If you spend enough time in Split, eventually the surrounding mountains will start calling you to explore, and rightfully so…
Two weeks into our stay in the stunning seaside town, we met up with our local friend, Srđan, eager to retreat to the rugged mountains that so dramatically frame the metropolitan area around Croatia’s second-largest city.
On a sun-drenched Saturday morning, we piled into Srđan’s car, rolling partway up the mountain, Mosor, which forms part of Southern Europe’s Dinaric Alps.
Parking at a spot that hinted at the extraordinary views ahead, we began our ascent on the rocky pathway. We occasionally bumped into other hikers, but the gentle climb was mostly quiet, allowing us to catch up with our friend, who is a wine connoisseur and owner of a popular wine & culinary tour business.
During one break from the ascent, we heard a choir of church bells tolling on the hour. We were fascinated to learn that they had originated from the island of Brač. It was incredible that the sound had clearly carried in such a dramatic fashion!
After winding along Mosor’s rocky paths, which were studded with flora featuring myriad textures and green hues, we eventually found our way into what Srđan had dubbed, “the Enchanted Forest.”
We stopped at the Umberto Girometta mountain lodge, after being greeted by a lovable donkey with wooly hair. Chilled by the refreshing but cool air, we downed a cup of steaming tea infused with fresh mountain herbs. At times, the donkey ambled over to our picnic table to say hi. He looked as though he’d just stepped out of the pages of a glossy Visit Croatia brochure.
As morning gave way to afternoon, more hikers arrived. We grabbed a table before the lodge became too packed and stuffed ourselves with hearty traditional food alongside a green ceramic, wood-burning stove. After hiking in the crisp air, sauerkraut had never tasted so good. Shawn and Srđan feasted upon fažol, a bean stew that’s popular in this part of Croatia.
After lunch, we explored a marshy area around the lodge, strolling past a fiery-orange butterfly catching some rays on a boulder, and a pond inhabited by tadpoles. Before the winter sun began her slumber, we started our descent and ultimately returned to civilization.
Planning Pointers:
- Lucky to have a friend to guide us, getting from Split to Mosor was a breeze. If you’re making the visit independently, see this website for more practical information about hiking and climbing to the top of Mosor.
- If you’ll be staying in Split for a few days, you might be interested in the Split Card, which gives you free entry to certain museums and galleries, and reduced rates to others.
- Need more inspiration? This link contains an index of all my posts from Croatia.
Accommodation in the Split Area:
Shawn and I have spent a total of five winters and one summer in and around the city of Split, using it as a base to explore Croatia’s popular Central Dalmatia region. We’ve made it a habit to create new memories by staying in a different property each year. Over the years, we’ve had long-term stays in Split, Trogir, Solin, and Makarska. We would happily revisit all of the following apartments. (Please note that some are affiliate links.)
- Kaleta Apartments (Split) – These lovely apartments are located within Diocletian’s Palace (well, technically just a few meters from the Iron Gate). Our elegant studio apartment, called the “Diocletian’s Suite,” had lots of character — including Roman brickwork embedded into the wall. We had overhead views of life on Split’s Old Town streets, and we enjoyed chatting with the friendly owners, Novica and Negri. We spent about 2.5 months here.
- Guesthouse F (Split) – This cozy studio apartment is located in Split’s Varoš neighborhood, just a few minutes’ walk from Diocletian’s Palace. With its quirky narrow streets and stone homes decorated with hunter-green shutters and flower boxes, Varoš is charming. One of Guesthouse F’s apartments was originally a horseshoe maker’s workshop, owned by Anja’s grandfather. Shawn and I dubbed it the “horseshoe cottage.” Aside from our central location, we loved having a tiny terrace. We also appreciated the kindness of our hosts, Anja and Miro. In total, we spent about 2 months here.
- Viola Apartment (Split) – We spent roughly 3 months in this wonderful 2-bedroom apartment, which is also in the Varoš neighborhood of Split. The apartment also has a lovely sun porch and garden. It is in an old stone home, but the interior has recently been remodeled. We were in a perfect location for accessing Diocletian’s Palace and Marjan Forest Park, too. On foot, it takes about six minutes to reach Split’s most famous lookout point near the Caffe Bar Vidilica. The owner, Ljubica, lives upstairs. She is easygoing and helpful.
- Apartments Mirkec (Trogir) – We spent 7 wonderful weeks in this studio apartment, which is located in the heart of the town of Trogir. The apartment had good Wifi and a kitchen with all the basics. It was also perfectly situated in the heart of Trogir’s gorgeous Old Town, just a minute’s walk from the seaside walkway, the Riva. Trogir’s bus station was about a 5-minute walk from the Apartments Mirkec, making day trips using mass transportation easy. Note: As of 2025, I think this apartment has permanently closed. However, the owner’s popular restaurant (Pizzeria Mirkec), which is located underneath the apartment, is still cooking up delicious pizzas in their wood-fired pizza oven.
- Apartments Vesna (Makarska) – This 1-bedroom apartment was our home for about 12 months. The apartment is on the top floor and features skylights. A small balcony on the back of the apartment overlooks Makarska’s harbor — the views of Makarska’s dramatic mountains are wonderful! It takes about 8 minutes to reach Makarska’s bus station on foot. In a matter of minutes, you can also walk to Makarska’s Riva (seaside promenade), several grocery stores, restaurants, and cafés. The owners, Mise and Anna, are exceptionally friendly and helpful.
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Photography & text © Tricia A. Mitchell. All Rights Reserved.
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