The town of Bol on Brač island is home to Vidova Gora, the highest peak you can hike of all the Croatian islands in the Adriatic Sea. Hiking Vidova Gora offers you some of the most spectacular views of the famous Zlatni Rat beach and the surrounding Croatian islands. If you’re looking for a scenic hike in Croatia, Vidova Gora is it!
Vidova Gora can be accessed by car or foot. To access it by car, simply enter the address into your GPS and you will be guided directly to the top.
In this article, I will specifically share what you need to know to hike Vidova Gora. I’ve put together this guide to highlight:
- where the starting point for the hike is,
- what to expect,
- what you’ll need to feel prepared,
- the best times to hike Vidova Gora,
- how to best get to Bol, and
- where to stay.
About the hike
Elevation: 780 meters
Estimated time: 3-5 hours round-trip, depending on your abilities
Difficulty level: Moderate due to some areas of steepness
Vidova Gora start point: Ul. Gornje Podbarje 13, 21420, Bol, Croatia
It took me and my partner 2 hours to hike to the top because of the multiple breaks I needed to take. I don’t consider myself a serious hiker so we didn’t go as fast as the other hikers. It took us a little under 2 hours to hike back down.
In terms of the hiking level, I would rate it as moderate. Although you won’t be doing any rock climbing and the path isn’t extremely steep, it is a workout! You also have to be mindful that the path is not flat. Most of the hiking trail is rocky with some sections of large and loose stones. There are some areas which are more steep, but it does not last very long.
Vidova Gora starting point
There is just one trail up the mountain and it starts on the outer edge of the town of Bol.
To reach the starting point of Vidova Gora, you will need to walk through the town of Bol. Pace yourself! The path through Bol leading to the trail head is quite steep.
The exact starting point for the hiking trail to Vidova Gora is Ul. Gornje Podbarje 13, 21420, Bol, Croatia. When you reach this point, you will see this sign:
There is a Studenac supermarket nearby. I recommend to go in and buy cold water and snacks/fruit to sustain you on your hike.
What to expect on the hike
Continue following the signs pointing you to the trail. As you can see from the photo above, there may be some construction vehicles in the area. That’s okay – keep going.
You will then shortly reach a fork in the path. Normally, there should be a sign pointing you to Vidova Gora. If there is no sign, take the path on the left.
After the fork, you will stay on this path all the way to the top. You will frequently see red and white markers letting you know you’re going the right way.
The path is mostly rocky, most of which are loose. The hiking path will vary in steepness.
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Reaching Vidova Gora
When you reach Vidova Gora, you’ll be treated with an incredible view of Zlatni Rat beach! Catch your breath and take in the view.
After, continue following the red and white trail markers. Yep, you’re not done yet!
The path continues to lead you to the real Vidova Gora viewpoint. You’ll know you’ve reached it when you see a parking lot. At this point, you will witness panoramic views of Bol, Zlatni Rat, and Hvar island.
There is not much of a rest area at the top, but there is a food truck where you can purchase drinks and snacks, including ice cream. Unfortunately, there aren’t really any places to sit. So if you need to rest, you will need to sit on the large stones.
What you need for your hike
Here’s a roundup of essential items I think you’ll need for your hike of Vidova Gora. They proved to be very useful for us.
- Comfortable shoes
- Hat
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Food
- Water
- Backpack
As with any hike, you should wear solid, comfortable shoes. The path is rocky with a lot of loose stones, so you will need shoes with a good grip. Extra points if your shoes have ankle protection!
I really cannot recommend flip flops or sandals.
Bring enough water! Between my partner and I, we drank about 3 liters of water in the span of the 4 hours it took us to hike up and back down. And honestly, we could’ve drank more!
If you plan to hike the Vidova Gora in the summer, I recommend to bring at least 1.5 litres of water per person.
Hiking up Vidova Gora will take up a lot of your energy. To prepare for this, I believe it’s super important to pack snacks to maintain your momentum, while also replenishing your energy. Try to avoid snacks which will weigh you down or are high in sugar.
Bring a backpack. Doing so will make it much easier to carry the water and snacks you’ll need to sustain you on the hike. Wearing a backpack will also allow you to keep both your hands free. This can be very useful on the hike in case you need to hold onto any natural elements. The hike up is steep and long, so you’ll want to be as comfortable as you can be.
Be sure to have a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. For most of the hike, you won’t have much shade to protect you from the sun. The hat should be able to protect your face and neck from the sun. Another use for the hat? It’ll also protect your head from the countless spiders weaving their webs between the trees.
Yes, there really are spiders all throughout the Vidova Gora hike!
Best times to hike Vidova Gora
The best time of the year to hike Vidova Gora is May, June, and September. The weather is moderate, and there are less tourists in Croatia.
If you visit Croatia in July or August like we did, then I’m happy to let you know that you can (and should) still hike! Due to the heat though, I strongly advise that you be prepared with plenty of water, food, and sun protection. July and August is also Croatia’s peak tourism period so you will cross paths with many hikers on the trail.
The best time of day to hike Vidova Gora is in the morning. I recommend starting your hike by 9am latest. There will be less people on the trail at this time. It’s also when the sun is not yet at its strongest. Just a small part of the trail is covered by trees, so unless you have a hat, you will quickly feel the heat from the sun.
Getting to Vidova Gora
Brač is only accessible by boat. There are 4 ports on Brač island:
- Bol
- Milna
- Sumartin
- Supetar
Bol is the best town in Brač to stay in to access Vidova Gora.
In July, we took a ferry with Jadrolinija from Split to Bol. It lasted about 1 hour and I spent 90HRK / $14 one way.
You can expect to find journeys to Brač all year round, with more journeys available during high season. In fact, we traveled with Jadrolinija to multiple destinations within Croatia and I recommend them. Each catamaran ferry is equipped with 2 levels of cushioned seats, restrooms, cafe/snack bar, and the ferries were always on time.
Once you are in Bol and you’re ready to begin your hike, you can make your way to the Vidova Gora starting point by foot or taxi.
Where to stay in Bol
Bol is a quaint seaside town with plenty of accommodation options in and around the port.
During our 1-night stay in Bol, we stayed at Villa Livia Apartments. By foot, Villa Livia Apartments is located 10 minutes away from the port and 15-20 minutes away from the Vidova Gora hike starting point.
Search below to discover additional accommodation options for Bol.
I mentioned earlier that I don’t consider myself an avid hiker. This doesn’t stop me from hiking though!
I hope my tips will be useful to you, no matter what your hiking abilities are.
Need assistance with trip planning or an itinerary? Send me an email!
Bisous.
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