Tradition&Heritage
There’s a particular feeling that comes with catching sight of a stone bell tower over the rooftops as you round another bend on the coast — half recognition, half relief. You’re on the Makarska Riviera, and this is exactly how the coastline has always confirmed that to people passing through. If you are looking for the most authentic things to do Makarska Riviera has to offer, long before the Jadranska magistrala (Adriatic Highway) was carved into the cliffs, these prominent church towers were the ultimate landmarks guiding travelers through Central Dalmatia.
How early sailors navigated the Makarska Riviera
Early mariners didn’t rely on stars or compasses alone. Long before modern charts, they routinely navigated the Adriatic by lining up the silhouettes of these coastal stone towers with the massive peaks of the Biokovo mountain rising directly behind them.
Back then, the entire coastline was shaped around these spiritual and practical beacons. Beaches, car parks, and scenic viewpoints came much later; what truly mattered to the community was the parish, the monastery, and the heavy swing of a bell whose sound reached all the way to the sea.
It is no accident that Baška Voda greets you from the open sea with the Church of St. Nicholas in full view. This layout carries a deep maritime meaning, as St. Nicholas has been revered for centuries as the patron saint of sailors.
When the highway was finally cut into the rugged cliffs beneath Biokovo, linking destinations like Brela, Baška Voda, Makarska, Tučepi, Podgora, Igrane, and Živogošće down toward Drvenik and Gradac, it simply followed a historical logic. The road connected the places that had always mattered—and those places were almost always marked by a soaring stone tower. Every church along the highway carries a piece of Dalmatian heritage that the asphalt never explains; you have to stop and step off the beaten path to truly hear it.
The stories behind the Riviera’s historic churches and monasteries
Standing under one of these towers with sunscreen on your hands, waiting for the ferry from Makarska to Brač or Drvenik to Hvar, it is easy to look at them as just quiet places of worship. But for centuries, these stone sanctuaries were the closest thing this coast had to a university. The Franciscan friars who built and maintained them acted as the region’s first professors, doctors, and librarians.
Museums and libraries, the rich cultural heritage of the Makarska Riviera
In the heart of Makarska, the Franciscan Monastery library preserves a rare collection of around 5,000 historic books and 24 valuable incunabula. Alongside these volumes, it historically hosted a school of philosophy and theology that trained scholars from all over the region, making it a foundational pillar of Dalmatian history.
If you are traveling along the coast, looking for the best places to visit between Split and Dubrovnik, the Makarska Riviera is far more than just a scenic drive – it is a cultural crossroads. For those on a pilgrimage to nearby Međugorje or exploring the religious tourism sites of Dalmatia, stopping at the peaceful Vepric Shrine – a sanctuary modeled after Lourdes right at the entrance to Makarska – offers a profound moment of reflection.
Top historic things to do Makarska Riviera style
If you are wondering about the best things to do on the Makarska Riviera when you need a break from the sun, the answer lies in leaving your beach towel behind for an hour or two.
Discovering these hidden sanctuaries is one of the most rewarding things to do Makarska Riviera has to offer when you need a break from the sun. This history does not announce itself from the main road; finding it requires a small effort—like leaving your beach towel behind for an hour to follow the winding trail up into Old Podgora. There, the 17th-century Church of Sv. Roko sits quietly above the old rooftops, carrying stories of times long past. Other paths climb steeply from the coast into the beautifully preserved, abandoned stone hamlets high above Tučepi, built centuries before anyone envisioned modern tourism.
Whether it is a short hike, a slow bike ride along the old inland roads, or a morning run up from the water while the coast is still cool—these activities mimic the exact instincts that pilgrims and villagers followed for generations. It is the act of moving toward the tower on purpose, rather than just catching a fleeting glance from a passing car.
A Thought to Carry With You:
„Oculis, mente, corde per visibilia ad invisibilia.”
(„With eyes, mind, and heart — through the visible to the invisible.”)
— Dr. fra Jure Radić
So the next time a stone silhouette appears above the rooftops, close to a pebble beach, or across the blue water from a boat on the Adriatic—and something inside you recognizes it—trust that feeling. You are on the Makarska Riviera, and there is almost always a deeper story to the place than the silhouette lets on.
Dive deeper into the monasteries of the Makarska Riviera and uncover the treasures and secrets they hold. Learn more at the link.
For more details on these bell towers, their history, visiting options, and Mass schedules, visit the official websites of the local tourist boards.
