Among literally thousands of islands in Croatia, everyone will discover the one they like the most. The island of Vis is definitely one of my favourite. Not many people know that it was the perfect setting for the famous Mamma Mia 2 musical starring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Amanda Seyfried, Cher, Andy Garcia and many more famous artists. This was my second visit to the island and it made me love it even more. These are the reasons why.
Vis – where time passes slowly
Vis is the one of the furthest inhabited islands of the Croatian mainland. The best way to reach the island is by ferry or fast boat from Split. According to the latest population census,the island has 3,4 k inhabitants and it was isolated for more than 50 years due to the fact that it was a military base. So for a long time the island wasn’t open for tourists. Its falling behind in tourism was perceived as a disadvantage but it actually turned out to be a positive thing, at least in my opinion. Vis preserved its authenticity and spirit, nature, slower pace of life and its charm. All those things make Vis the perfect place to relax and ‘disconnect’ from the busy city life.
When you’re in Vis you feel like the time is passing slowly, you don’t have to rush to do anything, you just have to unwind, let go and enjoy.
Perfect Mamma Mia 2 setting
I visited the island with my friends, the Instagrammers Željka and Domagoj, at the end of July. That’s the high season in Croatia but there were just enough people on the island that it didn’t feel overcrowded at all. Our task was to explore the locations where the musical Mamma Mia 2 was filmed. That’s right – it was filmed in Croatia, although the story actually happens in Greece 🙂 Our first stop was a charming little fishing town of Komiža, where we immediately realized why this was the perfect movie set. Komiža is situated at the bottom of the Hum hill and it’s surrounded by beautiful pebble beaches. Besides fishing and tourism, it is known also for wine making. Traditional fishermen boats in the harbor, called Falkuša, definitely create a unique scenery. These vessels were designed especially for the long expeditions at the open sea. Komiža is considered a cradle of fishing in the Adriatic.
Photo credit: Domagoj Sever
https://www.instagram.com/p/BqDJxunFL4U/
While exploring and taking photos we found old, stone houses decorated with flowers and fishing nets, crystal clear sea at every corner, little bays crowded with fishermen boats and alleys that lead to small beaches. Nature is simply stunning, so it’s no wonder that the island is proclaimed one of the most environmentally friendly islands in the Mediterranean by the World Organisation for Environmental Protection.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BsitMgalC58/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn8X2nUl6K7/
Photo credit: Putopis
The atmosphere on the island is very friendly and relaxed. We met a local lady, chatted with her and she insisted on taking a photo of us. I think she did a very good job.
Photo credit: one local lady from Komiža
In addition to Komiža, we also visited the town of Vis and the nearby beaches. The town of Vis spreads along the long St Juraj bay facing the island of Hvar. It was established in 4th century BC as the Greek polis Issa. It was the economic center of Dalmatia but also a military base. Nowadays, you can visit numerous underground caves and tunnels, all over the island, which were used by military. You can also explore its interesting history, antique art and archaeological collections, like the amphora collection, in the Museum of Vis. And like in Komiža, Vis is full of narrow cobblestone streets and charming houses, beautiful viewpoints, local cats and dogs sunbathing in the alleys … There are so many beautiful, ‘instagrammable’ details and sights. All those things, of course, made the perfect setting for the movie scenes. Check out what we captured.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bna_ae0nIaH/?taken-by=putopis
Photo credit: Putopis
Photo credit: Putopis
It seems like the local cats are also into photography and modelling …
Photo credit: Putopis
Photo credit: Putopis
The whole island is full of beautiful bays, beaches and hidden coves to explore. You can visit a different beach or bay every day. Or explore some of the world famous natural beauties like Blue Cave on the island of Biševo or islands like Jabuka and Palagruža. For more info, you can visit Vis Tourist Office . While some of the beaches are just a few steps from the houses and town (both Komiža and Vis), others are a bit further so you’ll need transportation, a car or a boat. One of the most beautiful European beaches – Stiniva – is also situated on the island. Surrounded by cliffs, its stunning shape reminds me of an amphitheater. Unfortunately we didn’t have time to explore all the beaches, but that is just the reason more to come back again.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Blhvv8Agojh/?taken-by=domagojsever
Where to stay?
While in Komiža we had a pleasure to stay inVilla Nonna apartments .With the great location – almost in the town centre but also just a few steps from the beach – it turned out to be the perfect accommodation for the three of us. Apartment Laurus was very clean and cosy with comfortable beds and very charming balcony. At our surprise, we even stumbled upon a famous Croatian football player Dejan Lovren in front of the apartment one day. A selfie was of course a must have. Groups of friends or families will love Casa Nono , a spacious two-storey villa, just beside Nonno apartments. Beautifully decorated rooms, charming balconies, very big and spacious kitchen and living room will definitely make your vacation and stay in Komiža very comfortable.
Photo credit: Putopis
Photo credit: Putopis
Photo credit: Putopis
Photo credit: Domagoj Sever
Fresh swordfish on grill
You’ll find many great restaurants on the island of Vis, we visited a couple of them and were very satisfied with our meals, but there is a special feeling when you prepare something for lunch yourselves. That morning, when we were about to go to the local market and buy some fresh fish for lunch, it was very rainy. Actually it was raining cats and dogs all morning. So we stayed indoors, waited for the rain to stop and then went shopping. We were lucky to find the fresh swordfish in the local fish market, the owner gave us some recommendations for the grill so we decided to go for it. I’d never tried a swordfish before so it was a great opportunity. We grilled it at a summer kitchen at Raar.Kozmetika estate with a beautiful view of the sea. The swordfish was prepared by the master chef of our little team – Domagoj. He only put some olive oil and basic spices, and grilled it in its juices. As a side dish, we prepared a fresh salad with local cheese, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and mangle with cooked potatoes. All that was perfectly combined with the local red wine Bunčić. It all looked like this ….
Photo credit: Domagoj Sever
Photo credit: Domagoj Sever
Photo credit: Putopis
It seemed like the morning rain wasn’t at all a bad thing. The delay that we had due to the rain, turned our lunch into the early dinner and the day rewarded us with this amazing sunset that we enjoyed from the terrace. It was a wonderful day and we couldn’t ask for a better ending.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BmYukBYnOJK/?taken-by=putopis
Extra tips – if in need of some sweets
Cukar is the name of the local cake shop in Komiža. It’s situated at the entrance to the city center if you’re arriving from the bus station. We tasted different kinds of cakes and cookies, made from the local products, and they were all delicious.
Photo credit: Putopis
Photo credit: Domagoj Sever
I really enjoyed my stay on this island. I would definitely recommend it to everyone who wants to relax and enjoy the beautiful nature and the slower pace of island life. It’s a bit further than the other Croatian islands but, sometimes you have to go further to feel better and closer to real values of life. I’m looking forward to visiting this beautiful island again, and I hope I gave you inspiration to do the same ….
Jasminka Đaković
Accommodation in Komiža was provided by Villa Nonna.
All stated opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.