Stiniva — Attraction in Grad Vis

Review largely based on factual experience

The sun was shining brightly as we made our way down the winding trail to the beautiful beach of Strivina. The path was surrounded by lush greenery, and the sound of the waves crashing in the distance filled us with anticipation. As we emerged from the trees, the sight before us was breathtaking. The beach was a crescent of smooth pebbles, sparkling under the sunlight, and the water was a dazzling shade of turquoise.

We spread out our towels on the pebbles and laid back, soaking in the warm rays. There were only a few other people scattered along the beach, making it feel like our private paradise. After a while, we couldn’t resist the call of the crystal-clear water. We grabbed our snorkels and waded in, marveling at the colorful fish darting between the rocks below.

Feeling adventurous, we decided to swim out of the narrow bay and explore the wider bay beyond. We kicked off, enjoying the freedom of the open water, but our excitement was short-lived. As we approached the mouth of the bay, we noticed something glistening just beneath the surface. Jellyfish. Hundreds of them, their translucent bodies shimmering ominously in the sunlight.

"Uh, I think we should turn back," I said, my voice tinged with unease. My friend nodded vigorously, and we quickly swam back towards the beach, the water around us now feeling like a potential minefield.

Once safely back on shore, we sat on our towels, catching our breath. From our vantage point, we watched as others, unaware of the jellyfish swarm, attempted to make their way out of the bay. Each one met the same fate – stung multiple times, their exclamations of pain echoing across the beach.

One American tourist, rubbing his stung arm, grumbled loudly, "There should be a sign warning about the jellyfish!"

A small boat, anchored a little way out, had a rope pull to help people get in and out of the water. We watched in horror as a swimmer grabbed the rope, only to be stung by jellyfish tentacles wrapped around it. His yelps and frantic splashing were both alarming and, admittedly, a little bit comical.

As more and more people arrived, the scene turned into a bizarre spectacle. Some swam in from boats, only to be met with the same painful greeting. The beach filled with a chorus of yelps, yells, and expletives, the air punctuated with the occasional “Ouch!” and “Are you kidding me?”

Despite the unexpected invasion of jellyfish, we couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. Here we were, in one of the most beautiful places we’d ever seen, and everyone, including us, was battling these tiny, gelatinous creatures.

In the end, we decided to leave the beach and hike back up the trail. As we walked, we shared stories of the unfortunate encounters we had witnessed, our laughter echoing through the trees. Strivina might have turned out to be more of an adventure than we had planned, but it was one we would never forget – a day filled with sun, sea, and stings, and memories that would always bring a smile...

Stiniva Beach is hands down the most beautiful beach I’ve ever seen in my life. Tucked away in a secluded cove with crystal-clear water and beautiful high cliffs surrounding you, it feels like stepping into a hidden paradise. The atmosphere is peaceful and almost surreal, especially in the early morning when the light is soft and the crowds haven’t arrived yet.

Getting there requires a bit of a hike, about 20 minutes down and another 20 back up at a medium-slow pace. It’s not too difficult, but definitely not ideal for sandals and flip flops. Do yourself a favor and bring sneakers or proper walking shoes and the sandals/flip flops you can save them in to the bag and then have them on the beach.

Once you reach the beach, you’ll want to stay a while. Bring snorkeling glasses, the underwater view is amazing. The water is so clear you can see fish swimming all around, and the calmness of the bay makes it perfect for a relaxing swim.

There’s also a small café called Tavern Peruka right near the beach. It’s a great spot to grab a coffee, soda, juice, or even a sandwich. Prices start at around €4 and go up from there. They accept both card and cash, which is super convenient.

If you’re visiting Vis, Stiniva is an absolute must. There is no wifi or phone signal. Just go early, bring the right shoes, and take your time soaking it all in you won’t regret...

Calling this the “best beach in Europe” is like saying Baker’s Delight makes the best bread - it’s alright at best. The beach is very photogenic and aesthetically pleasing from afar, but that’s all it’s got going for it. The descent from the carpark is difficult and unsafe unless you’re fit and wearing a good pair of shoes (thankfully we were). The water itself is yet another unfortunate victim of overtourism. There’s rubbish, miscellaneous debris and some sort of engine oil floating at the top of the water. Thank god I brought my goggles, so I could see that there’s even more rubbish underwater 🤣. This seems like it’s due to the huge number of boats that regularly come into the bay. Further, whilst not entirely the fault of this beach as I understand they are brought in by currents, there were lots of jellyfish when we visited and we got stung (as did everyone else who swam that day). Thankfully, there was a lady with a scarf catching some of them and putting them into a bucket (??). Throughout our time in Vis, we visited several other beaches, none of which had jellyfish. Overall, we wouldn’t recommend wasting your time here, there are so so many other nice beaches. We visited 6 in total, and Stiniva wouldn’t make...