Dubrovnik and Dalmacija travel guide

Around Central Dalmatia
Franciscan monastery, Makarska Riviera
Makarska Riviera
A mecca for Bosnians and
citizens of the former Soviet bloc
countries, this massively popular
coastal strip south of Split is not
to everyone’s taste. Still, if you
can find a quiet stretch of beach,
then it can be a
pleasant place to sit,
gazing out at the
islands of Bra and
Hvar from the shade
of the pine trees that
fringe it. The resort of
Makarska has some
interesting old buildings
and a lively bustle
of bars, cafés and
restaurants. Map F5 • Tourist info:
Obala Kralja Tomislava 16. 021 612 002.
www.makarska.hr
The Fortress of Klis
the longest on the Croatian
coast. It’s a spectacular spot,
with the Biokovo Mountains
rising to the north and the islands
of Central Dalmatia to the south.
There’s plenty of shade to keep
the worst ravages of the summer
sun at bay, as well as a flurry of
campsites and hotels for those
who fancy an extended stay (see
p43). Map J1 • Tourist info: Stjepana
Radia 1. 021 697 511. www.gradac.hr
Klis
This hulking fortress
complex in the mountains above
Split enjoys a stunning setting,
with impressive views of the
city, mountains, sea and islands.
The Romans were the first to
use the site. Later it became a
bulwark against the
Ottomans, who finally
captured it in 1513
after a bitter siege;
they held it for more
than a century, to the
dismay of the residents
of Split. Today, Klis is
justifiably famed for a
trio of roadside
restaurants specializing
in spit-roasted lamb. Map D5 •
Tourist info: Megdan 57. 021 240 578.
www.tzo-klis.hr
Gradac
Gradac is best known for its
beach, which at 6 km (4 miles) is
Language and Nationhood
Under French rule (1806–13),
Croatian became the “official”
language of Dalmatia, but when
the Austrians took over in 1813,
they re-introduced Italian as the
language of public life – an
important spur for the growth of
Croatian nationalism. In 1865,
Makarska became one of the
first communes to bring back
Croatian as its official language.
Brela
Travelling south from Split,
this is the first resort you come
to on the Makarska Riviera, and
one of the nicest spots to while
away a day or two just relaxing
by the sea. Brela is a pleasant
town with a gaggle of old stone
houses and a few modern hotels
and restaurants, but it’s the beach
that people come for – a treeshrouded
sinew of pebble and
shingle that curls around the coast
north of the town. Map E5 • Tourist
info: Trg A. Stepinca bb. 021 618 337.
www.brela.hr
82
In Croatian addresses, “bb” is short for bez broj, meaning
“without number”.