Panoramas galore in Croatia, from mountainscapes to seascapes and everything in between. But the Biokovo Skywalk lookout is in a league of its own. This semicircular glass platform opened in 2020 and has since become one of Croatia’s top tourist attractions. It also put the Biokovo Nature Park on the map as a prime hiking destination.
A visit to this magnificent park makes for a wonderful addition to every Croatia itinerary. Here’s everything you need to know to plan your visit to the Biokovo Skywalk and Biokovo Nature Park Croatia.
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Note that Biokovo is a Nature Park and not a National Park. The Croatian Nature Protection Act uses the following definitions:
- Nature parks are partially cultivated areas with important ecological features in which certain economic activities are permitted.
- National Parks, such as Plitvice Lakes National Park and Krka National Park, cover extensive and unique areas with one or more preserved ecosystems. All economic use of natural resources is prohibited.
Where is Skywalk Biokovo located?
Skywalk Biokovo is one of the viewpoints in Biokovo Nature Park. This protected area is located along the Makarska Riviera in Dalmatia. The entrance to Nature Park Biokovo is located in the hinterland of a sleeping town called Podgora.
Split is the nearest city and has its own international airport. Reaching the Biokovo Skywalk from Split takes just over an hour. Thanks to its proximity, a visit to the Biokovo Nature Park makes for a wonderful day trip from Split. Find out where to stay in Split in our Split accommodation guide.
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Another option is to join this guided tour from Split to the Biokovo Skywalk or this safari buggy tour from Baška Voda.
Where to stay near Biokovo Nature Park?
The Makarska Riviera is a wonderful place to spend a few days. It’s also the perfect travel base to go island-hopping. There are plenty of boat trips from Makarska to the Dalmatian islands of Hvar and Brač. From the water, you can see the towering Biokovo mountain, part of the Dinaric Alps mountain range, shaping the skyline.
Several amazing hotels and luxury villas dot the towns just north of Podgora – Tučepi and Makarska. We spent our week-long stay in the luxurious and family-friendly Aminess Khalani Beach Hotel in Makarska.
Here are some other accommodation options that caught our eye:
Biokovo Skywalk tickets and opening times
The opening hours for the Biokovo Skywalk vary by season:
- April: 7 am to 7 pm (last entrance at 6 pm)
- May, June, July & August: 6 am to 8 pm (last entrance at 7 pm)
- September: 7 am to 7 pm (last entrance at 6 pm)
- October: 8 am to 6 pm (last entrance at 5 pm)
- November to March: closed
The Skywalk experience is included in the entrance fee to Biokovo Nature Park. Unless you plan on cycling your way up the mountain which is the cheaper option, the ticket price is €8 (about $8) per person over the age of 7.
Timestamped tickets can be purchased on the official website, which you can find by clicking here. Do note, however, that you can only buy tickets up to 5 days in advance.
It’s crucial to be at the main entrance about 15 minutes before the chosen time of your choice. A maximum of 20 cars is allowed to enter Biokovo Nature Park every hour on the hour. So, be sure to arrive on time. We happened to be 10 minutes late and were lucky that we were still allowed in.
Driving Biokovo Road to the Skywalk
Driving up the mountain to the Biokovo Skywalk and some other viewpoints is quite an adventure. It’s a narrow, winding, asphalted, one-lane road with steep drops and lots of switchbacks. Just some sections of the road are fenced by a guardrail.
Biokovo Road is 23 km (14 mi) long and driving to the highest peak takes about 1 hour. The Biokovo Skywalk is located just over halfway at about 13 km (8 mi) and can be reached after a half an hour’s drive.
On your way up, you’ll be dealing with descending traffic. Oh yes, things can get tricky at times but remember that ascending traffic has priority over descending traffic. Other hold-ups on mount Biokovo may be caused by cows or wild horses that roam the mountain.
The few traditional houses that dot the Biokovo mountain slopes once belonged to the cattle herders that once lived here. You might also spot two or three local honey vendors on your way up.
If you have the time to make another stop, then head to the Kotišina Botanical Garden for an introduction to the local biodiversity. This botanical garden was established by local Franciscan monk dr. Fra Jure Radić. It’s located at an altitude between 350 m (1148 ft) and 500 m (1640 ft). In addition to learning about the endangered plant species that exist in Biokovo Nature Park, you can also admire the onsite 17th-century cliff-perched fortification.
Biokovo Skywalk experience
Skywalk Biokovo is located in the Ravna Vlaška area, at an elevation of 1228 m (4029 ft), There’s ample parking across from the small visitor center equipped with restrooms.
The Biokovo Skywalk platform is located right behind the visitor center. It’s semicircular with a diameter of 8.5 m (27.9 ft) and extends about 11 m (36 ft) beyond the cliff’s edge. The glass plateau is 23 m (75.5 ft) long and 3 m (9.8 ft) wide.
Taking your first steps on the platform might feel a bit awkward but you’ll soon be distracted by the spectacular bird’s eye view of the Makarska Riviera, the wider Dalmatian coast, and the islands of Brač and Hvar.
It’s nice and cool on the platform thanks to the elevation and wind. This provided a welcome change from the summer heat.
In theory, a maximum of 30 visitors are allowed on the Biokovo Skywalk at all times and a visit is limited to 10 minutes but there seemed to be no supervision. When we noticed it started getting busier, we decided to step off the Skywalk platform.
For reference, we visited during high season at 4 pm and, as you can tell from the photos, it wasn’t too busy. We can only imagine how amazing the panoramic view must be at sunset! Then again, the prospect of having to descend the mountain at dusk felt a bit too daunting. So, the best time to visit largely depends on the risk you’re willing to take.
Before you return to the parking lot, have a look at the geological column which shows the rock formation that shapes Mount Biokovo.
After you visit the Biokovo Skywalk, you can decide to drive down the mountain to sea level or continue your way to the top.
Biokovo Nature Park viewpoints beyond the Biokovo Skywalk
Continue uphill on Biokovo Road to reach the next panorama.
At the junction, follow the road to Vošac until you reach the parking lot. From there, it’s a moderate 20-minute hike to the Vošac lookout point. A mountain lodge tops this peak at an elevation of 1422 m (4665 ft).
Be sure not to wander off-path. Biokovo Nature Park is home to vipers, lizards, wolves, and wild boars, after all.
Another 6 km (3.7 mi) uphill is where you’ll find the highest peak of Biokovo Nature Park. The Sveti Jure or St. George peak is located at an elevation of 1762 m (5780 ft) making it the third highest mountain peak in Croatia.
At the top, you’ll see a television tower as well as the stone Chruch of Sveti Jure. The building that you see now is quite recent but it was built on the ruins of a previous church estimated to date back to the 12th century.
Hiking trails to the Biokovo Skywalk
If visiting the Biokovo Skywalk by car is a bit too soft for you, then there’s another option. A more adventurous way to experience Biokovo Park, one that requires a good physical condition, is by hiking your way up the mountain.
The Heavenly Promenade trail runs from the village of Pašalići to the Biokovo Skywalk. And even the highest peak can be reached on foot, by following this strenuous trail that starts in the mountain town of Veliko Brdo.
Final thoughts
So, is Biokovo Skywalk worth it? It sure is and not just because of the Skywalk itself. The winding Biokovo road, the wild horses, the honey stalls, the scenic views over the Adriatic and the breathtaking landscape really add to the amazing experience. And the time slots and limited availability for road safety reasons keep the visit enjoyable.
If you’re vacationing in de wider Split area and you’re looking for a unique excursion, then the Biokovo Nature Park is definitely worth a visit.