Holidays on Brac in Croatia - tips for the island of Brac

Updated 2023 - Fancy a holiday on Brac in Croatia? The island of Brac is one of our personal favourites for sun and swimming in Croatia. Here you can visit Bol or Supetar and the famous beach Zlatni Rat. Here are our best tips on the island of Brac for beaches, sights, excursions and beautiful nature.

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Holidays on Brac in Croatia

Brac (or Brač in Croatian, pronounced 'Bratch') is a large island in Dalmatia, Croatia, not far from Split. The centre of the island is Supetar, but the main tourist resort is Bol, with the famous Zlatni Rat beach.

Semester på Brac — Peter is swimming in crystal clear water - well below the surface!

The island's population (around 14,000 people) relies largely on tourism, but also on fishing and the cultivation of figs, olives, almonds and grapes. Marble is also mined here, which has been done since ancient times.

1. Strolling in picturesque Bol

The town of Bol is the most important and well-known holiday resort on Brac. The town centre consists of charming stone houses, nice restaurants and small shops with clothes and holiday items. There is also a long and very nice promenade, which is magical to walk between Bol and Zlatni Rat next to the crystal clear and green shimmering sea. There are several beaches, the most famous of which is undoubtedly Zlatni Rat, which has repeatedly been named one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

The harbour in the holiday resort of Bol

Byn Bol på Brac i Kroatien — A tip on the island of Brac! Rent a boat for your trip here

2. Tasting Croatian wines at the wine cellar "Stina" in Bol

The wine cellar "Stina" is located along the quayside in Bol, which is a great tip for those on holiday in Brac. The wine cellar was built as early as 1903 as the first wine co-operative in Dalmatia, and won gold at the 1909 wine exhibition in Paris. Even today, the large wine barrels have been preserved in the harbour. Go in and taste red and white wine from the "Stina" vineyard and take it home.

3. Rent a boat in Bol harbour and experience the Croatian archipelago.

The Croatian archipelago is magically beautiful, and the best way to experience it? By boat, of course! There are plenty of boats for hire around the island, some of which require a licence and some of which do not. We chose to rent a small motor boat in the harbour in Bol and paid 650 SEK for a full day including petrol. The price may well have been influenced by the fact that it was low season (end of October) when we rented.

The boat we rented was a pretty slow thing with five horsepower, but that didn't matter much. It was nice to putter around the coast and see Brac from a different angle. After a while we found a bay where we could sunbathe, swim and eat our pasta salad.

Runt Brac I Kroatien — This is a holiday on Brac!

4. Rent a car in Bol and discover the whole island of Brac

If you want to drive around the entire island and look around on your own, you can rent a car. We chose to rent a small car via Adria Tours Bol. We paid 460 kr for a full day + petrol (October) and were very happy.

5. Walk the beautiful promenade between Bol and Zlatni Rat.

If you are between the beautiful promenade between Bol and Zlatni Rat, you should visit Borak Beach restaurant. Here you can feast on everything that comes from the sea and you can also swim and sunbathe from the beach at the restaurant. We were here and tasted the food in 2022

6. Swimming and sunbathing on the famous Zlatni Rat beach

"Zlatni Rat" means "Golden Headland" and consists of a 350 metre long point that extends into the Adriatic Sea. We visited this beach in October, which was magical. At this time of the year, sunbathing and swimming were still excellent (unless you were unlucky enough to have rain), and we were often almost alone on the 634 metre long beach. In the summer there are many more people here.

Zlatni Rat I Kroatien — Pine trees by the beach and sea on Brac, Croatia

Zlatni Rat is popular for wedding photos

7. Swimming naked on one of the beaches on Brac

Naturist centres 200 metres west of Zlatni Rat is Paklina, where you can swim without textiles. Outside the village of Mirca you will find the naturist beach Mutnik, and on the northern side of Supertar there is the naturist beach Punta 15 minutes walk from the town.

8. Enjoy the beautiful holiday resort of Supetar.

Supetar is the largest town on Brac, but it feels like a relaxed and cosy holiday resort. The stone houses are tightly packed, with narrow alleys between them where you can browse the town's shops. Down by the water, there are many outdoor cafes and 'konobas' (traditional Croatian restaurants) where you can enjoy grilled fish or lamb, for example.

In Supetar there is a nice harbour promenade surrounded by palm trees, and both inside and outside the town there are several nice pebble beaches. In addition to sunbathing and swimming, there are opportunities for various water activities, such as snorkelling and jet ski rental.

READ MORE: Facts about Croatia - 30 things you (might) not have known

9. Admire Brac's highest mountain Vidova Gora

Vidova Gora is the highest mountain on the island. It stands at 778 metres above sea level and offers a fantastic view of the famous Zlatni Rat beach, Bol and the island of Hvar opposite. The mountain takes its name from the small 14th century church ruin of St Vid on the top of the mountain. You can get almost all the way there by car, or walk up if you want to get some exercise.

Vid den högsta punkten på Brac, Vidova Gora — At the highest point, Vidova Gora is a hot tip on the island of Brac.

10. Learn about the stone carving town of Pucisca

The stone carving town of Pucisca is located on the north-eastern part of Brac, and there is a stone carving school (Klesarska school) where students work on real orders. You should be able to go in and look at the work, possibly for a small fee, but when we were there (October) we found no one to talk to. Nearby there is also a Roman quarry where you can see how the fantastic white limestone is mined. It is about 1700 years old!

Stenhuggarskola — At the stone cutting school in Pucisca, on holiday in Brac, Croatia.

11. Visit the Skrip olive oil museum on Brac

The Olive Oil Museum in Skrip is supposed to be nice. Just when we rented a car, it was closed because the owners were harvesting olives. On Brac there are very many olives and if you want to know more about olives, the olive oil museum is a good advice.

12. Enjoy the unique sandy beach of Lovrecina

Lovrecina sandy beach may be worth seeing precisely because it is a sandy beach. In Croatia, as you know, sandy beaches are not very common and therefore become an attraction.

13. Fascinated by the Blanca hermitage

Blanca hermitage is one of Brac's most spectacular sights and has been a tentative UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2007. The monastery was founded in the first half of the 16th century where the monks produced wine, olive oil and honey. There is a valuable library with about 8000 books and an observatory. The monastery now serves as a museum and excursions to the monastery are made from Bol by boat to a small bay nearby. From there it is a 25-minute walk.

14. Tasting lamb at Kopacina restaurant

In both Bol and Supetar there are many restaurants, which are open during the tourist season. As Brac is located in the Mediterranean Sea, you will naturally find fish and seafood on the menus. What the island is best known for is its tradition of raising and cooking lamb. Sheep's cheese is also considered to be particularly tasty here.

If you want to experience really good lamb, we can recommend Kopacina restaurant, located in Donji Humac in the centre of the island. Here you can choose from many different dishes of lamb. When we were here, we chose lamb on skewers together with potatoes "island style" and grilled vegetables. We can only agree with everyone who says that lamb on Brac is delicious!

Bra restaurang på Brac och väldigt gott lamm på Kopacina

READ MORE: Dubrovnik in Croatia - guide, tips and attractions
READ MORE: Zagreb in Croatia - sights and 12 things to do

15. Stay in a cosy hotel or campsite on Brac

There are plenty of hotels in both Supetar and Bol, as well as the possibility of renting houses. Campers also have many campsites to choose from. We saw a whole bunch of campsites in Bol and on this part of the island, and chose a small and personalised campsite that was open all year round. At the Camping Kito the staff alternate the work of looking after the guests with the work of looking after and harvesting the olives.

Camping Kito på semesterön Brac — Holidays on Brac in Croatia and at camping Kito

Getting to the island of Brac?

You can reach Brac by ferry from Split to Supetar. If you fly to Split, the bus takes about an hour to the harbour. If you haven't bought a ticket beforehand online, you can buy it at the harbour, but be prepared to wait several hours in high season.

Stor guide till Brac — Tips for the island of Brac: The map shows the tourist resorts of Bol and Supetar and the ferry from Split.

The catamaran takes 20 minutes to Supetar and the ferry takes an hour. Another option is to take a ferry from Makarska to Sumartin. Once on the island, you can get around by car or local bus. Allow at least 45 minutes to get from Supetar to Bol.

Split Kroatien och tips på ön brac — Adriatic Sea, photo from the ferry between Brac and Split

Video from the island of Brac

Excursions from the island of Brac

If you're staying for a longer period of time, there are of course various excursions available! Here are tips and advice on four places on the mainland that deserve a visit:

Split: 23 things to do in Split
Trogir: Medieval Trogir - a Unesco World Heritage Site in Croatia
Omis: The pirate town of Omis in Croatia
Makarska: Makarska Riviera in Croatia

Semester på Brac I Kroatien - Guide till Brac och info — The beautiful city of Split

Things to know before your holiday in Brac

The island is the third largest in the Croatian archipelago and the largest in the Dalmatian district. The Romans, who influenced the whole of Croatia, have left traces here from 400 AD, when they called the island Bratia. Olive groves, citrus trees and vines thrive here on the Adriatic Sea. The olive oil is very well known for being of the highest quality and the local red wine Bolski Plavac is made from the Plavac Mali grape.

The limestone has been and is very important for the island and Croatia, so you can better understand the school of stonemasonry that we told you about. Limestone from here has been supplied to the Parliament House in Vienna, Diocletian's Palace in Split, the White House in Washington and many others. Finally, it's worth mentioning that the number of hours of sunshine is one of the highest in Europe, and you can choose many months of the year to come here on holiday.

Some more tips for your holiday in Brac

Croatia will only use the euro from 1 January 2023.
Water (voda) can be drunk directly from the tap throughout Croatia.
There are buses between Bol-Postira and Supertar but allow 45 minutes for the longest journey. Rent a car or scooter but be careful as the roads are sometimes narrow and winding.
Most beaches are shingle or pebble beaches and bathing shoes are recommended.
On the slopes of Vidora Gora, near the village of Murvica, there are unusual sights such as the Dragon Cave (Zmajeva Spilja) with its temple and ruined monastery. Ask for a guide in Bol because you are not allowed to go there alone and children are not recommended at the site.

31 March 2018 6:00

Croatia

Motorhome holiday Croatia, naturism, beaches, UNESCO heritage, unique nature, experiences in Europe

Helena

Administrator

45 Comments

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Anna says:

I have been to Croatia once before and would love to go back. Didn't visit Brac and would love to do so. Thanks for the insight!

31 March 2018 - 7:24

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  It's easy to want to go back to Croatia!
  
  31 March 2018 - 11:15
  
  Reply
Lennart says:

We liked Croatia!

31 March 2018 - 7:28

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Matts Torebring says:

We were in Croatia for five or six summers, but not the island of Brac. We passed the island, when we came by ferry to Split, from the island of Korkula with the motorhome on the ferry. It was a great afternoon on the sea and travelling between the islands.

31 March 2018 - 8:43

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Agree that the ferry trips between the islands are nice 🙂 .
  
  31 March 2018 - 11:16
  
  Reply
Ninny says:

Oh, it looks wonderful!!! Longing sooo for sun, warmth and greenery... Getting hungry to go to Croatia, have never been there. But this summer it will be Greece for us, so it will be another time, 😉 Want to wish you a HAPPY EASTER!

31 March 2018 - 8:51

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Greece also sounds lovely! Happy Easter!
  
  31 March 2018 - 11:16
  
  Reply
Liniz Travel says:

But wow it looked crazy lovely 😉 now I want to go there ha ha! Happy Easter hug

31 March 2018 - 9:20

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Liniz Travel says:

You are never satisfied because what you have ha ha is on gran Canaria now!

31 March 2018 - 9:21

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Gran Canaria sounds great! 🙂 Happy Easter!
  
  31 March 2018 - 11:16
  
  Reply
Lisa in the village says:

There was a nice report about you in Smålandsposten today.
Have a happy Easter!

31 March 2018 - 9:59

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  How nice that the report ended up in Smålandsposten as well (I've seen it in a few other local papers), and thank you for sharing it!
  
  31 March 2018 - 11:17
  
  Reply
Daniela / Discovering The Planet says:

Oh how I long for the Balkans now. Feels like the summer must be set aside there :). Happy Easter to you.

31 March 2018 - 10:32

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Balkan is lovely 🙂 Happy Easter Daniela!
  
  31 March 2018 - 11:18
  
  Reply
Lena in Wales says:

Looks wonderful! Haven't been there, yet.....
Wishing you a Happy Easter! Pasg Hapus from Wales

31 March 2018 - 11:20

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Thank you very much!
  
  04 April 2018 - 19:03
  
  Reply
Role o Carina says:

Wonderful place it seems to be, and what lovely water to swim in!

Happy Easter on your.......

31 March 2018 - 12:16

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Thank you very much!
  
  04 April 2018 - 19:04
  
  Reply
Britt-Marie Lundgren says:

It's strange, all right. On Maundy Thursday evening we sat with a map of Croatia, a travel guide, a highlighter and a bottle of bubbly and made some plans. Brac and Bol were definitely on there (and after this post we're even more excited).

31 March 2018 - 13:28

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  What fun!!! And then this post fit in well 🙂 🙂
  
  04 April 2018 - 19:06
  
  Reply
BP says:

What a charming island! Understand that you stayed there for a month. Oh when I look at your lamb, it was probably much better than what our lamb roast will be tomorrow;-)

31 March 2018 - 13:57

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  It was a perfect place to stay for so long! Hope your Easter lamb turned out well! 🙂
  
  04 April 2018 - 19:06
  
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Ditte says:

Brac is really nice and offers a lot. Been a long time since I was there and a lot has probably happened. But a good idea is probably to get there after the high season both in terms of location and prices. The end of September early October seems good. We rented a sailboat there and were out at sea for a week and it is recommended if you like sailing.
But there are many places that attract...

31 March 2018 - 14:37

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Yes, if you have the opportunity to choose the time before or after the high season, it is usually the best! Sailboat here must be nice!
  
  04 April 2018 - 19:07
  
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Marina says:

We were in Croatia for a holiday week about 20 years ago and enjoyed it very much and after this post I must say that I am very keen to try again.

31 March 2018 - 18:04

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Nice if we can inspire 🙂 Croatia is very nice, and not least Brac!
  
  04 April 2018 - 19:07
  
  Reply
Anette Åhnbrink says:

We have kind of gone past Croatia? but have understood that the islands is the shit as they say? However, we did not like Krk, which "everyone" likes ... well, if you have had a Greek beach for yourself, with sand! So it is liiite difficult to like concrete bridges / stone steps and such thorny animals on the bottom?, jokes aside, we have been to the bottom of Croatia and there it was wonderful? and certainly Zlatni Rat looks wonderful!

31 March 2018 - 18:34

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  We haven't been to Krk, but interestingly enough, we've actually heard both better and worse reviews about that island!
  
  04 April 2018 - 19:08
  
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Biggeros says:

I will pass this on to my daughter who wants to go to Croatia and go boating in September. Thanks so much for the tips!!! Looks absolutely wonderful and not too expensive/ Happy Easter.

31 March 2018 - 20:12

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Croatia still has ok prices, even if it is not super cheap. Dubrovnik is expensive, but other places are better.
  
  04 April 2018 - 19:09
  
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Travelsis says:

Oh now I long for Croatia (easily done?). Going during the low season is just so good, unfortunately does not always work with school children, but the destination often feels more genuine when there is no congestion. /Pernilla

01 April 2018 - 7:48

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Haha, yes it is easy to long for Croatia 😉 I am fully aware that the low season can be tricky when you have school children. But would think that June / July is much calmer than August!
  
  04 April 2018 - 19:10
  
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Bengt-Göran says:

We are going to Croatia with our new motorhome in less than three weeks and we are reading all the info you have about Croatia. So your info is incredibly timely for us!
We have planned a short visit to Albania but we might get stuck in Croatia, but so what? ?

01 April 2018 - 9:51

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  How wonderful that you are soon on your way!!! And then this post fit well 🙂 Croatia is fantastic! We like Albania too! Croatia is more organised and the buildings are more beautiful. But Albania is a bit of an adventure! Also very cheap and beautiful beaches where you can sometimes be almost alone. Nice trip!
  
  04 April 2018 - 19:12
  
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Dan Glimmerås says:

Hello again.
Does anyone know if it is ok to bring two small dogs to the campsites on Brac?
If so, which campsite is recommended?
Regards. Dan

02 April 2018 - 10:21

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Unfortunately, I can't answer about dogs. Can't remember seeing a ban and think we've seen a lot of dogs, but don't have more specific knowledge than that ...
  
  04 April 2018 - 19:14
  
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Lena - good for the soul says:

But oh what a lovely post! Longing back to Croatia. So beautiful there!

Hug Lena

04 April 2018 - 6:46

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Croatia is amazingly beautiful 🙂
  
  04 April 2018 - 19:14
  
  Reply
  - Mr Marcus says:
    
    How easy is it to get to the following places from Supetar in Brac:
    - Blue Cave.
    - Dubrovnik
    - The Plivice Lakes (National Park.
    
    Then I wonder how often the ferry runs and the price?
    
    And finally, what do we do if we want to see dolphins?
    
    18 February 2020 - 12:37
    
    Reply
Magda says:

Hi, we are going to Brac in June, flying to Split. How is it to get from the airport to the ferry, taxi? Is it expensive by taxi? We will be staying in the village of Milan on Brac. Thanks for all the tips, looks really lovely 🙂 .
/Magda

04 April 2018 - 12:56

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  If we remember correctly, it takes about half an hour from the airport to Split. The ferry is in the harbour, in the city centre. I would guess that taxis are slightly cheaper than in Sweden, but not super cheap. Don't have full control over this though. Wish you a super nice trip!!!
  
  04 April 2018 - 19:16
  
  Reply
Catherine says:

Hi, nice to read your blog, the island of Brac and Bol has been our holiday destination for many years, absolutely wonderful island and Bol is so wonderful, we can also recommend Sutivan, a very cute little village a bit from Supetar, nice beaches are in and around the whole village, in the evenings they close the streets and the restaurants set out their tables on the promenade and streets, very cosy little place, I also saw that you wrote about the catamaran that you can go with, you can go with it directly from Split-Bol, it does not go as often as the ferry but you then come directly to Bol. Think they are also Jadrolinija that runs that route. Thanks for a wonderful blog 🙂

20 July 2018 - 13:55

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Maria's Memoirs says:

How I miss the crystal clear water!!! I myself chose to go to the island of Šolta, such a quiet place and found a small half-hidden beach there 🙂 ).

30 July 2019 - 21:26

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Anonymous says:

Thank you for a great report on Brac.
We have been to Croatia several times but only on the mainland. Now thinking about going to Brac. We have a motorhome 8m and a car on a trailer, is it possible with this vehicle on the ferry from Split.

12 January 2023 - 10:06

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Hi! I'm glad you liked the story! Glad you liked the report! We think it should be fine. Otherwise, check with the company here: https://www.jadrolinija.hr/en/home
  
  12 January 2023 - 10:56
  
  Reply

Holidays on Brac in Croatia - tips for the island of Brac

Holidays on Brac in Croatia

1. Strolling in picturesque Bol

2. Tasting Croatian wines at the wine cellar "Stina" in Bol

3. Rent a boat in Bol harbour and experience the Croatian archipelago.

4. Rent a car in Bol and discover the whole island of Brac

5. Walk the beautiful promenade between Bol and Zlatni Rat.

6. Swimming and sunbathing on the famous Zlatni Rat beach

7. Swimming naked on one of the beaches on Brac

8. Enjoy the beautiful holiday resort of Supetar.

9. Admire Brac's highest mountain Vidova Gora

10. Learn about the stone carving town of Pucisca

11. Visit the Skrip olive oil museum on Brac

12. Enjoy the unique sandy beach of Lovrecina

13. Fascinated by the Blanca hermitage

14. Tasting lamb at Kopacina restaurant

15. Stay in a cosy hotel or campsite on Brac

Getting to the island of Brac?

Video from the island of Brac

Excursions from the island of Brac

Things to know before your holiday in Brac

Some more tips for your holiday in Brac

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45 Comments

Anna says:

Helena says:

Lennart says:

Matts Torebring says:

Helena says:

Ninny says:

Helena says:

Liniz Travel says:

Liniz Travel says:

Helena says:

Lisa in the village says:

Helena says:

Daniela / Discovering The Planet says:

Helena says:

Lena in Wales says:

Helena says:

Role o Carina says:

Helena says:

Britt-Marie Lundgren says:

Helena says:

BP says:

Helena says:

Ditte says:

Helena says:

Marina says:

Helena says:

Anette Åhnbrink says:

Helena says:

Biggeros says:

Helena says:

Travelsis says:

Helena says:

Bengt-Göran says:

Helena says:

Dan Glimmerås says:

Helena says:

Lena - good for the soul says:

Helena says:

Mr Marcus says:

Magda says:

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Maria's Memoirs says:

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