Supetar is located on the northern side of the popular island of Brac, a short hop from Split on the mainland. It is the largest town on the island with a population of almost 3,500 people. However, it’s often overlooked as a destination in favour of the far more popular Bol on the south side of the island, which is home to the famous Zlatni Rat Beach. Nevertheless, Supetar is a sweet little town with a charming harbour that offers a peaceful stay for visitors.
Getting There
Supetar is very easy to get to thanks to a greaat number of sailings from Split. As its the main port on the island of Brac, the town handles both large car ferries and catamarans.
Jadrolinija operate multiple sailings a day on its Split to Supetar car ferry route – 12 per day in off and low season and 14 a day in peak season! Journey time is just 50 minutes, and you can, of course, utilise the car ferry as a foot passenger.
A new route to Supetar is Kapetan Luka‘s catamaran from Split. Also operating daily year-round, and with a much higher frequency during the peak summer months, this catamaran takes just 20 minutes to make the crossing over to Brac.
Do also take a look at our Getting to Brac page to see the many ways of reaching the island. Although there’s no particular reason not to travel directly from Split to Supetar thanks to the frequency of the sailings, you may wish to reach the island via another port or town.
Getting Around on Brac
Croatian bus company Arriva operate many of the bus routes on the island. Travel time from Supetar is 10 minutes to Sutivan, 15-20 minutes to Postira, 30 minutes to Milna, and around 1 hour to Bol on the south side of the island.
Taxis, Uber and Bolt vehicles are available on the island.
What to See and Do in Supetar
Sights
St Peter’s Church was rebuilt in the 18th century on the site of an older church and is located where the earlier settlement of Supetar grew up from. (St Peter is the patron saint of Supetar.) This baroque church stands with a belltower to its right.
Stroll along the main coastal path to experience Supetar’s pretty central core and its harbour. You’ll walk past many restaurants, cafes and bars, which you can utilise to break up your walking tour.
Famous Croatian sculptor Ivan Rendic (1849 – 1932) was brought up on Brac and lived in Supetar for the last part of his life. The local tourist office offers an app-guided One Day With Rendic, which you can use to explore some of his local works. Rendic is buried in Supetar cemetery, which the tour covers.
Head to the village of Splitska (10 minutes from Supetar by bus) to start the Road to Hercules trail. This trail leads you to a former quarry in which an 80 cm-high relief of Hercules has been carved. The island of Brac is very famous for its stone, and quarries here go back as far as Roman times.
The village of Donji Humac (also 10 minutes by bus from Supetar) is one of the oldest settlements on the island. You will see its parish church on the hill as you approach. Near this village is Kopacina Cave, in which items thought to stem from the Stone Age have been found.
Beaches
There are several beaches all along the seafront in Supetar, including Supetrus Beach, which has an inflatable floating play structure, Vela Luka Beach to the west of the town near some of the hotels, and the smaller Acapulco Beach near the ferry port.
Activities
You can certainly rent scooters or a car to explore more of Brac island at your leisure. Rent a Motorino provides this service as well as offering a 3-4 hour long quad/buggy safari tour of Brac, which would be a fun way of exploring the island.
Rent A Roberts also offers rental options, including bikes and electric bikes. They also offer watersports (SUP, kayak, pedal boat) and jet ski opportunities.
Take a look at what else you can undertake for Supetar/Brac day trips below:
Events in Supetar
Supetar hosts Christmas festivities throughout December and into early January each year. These include concerts, kids’ events, Advent candle lighting, festive craft workshops, and a party to welcome the New Year.
Eating and Drinking in Supetar
Restoran Punta is in a gorgeous location right on the seafront, and is one of the most popular restaurants in town. The beautifully presented fish and seafood options are obviously the big draw, but there’s plenty more on the menu besides. Come here at sunset to dine in style.
Konoba Kala is one of the smartest options in Supetar, offering inventive Dalmatian cooking that takes inspiration from the island of Brac. A family-run restaurant, this place is included in the Michelin guide. There’s a tasting menu to try the best of Konoba Kala’s fantastic dishes, but a la carte options are also available.
The Beer Garden Pub serves really rather tasty burgers and has an excellent selection of beer, both domestic and international. With indoor and outdoor seating, it’s definitely the place to come for an informal yet fun meal out.
Bistro Pizzeria Vrilo, located close to the ferry port, has a wide-ranging pizza menu, as expected, but also offers a number of fish and grilled meat options. There’s a lovely view out over the sea from the restaurant.
There are a number of cafes and bars all along the beach here, pop into any of them for a little after-dinner (or daytime) fun. Try the Beach Bar Space Fun in particular for refreshing cocktails.
Accommodation in Supetar
There is only a small handful of hotels in the town, most of them 4-star affairs. If you fancy staying right in the centre of town, you’ll love the Hotel Osam – despite its location, it still has a (rooftop) pool! This is an adults-only hotel, and is smart and modern yet traditionally decorated. Guests like the rooftop bar too.
Over on the western side of the town are some larger, resort-style hotels. These include the Aminess Vival Velaris Resort, which offers an outdoor pool, sports facilities and spa, a restaurant and bar, a kids club, and is a short walk to the beach. Next door is the three-star Aminess Vival Casa Velaris, which also has an outdoor pool and is set in lush gardens; guests can access the facilities of its neighbouring hotel.
The four-star Hotel Waterman Kaktus is a good option for families, with several pools (including one for kids), a beachfront location, family rooms and an indoor play area. Another great choice for families is the TUI Suneo Supetar, with a large circular pool, splash zone and buffet restaurant.
If you’re after something more luxurious, consider the 5-star Hotel Lemongarden in nearby Sutivan. This gorgeous hotel has stunning grounds centred around an outdoor pool, plus a private beach area and its own restaurant. Service is second to none!
Take a look at what hotel and apartment accommodation is available using the map below:
Do also take a look at our Accommodation in Supetar page for more
More info
You can find out all there is to know about this lovely town on the Supetar Tourist Board website.