Vis Town has a permanent population of 1,920 and is the island’s largest town and its major center of commerce. It is a combination of two separate settlements: Kut is on the east side of town and Luka is on the west. Kut is a prosperous-looking residential neighborhood, home to several art galleries and the town’s best restaurants. One of the most interesting sites on the island is the walled and locked British naval cemetery just west of Kut. It dates to the War of 1812 and is the resting place of fallen British soldiers who fought in battles from the Napoleonic Wars through World War II. There is another (unlocked) British burial site along the old road between Vis Town and Komiža.
A seaside promenade connects Kut to Luka, and most of the town’s beaches (concrete slabs) are along this path. North of the promenade on Vis Bay, about .5km ( 1/4 mile) from the center of Vis Town, is a pleasant beach in front of the Hotel Issa. There are snack huts there where you can get lunch or a cool drink. Luka is where you will find the ferry port, the tourist office, and a Franciscan monastery.
On the island’s southwest coast, the sleepy fishing town of Komiža has a population of 1,400, overlooked by the hillside Church of St. Nicholas. The main beach there is in front of the Hotel Biševo, where you’ll also find the Issa Diving Center.
Vis-À-Vis Diving in Vis
In addition to becoming a hot spot for the yacht set, Vis is now big with scuba diving enthusiasts. Try the Issa Diving Center (www.scubadiving.hr;(tel. 021/713-651 or 091/201-2731)at the Hotel Biševo in Komiža for diving instruction and expeditions. The magnificent Blue Cave is the obvious attraction for divers here, considered one of Croatia’s Top 10 dive sites.
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