Dalmatia’s islands offer something increasingly rare in Europe: coastlines that still look untouched. Beyond the well-known names lie coves, stone villages and dramatic bays that most productions have never seen. Here are five island locations worth putting on your scouting list.
1. Vis — the island that played Greece
When Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again needed an idyllic Greek island, it chose Vis. Cut off from foreign visitors for decades as a military zone, Vis preserved an authentic Mediterranean character — hidden coves like Stiniva, the fishing village of Komiža and the glowing Blue Cave nearby. It remains one of the most cinematic islands in the Adriatic.
2. Šolta — untouched, minutes from Split
Directly opposite Split yet remarkably quiet, Šolta has fewer than 2,000 year-round residents. Stone villages, olive groves and pristine coves like Stračinska make it ideal for productions wanting island authenticity without long travel from the mainland.
3. Pučišća — a town carved from white stone
On Brač, the town of Pučišća wraps around a deep, fjord-like bay and is built almost entirely of gleaming white Brač stone — the same stone used for Diocletian’s Palace. Its stonemasonry school and Renaissance Aquila tower give it a distinctive, luminous look found nowhere else.
4. Selca — coves and the tallest island church
Also on Brač, Selca combines a dramatic coastline of hidden turquoise coves with striking architecture: the 45-metre Church of Christ the King, the tallest on any Dalmatian island. It’s a location that offers both nature and monumental scale in one place.
5. Sutivan — an intimate island harbour
One of Croatia’s smallest towns, Sutivan sits on Brač facing Split, with a 6th-century church, a fortified tower and an intimate stone harbour. For scenes needing a compact, authentic island setting with easy ferry access, it’s hard to beat.
Scout beyond the obvious
The islands that made Mamma Mia 2 and countless other productions look effortless are only the beginning. Dalmatia’s archipelago holds dozens more locations waiting to be discovered — and a local film office can open the doors.
Ready to explore Dalmatia’s island locations? The Split-Dalmatia Film Office can help you scout and plan.
