Our adventura to Milna, Brac

Croatia was somewhere completely new for all of us, and it quickly became the unanimous choice for this year’s adventure. We settled on a beautiful villa on the island of Brac, just a short 30‑minute ferry ride from Split.

We took an early flight from Gatwick, landing into Split around 10:15. There are regular shuttle buses from the airport, costing around €10 per person and taking about 40 minutes into Split. Our ferry to Milna wasn’t until 15:15, and it is worth noting there are not a huge number of daily sailings to Milna, so it is really important to plan your flight times around the ferry schedule. With a few hours to spare, we used a luggage storage service at about €5 per case, which meant we were free to wander. Split is gorgeous: cobbled streets, elegant old buildings and lively market stalls create a lovely first impression.

The ferry crossing was straightforward and on time. Our villa was only about a 5‑minute walk from the port in Milna, although entrusting my 21‑year‑old son with navigation turned into a bit of a saga and we were still wandering around an hour later! Once we finally found it, the villa was absolutely worth the effort: stylish, comfortable and a perfect base.

Milna itself is stunning, and we were very lucky because everything we needed was within about a 15‑minute walk of the villa. In the evenings the harbour filled with beautiful yachts and there was always a great atmosphere. Several restaurants line the pretty waterfront and, even with a party of 11, we never struggled to get a table.

We booked a private boat trip that took us to Trogir and the Blue Lagoon. The boat company were happy to collect us, as we discovered that not many organised tours operate directly from Milna. The local people were incredibly helpful and nothing was too much trouble. Trogir is a real highlight: a UNESCO‑listed medieval town of narrow streets and pale stone buildings, compact enough to explore easily and absolutely worth including. The Blue Lagoon was busy but the sea was crystal clear. It was also absolutely freezing and, as it is known for, very salty, so worth warning clients who fancy a dip!

We also hired a car for the day, which again was a seamless experience. We met the representative at the port, completed a few simple forms and the cars were handed over with no fuss at all. It made exploring the island very easy and allowed us to follow a rough route that ticked off some of Brac’s “must‑see” spots:

Vidova Gora: the highest peak on the island with spectacular viewpoints.

Zlatni Rat: home of the famous Golden Horn beach.

Pucisca: a picture‑perfect town on the north coast, known for its stone houses and pretty harbour.

Brac is a beautiful island. Some of the roads are quite dramatic and a little “hair‑raising” in places, but the scenery more than makes up for it.

We spent two weeks on Brac and all agreed it was a fantastic choice. We did not need a car for getting around Milna itself, but if we went back, we would seriously consider having a car for the whole stay as it made exploring more of the island so enjoyable.

We did not find the resort overly expensive. Main meals started from around €9 and the food quality was very good. One practical tip: several bars on the island operate on a “cash only” basis. There are ATMs in the resort but they charge per withdrawal, so it is worth taking some cash with you. We found that in Split too, where cash was often preferred.