Biokovo Nature Park is the most dominating presence on the southern Dalmatian coast. Proclaimed a nature park in 1981, this mountain rampart towers a good 1500 meters over the Makarska Riviera and offers exceptional views over the sea and nearby islands. It is one of

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

's most popular destinations for

hikers Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Hist ...

with myriad paths that wind up the hills past olive groves, vineyards and pine forests. The

Biokovo Biokovo () is the second-highest mountain range in Croatia, located along the Dalmatian coast of the Adriatic Sea, between the rivers of Cetina and Neretva. It is sometimes referred to as Bijakovo, especially among inhabitants of the easte ...

massif that stretches 36 kilometers along the coast and nine kilometers inland drops down in a series of craggy limestone rocks and sheer cliffs interspersed with caves, pits and sinkholes. The most popular hiking and mountaineering destination is Vosac (1421 meters) which lies only 2.5 kilometers from Makarska. The Nature Park covers an area of 19,550 hectares and its highest point is Sveti Jure (1762 meters). Due to its relative isolation the nature park hosts many endemic plant species, for example Biokovo bellflower. Notable nature landmark Kotisina Botanical Garden is also in the region (located 3 kilometers from Makarska). Part of the

Zabiokovlje Biokovo () is the second-highest mountain range in Croatia, located along the Dalmatian coast of the Adriatic Sea, between the rivers of Cetina and Neretva. It is sometimes referred to as Bijakovo, especially among inhabitants of the easte ...

is in the Biokovo Nature Park.

Geology

At the end of the Cretaceous era, about 65 million years ago, the

African plate The African Plate is a major tectonic plate that includes much of the continent of Africa (except for its easternmost part) and the adjacent oceanic crust to the west and south. It is bounded by the North American Plate and South American Plate ...

began colliding with the Eurasian plate. The narrowing of the ocean caused strong tectonic disturbances, making the horizontal layers crinkle, break and emerge above the sea surface, forming mountain ranges like the Alps and the Dinarides, which Biokovo belongs to. In this way the ancient ocean Tethys has largely disappeared and its remains is today's

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ...

. The material in the lower parts towards the sea and on the opposite Zagorje side is mainly made up of Eocene Flysch sediments while the higher parts are shaped into carbonate sedimentary rocks.

Vegetation

The vegetation in the Biokovo Nature Park is diverse and rich as it is a mixture of the oldest Mediterranean, Boreal and Central newer floral elements. For example, drypis spinosa, moltkia petraea,

salvia officinalis ''Salvia officinalis'', the common sage or just sage, is a perennial, evergreen subshrub, with woody stems, grayish leaves, and blue to purplish flowers. It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae and native to the Mediterranean region, tho ...

lilium martagon ''Lilium martagon'', the martagon lily or Turk's cap lily, is a Eurasian species of lily. It has a widespread native region extending from Portugal east through Europe and Asia as far east as Mongolia. Description It is stem-rooting, growing be ...

, campanula portenschlagiana, edraianthus pumilio, various pines ( Dalmatian black pine, Aleppo pine)

References

{{Coord, 43.33, 17.06, type:landmark_region:HR_dim:50000, display=title Nature parks of Croatia Protected areas of Split-Dalmatia County