Vis

Vis wraps around the broad Bay of St George, with the harbour district of Luka linked by the waterfront to Kut, the Renaissance quarter on the eastern side. Above the modern town lie the remains of ancient Issa, while its streets preserve churches, stone houses and the British-built Fort George. The harbour receives ferries from Split as well as sailing boats, yet vineyards and the island’s cultivated interior begin just beyond the waterfront. A walk from Luka to Kut passes fishing boats in Stonca, the archaeological collection housed in Gospina Batarija and views towards the lighthouse on tiny Host. Prirovo and nearby Grandovac are the easiest swimming choices close to town; Stončica and Zaglav require a ride or boat trip towards the eastern coast. Vis-style pogača is filled with sardines and onion and, unlike the Komiža version, contains no tomato. The year-round ferry from Split takes about 140 minutes, making arrival by sea an essential part of the Vis experience.

Vis occupies the north-eastern end of the island, inside the sheltered Bay of St George. Its two distinct faces are Luka, the busier harbour quarter beside the ferry terminal, and stone-built Kut, where Renaissance houses and small palaces meet the water. Between them stands Gospina Batarija, an Austrian fortress now housing the Archaeological Museum. The town’s identity was shaped by Greek Issa, centuries of seafaring and the period when the island was closed to foreign visitors for military reasons. Facing the open Adriatic, Vis harbour long served fishermen, merchants and naval fleets; the tiny island of Host still marks its northern entrance.