The Makarska Riviera spreads on the spot where the magnificent mountain chain Biokovo immerses into the blueness of the Adriatic Sea. The area of the Makarska Riviera occupies about 60km of coast, from Brela on the west to Gradac on the east. It has allured tourists for decades now with its beauty – it is one of the most beautiful Rivieras on the Adriatic. The town of Makarska, as well as other interesting places (Baska Voda, Bratus, Brela, Brist, Drasnice, Drvenik, Gradac, Igrane, Podaca, Podgora, Promajna, Tucepi and Zivogosce) is located on white pebbles, near crystal clear sea and the scent of the pine forest.

Natural beauties, active vacation and relaxation possibilities… every inch of the Makarska Riviera offers something magical. Kilometers of long white pebble beach in the thick pine tree forest near crystal clear and refreshing sea are not the only aces Makarska Riviera has up its sleeve. Rich cultural heritage, collected over the course of centuries, is visible on every step. Numerous cultural and entertainment manifestations take place during summer. Big and small ports, sheltered marinas and quality berths will satisfy even the most demanding yachtsmen. If you desire to hide in the shade of mountain Biokovo and enjoy far away from everyday noise, look for village estates that will be interesting for history and architecture lovers.

Places to visit:

Makarska – the most popular tourist destination of the coastal Croatia, with the famous, 2km long beach. It lies beneath Biokovo and consists of the old Mediterranean town core and a newer part with hotels, restaurants, shops. Makarska has travelled a long way through history and fought against many conquerors so today it could be known as one of the most beautiful destinations on the Adriatic. Regardless of the age and interests, every visitor who comes to Makarska will find something for their own interest and entertainment. Makarska is well-known for its clubbing places. The young can have fun until the early hours of the morning in popular beach-side clubs such as “Buba” or “Art caffe”, coffee bar “Deep” or “Marineta”, discothèques “Westa”, “Petar Pan”, “Escape” and many others. For those somewhat older, Makarska culture summer has a versatile program.

Brela – this town is almost two thousand-year-old. Because of its natural beauties and rich tourist tradition, today Brela is a modern tourist town, with a rich tourist offer. It is proud of the Green flag, as well even three Blue flags for Dugi rat, Berulia and Stomarica beach.

Baska Voda – according to the archeological findings, this area was inhabited 4000 years before Christ. The biggest reason for the inhabitation was the spring of drinkable water. It is famous for its white pebble beaches surrounded with thick pine tree forest. Today it is an attractive tourist destination with a rich offer for visitors of different interests.

Tucepi – famous for its 3km long beach along which a beautiful promenade stretches beneath the pine trees. There is a marina for fishing and tourist boats and yachts in Tucepi. During summer, different festivities are organized in Tucepi – you can savor food, drinks and pleasant music in the late-night hours. For those who want to have fun until the early hours of the morning, Makarska is only 5km away.

Igrane - a town on the Makarska Riviera located on a peninsula the southeastern side of which is reserved for a long sandy beach (1,5km). Igrane has a rich tourist offer which satisfies different tastes. There are numerous sports activities for sports enthusiasts (water sports, diving school, and miniature golf, table tennis, jogging, walking, and cycling), history lovers can see countless monuments and archeological localities.

Microclimate

SPLIT

The Makarska Riviera is protected from the breaches of the continental climate by the Biokovo Mountain. It has a rich Mediterranean vegetation, mild climate, long and hot summers with refreshing breeze.
In this area the sun shines more than 2750 hours per year, with the average temperature rising to 20°C. from June to September, and sea temperature from June to October of about 20°C. 

Culture

Makarska

• - Museum of malacology – the richest collection of shells in the world is held at the museum of malacology, over 3000 examples of exposed shells. A valuable herbarium of plants from the Biokovo Mountain is also kept at the museum, as well as a smaller paleontology collection. There are also numerous types of shells from the tropical and subtropical seas – they have the most attractive colors and shapes of all the shells.
• - St. Peter Peninsula – a park on the south side of the town, with remains of an old church and caves, beautiful long promenade connected to all locations of the Makarska Riviera.
• - Vepric sanctuary – dedicated to the Mary of Lourdes, founded by bishop dr. Juraj Carić in 1908. A natural cave is placed in the midst of a landscape with hills, greenery and a small creek.
• - St. Mark concathedral – is located on the top of Kacic square. The building of this baroque style church began in 1700. At the entrance to the concathedral, to the right, there is an altar in which bones of St. Klement is kept, patron saint of the town of Makarska, as well as of the Makarska diocese.
• - Venice fountain – also from the 18th century with the oldest crest of the town known.

Baska voda

• - St. Nikola church – built in 1889 in a neoromantic style. It holds valuable objects such as the stained glass by Josip Botteri Dini from the 1987 and a painting of the Way of the Cross by Josip Bifel from 1988.
• - St. Lovre church – late baroque church from 1750 built on the foundations of an ancient building.

Brela

• - Gospa od Karmela church – a monument of the baroque architecture. The church was built out of gratitude because of the victory over the Turks in 1715.
• - Soline – the remains of the houses of the first inhabitants of Soline, a so-called complex of houses Filipovic. It is a valuable finding of the Roman remains: ceramics, old utensils, verses from the gravestone inscriptions and money.
• - St. Mihovil’s church – the most valuable monument on the area of Makarska Riviera. It was built in the 11th century. It is located on the hill above Igrane, within olive groves over a hundred-years-old.

Tucepi

• - Archeological localities – Sutvid, Okrumbica and Javorak. On the Sutvid locality more than one developing phase were presented: early-emperor villa rustica I-II century, late antic oratorio, medieval church and necropolis and a part of the later, southern addition – coenobium.  It is assumed that the Croats have moved to this area in the late 7th century.
• - Forts – between 15th and 18th century forts were built to protect the town. They are located in the wide area of Gornji Tucepi: Sarica fort is located on the headmost rock, beneath Biokovo; Buselica fort is aloof, as well, but closer to the middle of the village; while Lalica fort is located in the village itself.

Zaostrog

• - St. Francis convent – contains rich ethnographic collection as well as the collection of ethnographic images of a known Croatian painter Mladen Veza.

Excursions

The position of the Makarska Riviera enables simple and half-day visits to surrounding towns and villages, to mountain Biokovo and islands Brac, Hvar, Vis and Korcula. From all surrounding places of Makarska Riviera one-day boat excursions are organized to the nearest islands where you can enjoy fish specialties and amazing natural ambient.

Visit the historical Dubrovnik (165km), delta of the river Neretva (62km) and savor different specialties made of frogs and eels. The delta of the river Cetina and the famous pirate town Omis are not far from Makarska (37km), as well as UNESCO protected towns – Split (61km), Solin (66km), Trogir (83km) and Sibenik (136km). Be sure to visit the Biokovo Mountain. You can reach the top of Biokovo in half an hour. Gornji Tucepi and a few restaurants are on the way. There is a botanical garden with different species of authentic and endemic species and countless cycling and sandy paths.

The Imotski Lakes are not far away, either. The Red and the Blue Lake are natural phenomena. They look like giant wells and were named after the color of the rocks. You can visit Mostar and Medugorje, the most famous and most visited sanctuary in the world, in the neighboring Bosnia and Hercegovina.

Adventure

Makarska Riviera offers numerous possibilities for sports and adventure lovers. Sports complexes consist of soccer, basketball, rugby, tennis, handball and athletics courts. Besides the hotels, there are 9 open and 2 closed tennis courts as well as opened and closed pools. In the last few years the interest for extreme sports has really developed in this area: diving in all areas of the Makarska Riviera, free climbing on the surrounding hills and the mountain Biokovo, paragliding off Biokovo, cave exploring on Biokovo, as well as hiking, walking and cycling. 

Gastronomy

The gastronomy offer of the Makarska Riviera is completely shaped by the Dalmatian cuisine rich with all kinds of fresh fish, prepared in different ways: stew, roasted, baked… All meals are seasoned with homemade olive oil with a dab of different natural seasons. Dalmatian prosciutto with cheese and olives has a long tradition as being the cold appetizer that will leave you breathless. Along with different fresh sea fish specialties savor the Dalmatian veal stew with tomatoes – specialty made of veal meat filled with bacon and garlic prepared in red wine, as well as baked meat and potatoes with vegetable salads.

The most famous desserts of the Makarska Riviera are the Makarska Rafioli and Makarana Cake. You can enjoy countless recipes of the Dalmatian cuisine in numerous restaurants such as “Veliki Mornar”, “Porat” restaurant, “Bonaca” restaurant, “Maslina” tavern, “Mornar” tavern and “Adria” tavern.

Fun & Nightlife

During summer multiple folk music nights accompanied by a mandolin and the guitar are organized in Makarska. All there festivities are encircled by the “Cultural summer of Makarska” program. In Makarska and the surrounding places every other Friday fishing nights are organized during summer – roasting the fish, having wine and playing traditional games such as donkey races and fireworks. At the beginning of August the traditional summer carnival is organized. There are also numerous restaurant and taverns offering their specialties. Countless pebble beaches with cocktail bars attract the young because of the entertainment until the early hours of the morning. Young persons can have fun in the caves above the sea in which some of the famous bars Deep (currently the most popular gathering place for young people during summer months) and Grotta are located. The most popular beach bar is “Buba”, but there are also “Art caffe”, “Deep”, “Marineta”, “West” discothèque, “Petar Pan”, “Escape” and countless others.