Makarska is a small resort town in Croatia with a population of about 14,000 people. It is located in the central part of the Adriatic coast between the cities of Split and Dubrovnik (60 km from the first and 150 km from the second).
The city has a very good location: on the shore of a horseshoe-shaped bay, surrounded by the peninsulas of St. Peter and Oseyev, at the foot of the picturesque ridge of the Biokovo Mountains. Makarska is the center of the popular resort area in Central Dalmatia, known as the Makarska Riviera.
Beaches of the Makarska Riviera
Makarska is well known far beyond the borders of Croatia; it has long gained popularity among tourists coming to this country. Most of the beaches of the Makarska Riviera have been awarded the Blue Flag International Award.
The Makarska Riviera in Croatia has a total length of 70 km. In addition to the beaches of Makarska itself, the beaches of other resorts are added to the Riviera – the closest are Brela, Tucepi, Baska Voda. You can walk from Makarska to the beaches of these resorts, or you can take a bus – they travel often.
If we talk about the main beaches of the Riviera in Croatia, then you can’t count on a quiet, relaxing holiday: constant movement, loud music for days on end, a large number of people. Life here is literally “boiling”, and in August on the Makarska Riviera it is generally impossible to find a place where there are no people – vacationers have to lie almost next to each other. To have time to take a place, you need to come to the beach as early as possible, although some, in order not to engage in searches in the morning, leave a towel for the night.
Cape St. Peter shares the narrow coast within the city of Makarska into 2 bays. The eastern one, located between the capes of St. Peter and Oseyev, was successfully used to build the port and yacht moorings.
West bay
In the western bay there is a resort recreation area with numerous beaches. The photo shows that the beaches in Makarska in Croatia are no more than 4-6 meters wide, almost all of them are covered with small pebbles. All beaches located in the urban and suburban areas are equipped with toilets, showers, changing rooms. Sun beds and umbrellas are paid.
The main beach of Makarska is Donja Luka. There are several good hotels here, in particular 3 * Biokovka, which has a treatment center specializing in the treatment of the musculoskeletal system.
Near the peninsula of St. Peter there are wild rocky beaches – you can also sunbathe on them, but you need to go to the sea only in special shoes. Several beaches of Makarska are located near a small forest – there, in the shade of trees, it is ideal to relax with small children.
Promenade
Along all the beaches of Makarska in Croatia is the promenade of Marinet. This promenade, with many restaurants, clubs, shops, is a favorite vacation spot for tourists. By the way, the most delicious grilled squids and shrimps are served in the Berlin restaurant. There are various entertainments for children, and the largest playground with attractions is located next to the central beach. For adults, several basketball and volleyball courts are equipped, there are tennis courts, a lot of water slides, trampolines and pedal boats.
In the small resort town of Brela, belonging to the Riviera, there are many picturesque and clean beaches. Pine trees grow around, in the air there is an amazing coniferous aroma, there is where to hide from the sun. Water is ideal for swimming with a mask. The coastline is narrow, the coast is pebbly and mostly rocky, and you need to descend to the beaches via long stairs.
Punta Rata is Brela’s main beach, awarded the Blue Flag. It is small pebble, with a huge number of pines approaching almost the water itself – the view is so picturesque that it is used for advertising photos of the Makarska Riviera in Croatia. Punta Rata is considered the most beautiful in Croatia and in Europe, and in 2004 Forbes magazine ranked it high 6th in the list of 10 most beautiful beaches in the world. On Punta Rata is the famous stone, recognized as the official symbol of Brela. Those who come to rest in a car can leave it in the parking lot for 80 kuna per day.
Punta Rata beach, however, this also applies to other Brela beaches, is very comfortable organized. An embankment with a length of 10 – 12 km has been equipped, where convenient benches are installed in the shade, cafes, bars, pizzerias work. There are not many shops, and even those are concentrated mainly in the Punta Rata area.
Entrance to the beaches in Brela is free, but you have to pay for using a shower. You can rent a sunbed and umbrella for 30 and 20 kunas, respectively, a catamaran can be rented for 50 kunas.
The beaches of Baska Voda also belong to the Makarska Riviera in Croatia. They are mostly small-pebble, although there are sandy, and gently sloping, so it is convenient to rest with children on them. There are beaches on which pine trees grow very close to the water – in their shade you can hide from the sun, even an umbrella is not needed.
Along the recreation area in Baska Voda, there is an equipped promenade, which is the focus of local resort life. There are cafes, shops with souvenirs on the promenade, concerts are held, a playground with children’s entertainment is equipped.
In Baska Voda, one of the most prestigious beaches on the Croatian Riviera is located – Nikolina Beach, awarded the international Blue Flag. Nikolina is perfectly equipped:
- for people with disabilities, 2 descent into the sea are equipped;
- there is a rescue service;
- there is a rental of sun loungers and umbrellas (40 and 20 kunas from morning to evening);
- children’s water activities organized;
- boat and catamaran rental (70 kuna per hour);
- There are many cafes and restaurants along the beach.
More information about the resort can be found on this page .
The beach of the small town Tuchely is gentle and pebble, although large stones are found everywhere. The beach strip stretches for 4 km to the north and south sides of the central part of Tucepi, in parallel there is a wide promenade with an endless series of cafes, bars, shops. The beach is equipped with changing cabins, shower stands with fresh water. You can rent sun loungers (50 kunas) and umbrellas.
Not far from Tucepi, on the Oseyava peninsula, there is Nugal beach, on which nudists sunbathe. You can get there from Tucepi in about 30 minutes on a footpath through a forest park – there is no other way. This beach perfectly combines wildlife and modern comfortable conditions for relaxation.
How much does a vacation in Makarska in Croatia cost?
The main expense items during any vacation are accommodation and meals. Croatia does not belong to the “cheap” countries, but by European standards it is quite suitable for different budgetary opportunities. What will be the prices for holidays in Croatia, and in particular, in Makarska, in 2018?
It is simply amazing how such a small town of the Riviera provides such a variety of accommodation options: apartments, villas with pools, apartments, hotels … This resort is ready to receive an infinite number of guests, but still it is better to think about the location in advance.
- Hotel 4 * Meteor, located on the Adriatic coast, with two pools, a tennis court, a kids club, has different rooms. This is a hotel of high level of service, the price range here is from 50 to 200 euros per day – the price depends on the room: from a standard with 1- or 2-bed accommodation to a suite with a private terrace.
- Pension & Apartments Dany 3 * is located 100 meters from the beach area. The apartments are surrounded by greenery, there is a garden with barbecue, a kitchenette. A double for knocks here costs from 38 euros.
- Apartments 4 * Fani, which is 300 meters from the main beach and 800 meters away from the city center, offer a double room at a price of 27 euros per day.
In Makarska hotels, as in the whole of Croatia, seasonally priced accommodation is seasonal.
In 2018, lunch at a cafe in Makarska can fit into 25 euros – it all depends on the choice of dish. The most expensive will be a fish plateau (25 euros), then the prices are as follows:
- plate with prosciutto and cheese – 10;
- small fried fish – from 8;
- paste – from 7;
- pizza – from 6;
- beer – about 3.
Almost all the restaurants in this resort are characterized by excellent cuisine, in addition, they are very clean, beautiful, comfortable – there are many photos of vacationers in Makarska confirming this. In restaurants, the cost of dishes is already higher. But if you do not order alcohol, then together you can have lunch for 40 – 45 euros. Approximate prices in mid-range restaurants:
- fish plateau – from 30;
- grilled fish – 16;
- grilled lamb with vegetables – 13;
- fried chicken with vegetables – 11;
- seafood risotto;
- paste – from 9;
- salads – from 5;
- soups – from 2.5 to 6.
In Makarska fast foods, as in all of Croatia, a standard set (hamburger, french fries, cola) costs 4 – 5 euros. There are many stalls on city streets where buns are offered for 0.5 euros, pancakes with fillings for 2, and ice cream for 1.
You can have a bite to eat at the confectionery, where the average prices in euros are:
- pancakes – 4;
- croissant with sweet filling – 1.5;
- a cake or a slice of cake – about 3;
- cocktails – from 5;
- coffee – from 1;
- coffee with milk (Bela Kava) – about 2.
For light snacks, it is quite possible to buy products in stores. The most affordable prices on the Riviera in the supermarkets of the “Konzum”, “Mercator”, “TOMMY” supermarkets. For 0.4 – 0.5 euros you can buy 1 kg of fresh vegetables, for 1 – 1.5 – fruits. A loaf of fresh bread, baguette, milk can be taken at 0.7 euros, 1 kg of cheese costs 4 – 8 euros.
Prices on the page are for April 2018.
How to get to Makarska
The nearest international airport to Makarska is located in the city of Split in Croatia . You can take a taxi from Split to Makarska – as a rule, the price is standard, 100 euros. Often the transfer is offered by the hotel manager or the owners of the rented villa.
The distance between Split and Makarska can also be covered by bus, especially since they are all quite comfortable and air-conditioned. The bus station in Split is located next to the seaport and the railway station, at the address: Obala kneza Domagoja. There are flights from morning until late in the evening. Tickets can be bought directly at the box office or on the website of the carriers Globtour, AP, Promet Makarska. Ticket price is within 5 euros (40 kunas).
There is another option: use a rented car, and it is most convenient to book it in advance on the Internet. There are 2 roads: a highway with a paid section Dugopolje – Zagvozd (23 kunas) and a free road along the Riviera along the sea. But it’s better to still go along the free highway along the sea – right at the entrance to Makarska you can take photos of the picturesque landscapes of Croatia, and such a trip will take much less time than on the autobahn.
Daytime and evening views of Makarska from the air – in this video.