| Via Mea Travel

OVER THE ISLANDS OF BRAČ AND HVAR TO SECRET GARDENS

We take you to the island world of Dalmatia: Brač, an island with a Mediterranean flair that seduces with Dalmatian charm. Your visitors will attract you with the unforgettable, aromatic scents of lavender, basil and rosemary, the countless olive groves and their excellent olive oil, as well as first-class, award-winning wines. Unforgettable impressions await you on the neighboring island of Hvar, which is spoiled by nature. Discover the secrets of Hvar: the countless, fragrant lavender fields as far as the eye can see, over 2,700 hours of sunshine per year, the healthy climate and much more ...

The two islands are located on what is perhaps the most beautiful section of the Croatian Adriatic. In the numerous small bays, on the deep blue, crystal clear sea and the white pebble beaches, the most beautiful memories are created.
Enjoy the romantic sunsets, because there is no more beautiful twilight than in front of the sea. The play of colors that the sun conjures up in the sky and the sound of the sea are simply unforgettable.

INCLUDED SERVICES:

Welcome with our tour guide and an information hour
Welcome drink
3x overnight stays with half board in a selected hotel on the island of Brač
1x overnight stay with buffet breakfast
Continuous German-speaking tour guide according to the program
1x 3-course dinner in a Dalmatian tavern with local specialties, 0.25 l wine and water (choice between fish or meat menu)
Traditional Dalmatian “Klapa” singing group at dinner
1x 3-course lunch in the olive garden with homemade specialties from our own production
Wine tasting in the oldest wine cellar on the island of Brač with bread or grissini, olive oil as well as a tour and guided tour of the wine cellar
Entry and guided tour of the Olive Oil Museum with a welcome drink, olive oil tasting and local jam
Entrance and guided tour of the Pučišća stone cutting school
Boat trip with snack, lunch and wine for lunch to the island of Hvar with a visit to the town of Hvar and Palmižana bay
Entrance to the Palmižana bay with the botanical garden
Tourist tax

HOTELS:

Bluesun Hotel Elaphusa **** Bol
TOP wellness hotel right by the sea and famous beach "Golden Horn"
Velaris Hotel **** Supetar
Located in the middle of a Dalmatian garden oasis with numerous Mediterranean plants, tip: the hotel manager can take you on a tour of the garden himself!

PROGRAM SUGGESTION:

DAY 1: Arrival on the island of Brač. Welcome and information hour with the tour guide.
You can get to the island by ferry from Split. Very good ferry connection from Split with several departures during the day for a longer journey in the case of overnight stays on the Kvarner Bay or Zagreb-Karlovac.

DAY 2: Paradise on the island of Brač
The island of Brač is one of over 1,200 islands and islets and at the same time the third largest island in Croatia. The wonderful nature, crystal clear sea, mild Mediterranean climate, Dalmatian hospitality and traditional Mediterranean cuisine are just some of the many reasons why this picturesque island is worth visiting.
The morning is free. Take a walk by the sea, enjoy the beautiful view and pamper yourself as you wish. We start our excursion today in the afternoon with a visit to the olive oil museum in the oldest settlement on the island of Brač, which is famous for its centuries-old quarries. Throughout history, they provided materials for Diocletian's Palace in Split and other buildings. After the reception with a local welcome schnapps, a guided tour through the museum awaits us and afterwards we taste the olive oil and two types of jam from our own production. Especially the olive oil is one of the characteristics of the island, because numerous olive groves and vineyards extend everywhere, which were created with the enormous diligence of the people living there. Brač has much more to offer than just beaches. The “Vidova gora”, the highest peak in the entire Adriatic archipelago, which is the next item on our daily schedule, is one of its diversity. From a height of 780 m there is a spectacular view of the neighboring islands of Hvar, Vis, Biševo, Pelješac and the most famous beach - “Zlatni rat” (Golden Horn), which is also a natural phenomenon. The beach is shaped like a horn, with the tip of the beach changing shape depending on the wind. The Vidova gora summit can of course be reached by bus.
If you are in Brač, you have to try the island's wine, as there is a long tradition of viticulture here. We visit the famous Stina wine cellar, whose wines are produced in the oldest wine cellar on the island and this is also one of the first wine cooperatives in the region. The Stina wines had their first international Goldm in 1909 edalie in Paris for their quality. During our visit and tasting today, we will learn about the individual varieties, their production and other awards. At the end of the day a traditional dinner awaits us in a real Dalmatian tavern. We have also prepared a surprise for you: we enjoy dinner in a typical Dalmatian way with a “Klapa” singing group. Klapa singing is a traditional Croatian music and has a long tradition in Dalmatia. It is an important part of Dalmatian identity, culture and history and has been inscribed on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage. After a wonderful day that will certainly be remembered for a long time, we return to our hotel.

DAY 3: Stone, olives and wine
The departure takes place after a leisurely breakfast, around 10:00 a.m.
Even if tourism is undoubtedly the top priority on the Dalmatian islands and islets, the quarry has been very important for the island of Brač since ancient times. The famous Brač stone - white, marble-like limestone, is called a source of inspiration because of its beauty, but also a symbol of the hardships associated with viticulture and winemaking. Because of its brilliant white color, which remains unchanged even after years, the Brač stone is very popular as a building material. It has already found its place in many well-known buildings. Brač stone was used in the construction of Diocletian's Palace in Split, the White House in Washington and even the Berlin Reichstag. Thanks to this long tradition of stone construction, many stone houses and sculptures have found their place on the island, which makes Brač a place of beautiful architecture that merges with the deep blue sea in a great landscape.
There is also a stonemasonry school on Brač, the only one in Croatia and one of the few in Europe. During our visit today we get to know young people who artfully transform the popular white stone into sculptures and ornaments.

Also today we have prepared a highlight for you: we drive to the garden of the Velaris Resort, located in the northern part of the island. We visit the beautiful Mediterranean garden, in which the aromatic scents of lavender, pine, rosemary and other Mediterranean plants exude. The specialty of this garden is that everything is grown for our own production. It is served daily from the fields to the guests' table: vegetables, fruit, jam, olive oil, pastries and cakes - everything comes straight from nature! Sugar comes last - that's why we have prepared a delicious, autochthonous lunch for you, in the middle of an olive garden with a fantastic view of the countless olive trees, whose olive oil has been awarded a gold medal, and is used for the preparation of meals. The afternoon is free.

DAY 4: By boat to the lavender island of Hvar and the Botanical Paradise Palmižana (free day for the bus)
Today we spend the bus-free day on a great boat trip through the Dalmatian island world. First we visit the eponymous and largest town on the island - Hvar. With its almost 300 km2, it is the fourth largest island in the country. Thanks to an average of 2,700 hours of sunshine per year, it proudly bears the name “island of sun and lavender”, because in the early summer months the lavender transforms the island into a sea of breathtaking purple tones. A Dalmatian breakfast awaits us on the ship - bread with air-dried ham and cheese. At lunchtime, you can choose from a fish or meat menu, plus salad and wine for lunch on board. Then we drive towards Palmižana, a bay on the Pakleni Islands, which consists of about 20 islands and rocky reefs. We walk through the botanical garden, where hundreds of plant species thrive, which have been brought together by the owners over the years from different countries of the world. The family brought numerous exotic plants to the island and over time a rare botanical garden was created as a result. Depending on the weather there is the possibility of swimming. Thanks to the crystal clear sea and the beautiful bays, it is also referred to as a little piece of heaven on earth.

DAY 5: Journey home

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE JOURNEY: