Located on the southern side of the island of Hvar, 3 km from Zavala and 5 km from Sveta Nedjelja, in the area known as "Srednja Plaža," Ivan Dolac was first mentioned as a settlement called "Taja" in the 15th century, which is the local term for rolling or slope. The land here was cultivated by the people of Pitve and Svirče. In the 19th century, Ivan Dolac had a maximum of around fifty inhabitants, which dropped to just four by 1948, before rising to its current population of 68.
In 1852, after the appearance of downy mildew (peronospora) in Zadar, a plaque was placed on the Church of St. Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary, in Ivan Dolac in 1901, in pious thanks that the disease did not spread there. Today, Ivan Dolac is synonymous with the wine Mali Plavac.
The beaches where Ivan Dolac meets the sea are Šuplja Istina, Lučišće, Jagodna, and Paklina. With views of the islet Šćedro and the island of Korčula, Ivan Dolac enjoys the highest number of sunny days in Croatia, which are deeply imbued in every sip of Mali Plavac. If you decide to rent one of the many available apartments, all you need to do is find some shade and forget about your parked car.