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Croatia is located on the Adriatic Sea at the crossroads of Central and Southwest Europe. This Blog is part of a travel series covering the Road Hackers' two month visit to the Dalmatian coastal region in 2022.
DALMATIA'S ADVENTURE CAPITAL OF OMIS
Omis is not to be missed (excuse the play on words, though the correct pronunciation in Croatian is actually more like Omeesh!). If you like a combination of adventure, history, natural beauty, along with a touristy vibe, then Omis is the destination for you.
A bungee jumping platform jutting out from the mountainside
We left our visit to Omis till the end of our itinerary, even though it is only six miles/10 km from our home base of Suhi Potok. Many people had encouraged us to see the natural beauty of Omis, so we were quite eager to see what all the fuss was about before we left Croatia.
The picturesque town of Omis, close to our home base, was left till the end of our visit
Omis is located in the opposite direction of Split, so we had to head to a different bus stop a little further down and on the opposite side of the road. We had seen the bus to Omis pass us many times while we were waiting for our Split bus, so we felt confident we knew how to navigate this difference and get to our destination without incidence. Hmmm...wrong!
We thought we'd mastered our local transport system, but a reality check was in order. We did board the correct bus, but failed to realize the right stop where we needed to disembark. The reality was that we missed the Omis stop near Old Town and ended up at a remote stop a few miles south of town--without cellular data or WiFi. We tried to query the bus driver about our evident mistake, but he wasn't very nice, telling us to get off because he didn't have time and was about to take his break!
While waiting and wondering what our next step should be, we encountered a Croatian woman who, though she didn't speak much English (but just enough), conveyed that the bus would be coming back through in about 30 minutes. She was right. The same rude bus driver arrived, this time friendly and polite, and took us to the correct stop at no further charge.
Our Omis adventure began when we found a local pekara, or bakery, a short distance from the stop. One apple, one blackberry pastry later and the memory of our mistake faded away. Happy again!
Locating the local bakery was a favorite when visiting a new destination; this one in Omis was found near the bus stop
Pastries in hand, we headed to the small Old Town section of Omis. The town was built at the strategically important point where the Cetina River enters the Adriatic Sea. Major settlements pre-date the 13th Century.
A little historical background: The local inhabitants were originally known to be skilled and innovative boat builders. Their biggest maritime advantage came when they built the perfect boat (Sagittae--the Arrow) that was capable of both seafaring as well as being small enough to sail deep into the canyons of the Cetina River.
The deep canyons of the Cetina River in Omis became a haven for pirates, since big ships couldn't follow them up river
Omis became know as a haven for pirates between the 12th and 13th Centuries, since the big trading ships could not follow them up river. The Omis pirates even attacked the later Crusade fleets as they were returning from Constantinople. They were such a problem that apparently the Pope eventually ordered the Crusaders to organize a response to stop the attacks once and for all.
We reached the eastern gates of Old Town, then wandered along its quaint, narrow streets. Winding in and out of each other, they created a maze-like effect, taking us in circles at times. We didn't sweat it, and just took in the sights along the way. Every turn had its own nooks and crannies waiting to be explored, and we felt the history and culture with every step.
Wandering the winding narrow streets of Old Town in Omis
We made our way to the beautiful 17th Century Church of St. Michael, located in St. Michael's Square. We stepped inside for a few moments of peaceful contemplation before we headed on our way.
Next stop was Mirabella Fortress, the largest imposing structure in Omis. Rising above the town's tallest buildings, we realized there would be quite a bit of climbing to come. The hike is quite steep, along narrow stone paths and countless stairs...but the pay off was sure to please!
This was just the beginning of the climb up the stone steps at Mirabella Fortress
When we arrived, the gate was locked but said it opened at 9am. After a short wait, the attendant arrived, and told us we could pay the $4 admission fee on our way out.
We started our climb up the first set of stone steps. Rising to the next level, we reached the first viewing platform, with stunning views of the Cetina River and the section of the city of Omis that lies on the river.
View from midway up Mirabella Fortress of the city on the river in Omis
We made our way closer to the final series of stairs to the fortress, and reached the second viewing platform. From here we had the perfect view of the east-facing part of Omis.
Next came the toughest part of the climb--reaching the summit of Mirabella Fortress. The fortress was originally built to help in the defense of the town, later used by the Omis pirates as they fled from their pursuers.
Look carefully ... who's missing on this climb? Rainman's fear of heights kicked in as usual. Tricia had to summit by herself...though even she couldn't make it to the very tippy-top!
Trying to reach to top of the Mirabella Fortress in Omis
A successful climb close to the summit, or only to the second viewing platform--the views of Omis from either vantage point were worth the effort. It was time to head back down for some exploration of the more modern side of Omis.
As we reached stable ground at the bottom, we proceeded towards civilization and found ourselves walking along the street near the river. Besides a variety of excursion boats, the area is the launching point for action enthusiasts. Omis is known as one of the main adventure tourism centers in Croatia, offering kayaking, paragliding, bungee jumping, zip lining, and hiking.
Boats along the Cetina River, central to the launching of adventure sports in Omis
Continuing on to the Main Street, we found a modern downtown with everything you need within walking distance. A vibrant street market was in full swing, selling fresh fruits, vegetables, and numerous other interesting finds. Within the community are shops, restaurants, supermarkets, a full range of accommodations, and accessible public transportation. To reach the larger city of Split and all it has to offer, take a 35 minute ride using the #60 express bus. And Omis is home to several beautiful beaches.
The town of Omis has a laid-back vibe, and would be a top-notch vacation spot. We considered it to be a real contender for our base on a future return trip to Croatia. Who can argue with pastry and gelato shops on every corner, and they even have an Irish Pub!
Downtown Omis was modern, with a bustling and friendly vibe
While Omis was the last of our final outings in Croatia, it does not deserve to be considered as a last resort visit. As you can tell, we really enjoyed our time in Omis!
TIME TO MOVE ON...
Before we knew it, our two months in Croatia was coming to end. We had a final small shop at Studenac, with a hug and goodbye to our newfound friend Romana; our final meal at Zazu with a goodbye to Pjerino; a final swim and coffee at Poseijdon; and a final climb up the 173 stairs.
Heading to the trip's final swim at our favorite beach near Konoba Poseijdon
Time to pack, clean the apartment, check on travel arrangements for the next leg of our trip, and prepare to vacate our little slice of heaven in Suhi Potok.
We set the alarm for 3am on June 25. Lots of details to finalize before our long day of travel. Check, and double check, that we were ready to go. We knocked on Neda's door with a bag of goodies of things we had left over, and said this goodbye.
The Uber arrived at 5:45am for the drive to the airport for one more final trip to Split. We were actually sad to go, but we had so many amazing and unexpected memories to take along with us.
Lots of legs on this upcoming trip: first to Berlin, then Amsterdam, Mexico City, and finally arriving at the small airport in Huatulco Mexico in Oaxaca. We would be catching a taxi from there to our modern third floor apartment in La Crucecita, our next new home till the middle of September.
Our next adventure was Huatulco, Mexico in Oaxaca!
Ready for our next adventure? We are! Stay tuned...
Reny's Rating
Reny is the official Hacking the Road travel mascot!
At the end of each Destination Blog, Reny rates the overall experience.
Here's Reny's awesome scale:
4 Renys = Wants to live here!
3 Renys = Doesn't want to live here, but would definitely return
2 Renys = Had a positive experience but may or may not want to return
1 Reny = Had an overall negative experience and does not want to return
Reny in Pile Harbor, Dubrovnik
Reny rates the Dalmatia Region: 4 RENYS!
The beaches ... the crystal blue Adriatic Sea ... stunning views ...
the seaside village of Suhi Potok ... the Dalmatian green markets ...
the Diocletian Palace ... the Split Riva ... Marjan Hill ...
Krka National Park ... Skradin ... Trogir ... Omis ... Dubrovnik Old Town ...
pastries ... swimming ... gardens ... the Croatian people ...
Reny wanted to keep going, but we had to reign in his enthusiasm!