Omiš is a tiny town with a lot to offer and tonight – Friday 21st July, 2017, their Summer Program kicks off!
Omiš is a tiny coastal town, which is often passed up on a holiday or sailing itinerary for its better-known neighbours like Makarska, Split and island Brač, but more and more, it is evolving into a destination in its own right.
Omiš is a town nestled into the foot of the mountain range Dinara and lies next to where the lush green Cetina, meets the Adriatic. While Dinara may not be the biggest mountain, the setting is as dramatic as you can find – with Mosor on one side of the Cetina River, Dinara on the other, which connects to the Biokovo mountain range.
It is this prime location along the coast, sheltered by giants, that lends the perfect setting to the rich history of Omiš – which was known as a town of pirates (read more here) from the 10th to the 13th Century.
Nowadays, there is obviously no such drama, but you can still find plenty of action. If you are an adrenaline junkie – this is where you want to be. The Cetina river allows for adrenaline activities galore – you can go zip-lining, canyoning or rafting along the Cetina and through the canyon. Or if you want to get your heartrate pumping that little more, you can hike to the top of Stari Grad Fortica – old fortress from the 15th Century. You will get a breath-taking view over the canyons behind Omiš town, the town directly ahead, watch the lush green of the Cetina, merge with the deep blues of the Adriatic, then lift your gaze and see all the way across the channel to Brač island.
Credit: Croatia Tips
Omiš also has a gorgeous stretch of beach which is popular among tourists and particularly families – here you can chill, swim, rent a jet-ski, fly-board, biscuit…
The prices in Omiš are still modest compared to major destinations like Hvar and Split – which is part of its appeal to many families who come here during summer. There is also a camping ground a 10-minute walk from the heart, which again has a gorgeous ‘almost’ sandy beach (I say ‘almost’ because sand here, just isn’t quite the same as New Zealand or Australia) and again plenty of water-sports like kite surfing, SUP and wind surfing.
This is just a ‘taste’ of what Omiš has to offer (we will do a more in-depth look soon); but, if this still hasn’t caught your attention, now there is a wonderful summer program which kicks off tonight!
I have to admit, I was more than impressed to see the program written in Croatian AND English (it’s the little things in life), believe it or not, there are still plenty of tourist boards (tempted to name and shame) who only post their information in English – think about that for a second ‘Tourist Board’ + no information in English…
Anyway, for such a small town, with a lesser budget, Omiš is really trying to do it right – from the famed acapella festival that takes place early on in the season, the Omiš Guitar Fest which has been steadily gaining international recognition over the years, to a full and lively summer program to highlight the richness and diversity of the region.
The Summer Treat Festival includes a re-enactment of the most famous battle which took place between the Omiš Pirates and the Venetians (spoiler alert – the Omiš Pirates won), a fishermen’s night through to a unique line-up of local music and talent.
Credit: Summer Treat Festival
I may be a little biased because my husband is from Omiš, but it is truly a destination worth discovering. While there is still no new port and limited spaces are available for anchoring, if you are sailing, it is possible to anchor in the bay – so long as there are no strong South or Westerly winds.
To learn more about the Omiš Summer Treat Festival, visit their Facebook page here or see the full program below.
