The Zlatni Rat, often referred to as the Golden Cape or Golden Horn (translated from the local

Chakavian dialect Chakavian or Čakavian (, , , sh-Latn, čakavski proper name: or own name: ''čokovski, čakavski, čekavski'') is a South Slavic regiolect or language spoken primarily by Croats along the Adriatic coast, in the historical regions of Da ...

), is a spit of land located about west from the harbour town of Bol on the southern coast of the

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = " Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capi ...

n island of

Brač Brač is an island in the Adriatic Sea within Croatia, with an area of , making it the largest island in Dalmatia, and the third largest in the Adriatic. It is separated from the mainland by the Brač Channel, which is wide. The island's tall ...

, in the region of

Dalmatia Dalmatia (; hr, Dalmacija ; it, Dalmazia; see names in other languages) is one of the four historical regions of Croatia, alongside Croatia proper, Slavonia, and Istria. Dalmatia is a narrow belt of the east shore of the Adriatic Sea, str ...

. It extends southward into the Hvar Channel, a body of water in the

Adriatic Sea The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) to th ...

between the islands of Brač and

Hvar Hvar (; Chakavian: ''Hvor'' or ''For'', el, Φάρος, Pharos, la, Pharia, it, Lesina) is a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea, located off the Dalmatian coast, lying between the islands of Brač, Vis and Korčula. Approximately long, wi ...

, which is home to strong currents. The

landform A landform is a natural or anthropogenic land feature on the solid surface of the Earth or other planetary body. Landforms together make up a given terrain, and their arrangement in the landscape is known as topography. Landforms include hills, ...

itself is mostly composed of a white pebble beach, with a

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on ...

pine grove taking up the remainder. Zlatni Rat has been regularly listed as one of the top beaches in Europe. Its distinctive shape can be seen in many travel brochures, which made it one of the symbols of Croatian tourism. In 2008 Red Bull organized

Red Bull Golden Jump Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a secondary ...

, a unique kiteboarding competition in jumping/flying over the beach.

Description

The beaches on either side of the spit extend for some altogether,Naklada Naprijed, ''The Croatian Adriatic Tourist Guide'', p. 267, Zagreb (1999), . but the exact shape and length of the landform varies with regard to changes in tide, current, and wind. The spit points directly south. The farthest end, which is usually turned slightly toward the east, will often shift to the west in certain weather conditions, esp. a strong south-easterly wind known in Croatia as the

Jugo Sirocco ( ), scirocco, or, rarely, siroc (see below) is a Mediterranean wind that comes from the Sahara and can reach hurricane speeds in North Africa and Southern Europe, especially during the summer season. Names ''Sirocco'' derives from ...

. Changes in the shape of the beach occur once in every two to three years, and have been observed in 2010, 2016 and 2018. The surrounding waters are usually cool and clear, due to the current in the Hvar Channel. The current is mildly hazardous for swimmers who venture far southward from the tip toward the open sea, as it could be difficult to swim back west toward the beach (the swimmer being well over from the coast); the danger is not severe, however, as the standard current would carry the swimmer back east toward the harbor of Bol (and the beaches on the

promontory A promontory is a raised mass of land that projects into a lowland or a body of water (in which case it is a peninsula). Most promontories either are formed from a hard ridge of rock that has resisted the erosive forces that have removed the ...

of land that lies between Zlatni Rat and the town). A reliable afternoon westerly wind known as a

Maestral The mistral ( ca, Mestral, el, Μαΐστρος, it, Maestrale, mt, Majjistral, Corsican: ''Maestrale'') is a strong, cold, northwesterly wind that blows from southern France into the Gulf of Lion in the northern Mediterranean. It produces ...

has made the beach a destination for windsurfers. The pine tree grove which borders the beach is home to the remnants of a Roman

villa rustica Villa rustica () was the term used by the ancient Romans to denote a farmhouse or villa set in the countryside and with an agricultural section, which applies to the vast majority of Roman villas. In some cases they were at the centre of a large ...

, which included a swimming pool. The westernmost edge of the beach, and several coves to the west of the main beach, are traditionally clothing-optional. The promontory is protected as a geomorphological phenomenon.

References

{{Reflist Bol, Croatia Beaches of Croatia Brač Spits of Europe Landforms of Split-Dalmatia County

Description

See also

References