Bol

Zlatni Rat early, the Dominican monastery and a windsurf lesson

Spend two easy days in Bol on Brač. Walk the pine promenade to Zlatni Rat early, pick the side of the spit sheltered from the wind and leave by early afternoon, when crowds peak. Visit the Dominican monastery at the east end of town, and book a windsurf lesson on the afternoon breeze.

Take the first morning slowly on Zlatni Rat. Walk out along the pine promenade early, pick a side of the spit depending on which way the wind is blowing, and stand in the shallows to see only trees, water and sky. Spend the evening on the harbour, where the cafe-bars run from early morning until midnight.

Day two is for the water and the town. Visit the Dominican monastery east of the harbour before lunch, for the Tintoretto above the main altar and the small museum. Then book a windsurfing or kitesurfing lesson for the afternoon, when the wind through the channel is strongest; if that is not for you, the clay tennis courts make a good alternative.

On day three, drive or hike up Vidova Gora in the cool of the morning for the view down onto the spit and across to Hvar. Continue west to Murvica and the hill trails, and come back to Bol for a last swim as the wind drops.

Brač lamb under the peka, squid pizza and the Podrum cellar

Order Brač lamb in Bol, roasted or slow-cooked under the peka in the konobas, since Brač is sheep country. Fishermen land their catch for the market daily, so grilled fish on harbour menus is usually fresh, Maza and Topolino make squid pizza, and the Podrum cellar pours local wine.

For something less traditional, Maza and Topolino are the places for squid pizza.

Podrum, set in an old wine cellar, has a stone interior that works for a couple's dinner or a big group on a night when you would rather eat indoors. Prices in Bol are generally fair for a resort, and coffee on the waterfront is cheap enough that the cafe terraces act as the town's living room. Big yachts drop anchor off the harbour in summer.

The cafe-bars open very early and close very late, so a 06:00 coffee and a midnight beer can happen at the same table. Varadero, in the centre, is the open-air cocktail bar with a house DJ in summer; a second outdoor bar sits halfway between the town and the beach.

Climbing Vidova Gora, the highest point on any Adriatic island

Climb or drive up Vidova Gora, which rises behind Bol to 778 m, the highest point on any Adriatic island, with Zlatni Rat below pointing at Hvar. The road crosses the island's interior, while the path from Bol is steep and exposed, so walk it early or late, never at midday in July.

From the top, Zlatni Rat lies below like a pointer aimed at Hvar.

West of town, the village of Murvica sits under the slopes and is the start of trails into the hills, including the route towards the Dragon's Cave, a cave with old carvings that is usually visited with a local guide. The landscape here is dry stone walls, scrub and small terraced fields, very different from the busy waterfront.

On the north coast, Supetar is the main ferry port and a pleasant place to break a drive across the island, though most people only pass through. Back in Bol, the windsurf centres on the shore west of town rent kit by the hour, which is the easiest way to see the channel from the water.