Nerežišća Municipality: Landscapes and Stone Heritage

Nerežišća Municipality brings together protected landscapes and a rich history of sacred buildings and long-standing traditions. When planning your stay, you can focus on nature experiences, churches and archaeological traces—or combine these themes on excursions.

Landscape and trails

Vidova gora is a protected landscape. Its highest peak is the 778-metre-high Sutvid; most of the area lies within Nerežišća Municipality. The landscape has been protected since 1973. Another protected area within the municipality is Dolina Blaca, which has been protected since 1986.

The Vidova gora educational trail is intended for pedestrians and cyclists. It begins at the turn-off for Vidova gora, located at the second kilometre of the Nerežišća–Bol road, and ends at the highest peak on the island of Brač. You can plan the route as a standalone outing, either on foot or by bicycle.

To reach the Pustinja Blaca Museum, drive from Nerežišća through the Vidova gora area to the Dragovoda area. From there, continue on foot for about half an hour. Include this section in your day’s plans and check current visiting arrangements before your visit.

Traditions and sacred buildings

The tradition of Balun o ruke has been preserved in Nerežišća. During Museum Night 2018, teams played above the roof of the unique 14th-century Crkva sv. Petra. A dwarf pine tree more than two hundred years old grows on the roof. The Memorial Frane Senjković, featuring Balun o ruke, is also associated with a festival in honour of Saint Margaret, the patron saint of Nerežišća.

Around the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel stand symmetrical, richly decorated stone mansions. Stone architecture can also be found in Donji Humac, known for its old stone houses, other stone buildings, preserved traditions and various folk customs.

The parish church of Saints Fabian and Sebastian in Donji Humac contains a valuable 13th-century fresco, considered one of the oldest in southern Croatia. The church is also a destination for pilgrimages by many worshippers. The Chapel of Saint Elias near Donji Humac dates from the 10th century and was built on the remains of a Roman mausoleum. The village itself is also home to the early Romanesque Chapel of Saint Luke, dating from the 11th or 12th century.

Kopačina Cave is also near Donji Humac. It is considered the oldest known human settlement site on Brač; traces of life found there date from the 8th to the 3rd millennium BC. Visitors interested in the island’s long history of settlement will find here a different way to explore the past than in its churches and chapels.

Cycling and history in Dračevica

A six-day cycling programme on Brač includes Nerežišća as a stop and focuses on the island’s historic churches and sacred sites. The parish church of the Immaculate Conception of Mary in Dračevica dates to 1770 and was extended in 1904. Dračevica was also once home to the largest windmill on Brač, which ground grain for the entire island.

Wine and olive oil

Nerežišća offers a wine and olive oil experience in a traditional setting, including old stone houses, a traditional wine cellar, an ethnographic house and a vineyard. Tastings include an informative presentation about the production of wine and olive oil. Visits are available on request; check availability for your preferred date in advance.

Plan your stay

Nerežišća lies at the crossroads of Brač’s main roads and on the slopes of the island’s largest plain. If you’re looking for hotels in Nerežišća Municipality, first decide which excursions you want to shape your stay: the educational trail on Vidova gora, a museum visit followed by a walk, or the churches and cultural sites.

Discover more destinations: Donji Humac, Nerežišća, Milna Municipality, Sutivan Municipality, Pučišća Municipality, Selca Municipality, Supetar Municipality, Bol Municipality

Return to the main travel overview: Brač.