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Omiš

Omiš stands at the foot of surrounding mountains between the sea and an emerald green river. Omiš is a great destination for beach holidays and active holidays alike. The town contains various types of beaches, shallow ones included – with an alternative to suit everyone's taste to be found.

The Cetina River, flowing both slowly and heavily at times, is a popular destination for active holidaymakers. The area attracts visitors from nearby areas and even from Split to enjoy sporty activities ranging from kayaking and rafting to zip lining over the canyon.

Omiš, Croatia
Omiš and the main beach are shown in the foreground and the village of Dúce in the background.

Where to stay in Omiš

Omiš is a small town that really stands out on the map. There's a beach at the tip of the peninsula between the river and the sea. The old town is situated on the inland side of the main road passing through Omiš, at the foot of a mountain. These together constitute the center of Omiš, which is a comfortable place to stay, since everything is within walking distance – especially the restaurants and the main beach.

The old town itself is a small but cozy area, consisting of one main street and smaller alleys that are located between the main road passing through Omiš and the main street of the old town. The entire old town is a car-free area.

Omiš old town
There are cozy restaurants on the streets of the old town.

Southwards from the center, there’s a long stretch of light-colored pebble beaches and a few grocery stores, but very few other services besides beach bars. It is worth noting that south of the center, the ground tilts sharply uphill right from the beach, and most of the holiday apartments are located on the side of the adjacent mountain.

The best shopping opportunities are to be found to the north and west of the center and the river. The beaches in Duće with finer sand are also closer if you accommodate north of the river. Here, too, there are differences in altitude if you're accommodating far from the beach. Near the main road, the ground is flat.

Video of Omiš from October 2021

Things to do in Omiš

Cetina River Omis

Cetina River and its surroundings

You can rent a boat or take part in a river cruise. There’s a restaurant by the river before the canyon and the rapids, which is usually also the turning point on the cruises.

Activities at the river and the surroundings include:

  • Rafting
  • SUP-boarding
  • Kayaking
  • Canyoning
  • Ziplining above a canyon
  • Hiking

Other activities in Omiš include mountain climbing, snorkeling, jet skiing, etc. Links to several companies arranging activities can be found at visitomis.hr.

Fortress Mirabella

Mirabella is a small fortress at a mountain, rather a short uphill walk away from the Old Town. The route begins at the street Jurja Šubića. The fortress is small, but it offers a great view over Omiš.

The fortress is open for visiting during the opening hours from morning to evening. The ticket office (the cost is 20 kunas from adults in 2021) is situated just before the fortress. The ascent to the ticket office is easy, but to get all the way up to the tower, you have to climb stairs that are steep at times. However, you may not even want to go all the way to the tower equipped with windows, since you can see Omiš and the Cetina river better from a bit lower down.

Fortress Mirabella
Fortress Mirabella in the background

Fortress Starigrad (Fortica)

Fortress Starigrad in Omiš, Croatia

The much larger fortress Starigrad was once built for the safety of the residents against the attacks by the Ottomans. It is located at the highest point of Omiš, but the long and steep walk required to get there is worth the effort. From the top, there's a great view of the beaches, the river and the opposing mountains, and the fortress itself is well preserved, too.

The easiest walking route up begins near the port, at the start of the Put Borka street. It's marked in Google Maps as a thinner road, but it's really just a small path made of sand and stone. The climb can be partially avoided by taking a taxi to a curve named as "Omiš Fortnica entry" in Google Maps. However, there is still a rather steep and, in some places, difficult twenty-minute-ascent to the top.

The entrance fee to the fortress was 20 kunas in 2021. The fortress is likely to have at least water bottles for sale, but bring along your own lunch, nonetheless.

Island trips

The Croatian coast is famous for its many islands and crystal-clear waters. The alternatives include renting your own boat or participating in a speedboat trip.

The port of Omiš is located right next to the main beach. Of the famous islands, Brač is situated in front of Omiš a few kilometers away, and Hvar is just behind it. Other popular destinations include the Blue Cave on the island of Biševo and the Blue Lagoon near the island of Drvenik Veli.

Beaches in Omiš

The beaches in Omiš can be divided into three parts: the main beach in the center, the beaches in southern Omiš, and the beaches in Duće to the west. The photos were taken in early October (2021), when the busiest summertime was over.

1. The main beach

Omiš beach

The main beach consists of coarse and quite hard sand. It is located in the center of Omiš at the tip of the peninsula. The sea bottom is medium low, meaning that it is suitable for even small children. However, you can't walk very far before the water gets deep.

The beach is a few hundred meters long and quite wide, so there is enough room for everyone. The beach has all the necessary services, and the restaurants of the center are nearby.

2. The gravel beaches in the south

If you walk about a kilometer southward from the center past the boat docks, you'll reach another long shoreline with several light-colored pebble/gravel beaches in a row. Behind them, there are several bars and restaurants, as well as a walking/cycling path. Along the way, there are showers, facilities for changing clothes and water sport possibilities available, so you'll have no trouble spending an entire day there.

Omiš gravel beach

As is typical to gravel beaches, the water gets deep quickly. Therefore, the southern beaches are not well suited for families with children.

3. Sandy beaches of Duće

If you're staying in the northern parts of Omiš and prefer sandy beaches, there are several of them in the Duće village, west of Omiš. The roughness of the sand varies from fairly coarse to fine.

Duće sandy beach in Croatia

Following the beaches, there's a promenade with everything you need: restaurants, cafes, showers, and shelters for changing clothes. The largest beach in Duće is just over a kilometer away from the Omiš Bridge. While it is the largest in size, the sand is coarser and the bottom deepens faster compared to the adjacent smaller beaches, which consist of finer sand and a more shallow sea bottom.

Restaurants

In Omiš, the restaurants are concentrated almost exclusively in the old town, i.e. within a small area between the main road, Fošal ulica, and the adjacent mountain.

While grilled meat and fish as well as pizzas are served in many restaurants, fine dining is more rare. Seafood is well-represented in the menus, of course. Restaurant prices are lower than in, for instance, Split.

Read more about Dalmatian food in the food section of Split.

Seafood pasta
Seafood is widely available in restaurant menus.

Shopping

Omiš is not much of a shopping town, but the things you need during your holiday can be easily found north of the river. The old town consists mainly of restaurants and grocery stores.

After the bridge, the main road continues northwards/westwards along the coast under the name Vukovarska ulica. There are some shops, a bus station, and two very small shopping malls along the road. The nearest shopping center is located just a few hundred meters away from the bridge, and in addition to a grocery store, it contains a versatile Müller retails store. The distance to a slightly larger shopping center is about 800 meters from the bridge.

Shopping center in Omiš
The larger mall contains a few shops and a café.

Prices in Omis

Below, there are some examples of hotel and restaurant prices. Omiš is a much cheaper destination compared to, e.g., Split, with prices closer to typical price levels in Croatia.

Product

Pizza in restaurant

33 cl beer in restaurant

Hotel room, 3-4* (April)

Hotel room, 3-4* (July)

Price

€9-11

€3

€82

€101

From the airport to Omiš

Omiš is located 44 kilometers away from Split Airport. There aren’t any direct bus connections available, and the bus has to be changed in Split.

The easiest way to travel is to take the airport bus to the main bus station in Split, and to continue with the first bus heading to Omiš. Line 60 operates between Split to Omiš with frequent departures, at least during the day. In addition, almost all buses heading south drive through Omiš, and so line 60 is not the only option.

The easiest way to buy tickets is directly from the driver, which means that you can take the first bus that arrives. In 2021, the price was 17 kunas, a little over 2 euros.

Private companies and taxis also drive directly from the airport to Omiš. There are no railway connections.

Weather

Cetina River Omis Croatia
Cetina River

Winter: In the winter, there’s a typical Mediterranean winter weather in Omiš. Along with the mild temperatures, there’s high humidity and frequent rain. The average daily high temperatures usually vary between 8-15 °C. At night, sub-zero temperatures are possible but unlikely. Extremely strong Bora winds can sometimes hit Omiš in the winter.

Spring: Spring is a great time to visit Omiš. Bear in mind, however, that the water is still cold and may spoil the fun, if you’re a keen swimmer. The daily high temperatures surpass 20°C early in the spring, but the evenings aren’t that warm and there’s often a cold wind blowing. Therefore, it’s best to have a coat with you. May is already a very warm month with temperatures going constantly over 20°C and closing in on 30°C. It rains less in spring compared with winter and autumn months.

Summer: From June to August the sunshine is pretty much guaranteed. It really gets hot in Omiš, as the temperatures climb to 30 °C and above.

Autumn: September is still a warm month with frequent beach weather. The temperature in September stays well above 20 °C and at night around 20 °C, but the total rainfall is higher in comparison to August. In mid-October, the weather cools down to under 20 °C, and it rains more often. October, November and December are the rainiest months of the year.

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Text, photos and video: Jussi Ryynänen
Music of the video: Summer Nights / The 126ers – Audio Library, Youtube

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