August 29, 2022 - A problem escalated at Veliko Vrilo, the most beautiful river spring of Cetina. The location is not protected, but it has been used by many guests and excursionists this summer again, who keep swimming in the spring. The leader of the municipality of Civljane says that he is powerless, and ecologists appeal to the Government to protect such natural beauties.

As Poslovni writes, among the karst springs of Cetina, Glavaš or Veliko Vrilo is the most beautiful, largest, and deepest.

The shades of blue of the hundred-meter-deep abyss attract crowds of tourists to Civljane, the smallest municipality in Croatia.

However, swimming is prohibited here. At least it used to be.

Visitors couldn't even know. The prohibition sign was removed a few years ago, authority over the spring from the Public Institution Priroda was transferred to our youngest nature park - Dinara - which has not yet come to life, and this means that no one is currently taking care of the spring!

"For me, it is a national shame that people swim and sheep bathe inside the spring. A large part of our county is supplied with this water", says Miranda Mandarić from Split for HRT.

The mayor says that he is powerless, he wrote to whoever he could, but the problem has not been solved yet.

As for the already cloudy spring, if the local authorities were allowed to do so, they would have protected the area themselves.

Environmentalists started voicing their concern as well. They are asking for the urgent adoption of regulations that would finally properly protect these natural pearls.

"What is problematic is that we still do not have such documents for other nature parks and national parks, which means that for only 4 of the 20 protected areas regulations have been adopted, even though all the legal deadlines for their adoption have expired", says Zrinka Jakl of the Sunce Association for Nature, Environment, and Sustainable Development.

Someone will need to explain to curious tourists that, even though they behave politely, they are destroying the spring of an important river.

"We found out about it on Instagram, the spring is beautiful", emphasises Csaba, a tourist from Hungary.

And that way it should stay. The Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development is on the move. There is still time until the rush of tourists next summer.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated Lifestyle section.

April the 29th, 2022 - The upcoming Omis bridge, which will cross over the Cetina river below it, should be completed by the end of this year. The move comes as part of a huge Split-Dalmatia County project and will be of enormous significance to local residents and visitors to this part of Central Dalmatia alike.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, by the end of this year, the Omis bridge which will cross over the Cetina river will be connected along the future Omis bypass, a project worth a total of 180 million kuna. By the spring of next year, that 3.5-kilometre section will be entirely completed. The Omis bridge or bypass is otherwise one of the largest infrastructure facilities in Split-Dalmatia County to date.

The Omis bridge includes two tunnels and a bridge over the Cetina river running below it, the Komorjak tunnel, which will be more than 600 metres long, and the one of Omis, which will be more than 500 metres in length, while the bridge itself will be 216 meters long.

By the year 2025, the entire section from Omis to Split will be completely constructed in different phases, and everything will be financed via non-refundable funds, the Croatian Government recently announced.

By the end of this year, a tender will be announced for the continuation of that road towards Dugi Rat, a primarily residential settlement close to Omis.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

17 December 2020 – Missing adventure, escape, breathtaking landscapes and unspoiled nature? Visit Omis in 2021 - with 20 kilometres of perfect beaches and crystal-clear seas, the mighty Cetina river and an atmospheric Old Town, it's the summertime holiday that winter dreams are made for.

The pretty pastel shades of buildings in Omis contrast beautifully against the sheer, grey, karst rock which rises sharply behind © Omis Tourist Board

The cold outside is often reason enough to spend most of winter indoors. It's a good time for wrapping presents or even wrapping yourself in blankets. Perhaps, if it snows, you'll sit by the window, daydreaming. With a chill in the air, there's no better dream than that of next summer. In the warmth of the summer sun, you can forget all about those blankets and staying indoors. It's time for escape, adventure, the great outdoors, to hit the beach and to swim in the sea.

Crystal-clear waters run along the length of the Omis riviera © Omis Tourist Board

In 2021, the City of Omis will once again welcome winter's dreamers. From Springtime to October, visitors will come and enjoy its extended summer, many of them returning as they do every year. Because, once you visit Omis, there really is nowhere else that can match its incredible offer.

A spectacular landscape, with the lush Cetina river valley cutting through the Dinaric Alps to flow into the sea at Omis - you can see the island of Brac in the distance © Omis Tourist Board

The unique experience when you visit Omis is a product of a singular history and geography. Standing on the mouth of the Cetina - the largest river in Croatia to drain into the Adriatic – Omis and its surrounding riviera is not only filled with pristine and peaceful beaches, it also has waters that, for hundreds of years, have connected the city far into the hinterland. When you visit Omis, it is this riverside positioning that gives its unmissable adventures, culture, heritage and nature.

The Cetina river is the largest to flow into the Adriatic in Croatia and helps give Omis a truly unique offer © Omis Tourist Board

Omis has been inhabited since at least Roman times. Today, the winding, narrow streets of its Old Town are a pretty promenade with a distinctly Mediterranean atmosphere. Walking down these stone-paved pathways, intriguing architecture built over centuries is revealed – an unexpected city square opens up, seating drinkers and diners. Above them, the walls of an ancient church and beyond, the spectacularly lit Mirabella fortress that stands impressively above the town. You can easily walk to the top and look over the Old Town and river or, by day, take the path further back, up to the 15th century Starigrad Fortress. Its walls are renowned to hold one of the greatest views in Croatia, the island of Brac dominating the skyline, further still, the island of Hvar. Both can be toured by boat on day trips when you visit Omis.

The atmosphere-filled Old Town of Omis © Marc Rowlands

Besides venturing out to sea by boat, taking to the waters of the Cetina river is the best way to get the most from the unique offer when you visit Omis. You can kayak from the town into the nearest sections, watching as the pastel shades of Omis buildings are replaced by the towering, epic cliffs of grey karst rock, sometimes dotted with brave and experienced free climbers. Then, suddenly, the river widens to become flanked by reeds, then fields and trees. Birds sit atop the water or fly overhead, fish dart below you in crystal-clear waters, insects and frogs can be heard coming from some hidden place. The whole landscape seems alive, yet silent except for the sounds of nature – you can't hear a single car engine, not the buzz of an overhead cable, only the dipping of your oar in the calm waters.

The still and silent Cetina river valley near Omis, perfect for kayaking and reconnecting with nature © Samir Kurtagić / Omis Tourist Board

Further up the river, the sounds are not so silent. Thrillseekers scream as they fly down the longest run of ziplines in Croatia – a series of eight lines, at times rising 150 metres above the river, the scenery of mountains and surging river is breathtaking, as feet whistle over high treetops. Further up the river, rapids produce white waters perfect for rafting. Although an action-packed run of over two-hours duration, it's an undemanding course taken by many families with children as young as six. Between the fast-moving sections are waterfalls that spray the air and peaceful pools where you pause to swim. At one of the largest stands a huge picnic area, serviced by a restaurant specialising in the rustic cuisine of this part of the Dalmatian hinterland. Thick-crusted, homemade bread is made within metal bells atop wood fires, the perfect accompaniment to local cheeses, prosciutto and seafood.

© Zipline Croatia

Here, away from the shoreline of the town, countless small villages appear on the roads between the river and mountains. Life in these villages looks remarkably like it did a few hundred years ago. The same fruits and vegetables and vines still grow around the traditional houses, many of them ending up on the tables of the fine restaurants you'll dine in when you visit Omis. The same meals are prepared, such as Soparnik, one of Croatia's most authentic dishes – you can only find it in the small region surrounding Omis. The same folk dances are preserved, and the same songs fill the air. You can hear many of them in Omis itself – the city hosts a famous 55-year-old festival of klapa (acapella) music, its singers dressed in traditional clothes, their voices echoing around the stone streets of the Old Town in the same way they have for hundreds of years. The chamber music evenings and one of the most important guitar festivals in the region add to the wonderful entertainment and atmosphere of balmy summer evenings you have when you visit Omis.

Soparnik, one of the most authentically Croatian foods in the country. It comes from the hinterland behind Omis and it's unlikely you'll find it anywhere else © Marc Rowlands

The 55-year-old festival of klapa music in Omis © Omis Tourist Board

Of course, no trip to the Adriatic is complete without time spent on the beach and swimming in the sea. And, when you visit Omis, you're in one of the best places anywhere in Croatia to enjoy it. Relatively undiscovered, the Omis riviera has a wide range of options to suit all. Want to stay close to town? Visit Omis city beach – it's right on your doorstep, popular with families and its waters famously clean. It is extremely rare to find a huge sandy beach like this, right in the heart of the city.

Omis city beach, a huge stretch of sand, moments walk from the centre - there's plenty of room for everyone © Omis Tourist Board

A short ride down the coast offers a 20-kilometre stretch of perfect small-pebble beaches, shaded by scented pine trees, sitting on impossibly clear waters. Pretty hamlets and fishing villages like Nemira, Stanici, Ruskamen, Lokma Rogoznica, Medici, Mimice, Marusici and Pisak allow you to chose between peaceful seclusion, diving and watersports or flavour-packed lunchtime dining in a traditional Dalmatian tavern.

The village of Nemira, one of the countless pristine beaches along the 20 kilometres of the Omis riviera © Omis Tourist Board

This winter has long to go. We will be inside for quite some time yet. But, that gives us plenty of time to dream of next summer. Of all the places you think you'd like to be, once the warm days return, the City of Omis and its riviera should be top of the list. Unique in its offer of adventure, nature, culture and heritage, there really is nowhere else like it on the whole of the Adriatic.

Daybreak over Omis, as seen from the restaurant balcony of Hotel Villa Dvor. The hotel's restaurant is the best place to take coffee in town, the view is spectacular © Marc Rowlands

This article was written by TCN journalists based on first-hand experience of visiting Omis and was subsequently approved by Omis Tourist Board

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 24th of May, 2019, a protected three-storey building in the Dalmatian town of Omiš, which operated for 97 years as a factory and was constructed back during Austro-Hungarian rule will be redesigned into no less than a hotel in the next two years.

''The Croatian brand of pasta "Cetina" will remain, we've preserved it, as well as all of the jobs from the pasta factory. Twenty-two workers were taken care of, we've all sorted everyting out,'' Ivica Babić, the owner of the bakery and the sales chain "Babić" stated clearly after being requested to shed light on the situation by Slobodna Dalmacija. As of June the 1st, the former pasta factory in Omiš will end its work, after 97 long years.

Namely, the building on the eastern outskirts of Omiš, located at the mouth of Cetina, next to the town's harbour, will be converted into a hotel and thus end the work of the old factor that was otherwise in operation for almost 100 years.

''Nobody's getting put out of work, there are no dismissals. We've made sure to give jobs to all of our workers according to their respective capabilities, someone will be a driver, another will be a salesman... We've had two requests for severance pay, which we have taken care of properly,'' Babić stated when discussing the fate of employees who worked in the factory, which was sold to Krunoslav Šarić two years ago, but the well-known and popular Dalmatian "manistra" continued to be producted, and it will continue to do so, until the very beginning of next month.

''With our strategic partnership we've ensured that the brand will remain, but now production will be relocated to Čakovec. It was necessary to optimise the production of pasta, and because the "Cetina" building in Omiš was dilapidated, it was necessary to invest large amounts of money in its reconstruction or move the factory from the city centre to a more suitable place for production,'' revealed the boss of the Babić chain, expressing his satisfaction with the fact that they have been able to successfully preserve the brand "Cetina", as well as provide new jobs for the factory's former workers.

Make sure to follow our dedicated business and lifestyle pages for much more.

May 1, 2019 - Putting Croatian adventure tourism on the map, with the biggest welcome in the world. Day 39 of this incredible 2011 adrenaline trip covering 2,500 km along the Croatian coast. 

The World's Biggest Welcome, an ambitious adventure tourism project in 2011 in Croatia enters Day 39 of this 2019 appreciation of one of the finest tourism promotion projects ever in Croatia.  

The plan? To showcase the diversity and fabulous offer of adventure tourism in Croatia by following a GPS route the length of the Croatian coast in the shape of the word 'Welcome' - thereby creating the biggest welcome in the world from a hospitable tourism country. 

Day 39 moved from Trilj to Omiš.

69 kilometres for the day: 45 km bike ride from Trilj to Zadvarje, 3 km of canyoning from Zadvarje to HE Cetina, 14 km of rafting from HE Cetina to Radmanove mlinice, and a 7 km kayak ride from Radmanove mlinice to Omiš to begin forming the ‘L’ in ‘Welcome’.

Day 39 started in Trilj - crossing over a hanging bridge on the Cetina river. 

Lacko and Mislav in Trilj.

Making way towards Blato on the Cetina river.

Cikotina Ladja - bridge.

From Trilj to Zadvarje for some canyoning. 

The team in the canyon and Mislav doing a backflip.

From canyoning to rafting on the Cetina. The group passing under the Pavic bridge.

And to Radmanove Mlinice.

They traded their rafts in for bikes.

And made way to Omiš.

Hiking towards Fortica above Omis.

Fortica above Omis, and a happy Welcome team.

A key part of the project was promoting tourism, and the official website has details of the key places visited during the day. 

Omiš.

You can see the entire project on the Welcome website, as well as much more of Luka Tambaca's stunning photography on the Welcome Facebook page. 

Tune in tomorrow for Day 40, as Lacko moves from Omiš to Blaca.

To follow the whole project from the start, follow the dedicated TCN page. 

Since back during ancient times, proximity to water meant life, and now even in the 21st century it is still exactly the same. One of the most rich rivers in Croatia is the Cetina river, found in the rocky Dalmatia region, which breathes life into everything near and surrounding it. Undoubtedly, this 105km long river offers an assortment of benefits to the local population from; powering several hydropower plants, acting as a source of fresh drinking water and being the back one to the growing Croatian family adventure tourism market.

From the water source’s majestic beginnings, at a height of 385 metres in the Dinara mountains to its humble end, emptying into the Adriatic Sea, the Cetina has many personalities to enjoy. In this article, I will tell you a little more about my favourite sections of the river and how to enjoy it safely and with full respect to nature.

Green World Holidays 

River tubing

River tubing is great fun, and not just for adults but also for active families holidaying in Croatia. Sitting in giant inflatable donuts, you’ll have the unique opportunity to descend down small river rapids powered only by your hands and feet. Located slightly north of the village of Kučiće, there is a perfect three-kilometre river section, with many memorable twists and turns. If you want to splash and have fun, and see the Dalmatian hinterland from a very rare perspective, then I can highly recommend this activity when visiting the Cetina river.

Green World Holidays 

Kayaking

All over the world, kayaking is enjoyed as a recreational sport and its particularly popular in Croatia. Our country is blessed with an abundance of pristine rivers, lakes and a stunning coastline, so there are no shortages of places to rent a kayak and enjoy a water adventure. From my experience as a guide, one of the best kayak routes can be found on the Cetina, as the water transcends from sparkling emerald waters to the blue signatures of the Adriatic Sea. This picture postcard perfect route also runs through Omiš, one of the prettiest towns in Dalmatia. Famed for its historical pirates, bringing fear to the whole of the Mediterranean sea throughout the 12th and 13th centuries.

Green World Holidays 

Although there are no pirates in Omiš now, I can still guarantee that this is one of the most memorable kayak experiences available. In addition, and unique to the Cetina river, guests can rent see-through kayaks, so as you paddle down the river you can explore the flora and fauna growing along the bottom of the river and enjoy feeling one with the water.

Mini rafting

As a qualified rafting guide for many years, I’ve been fortunate to have experienced the best sides to the Cetina river, and still to this day, one of my favourite activities is mini rafting. Unlike kayaking and river tubing, mini rafting is done on the northern part of the Cetina river, where you’ll find exciting river rapids and challenging waterfalls to descend. Going down the class 2 and 3 rapids (the scale is up to 6) in an inflatable canoe raft is an
adrenaline packed adventure. Along this section of the Cetina, adventurous families will discover one of the prettiest river beaches, called Stružica, which is very popular among the locals.

Professional tours typically conclude in the village of Blato na Cetini and over there you can have lunch in a little restaurant along the bank of the river. This has become a popular tour for family activity holidays in Croatia, allowing parents to better bond and connect with their teenagers, as they steer their own destiny along the Cetina river.

Green World Holidays 

Canyoning

Canyoning along the Cetina is an unmissable adventure activity when visiting this Dalmatian region. Expert guides help lead the way and help adventurous guests to plunge into these newly discovered rocky areas and clear waters, providing the most exhilirating and unforgettable experience. It’s a true treat to be able to swim underneath powerful waterfalls, flow down naturally formed chutes, and jump into emerald pools of water. It's more fun than you can imagine and that’s why it's an unmissable experience when visiting anywhere close to the Cetina river.

If you decide to do the extreme version (not for families!) you can abseil down next to one of the highest waterfalls in Croatia, Gubavica (56 metres high). The starting point is in the village of Zadvarje and the finish is next to the oldest power plant on the Cetina river, called Kraljevac. Unlike white water rafting, canyoning is ungraded. So before booking with any sports agency, ask the right questions and discuss what you can expect with the experience. Remember, no canyon is the same!

Green World Holidays 

White water rafting

White water rafting is the most popular activity on the river Cetina. The route that you pass along this section of the river is about 10 kilometres long and you will face Grade 2 and 3 rapids. The starting point is north of the village of Kučiće and concludes next to one of the most famous restaurants in Dalmatia, Radmanove Mlinice. On the river, there are a lot of agencies that provide eight-man rafting tours.

Active and sustainable tourism

I hope this article has inspired you to explore the river Cetina and please remember to respect nature. We only have a future if we look after our planet now and give back to the environment and local communities. To try these activities with an Eco-friendly travel company, then contact – Green World Holidays –– a company that believes in sustainable tourism to create wonderful family activity holidays in Croatia. See their INSTAGRAM STORIES – www.instagram.com/greenworldholidays

Green World Holidays 

Follow our dedicated lifestyle and travel pages for more. If it's just inland Dalmatia you're interested in, give Total Inland Dalmatia a follow.

For the fourth year in a row, a brave team from Trnbusi, in the northeastern part of the famous Poljička knežija, welcomed the first day of the New Year by jumping into the rather chilly Cetina - and continuing for a swim, reports Dalmacija Danas on January 1, 2019. 

Namely, two members of the adventure group Lakomi avanturisti took the plunge on Tuesday - and they are Zdravko Rodić-Čakur and Petar Stanić. 

Like every year, these brave adventurers chose Stružica, a beautiful beach on the coast of the Cetina, which welcomes an increasing number of hikers and tourists every summer. This year, the air and river temperature both measured 6 degrees Celsius.

“This tradition came about as one of us; specifically Zdravko Rodić, said in the summer during 40-degree heat that he was so hot he would swim in the dNew Year. Zdravko is the oldest among us and when he says something, we all ‘jump’. After that, we signed the contract, and at the bottom of the contract, in small letters it reads “whoever does not jump pays for the lamb“. If one of us does not jump, he will have to roast it. It is much easier to carry out something in the middle of the summer when it is hot.

Our group is called "Lakomi avanturisti". The great satisfaction of this name comes from what Stipe Božić called us when he saw what we were doing on the Cetina. He specifically saw what we did with truck inner tubes on the Cetina and how we rafted on them without any equipment. Last summer, 10 of us traveled the entire Cetina, all 105 kilometers, on truck inner tubes for seven days,” said Petar Stanić.

There is a justified reason why there were only two Cetina jumpers this year, however. Unlike last year, most of the group decided to spend New Year’s Eve in Kupres - and they did not hide showing their adventurous spirit there, braving the snow in their underpants! You can see the photos here. 

To read more about Inland Dalmatia, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

The 4th Carnival of the Cetina Region was held in Sinj on February 10, 2018

The local population in the area around Peruća, the second largest artificial lake in Croatia, hasn't ceased to protest against an announced power plant construction project.