Sv.Jure (1762m) from Makarska

About Route

This is the traditional and most frequently used trail to Sv.Jure. This is tough walk up. It is not technical but demands good physical condition because of enormous altitude difference as you start from the sea level. It can be done in one day but I don’t have to tell how tough is to do 2km up and 2km down in a day. It is really 2km because between Vosac and Sv.Jure refuge there is quite a lot of up and down as path is finding a way between numerous funnel shaped holes.

Makarska – Sv.Jure (1762m): 5.45h

Route begins on Kacicev Trg Square, main square in the center of Makarska. From here go up, between the cathedral and a market, cutting Mihovila Pavlinovica street. Than through Put Makra street, over the Adriatic road. From here path uses or shortens the sharp bends of the steep road, which is winding up through terraces of pine forest, olives, wine and other cultures till it reaches Makar village (223m) after some 40 minutes.

Makar is ancient settlement, which had defensive character and was much more important than Makarska. When safer times arrived people slowly descended to the coast. Today Makar is suburb of Makarska and already offers great view. You can come to Makar by car and park in front of the church to spare 40mins of ascent. This is only good if you are going to descend this way also.

From here Biokovo and Vosac peak are towering above, in next 2.30 hours path climbs 1100m in only 1500m of straight line, till it reaches the pass on the ridge. Behind the church and graveyard path reaches the cliffs of Biokovo and begins to climb steeply. Path is wide and safe while view is expanding with every step. Slope is so steep that Makar and Makarska seam perpendicular bellow you. After some 40mins path enters nice pine forest and continues to ascent in many bends. After some 20mins you are out of it and views open again. Left-right-left-right path ascends all the time; in the last part just bellow the summit cliffs of Vosac peak (1422m). Just 15 more minutes and you are on Strbina pass (1326m), narrow door bellow the Vosac, 3.30h from Makarska. On the pass there is a viewing terrace with amazing view on Makarska bellow. From here Sv.Jure gets into the view also. With its TV tower it is unmistakable

One more look to the sea and continue further onto Biokovo plateau. Few minutes after the pass there is junction to Vosac (1422m). Don’t miss this fantastic viewpoint above Makarska, which is almost 1.5km bellow; it only requires 20 minutes of ascent. View is like from an airplane towards the sea and is also nice towards the rest of Biokovo.

Path now slowly descends towards Vosac hut and Kapetanov dolac basin, which it reaches 15 minutes behind the pass.

Here we join BPS or Biokovo mountaineering trail which crosses whole Biokovo. Follow the signs towards Sv.Jure, which will take you to the left (northern direction), gradually ascending over the rocky and grassy terrain. After the initial ascent path is mostly flat, going around numerous funnel shaped holes (Grgina, Stara, Zarenica…), which are mostly overgrown with beech. Spaces are open most of the time, with Sv.Jure in sight, except when path enters small groups of beech trees. In 1h you reach important junction, that is called Babina Vrkla.

Here you turn right, while path straight continues towards the Slobodan Ravlic hut on Lokva (20 minutes). Ascent is steep and with little altitude gain sea joins the view again. After reaching the pass on the ridge of Troglav peak (20 minutes), path goes up and down few times and in the end climbs steeply before getting on the Sv.Jure road (10 minutes). From here it is 300 meters to the right to Sv.Jure refuge. 30mins from Babina Vrkla.

From the refuge it is 30mins more to the summit of Sv.Jure. Path follows the numerous metal sticks, which are used as carriers for fixed rope in winter to secure you from being blown away by the wind. Ascent is steep going straight up. On the top, just by the fence of TV structure is Sv.Jure chapel. You can also access the top using the road, which would require more time.

Sv.Jure (1762m) is highest peak on Biokovo and second highest in Croatia. Top is large rocky dome, occupied by TV tower and building. Till 1964, when object has been built, Sv.Jure chapel was standing here. Than it was moved little bit to the north, few meters bellow the summit. It has been there since 1646, till modern technology came. View from the top is grand.