Biokovo is the bigger, northwestern, part of the Biokovo-Rilić mountain range extending for about 70 km from the River Cetina to River Neretva. Biokovo is the highest mountain on the Croatian coast. With 1762 m Sv. Jure is its highest peak. Assembled in a small expanse there are unusual natural contrasts enriched with views of the sea. Three strips are distinguishable in the mountain. The first belt, to a height of 300 m, is fertile and green. Most impressive is a rock belt about 1000 m high, beautiful and dreadful at the same time. Along the top of steep rock faces extends the third strip, wavy plateau 3-4 km wide with freely developed karst relief. On the plateau, there is a strange system of sinks resembling Moon’s surface (so-called netlike karst) with many speleological objects. To date they are known to number about 400, with some more than 500 m deep. On their bottoms, some pits branch out into a labyrinth of limestone holes. For its natural sights, in 1981 the Biokovo Mountain was declared a protected national park (19,550 ha). Traditional mountaineers’ tracks set out one from the direction of Makarska toward the Biokovo Mountain over the Vošac alpine hut, the other from the village Veliko Brdo through Lokve. Because these tracks are long, tiring and sunny, one had better start climbing early in the morning. A 31-km Makarska-Tučepi-Staza-Sv. Jure road (the highest in Croatia) also leads to alpine hut below Vošac, as well as to the highest peak of the mountain. At the exit from Makarska in the direction of Dubrovnik, in front of the filling station the trunk road Jadranska magistrala should be abandoned turning left uphill by the Rodić road to reach the village of Tučepi. About 1 km beyond the village the Biokovo road takes a sharp left turn to spiral up to the Staza pass on the ridge (16.5 km). At the crossing one should proceed straight on (15 km still to go the mounain top). At its 4th kilometer the roads bypasses a forester’s small house at Ladjena, followed at 9th kilometer (at Stipkovac) by the left lane of the road descending to the alpine hut below Vošac. The last 5 km to the top the narrow road goes up rather steeply and windingly, but it is also unique for its vistas and landscapes. There is a toll for vehicle entry there.
A few years ago, a glass Skywalk was built at the top of Biokovo with an attractive view of Makarska and the islands. See the details on the website https://pp-biokovo.hr/en/home.
All photos of Biokovo’s flora and fauna were taken by Jorg & Hanni Raasch during their stay at Villa Dobrila in 2005 and 2006. I am very grateful to these two very kind and generous people. They’re always on my mind.