Day Trip To Bol From Hvar

This is a budget-friendly way of enjoying a day trip to Bol, on the island of Brač.
If you’re dreaming of a beach that looks like it’s straight out of a postcard (or, more likely, your Instagram feed), let me introduce you to Zlatni Rat in Bol, Croatia.
It’s probably one of the iconic images you’ll come across when searching for pictures of Croatian beaches. It’s famous for its unique, ever-changing shape—seriously, the beach shifts with the tides and winds, so you never quite know what it’ll look like when you arrive!

Picture this: a sleek, pebbly spit of land jutting out into the turquoise Adriatic Sea, surrounded by crystal-clear waters that look like someone turned the saturation dial to max. It’s nature’s way of showing off, and honestly, we’re here for it.

Zlatni Rat isn’t just a pretty face. The pebble beach is perfect for sunbathing (no sand stuck in your swimsuit!), and the water is prime for swimming, snorkeling, and even windsurfing if you’re feeling adventurous. There are also tons of cafes and bars nearby, so you can sip a cocktail while soaking up the views.

Despite all the great things you can do here, there’s one downside: the crowds. Especially if you’re visiting in June or July, the number of people can feel overwhelming.

How To Get To Brac Island

If you’re staying in Hvar, you have two options to get to Brač Island, specifically to Bol town:

• Catamaran directly from Hvar town: Departs daily at 10:50 AM, takes 50 minutes. Return at 4:45 PM from Bol, arriving back in Hvar at 5:35 PM.
  Price: 25€ each way (total of 50€ per person).
  You can book your Catamaran HERE.
• Wooden boat from Jelsa: Departs daily at 9:00 AM, returning at 5:00 PM. The cost is only 15€ total per person. The trip takes one hour, and they only accept cash.

You can imagine which option we took—we chose the cheaper boat from Jelsa!
If you need to know how to get to Jelsa, I’ll add the bus timetable to help you organize your day. Since we were staying in Stari Grad, we had to catch the bus at 7:00 AM (there’s no bus at 8:00 AM).
The bus fare from Stari Grad to Jelsa is 4€ one way.

Before going here make sure all of the buses and boats are available and working normally because this are the main season details and after September they start to get less people and therefor less options.

Exploring Bol

Once you arrive at the ferry port in Bol, take a walk through town to explore this lovely, rocky town.
Bol is the oldest town on Brač, with a history dating back to ancient Roman times. Its architecture blends Roman, Venetian, and Mediterranean influences, with narrow stone streets, small squares, and historic buildings.

After exploring, we stopped at a supermarket to buy supplies for sandwiches, keeping our day budget-friendly.

Going to Zlatni Rat (Golden Horn)

Zlatni Rat (Golden Horn) is a 30-minute walk from Bol town. You can either walk along the beach line or, if you’re feeling lazy like we were, take a taxi boat or the kids’ train. Both options cost 4€ one way and take about 10 minutes.
We took the train, which turned out to be very fun! The train runs every half hour, from 9:00 AM until 7:00 PM.

The train goes out every half an hour, from 9 AM till 7 PM.

Find A Nice Spot And Enjoy The Beach

Once you reach the beach, you’ll find a large variety of options, from beach bars with tables and chairs to lounges with puffs to relax on. There are also at least 10 different food carts offering plenty of choices.

The beach is 500 meters long, perfect for a stroll, although you may be walking through crowds. There are also several water activities like waterskiing and parasailing, although these can be expensive.

Going Back To Bol

With a heavy heart, we began our return to Bol to catch the boat back to Hvar. This time we went back on the taxi boat back to Bol, also 4 Euros.
Just as before, we took the cheap wooden boat back to Jelsa and then returned to Stari Grad.
This was one of the best beaches we visited in Croatia—the colour of the water and its unique shape make it truly special.

On the way back to Hvar, we even saw dolphins, making the end of the day even more spectacular. Always keep your eyes peeled when on a boat—you never know what you might see!

I hope this post inspires others to explore this incredible place!
I’ll be adding my post of the best beaches in Stari Grad if you are staying in Hvar.