Double Island Dreaming: Brač & Hvar, Croatia 🇭🇷
Quick holiday facts
Duration: 10 nights
Package booked via Voyage Privé - flights, transfers and accommodation total £1,800
Hotel 1 (Brač) - Aminess Velaris 4* Resort in Supetar (full board +)
Hotel 2 (Hvar) - Aminess Senses 4* Resort in Vrboska (all inclusive)
ATV for 24 hours & Car Hire for 48 hours - booked locally on each island (total for both £250)
Spending money covering extra food, drinks, shopping (wine!) & tickets for attractions: £750
APPROX TOTAL SPEND = £3,050
Not one, but two totally dreamy islands, just off the coast from Split - scroll down for the breakdown of our trip, where was epic and top tips!
Why another trip to Croatia, you ask?
If anyone knows us then you’ll know this was not our first time in Croatia , in fact it was our fourth time travelling to Croatia. Why, you might ask? Simple: we love it.
It's unspoilt – no hen parties (well, maybe a few on Hvar), no ‘Brits on the piss’ – just tranquil towns, coastal charm, and space to properly switch off. We always go in low season, so it’s never crowded. It’s stunningly beautiful, the water is unbelievably clear – and yes, it really is comparable to The Maldives (we’ve been to both, so trust us on that one!). Croatia holds its weight time and again.
Go here if…
You like nature
You don’t mind not having guaranteed sun
You want to explore and create your own plans — to experience island life and a slice of authentic Croatia
You want to be in the minority as a tourist (not many Brits!)
You want to see something different to the ‘norm’ — but still be just 2 hours from the UK
You want to be genuinely taken in by the charm of the islands and its people — the Croats are warm, generous, and all speak brilliant English
This time, we decided to do a double island hop, taking in Brač and Hvar. Both were new to us and completely dreamy in their own distinct ways.
Top tips: although there are some fantastic packages to Croatia (Jet2, Voyage Prive, TUI - you know the drill) you DON’T have to book everything altogether. We only did so for this trip because we saw an amazingly cheap deal and couldn’t resist. We recommend you DON’T book a package - to experience the country in its most authentic way, book your flights and your accommodation separately. Local taxis are super reliable, you won’t be travelling massive long distances from the airport (we would hire a car for the whole trip) and the ferry connections to/from the islands are regular as clockwork! You can buy all you need in the supermarkets (like, literally everything you’d see at home, except back bacon -lol). It’s cheap to go shopping!
Hvar old town, pictured in front of the cathedral
A Flying Start in Split
We landed late into Split and had a couple of hours to spare before our ferry, so we did what any sane traveller would do — dropped our bags and headed straight to the Old Town. Even with tired legs, wandering Diocletian’s Palace at night was well worth it: warm stone alleyways, glowing shopfronts, and a bustling square alive with restaurants and live music. A quick dinner and a glass of wine set us up nicely before catching our ferry across to Brač.
The iconic ‘Split’ city sign at the entrance to the old town…
Sunsets to die for….
Top tip: May, September and early October are technically low season in Croatia. That means the chance of rain is higher, but the crowds are few! After the clouds clear (which are usually quick to pass!), the sunsets are divine.
Brač: Laid-Back Luxury in Supetar
Our base for the next 6 nights was the Aminess Vival Velaris Resort, nestled in the peaceful town of Supetar. Honestly? It was a dream.
Tucked amongst lush gardens with a lovely pool and great position on a bay overlooking the sea, it was everything we needed to unwind — quiet, clean, yet close enough to the action. The perfect antidote to a busy few months.
While the weather was a little mixed at times, we still made the most of our time here. We spent lazy days by the pool, took sunset walks along the beach path, and enjoyed mooching around Supetar with its charming harbour and friendly cafés. For our eighth wedding anniversary we dined out at Hotel Osan - which also has a pretty epic rooftop bar - delicious cocktails!
One of our highlights was hiring an ATV to explore the island – bumpy, dusty, and absolutely brilliant. We took in the famous Zlatni Rat beach in Bol (yes, it’s just as stunning as it looks in photos), stopped for a delicious lunch, and headed up to Vidova Gora for panoramic views across the Adriatic. Standing at the highest point of the Adriatic islands with the wind in our hair and that endless blue sea stretching below us…? Pure magic.
The walk down to the beach from the hotel grounds. Bliss!
Hvar: Green Hills and Hidden Coves
Next stop: Hvar. We hopped on a short catamaran to Jelsa from Bol (it only took 15 minutes!) and made our way to our second hotel – the Aminess Younique Senses Resort in Vrboska. If Brač was sleepy and serene, Hvar brought a slightly different energy — greener, warmer, and just a bit more sparkly.
Over the next four days, we fell in love all over again. With our hire car, we zig-zagged across the island discovering secluded beaches, secret coves, cute villages and postcard-perfect views around every bend. We spent time soaking up the sun in Hvar Old Town, grabbed coffee and wandered around the atmospheric streets of Stari Grad, and rounded it all off with a sunset dinner in Jelsa. The whole island felt like it had been made to slow us down and soak us up.
Off the beaten track beaches can be found pretty much at every turn - and the ones we visited were:
Soline
Pokonji Dol
Zukova
Grebiscě (sandy!)
We also dined at some pretty fabulous spots including Step Up (for THE BEST burgers) in Jelsa, Carpe Diem Hvar Old Town for brunch, Fig in Hvar Old Town and at one of the best local dining spots on the island: Konoba Vrisnik.
It is well worth the climb up to the Spanish Fortress in Hvar Old Town, there’s a lovely cafe there that serves the tastiest fresh and homemade iced tea. Included in the entrance ticket is the Arsenal and Old Theatre, they too are worth a little look. A mooch around the harbour gives way to some spectacular sea colours and stopping for a beer there makes for great people watching.
Matt swimming in a hidden cove - Zukova on Hvar.
OUR MUST DO CROATIA HACKS
Not specific to Croatia, but if you’re flying budget like we did, with Easyjet then a hack is to prebook more weight on your hold luggage allowance in advance. Helps if you’re buying lots of lovely wine to bring home and is way cheaper than being stung by more than 50euros! Ha!
Hire a car: enough said.
Visit Zlatni Rat early to beat the crowds, if you’re staying on Hvar there are regular boat trips that’ll take you there for the day - check which way the wind is blowing as one side of the beach is calm, the other not so much!
Don’t skip Vidova Gora on Brač — the views are worth the drive, you’ll need a car, ATV or book a day trip excursion.
Hvar’s hidden coves are chef’s kiss – ask a local or just follow your nose - there are lots of blogs that’ll tell you which ones are worth a visit. All are worth it in our opinion, we just didn’t have the time to explore many more than the ones we went to.You could literally beach hop the whole time. You’ll need a car!
If you like cats, pack some cat food as there are plenty around to feed!
Try the local wine: like seriously, always try the local wine. The most delicious, we find, is best consumed at sunset. Both red & wine are yummy. Oh and find a local winery to do some wine tasting.
There are olive trees EVERYWHERE. Try the olive oil: trust us, it’s sensational.
Speaking of sunsets, find a spot to sit and enjoy…
Tap water is drinkable across the country
Take water shoes. You will need them for nearly every beach!
Zlatni Rat beach near Bol, on Brač
The beach at Grebisce, Hvar.
So which island is better?
Well, we think Hvar takes it for the win.
But only just! Brač is lovely, like really lovely but there’s less going on and less to see and do without your own transport. And Brač also suffers with the same weather fronts as the mainland - cue rainy spells more often in low season. It’s never cold, but jackets or jumpers are a must come evening time in April & May as well as late September and October. Speaking of low season, if you do go to Croatia in May or September/October expect not everything that caters for tourists to be open.
Back to Hvar. It was simply lovely. Abit more ‘doing’ aka it feels more vibey and there are more tourists around, a few more things to see and do and better food options.
We would go back! Of course we would, Croatia stole our hearts back in 2020 when we first landed in Dubrovnik and this trip further cemented our fondness. There’s just something about it that we love.
Maybe you’ll see what we mean when you go?!
Looking down on Zlatni Rat from the mountain above - Vidova Gora.
To see more pics, reels and highlights from our trip check us out on Instagram @stamps.inmypassport