The Golden Horn Beach in Croatia, photo from the air
The Symbol of Croatia: Zlatni Rat Beach – Golden Horn Beach
Zlatni Rat Beach or Golden Horn Beach in Croatia is one of the most recognized symbols of the Adriatic Coast and the Croatian tourism.
Zlatni Rat beach often wins first places in the contest for the best European beach and it takes place in any list of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Lastly, in December 2018, the Golden Horn Beach was titled as the third best beach in Europe by Daily Mail, UK.
Golden Horn – Zlatni Rat Beach – the Symbol of the Adriatic
Where is famous Croatian beach Zlatni Rat
Zlatni Rat Beach or Golden Horn Beach is set on the south side of the island Brac in Dalmatia. The Brac island is close to the Split town on the mainland and surrounded by islands Solta and Hvar.
The Golden Horn Beach belongs to the municipality of Bol town, a picturesque seaside town with a strong tourism tradition. There is a paved seaside promenade approximately 2 kilometers long that connects the center of Bol town with the Golden Horn Beach on the west side.
Visitors from all over the world alike Croatians often pick Brac island and small town Bol for holidaying in Croatia.
The photo of Golden Horn Beach taken from the Vidova Gora mountain
The Golden Horn Beach is laid down at the foot of the Vidova Gora mountain and extends in the sea towards island Hvar. The highest peak of Vidova Gora mountain is 778 meters high. That is the highest peak among all Croatian islands, which makes the island Brac the highest island in Croatia.
What makes Zlatni Rat Beach in Croatia so attractive
Beach Zlatni Rat in Bol stands out among other popular Croatian beaches thanks to its specific shape. It is tongue-shaped and extends in the sea at a length of approximately 500 meters.
Photo by Oliver Sjöström on Unsplash
The Golden Horn Beach extends approximately 500 meters into the sea
Actually, it's not possible to give exact measures of the beach length as it’s constantly changing under the influence of wind coming from the hill Vidova Gora from the back and under the impact of currents that collide in the sea surrounding the beach.
The tip of the tongue of the Zlatni Rat beach is never the same, and according to the official tracking, its shape significantly changes almost every other year.
The Tip of the Tongue facing east on Golden Horn Beach in Croatia
Although on some photos it may seem that the beach is made of white sand, actually is made of fine tiny pebbles. The pebbles are mostly bright-white and reflect sun rays strongly and shiny.
If you visit Golden Horn Beach and take a closer look, you will find also some reddish, grayish and even some blackish pebbles. The pebbles are fine and tiny and it is pleasant to walk on them. Just, in any case, you can wear water shoes or flip-flops if you do not like walking barefoot.
Zlatni Rat Beach on Brac Island in Croatia - photo with no people
In the pursuit of happiness on Zlatni Rat Beach
There is a story that if you are lucky enough and persistent enough, you can find the happy stone on the Zlatni Rat Beach. The story says that if you find the snail-shaped stone and shell symbiosis on the Zlatni Rat Beach and take it with you, the happiness will follow you in life, for good.
Golden Horn Beach in Summer Season
What do the “zlatni (golden)” states for in the name of the Zlatni (Golden) Horn Beach in Croatia
Another interesting story about Zlatni Rat Beach is how it got its name.
The "horn“ or „rat“ in Croatian describes the shape of this unusual beach in Croatia. The "golden" or „zlatni“ or is usually mistaken with the color of pebbles. But if you take a better look, the pebbles are mostly white. The epithet golden has historical and existentially meaning for the Bol town.
Way back in history, Bol was fisherman's village. The story says that when the fishermen went fishing and the catch was bad or none at all, on their way back to the home, they would always stop near today's famous beach. They would throw fishing nets and they would always fish out the good catch. It was their golden mine for fish and that is how they started to call the beach Golden Horn Beach.
Small fisherman’s boats in the port in Bol town
In the past golden obviously meant having the food on the table each day. Later on and today golden could be referred to a large number of visitors coming in Bol and to Golden Horn Beach and the great importance to the constant development of the area.
How to get to the Zlatni Rat Beach in Bol
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On Foot
If you are holidaying in Bol, or have arrived in the town of Bol by excursion boat and would like to take a walk to this beach you just need to follow seafront promenade to the west.
You will reach Zlatni Rat in approximately 20 to 30 minutes on foot from Bol center. There are many cafes, ice cream stands and viewpoints in the shades of pine trees alongside the promenade. If you decide to take refreshment, the journey may last a little bit longer.
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By Bike
Bol and island Brac are popular for cycling. You can hire a bike on almost every corner and most ofthe holiday villas on Bracisland have bikes included in the holiday package.
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By Car
There is a large parking lot close to the Zlatni Rat Beach. You can check the location here, but also be prepared to walk about 5 minutes to the desired place on the beach.
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By Taxi Boat
There are taxi boats departing from the Bol center every half an hour in the peak season. It is a pleasant ride and we recommend it especially during hot summer days.
The ticket cost in one direction is approximately 20 kunas (2.7 EUR, 2.4 GBP or 3 USD) The taxi boats are departing from the Bol port all day long.
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By Tourist Train
There is also a tourist train that will take you to the Zlatni Rat beach. The cost is also approximately 20 kunas per person. The train runs every half an hour from thebus stationin front of Stina Winery.
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Excursion to Bol and Zlatni Rat
Bol town and Zlatni Rat are definitely worth a visiting. If you rent a holiday villa in Brac, you can get to this beautiful beach by car in approximately 45 minutes from any other place on the island. You can also arrange a taxi transfer or Uber service from your holiday home on Brac island to Bol or directly to the beach.
If you are holidaying in Hvar or some other nearby island you can take part in an organized excursion by boat or hire a speedboat or yacht with your family and friends and visit Bol and Zlatni Rat Beach.
There are also many options for day trips to the Brac island from the mainland that include a stop in Bol and free time for visiting Zlatni Rat Beach.
Zlatni Rat Beach, Air Photography
Things to do on Zlatni Rat Beach in Croatia
Zlatni Rat Beach is the beach for almost everyone. Depending on what time of the year you are visiting Brac, you can enjoy many sporting activities and there are plenty of options for relaxation.
Here are some top picks of things to do on Golden Horn Beach:
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Windsurfing
As it is always windy, this beach is the favorite destination for windsurfers. You can rent surfing equipment or take a beginner's course at Big Blue Sport Windsurfing center.
Golden Horn Beach is popular for windsurfing
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Watersports
You can hire a jet-ski, paddleboard or go snorkeling. In summer months there is the aqua park on the water for children.
Water activities for children
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Swimming and sunbathing
The seawater is crystal clear and swimming is such enjoyment and refreshment. The sea on one side of the Zlatni Rat beach is always a little warmer than on the other side, and one side is always a little windier than the other side.
As there is always some wind, you should be careful with sunbathing because you may not feel how the sun burns your skin so be sure to always take sun protection with you.
You can rent sunbeds and sun umbrellas on Zlatni Rat Beach. There is the pine-tree forest in the middle where you can also find shelter from the high sun. There are showers and toilets for public use. Prepare some change for using these facilities.
The crystal clear water and shades of blue around the tip of the Golden Horn Beach
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Eating and drinking
There are many stands with food on the beach as several restaurants around the beach. If you prefer fine dining we recommend Mali Raj restaurant, approximately 5 minutes walking from the tip of the tongue.
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Beach bar
There are several cafés on the beach, but the most popular and the most entertaining is Auro Beach Bar. Here you can enjoy freshly squeezed juices, iced coffees and the best cocktails in Bol. They have lazy bags and sun loungers and you can relax to the fullest while the calming music is on.
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Sunset watching
If you are a romantic soul, sunset watching from Zlatni Rat Beach is definitely your thing. If you believe you are not the romantic type, give it a try. Come here one late afternoon and wait till the sun goes missing over the horizon. The mixture of colors will leave you speechless. Try to document some of those special moments with your camera.
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Nightlife
There is no nightlife or parties held in the evening at the beach, but there is Night Club 585 close to the beach where you can enjoy dancing in summer nights while the prominent DJs are entertaining the crowd. You can check the lineup on the official website of the 585 club.
Is Zlatni Rat Beach in Croatia family-friendly beach?
The Zlatni Rat Beach on Brac Island is a family-friendly and child-friendly beach.
The middle of the beach is covered with pine trees that give the tick shade making this beach ideal for families with small children. When the sun heats and starts to burn your skin, you can retreat into the shade and enjoy your family moments.
There are lots of amenities for children, including the children's adventure park and open space playground. While your children are playing, your partner can keep an eye on them and you can get a massage. Later, you can change and after the day spent on the beach with your children go to your holiday home with a smile on your face.
On Zlatni Rat Beach, the water becomes deep quickly so you should be careful if you have no swimmers with you.
The photo of Golden Horn Beach taken from the Borak Beach
Collect great memories on the Zlatni Rat Beach and make great photos
Zlatni Rat Beach is the real Adriatic gem. If you come here for an experience and relaxation, you will collect some great moments with you that you will hopefully cherish for good.
Don’t forget to bring your camera and take several shots of this amazing beach. Underwater photos will show you the wealth of seawater life. If you have a drone, then you are likely to make the amazing aerial photos of the Zlatni Rat Beach that your friends and the overall audience will like and admire.
We would also like to see your photos of Golden Horn Beach. If you have some amazing photos, please post it in the comment with the #vipholiday_bookerhashtag so that we can share them via our social media and our visitors.
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