Vis Things to Do

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Some finely-sculped 16th and 17th century Venetian-style houses line the delightful fishing harbour of Komiza. At the southern end, surmounted by an elegant clock tower, stands the 16th century Venetian fortress or Kastel, now home to the Fishing Museum (Ribarski muzej). A wide collection of nets and knots and a replica of traditional, early 20th century falkusa fishing boat offer a fascinating insight into local life.

The museum is open daily: July & Aug 9am-noon & 6-10pm, June & Sept 9-10am & 7-10pm.

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Komiza is the island's main fishing port, a compact and intimate town with palm-fringed seafront on one side and a ring of mountains (with Mount Hum at 587 m Vis' highest point) on the other.

Is the picturesque Mediterranean town with narrow streets, attractive stone houses squeezed together along the harbour, nice churches and numerous pretty pebble beaches sheltered by trees, as Gusarica, Kamenica, Nova Posta and Velo Zalo. Dominating the southern end of the harbour is the Kastel, a stubby 16th century fortress which now holds a Fishing Museum.

There is only one hotel and more intimate choice are is the private accommodation. The martime zone of Komiza is well-known for its wide selection of fish and top Komizan restaurants and family-owned wine cellars would find it impossible not to include this in the menu.

Tourist Information in Komiza has the office at Mikule 2 (tel. 21 713 455; tzg-komiza@st.htnet.hr)

Komiza is the place I've always dreamed of!! There is not much to do except relax on the beach, loaf around the town and take countless of photos. The ambience is really fantastic!

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The oldest settlement on the island is Vis town. It's positioned in a wide bay, Uvala Svetog Jurja (Bay of Saint George) on the northe-east side of the island facing island Hvar and Dalmatian land. The port is protected of open sea influence by peninsula Prirovo.

Ancient Vis town was created by merging two smaller settlements: Luka in the west, where the port is situated, and Kut in the eastern part of bay, where you'll see some interesting 16th and 17th century villas and churches. All of Vis' sights can be appreciaed in a short walk along the bay.

Other official parts of the town are coast villages, positioned on bays such as Milna, Rukavac and Srebrena, Stiniva, Stoncica, although some of them show tendency to become new towns.

Just next to the ferry dock is Vis tourist office (June-Sept Mon-Sat 8am-1pm & 4-8pm, Sun 8am-1pm; Oct-May Mon-Fri 9am-1pm; tel. 21 717 017).

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There are some nice churches on the island but the most spectacular (also for its location!) is certainly St. Nicholas Church, so-called Muster (from "monastery").

In the 13th century Benedictines from the neighbouring islet of Bisevo moved to their new monastery, founded on a hill above Komiza. Today's monastery and the church date from the 17th century. The church contains carved Baroque altars and at the end of the main wharf is a Renaissance citadel dating from 1585.

Every year, on St. Nicholas day in November, one boat is burnt as a sacrifice for safety of fishermen on the sea.

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Kut ("Corner") is situated just around the bay of Vis town. It's belong to the town though it's in fact a separate hamlet. This is the most attractive part of Vis town, a largely 16th century tangle of narrow cobbled streets overlooked by the summer houses built by nobles from Hvar. There are no specific buildings to visit, although the stone balconies and staircases give the place an aristocratic appearance.

Because of its position and lovely architecture, Kut attracted several bohemians who made their new home. You find some nice art galleries around.

For ancient Romans , bathing was not a private secret ritual, but one very important social activity. Thermae of those times were the place for hygiene, physical exercise, business contacts, cultural and intellectual exchange, with services from bathing and massage to fine meals and music.
Every town had at least one large public bath that served as a community center, and it’s size and variety of services would usually correlate with the size and importance of that city.
On the picture you can see two pools, which used to be covered with marble. The walls were decorated with frescoes, but unfortunately got torn down by British soldiers who built a temporary storage just before the end of the WW2. About 50 meters away in the area of Mertvilo necropolis, more similar objects were discovered, and if further archaeological excavations prove that all these were actually one Thermae, it would classify them as the largest Roman Thermae in Croatia. This would mean that Issa was much more important and influential town than historians used to think.
Mosaic detail with two dolphins in the upper left corner - enlarge the picture

The fortress Kastel is the most significant landmark in Komiza. Stabile and chubby, with huge stone carved rings for boat ropes - back then when it was built, the sea level was higher. Or the island was lower, I don’t know.

By the end of 19th century, a small tower with the clock was added to Kastel. It tells time, but is a special way.
Now listen carefully:

1 beat for 1st quarter of the hour, 2 beats for half an hour, 3 beats for ¾ of the hour and 4 at the full hour, then a very short break and as many beats as PREVIOUS hour had (so at 11 it will beat 10 times) and then you know that it’s actually 11, but just in case you were distracted, now concentrate and stop chatting and count - five minutes later it will beat 11 times!
Beats me!!!

Kastel has been through a lot. It was a salt storage, the court, municipal seat, and today it hosts an interesting exhibition of fishermen’s tools, old boats and documents. And that’s just fine because it was built from fishermen’s contributions in 1592. Serenissima (Venetians) started building it, but couldn’t finish.

What’s in the name?
Komiza - come Issa - like Issa.
Similar but rather different. Vis is more playful, Komiza subtle. Vis is louder, Komiza whispers.

It was mainly a fishermen port, with backdrop of high hill with few villages nested up there where they would hide from pirates. Too often.

We've been to Komiza before but by mistake. Had a great fish for lunch though! And a lovely but too short walk through its streets. And a long bumpy journey on crests of high wawes to Hvar, where we thought we were sailing in the first place.
This time I wanted to get here on purpose. I wanted to enjoy her hug.