Šestanovac – Trails, Karst Landscape and History

If you are considering Šestanovac for a trip focused on hiking and culture, you will find a range of places to explore here. Five themed hiking trails run through the Šestanovac area. They include routes through a canyon, past the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to Mandušića Tower and along the Roman road. Depending on the route, the focus is therefore on the landscape or on individual cultural sites.

Landscape and Themed Trails

Karst fields, rugged ridges and plateaus define the area. At the same time, fertile fields lie along the left bank of the Cetina. To the south, the area is bounded by Cetina Canyon; to the southeast, by Biokovo and nearby hills. These contrasts give the hiking trails different landscape settings.

A deep section of Cetina Canyon runs through Šestanovac. A 5.8-kilometre stretch of the canyon in Šestanovac is designated as a protected landscape. The Cetina is also associated with water activities: rafting, canoeing and fishing are among the possibilities. Check what is currently available locally before your trip.

Churches, Archaeological Sites and History

A Bronze Age hillfort stands on Bobovac Hill in Šestanovac. The churches in the area also connect different historical layers. The Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Katuni-Kreševo was rebuilt in 1722 on the site of an early Christian and medieval church. In Grabovac, the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary stands beside the old Napoleon Road, which connected Split with Vrgorac. It was built around 1722 on a medieval cemetery.

Velika Peć Cave is a protected cultural asset on the northern slope of the Sridnja mountain range, southeast of the village of Grabovac. The site contains traces of human activity dating from the Neolithic to the Middle Ages. Access is through a steep, oval opening; check before visiting whether access is currently possible.

In the wider destination of Općina Šestanovac

Mandušića Tower is in Katuni, in the northern part of the hamlet of Mandušići. The fortified stone house, dating from the 15th century, served to defend a settlement. On the Vlake plateau in Katuni, the remains of a junction between two Roman roads have been preserved. The wheel ruts cut into the stone are about 1.4 metres apart. The site is significant for understanding ancient transport infrastructure in the Dalmatian hinterland.

Olives and Regional Cuisine

A scientific field study from 2021 reports that visitors to the Jurin dvor olive farm can take part in the olive harvest and olive oil production. Check before your trip whether participation is currently possible.

Lamb cooked on a spit is prepared in Šestanovac using a traditional recipe; roast lamb made according to an old recipe is considered a speciality of the Dalmatian Zagora. Homemade bread baked over an open hearth is also considered an important gastronomic hallmark of Šestanovac.

Discover more destinations: Žeževica, Katuni, Kreševo.

View the wider travel overview: Općina Šestanovac.