Omiš Riviera – Complete Travel Guide
BY MORTEN SMALBY Omiš is a small town and port at the mouth of the Cetina River in the littoral of Poljica, 26 km southeast of Split. In the 13th and 14th century Omiš was home of pirates (Omiški gusari), who used there fast boats Sagittae (The Arrow) to attach trade ships at the mouth of the River. Once they have succeeded in their attacks they would fast retried up the Cetina river, where the trade ships and their escorts could not follow them. In this period the Omiš Pirate was the most feared along the Adriatic coast and trade republics, like Venice or Dubrovnik, made non attacking agreements with them, for which Omiš Pirates paid high taxes. The Republic of Venice and the Pope tried to put an end to the Omiš pirates by sending the crusaders, defeated by the Pirates the very first time, but in a second attempt they managed to put an end to the Pirate of Omiš. After this Omiš became part of the Bosnian Kingdom and later it was sold to the Venetian republic. Upon the fall of the Venetian republic Omiš, like main parts of Croatia, became a part of the Austrian Empire and stayed under Austrian rulership until WWI except for a 10 year period at the beginning of the 19th century when Omiš was under French rulership. Omis Today Today Omiš is a very popular tourist destination, the population of app. 15.000 more then triples in the main season, most tourist stay in private accommodation and family pensions as the number of hotels in the area is limited. Meanwhile tourism is the main income source for the city, but also farming, fishing, textile and food-processing industries can be found in the town. In the winter half year the city is really quite, but every year in April/May, when the Sea is warm enough for most swimmers, life in Omiš starts to beat faster, many people from Split and the surrounding cities are dragged to the nice sandy beaches in Omiš. Also at this time of year, almost every day you can see hill climbers from different countries trying to climb the step cliffs behind the old town. And the river sport activities like rafting, canyoning etc. starts to be part of the daily program. What to See (and do) in Omis Do to geographical placement of Omiš, by the estuary of the Cetina river, the city has lots of stuff to offer, for its holiday guests, in terms of cultural and historical sight the old town in Omiš is of course the main attraction, and I would especially recommend tourist to see the following: The fortress Mirabella, a 13th century fortress situated behind the old town, you reach the fortress by following stair next to the St. Michael church in the center of the old town, entrance fee is 10 Kuna, for that you get a good exercise (lots of stairs) and a perfect view on Omiš. Churches, the old town of Omiš host a number of old churches and an old Franciscan Monastery, which has an art collection a library with old Turkish documents. The Fortress Starigrad (Fortica), if you are up for a really special experience, you should visit the 15th century fortress Starigrad, but for this you would have to climb, as the fortress is situated at the peak of the mountain behind the old town, the climb takes about 1 hour, so you need to be in good physical condition, but I guarantee it would be worthwhile your effort. Omis Summer festival, in the main season, there is always something happening in and around the old town, one of the highlights is the Klapa Festival (a capella singing), which takes place in churches and on squares in the old town. If you are more in to sport activities, you have plenty of options in Omiš, in the Cetina canyon, the following sport activities are offered. Rafting, which several daily departures from the city center, rafting tour takes about 4-5 hours, the rafting tours can be recommended to kids from age 8 years and adults at any age, here you can read more about Rafting in Omiš. Canyoning, although I have still yet not tried it, I heard the Canyoning trips on Cetina should be great fun, tours are arranged in period from April till end of September, participators have to be minimum 14 years old. Other sports: Diving, Hiking, Paragliding and of course Hill climbing as I mentioned earlier. On the beaches in Omis you of course have all kinds of water sports available. Pirate activities in Omis All tourists visiting Omiš will for sure be confronted with the Pirate history of the city, and this not only in the souvenir shops in the old town. During the summer a number of events related to the Pirate history takes places. During the summer, there is a weekly pirate night, where guest can join an evening in company with the fearful Omis Pirates, here you can read about our Pirate night tour. The culmination of the Pirate activities is in August, where you have a Pirate weekend and a Pirate night, on this occasion there is a pirate triathlon, a naval battle where the Pirates attacka Venetian trade ship, and lots of other activities. Where to eat in Omis Omis has some great restaurant, especially in the old town, where the main street is packed with tables during the summer season, but if you have a car available, I would like to especially recommend 3 restaurants in the Cetina canyon, all 3 are great places to go especially for families with kids. Restaurant Kremenko, (Restaurant Flintstone) in Svinisce, about 12 km up the Cetina canyon is an amazing place, the restaurant is made completely in Flintstone style, on top of that the food is great. In the summer you can go with Flintstone bus from Camp Galeb to the restaurant and back. Restaurant Radmanova Mlinice, (Radmans mills) is situated 6 km up the Cetina canyon, the outdoor restaurant by the old mill, is and excellent place to eat trout, other house specialties is Dalmatian Peka and Frog. Most
The Top 10 Things To Do In Omiš
The seaside town also sits on the Cetina river and offers a stellar holiday setting filled with great things to do Written by Marc Rowlands Monday 1 June 2020 So many curses have been aired at the town of Omiš over the years it’s a wonder the air hasn’t turned as blue as its turquoise waters and cloudless skies. Before the motorway eased pressure from the coastal road, the magistrala, Omiš was a regular point of congestion. Going back even further, the pirates who once used the town as their base provoked the ire of many regimes that controlled the surrounding seas. The town has come into its own as a tourist destination later than much of the Dalmatian coast, its countless kilometres of uncramped beaches and unique options afforded by its position on the Cetina river helping to do so. Here are the best things to do in Omiš. The top 10 things to do in Omiš © Omiš Tourist Board Hit the beach In most places, you can’t blame others for wanting to soak up the summertime sun at the same time as you. You never need to worry about the proximity of many neighbours on the beaches around Omiš though – there are simply too many options. In the town itself, the central beach and the campsite are constantly popular, great for an early dip or in the late afternoon to cool off after the heat of the day. There are multiple small beaches located in villages like Brzet, Nemira, Stanići, Lokva Rogoznica, Medići, Marušić and Pisak, which form the 20 km-long Omiš riviera running south of town. If you head north instead, the whole stretch of coast between Omiš and Split is almost one huge beach, much of it without a soul to be seen. Simply park up or get off the bus at a spot you like (the nearest stretch, accessible on foot, runs between Dugi Rat, Duće and Sumpetar) and take advantage of the small pebbled floor as it gently slopes into the sea. © Kaštil Slanica Eat local, eat well You won’t be short on either fast food or sit-down meal options in Omiš. If you want to stay central, Bastion has the best reputation in town for seafood. They have sharing platter options which vary depending on the catch of the day. Sitting outdoors is nice but bear in mind the at-times busy road lies between you and your view of the sea. Around a kilometre south of the bridge and with a less interrupted vista, Brzi Gonzalez offers a very mildly spiced approximation of what European eateries serve as Mexican cuisine. What they lack in authenticity, they more than make up for with massive portions and effort. Located just over 2 kilometres inland, on the banks of the Cetina, Kaštil Slanica was once a safe haven for fleeing pirates. Today, the restaurant now situated there offers a unique riverside ambience and a menu that takes in traditional Dalmatian favourites like peka (meat and vegetables cooked under the bell) but also the much more rare cuisine of the Dalmatian hinterland, including dishes made with frogs, eels and river fish. Be specific when booking in advance, should you wish to sit in one of the limited spaces directly overlooking the river. Around a kilometre further along the river, Radman Mills (Radmanove Mlinice) is a less formal dining experience but equally picturesque, making the most of the old mill setting – its wheels are on display by a calming, curated poo and there are places to enjoy a picnic, too. © Omiš Tourist Board Explore by kayak Exploring the Dalmatian coast by kayak opens up near-inaccessible beaches and small coves to you. But, nowhere is the pastime better experienced than in Omiš, the Cetina river providing limitless options which you simply won’t find elsewhere. There are several routes you can take and wonderful, serene views on each. This is the best perspective from which to experience the river and its banks. One of the most thrilling routes will see you kayak around Zadvarje, some 25 km inland, where the tranquillity of the river run is broken up spectacularly by two large waterfalls. © martinh76 Check out the old town of Omiš For exploring ancient alleyways, the nearby city of Split is tough to beat. But, though on a much smaller scale, an evening stroll around Omiš is not without charm and intrigue. In the centre, the Renaissance building known as ‘the House of a Happy Man’ is named after the Latin inscription above the entrance: ‘I thank thee, Lord, for having lived in this world’ (Gratias ago tibi dne quia fui in hoc mondo). Check out the traces of the medieval wall on the riverbed, built by pirates to stop their pursuers entering the Cetina; there was a secret passage that allowed the pirates’ smaller ships through. The well-preserved, 10th-century church of St Peter on the western bank of the river is considered one of the most important examples of pre-Romanesque sacral architecture in Croatia. The town’s old gates were built under Venetian rule in the 15th century. If you start at Porta Terraferma on the eastern side of Omiš, you can walk Pjaca, the town’s historic main thoroughfare, all the way to the western gates on the river. You’re sure to find a bar that suits you along the route; many hold a charming ambiance, especially those around Franjo Tuđman square and St Michael’s square, the latter named after the 17th-century church which stands there. You’ll not miss its decorative portal, window rosetta, statue of St. Michael or the Omiš coat of arms on the side. Franjo Tuđman square once held a large fresco by renowned local artist Ivan Joko Knežević, but the proud depiction of Partisan soldiers prompted its short-sighted destruction under a wave of nationalist sentiment which followed the country’s independence. © Omiš Guitar Festival Catch a concert under the stars For a small town, Omiš punches way above its weight with its cultural
