Exploring for Sveti Jure on 1,762 meters
- Written by Portal Editor
Today again, a fantastic morning at the campsite, clear blue skies, despite or perhaps because of the strong wind, here called Bura.
So we quickly changed for the windproof clothes, put on hiking shoes and we were ready to go, along the coast towards the Makarska, we decided for today.
Shortly after the town of Makarska we followed the country site road 512, which already indicates that it should go up high today.
Slightly above the village of Podgora, the 23-kilometer toll road to Sveti Jure starts.
The highest point of 1,762 meters above sea level is the Sveti Jure peak in Biokovo in Croatia.
There is road until the top, which can be used until a parking close to the top (next to St. George church) always passing the Biokovo Nature Park.
The Biokovo Nature Park was declared a Natural Park due to its unique geomorphology, its extraordinary biodiversity and its scenic natural beauty in 1981.
The Biokovo has all the typical Karst phenomena to offer - naturally formed hollows, caves, ice pits and deep holes. The deepest hole is the 788 meter deep Amfora, the fourth deepest cave in Croatia.
The Biokovo at first seems glance poor and barren, but it is home to numerous plant and animal species. In addition to jungle-like forests with oak, beech and fir trees and the Dalmatian black pine numerous plant species are found, including many endemic species.
A plurality of tracks refer to the lives of people in the mountains, as the archaeological remains, the small churches, chapels and pastoral districts.
The 23-kilometer road leads to the top of Biokovo, the St. Jure (St. George), which is also the highest paved road in Croatia apart from the hiking trails.
Very narrow and curvy the road is first passing a horse farm, which in addition to rides in the Natural Park also offers a delicious cuisine.
And the farther you go up, the more narrow and bendy the route is. Appearing vehicle from front must return to a possible pass-by corner, otherwise no passing is possible. Nothing for people with a fear of heights.
However, landscape and views are easy to describe as fantastic, no question about that. At the summit itself, there are some, however, tight parking spaces, which quickly overwhelm even experienced drivers.
Below the summit, which carries a 90-meter high TV tower, there is a chapel located, as one hardly ever finds a summit in Croatia, which does not have a chapel.
A small path around the TV tower leads to the chapel, however, it was closed.
Coordinates 43° 28′ 22″ N, 16° 56′ 19″ O
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