Four Fabulously Unique and Unforgettable Beaches on the Island of Vis, Croatia

The beaches on the island of Vis are among the most beautiful and unique in the country of Croatia.  The beaches are varied in terms of terrain and geographic features, so it is possible to have a variety of beach experiences on the island. The terrain ranges from sand, to pebbles of various sizes, to rocks the size of a fist, to stone slabs.  Some beaches have open views of the Adriatic Sea, while others are in secluded coves surrounded by stone cliffs.  In this blog post, I’ll share about our experiences on the following four beaches on the island of Vis, located in Croatia’s Dalmatia region: Stiniva, Srebrna, Pritiščina, and Stončica. All of these beaches are accessible from land and are each unique in their own way, offering distinctly different experiences.  The photos and videos in this post are from two trips my husband Jaroslav and I took to the island of Vis with Jaroslav’s sister Mariana and her family.

Image featured above: A quiet morning at Stiniva Beach. Definitely worth getting up early for!

Before planning a beach vacation on the island of Vis, it is important to be aware of the following realities. 

First, many of the beaches are as remote as the island is itself (for background on the island of Vis, see my blog post dated January 22, 2023).  Transportation is necessary, as the beaches are scattered all over the island.  Some beaches are only accessible from the sea.  And some of the beaches accessible from land can be challenging to access.  For example, Pritiščina Beach requires a drive down a one-lane gravel road with precarious mountain drop offs on one side.  Parking at the beaches can be haphazard, as traditional parking lots do not exist.  Beach goers simply leave their cars along the side of the road.  And once parking is found, accessing the beach itself may range from an easy five-minute stroll (Stončica Beach) to a strenuous hike (Stiniva Beach).

Below is a video I took as Jaroslav and I drove down the one-lane gravel road to Pritiščina Beach. 

Next, most beaches in Croatia consist of pebbles and rocks of various sizes and textures.  In some cases it can be uncomfortable to walk along the beach, especially if you are not used to it.  Wet shoes may be necessary for the sake of comfort, and for those who enjoy lounging in the sun, a beach mat to place under your towel is a must.  Of course, most Croatians are used to these conditions.  They walk around barefoot and place their towels directly on the ground, so it is possible to do that as well. Now, if you are used to sand beaches, you are in luck, as a few of the island’s beaches are sand (Stončica Beach), a rarity in Croatia.

The below photo of our niece and nephew on Stiniva Beach captures one of the most common types of terrain found on Croatian beaches, as well as the challenges associated with it. The terrain consists of smooth pebbles ranging in size from a nickel to a small fist. The sea wears the pebbles down over time, so the pebbles get smaller in size as the beach descends into the water. Even smooth pebbles can be challenging to walk on. Our niece has the right idea, having worn her shoes until the very edge of the beach where the pebbles are smallest. Our nephew is having trouble walking on the pebbles so is crawling on all fours. It is not uncommon to see people of all ages exiting the water in this manner.

Now, I’ll focus my discussion on each of the four beaches.

Stiniva Beach is perhaps the most challenging beach on the island to access from land as it requires a hike down a steep cliff face to reach it.  However, it is also arguably one of the most stunning and unique beaches in all of Croatia, situated in a small cove surrounded by towering cliffs with a narrow channel leading out to the sea (see the photo above at the beginning of this post).  It reminds me of an outdoor cathedral, so to speak, the cliff walls reminiscent of the soaring walls of a Gothic cathedral.  Looking up at the cliffs while floating on my back in the water inspires a strong sense of wonder.  So the hike is worth it! 

Above two photos, from left: view of Stiniva Beach from the top of the cliff path. And Jaroslav and our niece on the hike down. We are used to hiking where we live in the US so wore our beach shoes.  However, athletic shoes would be safer.  The hike took us about twenty-five minutes, but for inexperienced hikers it could take longer.  The path is uneven and consists of loose rock and dirt, which can be slippery. 

We arrived earlier in the morning so initially had the beach to ourselves.  As time progressed nautical tourists arrived from the sea, parking their boats just outside the narrow channel.  Above two photos, from left: Jaroslav and Mariana hanging out at the water’s edge with our niece and nephew. It can be so relaxing just to sit in the water and chat. And Jaroslav and I swimming with our niece.

Srebrna Beach is situated on a wide expanse of land with a broad, open view of the Adriatic Sea.  It has two personalities, consisting of two different types of terrain.  One part of the beach has rough rocks the size of a fist, while the other part is made up of rock slabs.  We prefer the rock slab part as it is easier to walk and sit on, although the slabs can be slippery due to the presence of algae.  The slabs extend into the water at various depths.  It is refreshing to sit on a slab as the water rushes in around you.

Above three photos, clockwise from left. 1) View of Srebrna Beach from the rock slab part. The part of the beach with small rocks can be seen in the distance. 2) Close-up of water rushing over the slabs. 3) View of the far end of the beach, consisting of rock slabs only.

The terrain on Pritiščina Beach consists of pebbles and rocks the size of a fist, so it can be a little uncomfortable on bare feet.  However, the star quality of this beach is not the shore itself, but what you discover when you swim out into the water.  Caves can be found amidst the rock walls on the right side of the beach. And for those who are strong swimmers, a much smaller beach only accessible from the sea awaits.  The smaller beach is appropriately named Mala Pritiščina, or “Little Pritiščina” in English.

Above two photos, left to right: the right side of Pritiščina Beach. The people swimming out in the distance are likely on their way to Mala Pritiščina. Those who choose not to swim tend to hang out closer to the water where the terrain is more comfortable to walk and sit on. And a view of the rock wall where some of the caves are located.

To access Mala Pritiščina, swim out beyond the rock wall on the right side of Pritiščina Beach and make a right turn. 

After a ten-to-fifteen minute swim, you will arrive at Mala Pritiščina, a tiny sliver of a beach nestled into a slot-like canyon.  If you are lucky, you will be the only one there. I will offer a word of caution that only strong swimmers should attempt the swim to Mala Pritiščina. The swim does entail a couple challenges. First, once out in the open sea beyond the right side of Pritiščina Beach, the shoreline consists of craggy rock cliffs. So one must maintain an adequate distance from the shore in order to avoid being tossed up onto the rock. Second, nautical tourists may be accessing Mala Pritiščina from the sea, so there may be boats in the area. It is imperative to be aware of where the boats are and where they are headed. Swimming in a group of people helps the boaters to see you, too. All of this being said, the Adriatic Sea is what I like to refer to as a “benign” sea. It is a tiny arm of the Mediterranean Sea and has very slow currents. It is rare to come across dangerous sea creatures, too. So the sea is amenable to swimmers of various levels. In fact, our seven-year-old niece joined us on our swim to Mala Pritiščina. When she got tired, we simply floated on our backs for a bit to rest. She is of course a true “Dalmatinka” (Dalmatian girl), and so has been swimming since she was able to walk!

And finally, for those looking for a chill and easily accessible beach experience, Stončica Beach is the way to go.  The beach terrain is part sand and part small pebbles, so is comfortable for walking and lounging.  Parking is straightforward, located along a long and wider dirt road leading to the beach.  Depending on where you park, the walk (more like a stroll) can take up to five minutes.  The beach has a restaurant (Konoba Stončica) serving traditional Dalmatian fare of grilled fish and meats, too, so it is easy to spend the entire day on the beach.  And of course if there is a restaurant, there is a toilet!

The above two photos are of Stončica Beach. The top photo attempts to capture the full expanse of the beach. One unique quality of the beach is that it is shallow. For perspective, I am 5’7″ and can be seen fairly far out in the photo with water only up to my waist. I’m the woman in the bikini with her arms stretched out to her sides. A small cave can be found on the right side of the beach. It isn’t visible in the photo, but Jaroslav and Mariana discovered it when they swam along that part of the beach. The beach is popular with nautical tourists, as many boats are anchored at the entrance. In the bottom photo, the mixed terrain of sand and pebbles can be seen.

Above two photos, left to right: our niece taking the helm at the restaurant. And Jaroslav with the Fiat Panda we rented the for the day. While it can be expected that rental cars on the island of Vis are maintained, most of them are at least five years old or more. If a newer, fancier car is what you require, it is best to rent it on the mainland and bring it over on the ferry.

And now I will end this post with a video I took the morning we drove to Stončica Beach. It provides a great overview of what it is like to drive a car around the island of Vis. And at around 1:48 it captures that quintessential sound of the Mediterranean, the sound of cicadas chirping. I do own up to the fact that my narration sounds goofy at times. At one point I use the Croatian exclamatory phrase “oj-joj-joj,” pronounced oy-yoy-yoy in English. When in Croatia, I tend to use phrases I hear the people around me using.

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