A Day Trip to Biokovo, A Beautiful Nature Escape Above Makarska
September 16, 2020 - Besides the newly opened Skywalk, Biokovo Nature Park offers several reasons worth visiting. This second-highest mountain in Croatia is a paradise for all lovers of nature, sports, or simply the beautiful views that extend from its heights. If you are looking for a destination for a city break, consider a day trip to Biokovo!
Biokovo is a mountain range that separates the Adriatic from Zagora, and if you are lucky, you can see Italian Monte Gargano in nice weather. Inhabited even before the appearance of the letter, Biokovo was named after the snow whiteness, as evidenced by the fact that it is closed to visitors from mid-November until early April.
A narrow and steep mountain road leads to the top of Biokovo at 1762 m, Saint Jure, which is certainly a great challenge, not only for driving a car but also for cyclists and alpinists.
Nature
I think there is not much to talk about the natural diversity of Biokovo. It is enough to know that it is inhabited by seven different species of amphibians and about 20 species of reptiles. In addition to numerous endemic delights, the park is also home to the spotted Ratsnake, one of the most beautiful European snakes.
Given that due to the inaccessible terrain and often unfavorable climatic conditions, the fauna is still insufficiently explored, most will encounter only horses and donkeys, which you can see while grazing grass along the road.
Saint Jure
If you were on Biokovo and you didn’t go to the top, it is like you weren’t even there. On the south side, there is a beautiful view of the Makarska and Dalmatian islands and on the north side of Imotski and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Apart from breathtaking views, there is also a picturesque church of St. Jure, built-in 1968, not far from the old church demolished due to the construction of the transmitter. However, this is not the only church on the mountain. Except for the most famous one, there are 87 other churches and chapels.
Cycling and hiking
For fans of recreational sports, such as cycling and hiking, going to Biokovo can be an active vacation, a combination of recreation and enjoyment. The oldest hiking trail to climb to the top of Sveti Jure, on the south side, leads from the village of Makar, passing the mountain lodge Vošac and the mountain lodge under Saint Jure. The trail meanders continuously, shortening the serpentines, and the higher it climbs, the narrower the trail and the shorter the serpentines.
If you are adventurous, this could be a real challenge for you!
Domestic food
In the nature park, at 900 meters above sea level, in the heart of Biokovo is located a house of rural tourism, the Doors of Biokovo. You can try excellent food prepared the Dalmatian way, such as homemade prosciutto and cheese, grilled specialties, homemade 'peka,' and the like. You can also try homemade herb-brandy, known as 'travarica,' made from 48 herbs, widely known worldwide. For those who are not lovers of alcohol, there are a variety of teas.
Skywalk
After opening in early July, Skywalk attracts many visitors, both domestic and foreign. You can hear exclamations of enthusiasm in various world languages, but few don't dare to take a walk. As part of the lookout, a geological column was built - a three-dimensional view of the cross-section of the rocks that formed the area of Biokovo from its inception until today with a geological table of time and a description of the age and type of rocks.
If by now you didn’t know how to spend a September Sunday, here's an idea.
All photos © Sara Alduk
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Day Trip From Split: Island Šolta (Video)
8th October 2017, Sunday, time to sit back and relax; let this beautiful video transport you to the island Šolta and get ready to book another trip.
How to Move an Islet by Rope - Mrdulja Tugging
For my short time working at the Croatian Embassy in Bratislava, I heard so many jokes from the Embassy staff about Brač people and Hvar people. It was something new for me then, but apparently Brač people are considered to be very careful with their money in those jokes. I did not put too much attention to any of those, as it did not reflected my personal experience when on Hvar.
But then, I heard about the Mrdulja tugging and it made me thinking.It is a tradition for so many years now, between Brač island and Šolta island. The islet Mrdulja lies between these two islands and both islands claim the islet is theirs. As they are not able to make any kind of reasonable agreement about the ownership of the islet, they play tug-of-war every year on the last weekend of July to pull the islet bit closer to one or the other side.
For more information, please visit the Sugaman tours website, where you can easily book this or any other tours.
Day Trips from Split: Video Tours of Hvar, Brac, Vis
Vis
Hvar Town
Stari Grad on Hvar
Bol on Brac
Supetar on Brac
Five Great Reasons to Visit Sinj from Split
(Photo by Sinj Tourist Board)
An American couple recently posted on the Expats in Split Facebook page asking for recommendations for a day trip from Split, including a visit to a restaurant for a good meal. Having just returned from a fabulous day out with the Sinj Tourist Board, I recommended they check out the historic town about 30 minutes north of Split by car, stopping in for lunch at Ispod Ure in the centre. There were other great suggestions for days out, and I thought nothing more of it. A couple of days later, I received the following email:
Dear Paul
I hope you are well today! I actually went with your recommendation to drop into Sinj today. We rented our a car for our apartment move, so we wanted to take advantage of the wheels and check out something great outside Split. Sinj was just as charming as you said, and we loved Ispod Ure. Had the whole place to ourselves. The meat was FABULOUS, as was the stuffed cabbage. Thank you again for the recommendation.
The fact is, Sinj IS fabulous, and almost totally undiscovered. Here are five great reasons why you should check out Sinj on your next visit to Split.
1. Alka
Sinj's most famous event is the annual knights' tournament, the Alka, which takes place every August. It is a legacy of the commemoration of the famous victory over the vastly superior Ottomoan forces in 1715, and is one of the more colourful and individual cultural events in Europe. Check out the video above for a short overview of the event itself.
Lesser known - and certainly lesser attended - are the preparations for the main Alka event, and the very helpful Sinj Tourist Board (more about them in a moment) provided the following information about the 2013 Alka:
For this year the dates are:
Bara 02.08.2013. at 17.00
Čoja 03.08.2013. at 17.00
Alka 04.08.2013. at 16.30
They are practicing from the middle of the July at the Alka course every day, except Saturday and Sunday.
(Photo by Branko Čović)
Seats during practice in July are not so busy.
Regarding people who attend Bara & Čoja, mainly local people, so there is plenty of opportunity to experience the tradition apart from the main event, where it is very difficult to find tickets.
Entrance for Bara and Čoja are free of charge, to catch a seat it is necessary to come 30 minutes before the start.
2. Heritage
I have written a couple of articles in the last couple of days about Sinj - one for the official blog for the Central Dalmatia Tourist Board and one for Google News. This town is very rich in heritage, from its fortresses and 1715 legacy, to its Franciscan monastery and the infamous Madonna, to its claim to be the region which is the birthplace of football in Europe. With the right information, there is so much to discover in Sinj.
3. The food
(Photo by Secret Dalmatia)
On my visit to Sinj, we went for lunch at Ispod Ure, where we were treated to a fabulous selection of local specialities, including some outstanding local prsut, Sinj's signature arambasic (stuffed cabbage with three types of chopped meat) and some of the best meat and potatoes I have had in Dalmatia. As if the food were not enough,the setting - in the back room of Ispod Ure restaurant - is absolutely stunning. Dripping in Dalmatian tradition and Alka culture, it is worth coming to Sinj for a glass of wine here alone.
4. Activies, activities and... yes, you guessed it, activities.
Photo by Sinj Tourist Board
Imagine a town with almost no tourists, just a short drive from the city of Split, with its own historic culture, fabulous architecture and endless activities. Feeling adventurous? Why not take advantage of the Sinj airfield for a little paragliding? A horse lover? From the famous hippodrome to the organised riding holidays, there is plenty of choice. Ready to take on the mighty Cetina river? Canoe safaris and white water rafting are just some of your options. An Olympic-size swimming pool, tennis, hiking and climbing - Sinj has a staggering amount of outdoor potential, as is the perfect base for an active family holiday.
5. The Sinj Tourist Board - they are fantastic
How do I know all this? This is perhaps one of the best reasons to visit Sinj at all. It has one of the most progressive, dynamic and forward-thining tourist boards I have seen in Croatia. Great website, active Facebook page, superb guide booklet to the town, helpful signs recently erected around town. Start your Sinj tour in their office to get the best out of your trip.
To reach Sinj, take the road to the motorway and simply keep going. There are regular buses, and you can find times here (you are strongly advised to check with the bus website in the article to check the latest times). Or visit the helpful Sinj Tourist Board for any questions.
