Solta Island

Measuring 12 miles (19 kilometers) by 3 miles (5 kilometers), Solta’s woodland-and-meadow interior is speckled with hamlets and farms producing honey, wine, and olive oil—all specialties served at its family-run tavernas. Its star attraction, though, is its indented coastline, where hidden coves, sheltered bays, and stone villages like Rogac, Maslinica, and Necujam—the latter complete with a snorkel-friendly sunken shipwreck—beckon.

Visitors staying on Solta arrive by ferry or catamaran from the mainland, while others take organized boat trips from Split or Trogir. These full-day excursions typically combine stops at coastal villages like Maslinica with snorkeling at Necujam’s shipwreck, swimming in the stunning Blue Lagoon, and visits to neighboring islands like Hvar, Brac, and the Pakleni archipelago. Half-day speedboat trips are also available, as are private cruises that visit Solta and other islands of your choosing.

• Solta will appeal to nature, sailing, and water-sports enthusiasts, plus cyclists and foodies.

• Necujam is the busiest spot, while Maslinica has the quietest vibe.

• Catch a bus to Solta’s villages from Rogac, or ride a rental bike to idyllic beaches.

• Bring sunscreen and comfy shoes for exploring—many beaches are accessed by village tracks and have little shade.

Solta sits around 10 miles (16 kilometers) off Split, and is only reachable from the mainland by sea. Regular car ferries sail to Rogac, its ferry port, from Split in about 1 hour; there are usually 7 daily departures in the summertime, and fewer in other seasons. Daily catamarans also operate year-round from Split, reaching Rogac in 35 minutes or so.

For sunshine and tranquility, visit Solta in the spring or fall, when its villages and restaurants are open, but the pace is mellow. July and August bring hotter climes and a bigger sun-seeking and yachting crowd. Solta’s winters are rainy and chilly, and the island goes into hibernation during this period, with most tourist businesses shutting down till April.

Be sure to sample the island’s homegrown wines, olive oil, and honey. Beekeeping has been practiced here since ancient times—hence the island’s gorgeous honey—while its olive groves produce peppery, rich olive oil. Don’t leave without savoring Solta’s Dobricic wines—its light, fresh rosés and chocolatey reds are rightly coveted.