The island of Šolta
Šolta is an island situated in Dalmatia region, just south of the city if Split and west of the island of Brač. It is a small island, with a population of only 1700 inhabitants. The island is a perfect destination for all those in search of crystal clear sea, secluded beaches, and delicious fresh food offering ideal conditions for a relaxing and quite holiday.
The island has been inhabited since prehistoric times, and for the first time, it is mentioned by Pseudosilakhs in the 4th century BC under the name Olyntha. Residents were engaged mainly in olive oil and wine production, and fishing which today is more of a sport rather than necessity. As a tourist destination Šolta is interesting to nature lovers, sailors as well as to diving, sport fishing, and hunting lovers.
Located on the northeastern coast, Rogač is the main port of the island, situated in a small, charming bay and it is connected with Split by ferry and catamaran lines. Rogač is situated near the islands biggest and oldest settlement Grohote. Other mail inland settlements are Gornje Selo, Donje Selo, and Srednje Selo, while Maslinica, Stomorska and Nečujam are small fishing villages, very popular among tourists. These beautiful picturesque villages with traditional Dalmatian stone houses and narrow streets will surely enchant everyone who visits them. Maslenica is a small fisherman village, located in a bay on the western coast of the island.
Near Maslenica bay there are seven other small islets, all uninhabited, but on the biggest one, Stipanska, there are remains of the Benedictine monastery from the 5th century. Nečujam is the most famous tourist destination on the island. The smallest bay of Nečujam was used by Diocletian, the famous Roman Emperor who built his palace in Split, as a fishpond and the ruins are still present under the sea.
Well, if your main goal is to enjoy the nature at its best and relax on a beautiful beach, then you have found your next ideal holiday destination. Šolta abounds with natural beauty, stunning peaceful bays, and coves surrounded by pine trees and beautiful beaches bathed by a crystal clear sea. Some of the most stunning bays are Šešula, Poganica, Zaglav and Tatinja bay, all located on the southern coast of the island.
When it comes to food, the best thing you can do is to try some specialties from traditional Dalmatian cuisine, and there are so many. Traditional Dalmatian dishes are rich with herbs like sage, rosemary, thyme, basil, and oregano. There is a significant use of extra virgin olive oil and garlic. Šolta like many other Dalmatian islands is famous for its olive oil and wine. The most famous dishes are prepared with fresh fish and shells. Some of the traditional dishes we recommend you to try are: Dalmatian smoked ham, Black risotto, Octopus under the lid, Fish brudet, Dalmatian pasticada (stewed beef in wine with prunes and vegetables) and various types of fresh grilled fish with vegetables. Don’t forget to taste the wine made of islands indigenous grapes called Dobričić.
There is a small island of Mrdulja, located between the islands of Šolta and Brač. The legend says that the inhabitants of Šolta and Brač disputed over whom Mrdulja belonged to, so they used a rope in the attempt to pull the island closer to theirs. In honor of that legend, there is an annual competition called “Pushing Mrdulja” held between two crews from the island of Brač and Šolta. The island is rather small and uninhabited, but there are remains of an old tower fortification. Mrdulja is also famous for the homonimus annual regatta, held in October, which is also one of the oldest regattas in Europe.
