along the Adriatic coast. In this text we introduce the
island of Bisevo to you, also known as the pearl of the Adriatic, which is officially part of the town of Komiza on the
island of Vis. The island of Bisevo is located in the Vis archipelago, only 5 kilometers southwest of the island of Vis. Particularly interesting is the fact that
only 13 people live on this small island with an area of 6 square kilometers.
You are probably wondering
how to get to this island in the middle of the Adriatic Sea. To reach Bisevo you can to take the ferry from the island of Vis, more precisely from the town of Komiza, but be careful - at certain times of the year this ferry line called "St. Silvester"
only runs four times a week with departure at 8 am in the morning and return in the afternoon. So
be careful that you don't have to spend the night on the island.
Although today
only 13 people live on Bisevo, until the Second World War the island was inhabited by over 200 people. The main income of the population over the centuries has been fishing, viticulture, olive and fig cultivation. this area is still known for
first-class fish and the
local wine variety “Plavac mali” although almost no one lives there anymore.
You may ask yourself what is so special about an island of only 6 km2 that
thousands of tourists visit every year during the summer months. The island of Bisevo is well-known for its
breathtaking landscapes. It consists mostly of limestone, but in the middle of the island there is a fertile field that is particularly suitable for viticulture. The rest of the island was once covered with forest, but in 2003 a large fire devastated the southern part of the island, so today you can only find pine forest in the northern part of the island. Much of the
coast is covered with high, steep cliffs, but there are also many
hidden coves where you can enjoy some of the
most beautiful beaches. This small island also hides several coastal caves. The most famous are the
Blue Cave and the Medvidina Cave.
The
Medvidina Cave is located on the south coast of the island below
Strazenica, the highest peak on the island. The Medvidina Cave is 160 m long, what makes it the longest sea cave on the Adriatic. It narrows towards the bottom and at the end you reach a small pebble beach. Since the cave was inhabited by the Mediterranean seals (“medvjedica” in Croatian) until the 1960s, the cave was named after them.
The
Blue Cave is located on the east coast of the island in the
Balun Bay. The cave consists of two halls that are approximately 36 m long in total. In the middle of the cave below sea level there is a natural opening that allows sunlight to penetrate as far as the white rocks at the bottom the cave, where it
reflects and illuminates the cave walls with a blue colour. For this reason it was called the Blue Cave. The Blue Cave represents a
natural monument and has been part of the Vis Archipelago Geopark, which is
under UNESCO protection since 1951.
Although tourists mostly associate Bisevo with the Blue Cave, there are five other caves on the island, that make Bisevo a
true gem of nature. Aside from the Blue Cave that is known for its
enchanting beauty, Bisevo Island and the sea around it hide many other secrets. It was discovered that under the sea on the west coast of the island lies the
wreck of an airplane from the Second World War.
On the island of Bisevo you have the opportunity to
enjoy the natural beauties of this unique piece of the mainland along the entire coast. There you will find fairytale beaches and we would especially like to draw your attention to the
sandy beaches in Porto and Salbunora and the pebble beach in Mezuport.
If you go for a walk on the island it will take you around twenty minutes to reach the village
Polje on the island's hill. In Polje you can visit the Church of St. Silvester and the old school as well as the old stone houses, of which “villa rustica” from ancient times is particularly interesting. If you climb to the tip of the island
Strazbenica you will have the opportunity to enjoy an indescribably
magical view of the surrounding islands of Palagruza, Svetac, Brusnik and Jabuka.
If you decide to stay overnight in Bisevo, you can find suitable accommodation in private houses. And don't miss out on trying
local specialties in smaller restaurants.
So, if you choose
one of our villas in Dalmatia, we definitely recommend a trip to the nearby islands -
you won't regret it!
Martina Pozgajec
4.8.2022
MY ISTRIA GUIDE
