I highly recommend this walk to everyone. It’s not too steep, is about 7 kilometers long, and is definitely worth it. I walked the route with my younger son, and we really enjoyed it thanks to the ocean views, interesting beaches, and visits to various villages around Brela.
*Vruja Bay*
This is where we began our journey. The bay is located between the coastal towns of Pisak and Brela, at the foot of the Omiška Dinara mountain range, below the Privorac and Dubac passes, which separate the two mountain ranges—Omiška Dinara and Biokovo. Two rivieras meet here—the Makarska and Omiš rivieras. The rocky cliffs extend down to a depth of 100 meters below sea level.
Archaeological finds discovered at this site confirm that people lived here as early as 3000 BC. When looking at Vruja Bay, one can see gentle ripples caused by several freshwater springs flowing directly into the sea below the surface. This is a vast spring system featuring a deep underwater sinkhole with a diameter of about 60 meters, from which a large amount of fresh water flows.
It is also interesting to note that the nearby town of Pisak has a second name—Vruja. And older residents of Omiš and Brela still refer to the people of Pisak as Vrujans.
Vruja is also known as one of the three places on the Adriatic where the cold mountain wind—the bura—blows strongest during the season. It is often said that “the bura is born in Trieste, Italy, baptized in Senj, and dies in Vruja.” The Dupci Pass above Vruja acts as a natural funnel through which the bura gains incredible strength.
According to an old legend, it was at the Dupci Pass that the Croats cried out “Sea, sea…” when they first caught sight of the Adriatic.
There is another legend—about an ancient city at the bottom of the bay—Pelegrin. According to the legend, when the sea is rough, you can hear the bells of the city’s churches ringing. And anyone who finds themselves there at midnight on Christmas Eve can see white horses pulling a carriage carrying a prince and a princess out of the sea. If a passerby manages to jump onto the carriage and place the reins in the prince’s hands, Pelegrin’s curse will be lifted and the city will rise from the sea once more.
If you want to go down to the main beach in the bay, you need to be careful—the descent is steep. The beach is made up of the finest sand, which in places forms huge drifts. The sand doesn’t extend far out into the sea. Even around the beach, you can see a large amount of fresh water springing from all sorts of cracks in the rocks and ground. The view of the cliffs is also beautiful, with openings into caves visible in the rocks.
It’s no wonder that many climbers have viewed the cliffs of Vruja as a challenge. They have literally become a climber’s dream. In 2018, the young Slovenian world climbing champion Kernej Kruder established the most difficult climbing route in Croatia on the cliffs above Vruja. And it took him 63 attempts to finally complete it!
I consider Vruja to be a unique natural phenomenon in Croatia, and I highly recommend visiting it.
Towering over the bay is the statue of Stella Maris (Star of the Sea), which is said to protect the marine world. And this was our starting point.
*Stella Maris – Brela*
From the main road (the Adriatic Highway), a gravel road descends toward the Stella Maris statue, which offers a panoramic view of the entire bay. From the Stella Maris statue, you can join the trail leading from Pisak to Brela. At the start, the trail passes through bare, karst cliffs with views of the surrounding landscape.
Behind us lie the rocky peaks of the Omiška Dinara mountain range—specifically Šatarice (642 m). To our left, the Biokovo range begins.
After about 2 kilometers, the trail continues through a pine forest, where you can see turnoffs leading to narrow paths that descend a steep slope to hidden beaches.
During our walk, in addition to the sound of the sea, we were treated to a concert by the cicadas 🙂 .
After walking 3 kilometers, we reach a paved road that takes us past beautiful natural beaches all the way to the village of Ivanci. After grabbing a bite to eat at the local pizzeria Jakiruša, we continue along the coast, passing lovely, secluded beaches through areas such as Jardula, Pročiok, Stomarica, and Podrače. Here we pass the famous landmark of the village of Brela—the so-called “Kamen Brela”—and after about another kilometer and a “thorough workout” (at the outdoor fitness center), we end up at the Hrast restaurant in Brela.
That’s where we ended our walk, and we were already looking forward to swimming in the sea since the temperature had risen quite a bit. It wasn’t until later that I learned the route we had taken is part of the famous Croatian long-distance hiking trail, the VIA ADRIATICA.
A healthy body, a healthy mind 😀 … in this case, two minds 🙂
