By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Travel Editor
Hiking in Croatia is a unique outdoor adventure with some challenges and many rewards.
I hiked two places, one which was like going through a forest not all that different than what I am used to in my hometown Great Smoky Mountains (minus the mountain streams) near Zrnovo village in Korcula and another quite different location, the Napoleon French Road. The latter is in Makarska on Biokovo mountain, high above a beautiful area known as Brela.
I refer to it is a “rocky mountain high,” not so much a tribute to a John Denver song but more as an explanation of the experience. It is rocky and once you get to the lookouts of the views it is certainly a high provided by nature.
The height is 443 meters (about 1,455 feet) above sea level. Built by the French (thus the name), the grade is no stepper than 6%, which was originally designed for horses and buggies. I rate the difficulty 3.5 on a 5-point scale, not so much because of the toughness of the trail but because some of it is on rocks – loose rocks in some places – and you have to watch your step. I stumped my big toe a few times and it hurt slightly for the next couple of days. But not enough to slow me down.
Unless you or someone with you has been to the area, I highly recommend having a guide. Our group used Mountain Summit Adventures and our guide drove us to a trailhead that, well, you have to know where it is because there’s no way you can find it otherwise. It’a a little path on a hill. That was the most strenuous part of the hike. My initial thought was “boy, I’m in trouble if this is any indication of this hike,” but after about 10 minutes we came to a clearing and the path leveled off to a much more manageable level.
It was also on a paved road, of sorts. As I mentioned earlier there’s a lot of rocks because Croatia is a country of rock formations. That’s great for building long-lasting structures but can make it a bit challenging to walk on while hiking. When you encounter rocky areas, take your time and, as is the case with any hikes, be cautious rather than ambitious.
This 2-hour hike allowed for many great views of the sea below and Mountain Summit Adventures even provided a packed lunch of breads and a delicious grilled chicken, which we enjoyed while sitting on rocks near the top. Pro’s Tips: Bring a backpack for the lunch and your water…You will need at least 1 1/2 liters of water for this hike…You must be in moderate to good condition for this hike.
Croatia Hiking Dangers
One thing about hiking in Croatia is that you don’t have to worry about black flies, bugs of any kind really (other than mosquitoes in the summer months tho officials do spray for them), bears, mountain lions, snakes most of the year, coming around a corner and walking into a giant spider web or any other creature that can harm you.
This leaves you free to concentrate on the trail and the views. Although do be careful not to brush up against a sneaky, prickly little bush that sometimes grows along the rocks. It can prick you pretty good. I know this from personal experience and our guide sprayed a little something on my affected finger which immediately took away the sting.
About PubClub.com
PubClub.com is one of the original websites on the Internet. It features articles on nightlife, food & drink, events, activities, travel and sports. It has been featured in USA Today, the LA Times and American Way magazine, among other major media outlets. Kevin Wilkerson is an award-winning journalist.