According to its land area, Solta island belongs to the medium-sized group of Adriatic islands. However, judging by its natural foundations, it is undoubtedly among the most beautiful.
It is merely 16km long and nine nautical miles from Split; with its 60km of coastline interspersed with four harbors and 24 bays, it offers a quick visitor approach and a safe, pleasant stay.
Taking advantage of modern fast boats, one can reach the island within 15 to 20 minutes. The island's harbors and bays can accommodate some thousand ships, while the numerous natural beaches offer sufficient space for many more swimmers.
Strangely, many travel guide books provide little information about this splendid island. A few years ago, a prestigious guidebook like Lonely Planet's on Croatia dedicated only a few lines.
This island's natural beauty has attracted and inspired even the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who built his fishery in one of the islands' bays.
Island map
The most beautiful places on the island
There are only four small settlements on this island. But each village for itself hides extraordinary beauties.
If you are looking for private accommodation and apartments, here's the best place to find the vast selection for every pocket.
Rogac
Rogac is the island's main port and a tourist village with a nautical marina, gas station, and beautiful coves (Banje, Kasjun, Zustova, and others). It represents an excellent spot for the development of marine tourism.
Stomorska
It is the oldest port on the island. First families settled in Stomorska as early as the 16th century. Stomorska has been famous for its big wooden ships used to carry Solta's wine and olive oil to the mainland and Italy.
Necujam
The youngest village on the island was founded by building summer houses and planned hotel buildings. Necujam is the largest and, according to some, the most beautiful cove on the island.
Maslinica
Maslinica is the only Solta's village situated in the cove of the western part of the island. It has a beautiful picturesque cove and pinewood on the southern side and its well-protected Sesula with a group of seven small islands in front of it.
How to get there?
If you arrive by car, you must get on Jadrolinija ferry lines to Rogac, its main port. A ferry connection runs three to five times a day, depending on the day in the week and part of the year.
More information you can find on how to reach the Solta island page here, with a detailed timetable by month and season.
Roman Emperor Diocletian's favorite beach
Did you know that Solta island was the favorite place of the Diocletian Emperor? While staying in the palace, he often sailed to Solta island, the largest and most indented bay on the island's northern side.
There he found a series of eight coves and was impressed by the most hidden and smallest one. He liked swimming in its crystal clear sea, so he had thermal baths and a pond.
In the 4th century, Emperor Diocletian used the small bay in Nečujmo as his pond. Today this bears the name, Piškera (Fishing), and the ruins are still there, at the bottom of the sea.
In Piškera, Diocletian also had a spa where he came to bathe.
Solta island is among the six most beautiful lesser-known isles
Journalist Francesca Syz, who has been exclusively traveling and reporting for years, published in the British Telegraph a list of six relatively unknown European islands you should visit.
A British journalist wrote that partly because of the ruggedness and partly because of the proximity of Split.
Tourists often choose more famous and distant islands, unfairly neglecting Šolta, which in the middle of the Dalmatian archipelago has remained ‘beautifully untouched, but is still home to a living fishing community and functioning vineyards and olive groves.