Fishermen`s stories from Komiža

Duration: 1.5 h
Difficulty of the route: Easy
Accessibility: Partially adapted for people with disabilities
Note: It is recommended to bring a bottle of water and sunscreen.

The cultural and maritime heritage of the island of Vis

Together we`ll peek inside the ancient walls of the Komuna fortress and the fishermen’s museum. There, we`ll see the traditional fishing sailboat falkuša Cicibela and hear the stories of her adventurous life and tragic shipwreck. We`ll get to know this unique type of boat and all the fishing tools on display, learn about fishermen’s crafts and skills and enjoy the stories about exciting fishing adventures.

A walk along the Komiža waterfront is always special because it`s the focal place of all main events, communication, and trading. It`s also the best place to learn a new language! Komiža dialect is the southernmost variant of the Chakavian idiom in Croatia, so Komiža waterfront and Riva are the best places to hear this ancient lingua franca.

After a walk along the always sunny waterfront, we`ll enter the shade of Fishermen’s Street where you`ll learn about the way of life of fishermen’s families and traditional architecture. This ancient street takes us to the remains of an old fish cannery. Once upon a time, Komiža was the centre of the fishing industry in Dalmatia and there were several canneries on the island. The well-known cannery “Neptun” was opened in Komiža back in 1870, from where it expanded its business even across the Atlantic Ocean.

We`ll continue our tour in the shade of old pines that stretch towards the sea and lead us to the church of Our Lady of the Pirates that awaits us with its mysterious legends. While visiting the church, you`ll hear stories about the fishermen’s faith and about the battles they had to fight against pirates. Gathered around the well in front of the church, you`ll learn about the water “that springs from underneath the feet of Our Lady of the Pirates”, as the folk song says, and you`ll learn some astonishing geological facts about the entire Vis archipelago.