MY FAVOURITE DAY TRIPS FROM MAKARSKA, CROATIA

Searching for the best day trips from Makarska? These are my favourite ones!

Makarska is one of the most popular destinations in Croatia, mostly because of the incredible beaches along the Makarska Riviera. The town itself is quite small, so once you explore it, you’ll probably want to see more of the surrounding area. I’ve spent a lot of time on the Makarska Riviera, and these are my favourite day trips you can easily take from Makarska.

WHERE IS MAKARSKA?

Makarska is a picturesque town on the coastline of Croatia. It’s around an hour away from Split and if you prefer small but still lively towns, Makarska is the perfect choice for your holiday. It’s situated at the foot of Biokovo mountain, so you get some of the most beautiful views of both the sea and the mountains. It’s also the centre of Makarska Riviera with some of the best beaches in Croatia, so it’s truly one of the best holiday destinations in Croatia.

As Makarska is not that big, it’s easy to explore the city in only a few days. It’s also quite crowded since tourists appreciate its beauty and keep coming each year. Therefore, you’ll probably want to add some day trips to your itinerary, and here are a few of my favourites!

TOP 5 DAY TRIPS FROM MAKARSKA:

DAY TRIP TO BIOKOVO

If you’re interested in nature, Nature park Biokovo is a perfect day trip for you. You can leave the sea behind for a few hours and spend the day in the Croatian mountains. Nature park Biokovo is situated on the mountain Biokovo, which is the massive mountain hovering over the Makarska riviera. Biokovo is very loved by tourists who enjoy exploring natural beauties such as different vegetation systems and wildlife.

Since 2020, the most special attraction on Biokovo has become The Biokovo Skywalk. It’s an incredible glass viewpoint protruding out of the mountain at an elevation of 1228 meters. If you go there on a sunny day, you can see all the way to Italy! The entrance to the Nature park including The Skywalk is 8 euros and you can buy them ONLY ONLINE on their website from April 1st. The best way to reach the park is by renting a bike or a motorbike and going for a drive!

You can also book a guided tour where the ticket is included, so you don’t have to worry about driving all the way up yourself. The road can be a bit tricky, so this is often the easier and more relaxed option.

DAY TRIP TO BOL, BRAC

Bol is a tiny village situated on Brac, one of Croatia’s famous islands. Why should you visit? Well, Bol is the home to the most famous and most beautiful beach in Croatia, called Zlatni rat. The beach Zlatni rat is quite special as it changes shapes according to the wind and waves hitting the beach.

The beach is an incredible place to spend your day, but definitely take a few hours to explore Bol as well. You can reach Bol easily from Makarska by ferry. You need to take a ferry from Makarska to Sumartin and then drive to Bol. It’s an hour-long ferry ride and the ticket is around 10 euros for a return ticket.  You can also book a private tour from Makarska to Bol which is going to be even more exciting. Here’s a guide to a day trip to Brac – we’ve actually visited from Makarska, but this one is written as a day trip from Split!

DAY TRIP TO HVAR

Hvar is Croatia’s most popular and most expensive island, but if you like to have fun you’re gonna love it. Hvar is very, VERY loved by tourists because of its gorgeous architecture, stunning beaches, and lively nightlife. If you’re not into nightlife, you’ll surely gonna love Hvar’s scenery. Hvar is full of lavender fields, vineyards, and olive trees.

You must visit Hvar’s old town, take a dip in the crystal clear sea on one of many beautiful beaches, and take a boat to Pakleni islands. There is no direct ferry from Makarska to Hvar, so the easiest way to visit would be by a private boat trip. If that’s out of your budget, you can either drive to Drvenik and grab a car ferry there, or to Split and grab a passenger ferry there. Here’s a detailed guide to visiting Hvar on a day trip!

DAY TRIP TO SPLIT

Split is, alongside Dubrovnik, probably Croatia’s most well-known tourist destination. If you’re in Makarska, you probably flew into Split and then continued to Makarska. Split is a great location if you want to relax, party, and spend your time at the beach. Split also offers many historical beauties totally worth exploring, such as the beautiful old town and the famous Diocletian Palace.

Read more >>> HOW TO SPEND THE BEST 2 DAYS IN SPLIT, CROATIA

While in Split, you also need to climb Marjan Hill. Marjan is Split’s green oasis where people go when they crave some time in nature. At the foot of Marjan Hill are some of the best beaches in Split, so if you’re into swimming you can’t miss them. You can reach Split easily by taking a bus. The bus ride lasts around an hour and it’s around 7-10 euros, so it’s a really easy day trip!

DAY TRIP TO NP KRKA

NP Krka is the second most visited national park in Croatia after Plitvice Lakes. If you don’t have the time to go all the way to Plitvice, visiting Krka is an amazing way to discover Croatia’s natural waterfalls. Krka has been a national park since 1985. Once you’re there you can choose between walking paths, boat tours, and even museums.

A spot you can’t miss is Skradinski Buk. It’s the most beautiful spot in the park, but unfortunately swimming is no longer allowed! The tickets for NP Krka are 40 Euros for adults and 15 Euros for students and older kids. You can reach Krka easily by car, but if you don’t have a car you can take a bus from Makarska, it’s a four-hour drive and it leaves you in Skradin, where you’ll enter the NP. You can also go to Split and choose one of many amazing tours which start in Split and take you to Krka. Read my complete guide to Krka NP right here!

DAY TRIP TO OMIS

Omis is a very easy and really lovely day trip from Makarska, and it’s 100% worth visiting. It’s a small town only about 45 minutes by car, perfect if you want to walk around the old town and relax on the beach. That said, Omis is even better if you’re looking for a bit of adventure.

Omis is famous for activities on the Cetina river, especially rafting, and for the zipline over the Cetina Canyon, which is a must if you like adrenaline. If you don’t have a car, you can easily get to Omis by bus and join these activities through an organized tour, so you don’t need to worry about transport at all. Here’s a full guide to my favourite things to do in Omis.

MY PERSONAL TAKE ON DAY TRIPS FROM MAKARSKA

Makarska is quite small, and there are just too many great day trips nearby to stay in one place the whole time. From this list, I’d especially recommend Brac, Hvar, and Omis, but honestly, all of them are worth visiting. Try to plan at least 1–2 day trips while you’re there. It’s easiest if you have a car, but even without one, most of these places are easy to reach by ferry or public transport.

CONCLUSION: DAY TRIPS FROM MAKARSKA

Makarska has some fantastic day trips, and there are plenty of great spots all along Dalmatia and the Makarska Riviera. Try to explore as much as you can, especially places that are really easy to reach, most are under an hour away!