Sumartin: Coast and Culture

Sumartin combines several beaches with hiking trails through old olive groves and vineyards, as well as a rich cultural history. When planning your trip, it is worth considering the different characteristics of the beaches and the historical sites separately.

Getting to Sumartin and Its Beaches

The ferry crossing between Sumartin and Makarska takes about 60 minutes. The duration may vary slightly depending on operating conditions; check the timetable in advance if you are including the crossing in your plans.

The beaches differ in their surfaces and locations. Riva Beach is centrally located in Sumartin and is a pebble beach with shallow, calm water. Restaurants and children’s playgrounds are nearby; amenities in the surrounding area may change. Baywatch Beach is also a pebble beach and is suitable for families with children.

Jezero Beach has a mix of pebbles and rocks. Trees provide natural shade there, and there is also a shower. Facilities may vary seasonally. Lučica Beach is surrounded by pine forest and is about a ten-minute walk from the town center. Walking time may vary depending on the route and conditions. In direct comparison, Riva and Baywatch are pebble beaches, while Jezero has a mix of pebbles and rocks. The sea, shade, and location also differ from beach to beach; conditions and facilities may vary seasonally.

Monastery, Church, and Remembrance

The Franciscan monastery and the adjacent church form a cultural complex in Sumartin. The monastery preserves Baroque paintings, an extensive library, and an archive dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. Its holdings include registers written in Bosančica. The present-day church was built between 1911 and 1913.

Another part of the town’s history is the house where Mario Puratić, a fisherman and inventor born in Sumartin, was born. It is associated with the Puretic Power Block, an invention for hauling in fishing nets, and holds significance in the town’s collective memory.

The Lučica Sanctuary is located in a natural sea cave in Lučica Bay, near Sumartin. Lučica Cave is a small coastal shrine between Sumartin and Selca and now serves as a small chapel. During the fighting of the Second World War, it offered shelter to residents of Sumartin. Its religious and historical significance is intertwined with its unique setting in a natural cave.

Hiking Trails and the Via Brattia

Hiking trails in Sumartin pass through old olive groves and vineyards. A coastal route passes several bays and leads to the semi-abandoned settlement of Rasotica. The Via Brattia also runs through Sumartin. Trail conditions and signage should be checked locally.

In the broader destination of Općina Selca, there are other cultural landmarks located in Selca. The Church of Christ the King houses a statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, created by Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović. Selca’s first parish church was the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. It was built in the 18th century in the lower part of the town square.

Selca’s town square is also home to a poets’ wall with stone plaques honoring poets who receive an award at the annual poetry evening “Ča, kaj, što.” The linguistic and literary event Croatia rediviva Ča-kaj-što has been held in Selca since 1991 and is based on the principle of the tripartite nature and unifying power of the Croatian language. The world’s first monument dedicated to Leo Tolstoy was also erected in Selca, immediately after his death.

Within the broader destination of Općina Selca, the Via Brattia gives hiking a wider regional context: it is a 140-kilometer circular hiking trail that passes through Sumartin and Povlja and connects numerous settlements on the island of Brač with twelve particularly attractive cultural and historical sites. The route thus brings together specific trail sections and historical themes.

Discover more destinations: Selca, Povlja.

Back to the main travel overview: Općina Selca.