Croatia’s Makarska Riviera

makarska_riviera

Following a narrow stretch of coastline along Croatia’s Adriatic Sea coast is the beautiful Makarska Riviera.

It’s only a few kilometers wide at most points but spans a distance of around 60 kilometers (37.5 miles), covering quiet coves and quaint villages, while the city of Makarska sits at its heart.

The Riviera can only be a couple of kilometers wide because it is wedged between the sea and the Biokovo Mountains.

Giving a striking and scenic backdrop to the Riviera, this mountain range is the second highest in the country, and great for hiking.

The Riviera is best known as a summer sun destination with plenty of beaches to relax on and promenades to walk on.

The fact that the scenery rivals many of the best places in the Mediterranean is a bonus, as is the fact that this stretch of coastline is quieter than many other well known tourist destinations in the Adriatic and Med regions.

Destination

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bratus

Towns and Villages to Explore

The villages range from tiny settlements, like Bratus, where there are only around 50 permanent inhabitants, and traditional life is still strong for them.

There are a total of seventeen towns and villages along the Makarska Riviera, including the main city of Makarska.

During the summer these tiny fishing villages are brimming with tourists, but it’s the traditional fishing village atmosphere that makes them popular places to visit.

Baska Voda is one of the larger towns and it is strikingly beautiful with its whitewashed buildings, terracotta roofs, and the mountain backdrop.

The marina is a lovely place to moor your yacht for a night or two if you arrive by boat.

If you’re staying on dry land here are many good places to stay.

tucepi
Tucepi is one of the top tourist destinations. It has a population around 1,800 people and is popular with visitors for its 4-kilometre stretch of coastline that includes nice pebbly beaches and a promenade.

It has fewer hotels than Baska Voda, but still includes eight 4 star offerings from a total of 19 places to stay.

brela_beach
Brela, another small town, is known locally as the Pearl of the Makarska Riviera.

It came to the attention of the world when its beach was ranked among the world’s top ten by Forbes magazine in 2003.

The pine clad hillsides provide a lush green contrast to the grey cliffs and blue sea, while the Brela Stone (a small rock island topped with trees) just off the beach is the town’s symbol.

makarska_city

Makarska City

The main place to stay on the Riviera is the city Makarska, but don’t discount the smaller towns and villages too because most of them do have places to stay.

You can discover Maraskas different hotels, attractions, and other nice features of the city at the Makarska page.

Getting to the Riviera

Main reason why the Makarska Riviera is not as busy as some other destinations, is probably the lack of accessibility.

No international airport is directly serving the area, but closest is Split.

From Split you can take a transfer service to towns on Makarska riviera. It’s only around 85 minutes drive to Makarska.

Explore the coast by boat

The best way to explore the Riviera is by boat or yacht. If you bring your own boat or rent a private yacht you can see this beautiful section of coastline at your own pace.

If you have time you can sail around Croatia’s islands as well including Brac and Stari Grad.

If you don’t come by your own boat, you can take a trip on one of many boat tours along this beautiful coast.

When to Visit

Weather-wise and attraction-wise the best time to visit is during the summer.

Sunny and relatively hot weather can be enjoyed at their best in July and August, when you can expect an average high of around 30C.

These months are not always completely dry so come prepared for some light rain and you’ll still be able to enjoy the area.

Even on rainy days the temperatures stay warm though.

Outside of the summer season the villages of the Riviera will be completely different – they’re not really geared up to receive tourists off-season, so while you could visit outside of the summer you shouldn’t expect all hotels, restaurants and shops to be open.