Covering an area of 409km2, the biggest island in the Adriatic is not without charm: a stunning landscape, tiny hilltop villages, excellent wine, and a medieval "capital". It has great symbolic value for Croats: it is here that the Baska stele, the oldest document mentioning the name of Croatia, came to light. Initially narrow and covered in dense scrub, the island broadens out and becomes mountainous as you head southwards along the road, with side roads peeling off towards coastal villages.