Municipality of Podgora: Coast, Biokovo and cultural heritage

The Municipality of Podgora lies at the foot of the Biokovo Mountains and extends partly along the Makarska Coast. The mountains and coast give the municipality two distinct landscapes. When planning your stay, it is worth deciding in advance whether beaches, hiking or cultural sites will be your main focus: each place and activity offers something different.

Coast and outdoor activities

Pine trees provide shade at Plišivac Beach. Klokun is a natural beach between the coves of Čaklje and Drašnice. Garma is a pebble beach associated with naturism. Živogošće has small pebble beaches with a total length of six kilometres. Beach types and surroundings therefore vary within the municipality: the options range from pine shade and a natural beach to pebble beaches and a beach associated with naturism.

Biokovo Nature Park spans seven municipalities, including Podgora. The Podgora/Srida sela – Vrutak – Staza – Podgogovik hiking trail is rated easy; the ascent is listed as taking 2 hours and 30 minutes. The nature park can be reached by car, minibus, motorcycle, bicycle or on foot. Check the latest access information before planning your visit. This lets you take the stated trail and ascent time into account without applying them to other routes.

Another outdoor activity option is the Drašnica climbing area above the village of Podgora. It is intended for free climbing; the rock slabs require precision and endurance. Hiking and climbing thus differ not only in the activity itself, but also in the requirements described for each.

Traces of history and faith

The Galebova krila monument stands above Gornja Podgora. It was erected in 1962 to commemorate the Partisan Navy, founded in Podgora 20 years earlier. Also above Podgora is the prehistoric site of Troje gomile: its four burial mounds also served as observation posts. The two places offer different historical perspectives, from commemorating the navy to a prehistoric site with a former observation function.

In Podgora, the Baroque church of Sv. Tekle was built in 1626 on the cape of the same name. The Ijak chapel lighthouse on Cape Ijak formerly served as a lighthouse. The Chapel of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is considered a well-preserved religious building and combines Venetian Baroque with local influences. The church of Svih Svetih contains an altar with relics of Saint Vincent, the patron saint of the municipality. The Roščića Tower was part of a defensive system built in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Igrane and Drašnice are also home to protected cultural heritage sites. A municipal overview from 2025 lists Zalina kula in Igrane as a cultural heritage site from the 17th century and Crkva sv. Mihovila as one from the 11th to 12th centuries. For Crkva sv. Stjepana in Drašnice, it gives a date in the 17th to 18th centuries and also lists protected status. As legal status can change, check the latest information if needed.

In Živogošće, the Licinianus epigram, dated 474, is carved into a rock above the Pokrivenice spring. The Franciscan monastery was founded in 1616 and became a centre of spiritual life and education, with an extensive library and valuable works of art. A solemn Mass in honour of Saint Vincent is associated in Podgora with the first Sunday after 15 August; check the date before your trip.

Plan your stay around your interests

The range of themes can help guide your hotel search. Once you know the focus of your trip, you can consider the beaches, hiking or climbing options, and cultural sites that matter to you. Then compare the locations of the hotels against your own plans for what to visit. Discover more destinations: Igrane, Gornje Igrane, Drašnice, Podgora, Živogošće, Municipality of Podstrana, Municipality of Sinj, Trogir.

For the broader travel overview: Split-Dalmatia.