Zlatni Rat Brac

Zlatni Rat, the Golden Horn, is the beach that appears on most of the posters of Croatia, a long tongue of pale pebbles that juts out into the sea near the town of Bol on the island of Brač. Its tip shifts shape with the wind and the current, sometimes curving one way, sometimes the other, which is the detail everyone notices once they are there.

The beach is backed by a belt of pine forest that reaches almost to the water, giving shade and a place to escape the heat, and the pebbles shelve into remarkably clear water. Bol is one of the windier spots on the coast, which makes Zlatni Rat a centre for windsurfing and kitesurfing, with schools renting gear along the shore.

Fame has its price, and in July and August Zlatni Rat is packed. The walk from Bol along the promenade takes about twenty minutes, and there is also a small road train. Sun loungers, cafes and the water-sports rentals line the landward end.

For photographers, the aerial or high-angle view that shows the spit’s shape is the one everyone wants; from the beach itself, go early for calm water and softer light. Bring reef shoes, the pebbles are smooth but hot underfoot at midday.

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