Omis - Croatian destination for family vacation

Omis - Croatian destination for family vacation

The picturesque town of Omis is situated at the mouth of the Cetina river southeast of the Split. Old fortified town, built originally at the foot of the rugged and steep cliffs of the western range of the Dinara mountain is surrounded by small fishing villages with beautiful beaches. In the 13th and 14th century Omis was home of pirates (Omiski gusari), who used there fast boats Sagittae (The Arrow) to attach trade ships at the mouth of the River. The Omis pirates were for centuries, a terror for Venetians ships. They were extremely dangerous, especially under rule of powerful Omis rulers – Kacic dukes. In that time, Omis was known as dangerous nest of the pirates, as Saracens were on Mediterranean Sea or Tatars on Black Sea. The Republic of Venice and the Pope tried to put an end to the Omis pirates by sending the crusaders, defeated by the Pirates the very first time, but in a second attempt they managed to put an end to the Pirate of Omis. Today Omis is a very popular tourist destination. In this very small area it is possible to see many cultural and historical sites and experience some of the most avanturistic sports.

How to reach Omis?

The closest airport is Split, situated in Kastela, 41 kilometers from Omis. You can take the shuttle bus from the airport to the central bus station in Split, from which there are regular departures to Omis every half an hour or less. Other way is to take direct private transfer to Omis or to rent a car.

If you are arriving by car to your villa in Omis that you booked with the HomeRent agency, you’ll probably spend at least a part of your journey on the A-1 highway, from which you can choose any of the 2 exits that will take you to the centre of Omis in no more than half an hour - exit Dugopolje or exit Blato na Cetini. Alternatively, if you are traveling from the south along the A1 highway, take the Sestanovac exit.

What to do and see?

The fortress Mirabella, a 13th century fortress situated behind the old town, you reach by following stairs next to the St. Michael church in the center of the old town and once you are at the top you get a perfect view on Omis. The Fortress Starigrad (Fortica), if you are up for a really special experience, you should visit the 15th century fortress Starigrad, but for this you would have to climb, as the fortress is situated at the peak of the mountain behind the old town. The climb takes about 1 hour, so you need to be in good physical condition, but it is worth the effort! Magnificent view of sea, Cetina river and mountain will leave you breathless. The old town of Omis host a number of old churches and an old Franciscan Monastery, which has an art collection a library with old Turkish documents. For those who like active holidays, Omis is the right destination - rafting on the Cetina river, free climbing, paragliding, scuba diving, sailing, beach volleyball, tennis, etc. One of the most popular activities is rafting at Cetina River. These tours can be booked either on site or online. In addition, canoeing and kayaking in the beautiful river area are highly recommended. Along the Cetina River, about 6 kilometers from Omis, are the Radman Mills (Radmanove Mlinice). These historic mills are from the 17th and 18th centuries and today they house a restaurant, a playground, canoes, mini-golf and much more. If doing a boat trip, or also if you go by car, then you should definitely plan a cozy break here. For those looking for more thrills, try the Omis Zipline. On a total length of almost 2 kilometers, you will fly with a speed of up to 65 km / h through the Cetina canyon. Another amazing place to visit in Omis is a visit to the vantage point at the Ivan Meštrović statue. It is located about 5 kilometers from the center and can be easily reached on a serpentine road by car. From the top you have a spectacular view of the Omis Canyon, the mountains in the background and even to a waterfall. The entire panorama is indescribably beautiful, and so the view from the statue is an absolute highlight for any trip to Omis. The ancient Roman cities of Split and Salona are just half an hour’s drive from Omis, and the beautiful central Dalmatian islands are one boat trip away! Significant cultural events are the Omis Summer Festival, the Dalmatian A’Cappella Festival, pirate evenings and other festivals. In the main season, there is always something happening in and around the old town, one of the highlights is the Klapa Festival (a capella singing), which takes place in churches and on squares in the old town. During the summer a number of events related to the Pirate history takes places and there is a weekly pirate night, where guest can join an evening in company with the fearful Omis Pirates. The culmination of the Pirate activities is in August, where you have a Pirate weekend and a Pirate night, on this occasion there is a pirate triathlon, a naval battle where the Pirates attack a Venetian trade ship, and lots of other activities. When you wish to enjoy sun and sea then visit some beautiful beaches around Omis. Velika Plaza (Big Beach), this 700 meter long sand beach is situated in the very centre of Omis, this beach is excellent place for families with children. On the Beach there is a playground and activities like volleyball, football and windsurfing. Another beautiful beach just 15 minutes’ walk from Omis old town is the beach Brzet. Here you bathe on a pebble beach with crystal clear sea. In addition, you can enjoy a view of the karst mountains while on the beache you can find lots of shade from the pine trees. If you are looking for sandy beaches, Omis Riviera is the right place. One of the most known sandy beach is placed in the village of Duce, a small seaside resort. Duce is located on the Omis Riviera and is immediately the neighbor town of Omis city. There is several wonderful bays with sandy beaches. Really beautiful is the beach Galeb from the same named Camp Galeb, but also the beach Duce at the cool Shooko Beach Bar is highly recommended.

Gastronomy

Due to its specific location Omis has for centuries also been a melting pot of different gastronomic influences. Good wine, fish and olive oil make the basis of Mediterranean cuisine dominant along the coast, whereas the villages of Poljica in the town’s hinterland offer famous specialties such as soparnik and Dalmatian prosciutto. Throughout the centuries local fishermen and farmworkers ended their evenings with song in old Dalmatian taverns (Croat. konoba) , and, interestingly enough, the first and oldest one among such taverns was opened precisely in Omis. Today there are dozens of taverns and restaurants in the area of Omis where you can get a taste of the diverse local cuisine.

Local specialties you should by no means miss while on vacation in Omis are definitely the Poljica soparnik, Dalmatian prosciutto, grilled fish and traditional Dalmatian peka (usually veal, seafood or chicken roasted to perfection under an iron lid). Each of these dishes represents a special culinary delight, and the fact that soparnik is today one of the rare dishes included on the official list of Croatian Intangible Cultural Heritage speaks best to the quality of the local cuisine of Omis.

Omis is great small town for peaceful and relaxing holidays on the Adriatic coast. Offering all in one place, it is destiantion for itself as well as perfect trip option! You can of course find accommodation in Omis on our website HomeRent and choose one of the holiday villas in Omis. If you have chosen holiday villas in Split or holiday villas in Makarska Riviera as your destination, definitely come and visit Omis.