{"id":3552,"date":"2026-03-19T14:39:33","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T14:39:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/?p=3552"},"modified":"2026-07-18T18:13:52","modified_gmt":"2026-07-18T18:13:52","slug":"through-the-old-dalmatian-villages-across-the-poljicka-planina-mountain-range","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/index.php\/en\/2026\/03\/19\/through-the-old-dalmatian-villages-across-the-poljicka-planina-mountain-range\/","title":{"rendered":"Through the old Dalmatian villages across the Po\u013eji\u010dka Planina mountain range"},"content":{"rendered":"

Let\u2019s be honest, how many of you have heard of the mountain range in Dalmatia, Croatia, called Po\u013eji\u010dka Planina? I\u2019d bet very few of you have. But that\u2019s okay, because I\u2019d love to take you there. It\u2019s not exactly a mountain range with dizzying heights, but there\u2019s definitely plenty to see. Among other things, this route is part of the famous Croatian tourist route, the VIA ADRIATICA.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*<\/strong>Po\u013eji\u010dka planina*<\/b><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Po\u013eji\u010dka Plateau is one of Croatia\u2019s lower mountain ranges (its highest peaks do not exceed 600 meters), stretching parallel to the coast from the course of the \u017drnovnica River near the village of Stobre\u010d (Split) to the mouth of the Cetina River in the town of Omi\u0161, where it flows into the sea. It was the Cetina River that divided one mountain range into two\u2014the Po\u013eji\u010dka Plateau and the Omi\u0161 Dinara\u2014when it cut through the coastal mountain range, and the town of Omi\u0161 was founded along its course. Some people also refer to the Po\u013cji\u010dka Plateau as Primorska Kosa. Its highest peak is Vela Gora (594 m), which is also marked on maps as Zahod, and the mountain range stretches 17 km in length.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

However, this mountain range is also attractive because of its rich historical and cultural heritage\u2014sacred buildings and old Dalmatian villages, complemented by magnificent views from the ridge, are sure to impress anyone. Today, most of these villages are abandoned, but they serve as examples of traditional rural architecture.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*Starting Point*<\/strong><\/p>\n

I chose the mountain village of Gornja Podstrana as my \u201cstarting point\u201d; it\u2019s located about 300 meters above the town of Podstrana, which is the first town you\u2019ll reach after leaving Split behind. Podstrana is a well-known seaside resort, but much less is known about its mountainous part, which lies above the gorges of the mythical Perun Massif (named after the Slavic god of lightning). The village is inhabited and is home to the Argola restaurant, which offers great views of the sea.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Before I set out, I took a look at the little Church of St. Ante and Roka in this picturesque foothill village, which dates back to 1666. And then off I went along the Via Adriatica route, winding through the mountains toward more surprises…<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*Direction – Staro Selo Jesenice*<\/strong><\/p>\n

I really enjoyed this 3-kilometer stretch. Mountains on one side, ocean views on the other, and a chapel with blooming flowers along the way. See for yourself…<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

At the entrance to the old village of Jesenice, I was greeted by classic old Dalmatian architecture, as well as newer, renovated buildings.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

And this crossroads transported me deep into history\u2014and I don’t even have Harry Potter’s magic wand…<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*The Village of Zeljevi\u010di*<\/strong><\/p>\n

About 800 meters beyond the village lies another settlement\u2014Zeljevi\u010di. Today, it is a forgotten place dating back to the early 19th century, situated on a mountainside overlooking the sea and featuring a well-preserved church. I heard a true and touching story from the locals\u2014one that has been unfolding for quite a few years now. It\u2019s the story of a man who wants to preserve and restore his grandfather\u2019s house. He returns to the village regularly, always doing something to the house and always bringing food to the only inhabitants of the abandoned village\u2014the dogs and cats.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

In 2001, a massive forest fire swept through Zeljevi\u010di, burning down everything that could possibly burn\u2014namely, the old wooden sheds.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*Through the villages of Krug and Gornje selo to the village of Stare Du\u010de*<\/strong><\/p>\n

This section of the route is approximately 4 km long and winds its way beneath the rocky massifs of the Po\u013eji\u010dka Plateau. It passes through several old settlements, such as Gornje selo and Krug, and led me to the village of Stare Du\u010de.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The village of Stare Du\u010de is located below the summit of Zahod. Administratively, it is part of the seaside resort of Du\u010de, and in addition to its traditional Dalmatian architecture, it also features the Church of St. Anthony of Padua, which was built in 1864.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*Hike to the Polji\u010dka Planina mountain ridge and ascent to the summit of \u010celine*<\/strong><\/p>\n

Just past the village of Stare Du\u010de, the road begins to climb more steeply into the mountains, because to continue on my way, I have to cross the ridge of this magnificent mountain range. This road offers breathtaking views.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Just below the ridge is a rock niche containing a statue of Jesus Christ and other sacred objects. This place and these views evoke in me a sense of peace and gratitude that I am able to be here.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

When I reach the ridge, the Church of Our Lady of the Snows comes into view. The small church dates back to the 19th century and is held in high esteem by the local residents. It is located on Stomorica Hill. It was renovated in 2004, and a small altar was built in front of it in 2010.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The peak of \u010celine (455 meters) towers above the little church, and I couldn\u2019t resist it; after leaving my backpack at the church grounds, I began my ascent. The already beautiful views became even more spectacular, but I also had an unpleasant encounter.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Just below the summit, I saw something about 3 meters in front of me that looked like a dry branch stuck in the ground, swaying slightly in the wind. It never even occurred to me that it could be a snake, so I took another step\u2014and that\u2019s when the viper, which the locals call a \u201cposkok,\u201d noticed me too. It lunged toward me, and I reacted by jumping out of its reach. I think we were both startled, and the viper returned to the rock where I\u2019d disturbed it earlier. And I went back to the little church. In this case, too, the rule applies: watch your step, even when you\u2019re surrounded by beautiful views.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*The village of Naklice and the descent through the canyon along the Lisi\u010dina River to Omi\u0161*<\/strong><\/p>\n

From the summit of Stomorica, it\u2019s only about 1.2 km to the village of Naklice. It\u2019s located above the town of Omi\u0161. The village is connected to Omi\u0161 by a canyon that winds for about 2 km and ends right in the resort.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Here in Omi\u0161, I silently thank the „inventor“ who came up with beer… \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The entire route is 14 km long and can be comfortably completed in about 5 hours. I don’t consider any section to be dangerous, but I recommend keeping a close eye on where you’re stepping…<\/p>\n

If you decide to follow in my footsteps and need advice on accommodations, food, hiking trails, or other ways to spend your time around Omi\u0161, Makarska and Brela, feel free to contact me via email at ajka@uzisibalkaninak.com, my Facebook page \u201cEnjoy the Balkans differently<\/a>\u201d or\u00a0Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u2665 Andrea \u2665<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

P.S.: All photos are protected by copyright\u00a0\"\ud83d\ude42\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Let\u2019s be honest, how many of you have heard of the mountain range in Dalmatia, Croatia, called Po\u013eji\u010dka Planina? I\u2019d bet very few of you have. But that\u2019s okay, because I\u2019d love to take you there. It\u2019s not exactly a mountain range with dizzying heights, but there\u2019s definitely plenty to see. Among other things, this […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":376,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[878,824],"tags":[1925,830,1993,1145,1995,858,1997,1999,2001,2003,1345,2005,2007,1834,2009,2011,997,1353],"class_list":["post-3552","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-croatia","category-uncategorized","tag-accent","tag-balkans","tag-celine","tag-croatia","tag-gornja-podstrana","tag-hiking","tag-jesenice","tag-lisicina","tag-naklice","tag-omis","tag-omiska-dinara","tag-poljicka-planina","tag-poskok","tag-snake","tag-staro-selo","tag-stomorica","tag-tourism","tag-via-adriatica"],"lang":"en","translations":{"en":3552,"sk":375},"pll_sync_post":{},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3552","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3552"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3552\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3555,"href":"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3552\/revisions\/3555"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/376"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3552"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3552"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3552"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}