Walking in Croatia
£12.00
90 long and short walks and 9 car tours
by Sandra Bardwell
A guidebook to walking in Croatia, featuring 70 of the best long and short day walks. We cover the Adriatic coast from the Kvarner Gulf south to Dubrovnik, 11 islands, two inland areas, the Mljet and Plitvice Lakes, Krka and Paklenica national parks, Biokovo and Ucka nature parks and five of Croatia’s six World Heritage sites, showing trekking routes of varying difficulty, all of which are mapped in detail.
This guide also includes nine car tours, a touring map and free downloadable GPS tracks.
When to go: The best months for walking in Croatia are May to July, September and October.
★★★★★ amazon review ‘We used this walking guide on our trip to Croatia this Autumn. It was useful in the planning stage as you can see on a map where all the recommended walks are. We used it for the walk around Mljet National Park, which is thoroughly recommended. The guide was well written and informative – it included practical information about accessing the park and the instructions were easy to follow. The guide also includes an abundance of maps, which make it unnecessary to purchase an additional walking map.‘ Midge
Printed book: £14.99 / PDF ebook: £12.00
This new 4th edition of our guidebook to walking in Croatia has been completely redesigned in a wider format – with larger type and no mapping lost in the gutter. Every route has been re-walked on the ground in the year before publication.
The guide also has several new hikes and all-new topo walking maps with contours at 25m intervals. Based on OpenStreetMap mapping, the maps now show waypoints, and free downloadable GPS tracks are available for all the walks. Colour coding on the contents page enables you to see at a glance the grading of various treks.
Contrasts and diversity sum up Croatia, one of the most beautiful and beguiling countries in Europe: tall forests, wind-combed prickly thornbush and juniper on the stony uplands, the miraculous waterfalls in the Plitvice Lakes and Krka national parks, the aridity of the karst landscapes, modern tourist resorts and timeless old villages, the deserted Krajina region and the intensively cultivated Neretva delta.
The parks are particularly welcoming to walkers, with miles of waymarked and well-maintained paths and trails, some bringing seemingly inaccessible summits within quite easy reach.
From prehistoric times to the end of the 20th century, many empires and events have left their marks on the Croatian landscape. There are prehistoric piles of stones on hilltops, Venetian-era town walls and towers, British and French fortresses, opulent Austro-Hungarian villas, partisans’ refuges and poignant memorials commemorating World War II resistance fighters, and even signs of the 1990s strife.
Age-old expressions of religious belief survive in many simple, beautiful chapels in small villages. Stone walls and enclosures testify to the centuries-old challenge to wrest a living from the land, even though many are crumbling or are being reclaimed by forests.
Key features:
• 70 long and short walks for all ages and abilities
• 1:50,000 topo maps
• 9 car tours and fold-out touring maps including ferry routes – ideal for planning
• 30 picnic suggestions
• public transport information, with websites
• online update service
Each walk includes a note that tells you the nearest town with readily available accommodation.
9 car tours, 90 long and short walks
176 pages, two touring maps; large-scale (1:50,000) topo maps
4th ed, 2020; ISBN 978-1-85691-531-1;
UK retail price £14.99 / USA retail price $20.00
Table of contents:
IMPORTANT: Place names in Croatia often contain characters with accents, several of which are not included in western European fonts. Accented characters such as these often appear incorrectly when viewed on the web and if used may be replaced by unrecognizable symbols when viewed on a different computer. Accented characters in the place names shown here have therefore been replaced by characters without accents. However, in the book, the appropriate font has been used to ensure that all place names appear with the correct accents.
Preface 5
Acknowledgements; Recommended reading; Useful contacts 8
Travel 9
Car touring 10
Car tour 1: DUBROVNIK AND BEYOND 12
Car tour 2: CENTRAL DALMATIA 16
Car tour 3: BRAC 18
Car tour 4: HVAR 20
Car tour 5: VIS 22
Car tour 6: LAKES, WATERFALLS, CANYONS 25
Car tour 7: THE KVARNER GULF 28
Car tour 8: LOSINJ 30
Car tour 9: CRES 32
Picnics and short walks 34
Walking (see explanation of grading symbols on page 45) 45
Grading, waymarking, maps, GPS 45
Equipment and safety 46
Weather 47
Where to stay 49
Nuisances 49
Country code 49
Croatian for walkers 50
Organisation of the walks 52
THE WALKS
ELAPHITI ISLANDS: Introduction 53
1 Lokrum: tour of Lokrum from Portoc 54
2 Kolocep: tour of the island from Donje Celo 57
3 Lopud: highlights of the island from Uvala Lopud 59
4 Mljet: Zakamenica viewpoint and Vratsolina from Pomena or Polace 62
Panel: MLJET NATIONAL PARK 65
5 Mljet: Montokuc summit from Pomena or Polace 66
6 Mljet: Soline from Pomena or Polace 69
Panel: JOSIP BROZ TITO 70
7 Peljesac peninsula: Svete Ilija summit from Orebic 72
Panel: KARST LANDSCAPES 75
ADRIATIC COAST: Introduction 76
8 Makarska Riviera: from Makarska to Baska Voda 77
9 Makarska Riviera: from Baska Voda to Uvala Luka and return 79
10 Makarska Riviera: Biokovo Botanic Garden from Makarska 81
11 Makarska Riviera: Vosac viewpoint from Makarska 84
BRAC: Introduction 87
12 Brac: from Bol to Svete Lucija and Gornje Smokovje 88
13 Brac: Vidova Gora summit from Bol 90
14 Brac: Blaca Monastery from Murvica 92
HVAR: Introduction 95
15 Hvar: Stari Grad Plain 96
16 Hvar: from Velo Grablje to Hvar town 98
17 Hvar: Svete Nikola summit from Stari Grad 101
18 Plitvice Lakes National Park: circuit of the lakes and falls 104
Panel: TRAVERTINE 105
PAKLENICA NATIONAL PARK: Introduction 108
19 Paklenica National Park: Velika Paklenica and Planinarski Dom Paklenica 109
20 Paklenica National Park: A short walk through history and Mala Paklenica 112
21 Paklenica National Park: Manita Pec 115
KVARNER GULF: Introduction 117
22 Kvarner Gulf: from Volosko to Lovran via Opatija 118
23 Kvarner Gulf: Luzinski Breg from Dobrec 121
24 Kvarner Gulf: Vojak summit from Poklon 123
25 Kvarner Gulf: Lovranska Draga 126
RAB: Introduction 128
26 Rab: From Lopar to San Marino via Sahara Beach 129
27 Rab: From San Marino to Matkici along a geotrail 132
28 Rab: Kamenjak summit from Rab town harbour 135
KRK: Introduction 137
29 Krk: Zakam, Jurandvor and Vela Rika from Baska 138
30 Krk: Obzova summit from Baska 141
Panel: GLAGOLITIC SCRIPT 143
31 Krk: Hlam summit from Baska 145
32 Krk: Bag summit from Baska, with optional detour to Rt Skuljika 147
33 Krk: Prniba point from the Krk Camping Resort access road 149
LOSINJ: Introduction 151
34 Losinj: from Nerezine to Osor via the Televrin summit 152
35 Losinj: Planinarski Dom Svete Gaudent from Osor 155
36 Losinj: across the island’s spine 157
CRES: Introduction 160
37 Cres: Svete Salvatur and Gavza 161
Transport information: ferries and buses 164
Index 166
Fold-out area maps inside back cover
Geographical entries only are included here; for other entries, see Contents, page 3. A page number in bold type indicates a photograph; a page number in italics a map. Both may be in addition to a text reference on the same page. Individual entries for the various islands are indexed under the name of the island, but for island tours and walks see Contents.
IMPORTANT: Place names in Croatia often contain characters with accents, several of which are not included in western European fonts. Accented characters such as these often appear incorrectly when viewed on the web and if used may be replaced by unrecognizable symbols when viewed on a different computer. Accented characters in the place names shown here have therefore been replaced by characters without accents. However, in the book, the appropriate font has been used to ensure that all place names appear with the correct accents.
Adriatic (Coast, Islands, Sea) 26, 34, 36, 45, 72, 75, 87, 90, 95, 119, 128, 137, 138, 151, 155
Baska Voda 15, 16, 51, 77, 78, 79, 80, 109, 165
Bilopolje 72, 73, 74
Biokovo Botanic Garden 81, 82, 83
Biokovo Nature Park 16, 76, 81, 82, 82, 83, 85
Borje 25
Bosnia and Herzegovina 13, 14
Brac (island) see Contents
Blaca Monastery 18, 19, 87, 92-3, 93, 94
Bol 18, 19, 20, 36, 87, 88-9, 89, 90, 91, 92, 103
Gornje Humac 19, 89
Gornje Smokovje 88, 89
Murvica 20, 92-3, 94
Postira 19
Praznice 19
Pucisca 19
Skrip 18, 19
Splitska 18, 19
Stup 19
Sumartin 15, 16, 18, 76
Supetar 15, 16, 18, 19, 91
Svete Josipa 90, 91
Svete Lucija 88-9
Vidova Gora 18, 19, 36, 87, 90, 91, 92, 94
Zlatni Rat 18, 36, 87, 90, 91
Bratus 77, 78
Brela 79
Rock 79, 80-1
Brestova 28, 30, 160, 165
Bruvno 25
Cres (island) see Contents; 31, 160
Beli 32, 33, 44, 108, 146
Cres town 32, 33, 43, 44, 161, 162-3
Lungomare 43, 161
Lubenice 30, 32, 33, 44
Merag 28, 29, 30, 33, 160, 165
Orlec 30
Osor 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 160, 165
Osorscica ridge 30, 31, 151, 152, 153, 155, 156
Porozina 30, 33, 160, 165
Sis 30, 31, 44, 156, 160
Svete Salvatur 161, 162, 163
Valun 30, 32, 33, 44, 143, 163
Dalmatia 16, 22, 134
Drvenik 13, 15, 20
Dubrovnik 5, 6-7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 34, 48, 49, 52, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 65, 72, 77, 164, 165
Elaphiti islands 12, 53, 57, 164
Goli Otok (island) 27, 70, 130, 133, 144
Gracac 25
Hvar (island) see Contents; 100
Brusje 20, 21
Dol 97, 98, 100, 101, 102
Glavica 37, 38, 101, 102
Hvar town 20, 21, 36, 37, 95, 96, 98-9, 133-4
Jelsa 20
Malo Grablje 98-9, 100
Milna 19, 24, 98-9, 164, 165
Selca 18, 20, 21
Spanjola fort 21, 37
Stari Grad 20, 21, 37, 38, 95, 96, 97, 101, 102, 103, 165
Stari Grad Plain 38, 95, 96, 97, 101
Sucuraj 20
Svete Nikola 20, 21, 95, 101, 102, 102-3
Velo Grablje 21, 98-9
Uvala Podstine 36, 37
Icici 118-9, 120
Istria 11, 32, 44, 143, 156, 163, 165
Jablanac 27, 29, 128
Jukici 114
Karlobag 27
Kolocep (island) 5, 12, 34, 53, 57
Bige 34, 57, 58
Donje Celo 57, 58
Gornje Celo 57, 58
Korcula (island) 3, 35, 36, 65, 68, 72, 73, 74, 86, 90, 164, 165
Korenica 25
Kotisina 81, 82, 83
Krk (island) see Contents
Bag 139, 147, 148
Baska 28, 29, 42, 43, 137, 138-9, 140-1, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 165
Batomalj 140-1, 142
Draga Bascanska 29, 140-1, 144, 165
Goricke 140-1, 142
Hlam 75, 137, 145, 146
Jurandvor 29, 138, 139, 140-1, 142, 143
Krk Camping Resort 149, 150
Krk town 28, 29, 143, 144, 149, 150, 165
Lipica 140-1, 142, 144
Malinska 29, 165
Maslenika 25
Obzova 137, 139, 140-1, 144
Plato Mjeseca 145, 146
Prniba Point 149, 150
Puntarska Draga 150
Rt Skuljica 80, 137, 147, 148
Stara Baska 138, 140-1
Svete Ivan 30, 31, 34, 43, 59, 145
Uvala Svete Danijel 149, 150
Uvala Valunta 149, 150
Valbiska 28, 29, 30, 141, 145, 147, 149, 160, 165
Vela Rika 138, 139, 140-1, 142
Zakam 138, 139, 140-1
Zarok 140-1, 142, 147
Zminja 140-1, 142, 144
Krka National Park 16, 17, 38, 39, 40
Krvavica 77, 78
Kvarner Gulf 5, 28, 117-27, 143
Lokrum (island) 12, 34, 53, 54-5, 56, 164
Dead Sea 54, 55, 56
Fort Royal 56
Pigeons Cave 55, 56
Portoc 55, 56
Lopud (island) 5, 12, 34, 53, 57, 59, 60, 60-1
Svete Ivan 60
Benesin Rat 34, 60, 61
Gospa od Sunja 3, 59, 60, 61
Sunj Beach 59, 60, 61
Svete Mauro 60, 61
Svete Nikola 60
Uvala Lopud 59, 60, 61
Losinj (island) see Contents
Grgoscak 30, 31
Mali Losinj 30, 31, 32, 151, 152, 155, 157
Mrtvaska 30, 31, 43
Nerezine 30, 152, 153, 154
Planinarski Dom Svete Gaudent 153, 154, 155, 156
Podgora 15, 81, 152
Pogled 30, 31
Rovenska 157, 158
Svete Ivan 157, 158
Svete Nikola 158
Televrin 151, 152, 153, 154, 155
Uvala Javorna 157, 158
Uvala Krivica 158, 159
Veli Losinj 30, 31, 43, 151, 152, 155, 157, 158, 158-9, 165
Lovran 27, 28, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 126
Lovranska Draga 121, 124, 125, 126, 127
Luka 13, 35, 76, 79, 80, 81, 164, 165
Luzinski Breg Breg 51, 121, 122, 122
Makar 82, 83, 84, 85, 86
Makarksa 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 35, 36-7, 72, 76, 77, 78, 79, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 162, 164
Makarska Riviera 36-7, 77-86
Mala Paklenica 42, 108, 112-3, 113, 114
Mali Prstavac 105, 106
Mali Ston 13
Manita Pec 114-5, 116
Mirila 41, 42
Mlinice 82, 83
Mljet (island) and Mljet National Park see Contents
Babine Kuce 62-3, 64, 66-7, 68, 69
Babino Polje 12, 66-7
Mali Most 62-3, 64, 66-7, 68
Malo Jezero 62-3, 64, 66-7, 68, 107
Montokuc 66-7, 68, 69
Polace 12, 35, 62-3, 64, 65, 66-7, 68, 69, 164
Pomena 2, 35, 62-3, 64, 65, 66-7, 68, 69
Pristaniste 64, 65, 66-7, 68
St Mary’s Island 35, 42, 44, 62-3, 64, 65, 66-7, 69
Sobra 12, 65, 164
Soline 62-3, 64, 66-7, 69
Solinski Kanal 62-3, 64, 66-7
Veliki Most 62-3, 64, 66-7, 69, 71
Veliko Jezero 62-3, 64, 66-7, 68, 69
Vratosolina 62-3, 64, 66-7, 69
Zakamenica 62-3, 64, 66-7
Neum 13, 14
North Velebit National Park 27
Novi Vinodolski 27
Obravac 25
Omis 15, 16, 149
Opatija 27, 28, 117, 118, 119, 120, 123, 165
Opatija Riviera 118, 120
Orebic 12, 13, 35, 72, 74, 164
Osejava 36, 78
Paklenica National Park 25, 27, 75, 99, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 113, 115, 116
Peljesac peninsula 5, 12, 13, 14, 15, 36, 45, 67, 72, 73, 74, 90
Planinarski Dom Paklenica 109, 110. 111
Planinarski Dom Vosac 84
Plaza Nugal 76, 84
Plitvice Lakes National Park 25, 26, 40, 104, 105, 106, 106-7, cover
Ploce 13, 14, 15, 25, 164
Podrace 2, 79, 80
Poklon 28, 121, 123, 124, 125, 165
Potomje 13
Punta Rata 79, 80-1
Primosten 17
Prizdrina 13
Promajna 16, 77, 78
Punta Rata 79, 80
Rab (island) see Contents; 128
Fruga forest 132, 133, 134
Kaldanac Park 29, 43
Kamenjak 134, 135, 136
Lopar 28, 29, 128, 129, 131, 132, 134, 165
Matkici 132, 133, 134
Misnjak 29, 165
Rab town 29, 42, 128, 129, 132, 134, 135, 136, 165
Ramica Dvori 109, 110, 111
Sahara Beach 129, 130, 131
San Marino 43, 128, 129, 131, 132, 133, 134
Uvala Saramic-Sahara (Sahara Beach) 129, 130, 131
Rijeka 9, 10, 12, 13, 25, 27, 28, 29, 51, 52, 117, 122, 136, 137, 142, 146, 157, 165
Setnica Slap 39, 40, 52, 104, 126, 127
Sibenik 10, 16, 17
Sipan (island) 5, 35, 53, 57
Luka Sipanska 35
Sudurad 35
Veliji Vrh Vidikovac 35
Skradin 17, 38, 39
Split 9, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 23, 27, 92, 101, 164, 165
Starigrad-Paklenica 25, 27, 40, 41, 42, 108, 111, 112-3, 116, 165
Ston 12, 13, 14-5
Svete Ilija 15, 67, 72, 73, 74, 75, 91
Trogir 16, 17
Trpanj 13, 15
Trstenik 13
Trsteno 13
Ucka Nature Park 28, 44, 117, 118, 119, 121, 123, 126, 136, 146, 156
Vecko Kula 25, 40, 42, 50
Velika Paklenica 42, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112-3, 116
Villa Angiolina 119, 120
Vis (island) see Contents
Ceska Vila 38
Hum 22, 23, 24, 39
Komiza 22-3, 39
Podspilje 23, 24, 128, 131
Podstrazje 24
Rukavac 24
Svete Blaz 39
Svete Duh 23, 39
Titova Spilja 23, 24, 39
Vis town 22, 23, 24
Vodice 17
Vojak 117, 121, 123, 124, 125
Volosko 28, 117, 118, 119, 120
Vosac 78, 84, 85, 86
Zadar 9, 16, 17, 25, 27, 29, 114, 164, 165
Zagreb 9, 25, 27, 138, 164
Zaostrog 15
Zaton 12, 13, 14, 25
Zaton Doli 12, 13, 14
Croatia, 4th edition (2020) Updated 12/03/2022
Updates for walks and car tours (drives) in Croatia given below supplement those provided in the guidebook. It is vital that this Update is read in conjunction with the text of the book, but note that the Update applies only to the edition stated and not to any earlier editions. (If you have an older edition of this book you can “upgrade” to the latest edition at half price)
Information has been forwarded to us by users of the book, and Sunflower Books offers the data in good faith but cannot be held responsible for any misleading or inaccurate content in the Update. Unless indicated otherwise, what appears here has not been verified by the author or publisher, so please allow due caution when new or amended routes are suggested. Each piece of information is dated; bear in mind that some of the older observations may have since been overtaken by events or further changes. If, during your holiday, you are using the current edition of the guide and are able to provide any additional updating to add to this page, we will be pleased to hear from you. Please send information, preferably by e-mail, to info@sunflowerbooks.co.uk.
GENERAL
Peljesac Bridge – NOW OPEN
Following our report earlier this year, the good news is that the elegant bridge linking the Croatian mainland directly with the Peljesac peninsula, bypassing the transit of the Neum Corridor in Bosnia, is open.
To recap briefly: Bypassing the Corridor (Bosnia’s access to the sea) has been a Croatian aspiration since the early 1990s when border definition created the Corridor immediately north of Croatia’s Peljesac peninsula, between Makarska and Dubrovnik. In the process the need for potentially time-consuming passport checks would be removed.
Access to European funding after Croatia joined the EU in 2013 made this project financially feasible; contracts were awarded to a Chinese company for construction of the graceful 2.4km bridge and to Greek and Austrian firms for the necessary bypass and access roads.
Three potentially serious threats to the bridge’s stability have been countered in its design: earthquakes (in a seismically active zone), fierce winds (the bura and the less serious jugo), and shipping collisions.
The crossing is between the small town of Komarna on the mainland, about 5km west of the Bosnian town of Neum/10km south of Opuzen, to the Peljesac coast. It joins the existing main road further inland between Dubrava and Sparagovići.
Coming from Dubrovnik, follow the route described in Car tour 1, itinerary 2 (page 9) to reach Orebić, the base for Short walk 7 (page 35) and Walk 7 (pages 72-75). Then, to continue towards Makarska, turn off the main Peljesac road between Dubrava and Sparagovići for the bridge crossing. Rejoin the main coast road near the small coastal town of Komarna and follow Itinerary 3, Car tour 1. Signage for the bridge is blue, contrasting with the yellow of other roads. The speed limit is 90kph.
It is of course still possible to bypass the bridge and travel via Neum, the advantage being cheaper prices for fuel and food in Bosnia. It’s unlikely that passport queues will develop, making the transit almost as smooth as the bridge crossing.
The Ston bypass and various access roads should be completed next year. (Author, 9/22)
GPS files for use with Landscapes of Croatia:
Download GPS files for Landscapes of Croatia
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