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Voykit pocket guide · Croatia
Makarska
Give Makarska 2 nights as a beach-and-mountain base: swim in the morning, drive or tour Biokovo in the afternoon, walk the old town at dusk.
Makarska is the main town of the Makarska Riviera, a 66 km strip of shingle beaches and small resorts on the coast road between Split and Dubrovnik. The Biokovo mountains rise straight behind it, the old town sits around a small harbour, and a ferry crosses to Brač in an hour. Most visitors arrive on package deals from Split airport, 85 km north, and spend their days on the beach strip and their evenings in the old town. It works as a 2-night base, or as one night if you are driving the coast and want a swim.
- Country
- Croatia
- Best months
- Jun, Sep
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (crowds, heat, peak prices)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR) since 2023. Cards work almost everywhere; carry small cash for markets, beach bars and some island taxis.
- Daily spend
- Budget €45–70 excl. bed · Mid €70–120 excl. bed · High €120+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Hrvatski Telekom, A1 and Telemach sell prepaid SIMs at kiosks (Tisak) and shops; ID required.
- Emergency
- All emergencies 112 · Police 192 · Fire 193 · Ambulance 194 · Sea rescue 195
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · European round two-pin; UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Round up.; Restaurant: About 10% for good service, in cash.; Taxi: Round up.; Boat trip crew or guide: €5–10 per person for a day trip.; Apartment cleaning: Not expected.
- Water
- Tap water is safe and good everywhere, including islands (some small islands rely on piped or tanked water — ask).
- Toilets
- Free in cafés for customers; public toilets in old towns cost €0.50–1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a beach-strip café | €1.50–3 |
| Ice cream cone | €1.80–2.50 |
| Seafood main in a konoba | €15–28 |
| Beer: draught / supermarket can | €3–5 / €1–2 |
| Municipal Museum entry | €1 |
| Two-tank dive with equipment | about €81.50 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | €8–15 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SPU · Split Airport
- 85 km north; bus or car about 1 h 30 min. Most Riviera package arrivals use this airport.53 mi north; bus or car about 1 h 30 min. Most Riviera package arrivals use this airport.
- DBV · Dubrovnik Airport
- 160 km south via the Pelješac Bridge; about 2 h 30 min by car.99 mi south via the Pelješac Bridge; about 2 h 30 min by car.
Typical fares
- Bus Makarska → Split
- about €7.50, 1 h 30 min–2 h
- Ferry Makarska → Sumartin (Brač)
- adult about €2, car about €20, 1 h
- Biokovo park toll
- €7 one day, €13.50 three days
Get around
Walk: the beach strip runs about 4 km and links the hotels to the old town and the Sveti Petar peninsula. A road train runs along the strip every 20–30 min, useful with small children. Buses south to Tučepi and Podgora run every 30–60 min and take about 30 min; buses north to Split take 1 h 30 min–2 h. Local taxis are small one- or two-car operators, so book ahead at night. A car is only worth it for Biokovo and the Riviera villages.Walk: the beach strip runs about 2.5 mi and links the hotels to the old town and the Sveti Petar peninsula. A road train runs along the strip every 20–30 min, useful with small children. Buses south to Tučepi and Podgora run every 30–60 min and take about 30 min; buses north to Split take 1 h 30 min–2 h. Local taxis are small one- or two-car operators, so book ahead at night. A car is only worth it for Biokovo and the Riviera villages.
See and do
Known for
- Makarska Riviera beaches
- Biokovo Nature Park and Sveti Jure
- Old town and harbour
- Ferry to Sumartin on Brač
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Sumartin, Brač | Jadrolinija ferry from Makarska harbour, about 1 h, 4–5 sailings a day | About 1 h 15 min |
| Split | Promet bus along the coast road, every 30–60 min, 1 h 30 min–2 h | About 2 h |
| Dubrovnik | Bus, 3–4 h via Neum; or a guided excursion with hotel pickup | 3–4 h each way |
| Cetina river, Omiš | Car or tour, about 30 min | About 45 min |
| Kotišina and Biokovo | Car up Highway 512 from Šimići; park toll booth at the lane entrance | About 30 min to the booth |
Sleep
- Beach strip (Šetalište Dr Franje Tuđmana)
- Hotels and apartments one block from the water; no traffic on the strip itself. Best for swimming and families.
- Old town and harbour
- Alleys, bars and restaurants around the port; 5–10 min walk to the beach strip. Best for a short stay without a car.
- Tučepi and Podgora
- Smaller Riviera resorts 5–10 km south, 30 min by local bus; quieter and often cheaper in July–August.Smaller Riviera resorts 3.1–6.2 mi south, 30 min by local bus; quieter and often cheaper in July–August.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Dobar danDOH-bar dahn |
| Thank you | HvalaHVAH-lah |
| How much is it? | Koliko košta?KOH-lee-koh KOHSH-tah |
| The bill, please | Račun, molimRAH-choon MOH-leem |
| Can I pay by card? | Mogu li platiti karticom?MOH-goo lee PLAH-tee-tee KAR-tee-tsom |
| Where is the beach? | Gdje je plaža?gdyeh yeh PLAH-zhah |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and eye contact; 'dobar dan' in shops; avoid: Walking into a small shop without a greeting
- Café culture: Sit as long as you like over one coffee; avoid: Expecting the bill without asking
- Churches: Covered shoulders, quiet voices; avoid: Beachwear, flash photos during mass
- Conversation: Ask about food, sport, the islands; avoid: Comparing Croatia to Serbia or calling it 'Eastern Europe'
- Toasting: 'Živjeli' with eye contact; avoid: Looking away when glasses clink
Scams and watch-outs
- Beach chairs stacked on the shingle are not free: a collector may ask for payment with no posted price and no receipt. Agree the amount first or move to the open shingle.
- Biokovo's upper road needs a car with a strong low gear and a clear day; cloud can close the view completely. Check conditions before paying the park toll.
- Many restaurants and konobas take cash only; keep euros on you and use the exchange kiosks rather than ATMs if you want to avoid bank fees.
- The beach is shingle, not sand, and there are no tides. Water shoes help.
- On Biokovo trails stay on the path; the horned viper is the one snake to avoid.
Makarska is a safe, busy resort town; the real irritations are beach-chair collectors with no posted price, cash-only restaurants and summer crowds. Swim where others swim, and keep an eye on children near the scooters on the beach strip.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Makarska yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Makarska Riviera beaches
- Biokovo Nature Park and Sveti Jure
- Old town and harbour
- Ferry to Sumartin on Brač
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Makarska official town website: www.makarska.hr/
- Jadrolinija ferries: www.jadrolinija.hr/en/ferry-croatia/
- Wikivoyage: Makarska, revision 5322216 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5322216
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Makarska
Na ovu adresu, molim
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Makarska; most are in Zagreb, with consulates in Split. US citizens: US Embassy Zagreb (check the address).
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/makarska). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.