How To Hike To The Starigrad Fortress In Omis
Hiking to the Starigrad Fortress is one of the best things you can do when visiting the beautiful coastal town of Omis in Croatia.
In this guide, we shall be focusing on one of these slightly easier ventures - the hike to the Starigrad Fortress in Omis.
Omis is a paradise for lovers of the outdoors with an abundance of outdoor activities on offer - ranging from the adrenaline-inducing Via-Ferratas and zip-lines to the slightly less strenuous hiking and kayaking options.
In particular, we shall provide you with a practical guide for hiking to the Starigrad Fortress in Omis.
As well as presenting you with some handy tips for doing the Starigrad Fortress Hike and giving you options for the best places to stay in Omis. We round the article off with our suggestions of the best things to do in Omis.
So, let’s dive into: How to hike to the Starigrad Fortress in Omis
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Starigrad Fortress Facts
15th Century Fortress located near Omis, in Dalmatia, Croatia
Starigrad Fortress was built during the Croatian-Ottoman Wars as part of the defence effort against the Ottoman Empire Forces
The Fortress sits on a 262m high ridge, high above the town of Omis
The walls of the Starigrad Fortress are made from locally-quarried limestone from the surrounding hills
Starigrad Fortress - Omis
Looking for a great day-trip from omis? Look no further than the Krka Waterfalls and Trogir Day-Trip - the tour takes you to the incredibly beautiful Krka National Park and gives you a glimpse of the quaint coastal town of Trogir.
How to hike to the Starigrad Fortress
As we have already mentioned, Omis is a playground for those who are looking for adventure activities to enjoy while in Croatia - making it one of the best places to visit in the Balkans.
While the majority of visitors to Omis focus on climbing, rafting, kayaking and zip-lining, this can very easily lead to an expensive getaway.
Hiking to the Starigrad Fortress is a great, free alternative to those more expensive ventures in Omis and can still provide you with an excellent activity to fill up some of your time in Omis.
The first thing to note about the Starigrad Fortress Hike in Omis is that there are 2 separate routes to take to the fortress itself - the Easy Route (1-1.5 hours one-way) and the Hard Route (30-45 minutes one-way).
Underneath, we have highlighted how to complete both hiking routes to the Starigrad Fortress and given our suggestions of which route to take up and down.
The 2 hiking routes to take to the Starigrad Fortress
Hiking to the Starigrad Fortress - The Easy Route
The easy hiking route to the Starigrad Fortress in Omis begins as you leave the old town of Omis, with well-marked brown signs to the fortress. The beginning of the trail takes you up through some of Omis’ residential streets, passing a number of beautiful Croatian houses with fantastic views of the Sea.
After about 20 minutes or so, you will see a sign pointing upwards towards some stone steps and this is where the main trail to the fortress begins.
From here, you are to follow the well-marked trail by using the red and white circular markers as your guide. You will pass through luscious scenery with fantastic views over the old town of Omis and out to the Sea.
The trail snakes its way up the hill through a lovely meadow full of trees and flowers before opening up to a relatively flat trail to the fortress.
The easy hiking route to the Starigrad Fortress in Omis isn’t particularly taxing and should take no longer than an hour if you like to hike at a brisk pace, or around 1.5 hours if you prefer to take things slower and enjoy the scenery.
Starigrad Fortress Hike (easy route)
Hiking to the Starigrad Fortress - The Hard Route
When hiking to the Starigrad Fortress in Omis, the alternative route is to take the steep gravel track up the hillside behind the fortress.
The trail begins at the parking lot, just after the tunnel that leads out of Omis. You will likely see several climbers behind the parking lot, as well as a slightly dilapidated basketball court.
Behind the court, you will see a large red sign saying ‘Starigrad’ and a smaller sign pointing to the trail's beginning.
As with the easy hiking route to the Starigrad Fortress, many red and white circular markers are lining the trail.
From the back of the car park, it is a relatively straightforward, if somewhat difficult, straight hike up through the pine forest. It takes around 30-45 minutes of steep hiking uphill before you exit the pine forest and are greeted by the fortress.
The steep terrain doesn’t really let up until you get to the Fortress itself, so take plenty of breaks on your way up while the pine forest shades you.
The hard hiking route up to the fortress begins from this abandoned shack
With both hiking routes, the ultimate aim is to make it to the Fortress itself. When you arrive, you can explore the ruins of the fortress and even climb a little wooden ladder inside the main tower to get to the very top - this is where you will find the best views.
From the Starigrad Fortress in Omis, you will be able to see the surrounding mountains, the Cetina Canyon, the Adriatic Sea, the Cetina River and the entire town of Omis. It really is a fantastic viewpoint!
Views from the Fortress in Omis
Tips for hiking to the Starigrad Fortress in Omis
Bring lots of water - regardless of whether you choose to take the easy or hard hiking route, you are going to need plenty of refreshments along the way, especially when hiking during the summer
Make sure to go to the bathroom before hiking - unfortunately, there are no public toilets along either hiking trail to the Starigrad fortress in Omis so you must make sure to go before you begin
Make sure to use sunscreen - mercifully, the harder hiking route up to the fortress is through a pine forest so at least it is shaded during the steeper ascent. Once you get to the top, however, there is very little shade and so sunscreen is very important. Similarly, the easier hiking route goes through the town before reaching the meadows on the outskirts of Omis so you are likely to need sunscreen for that route too.
The signs leading to the Starigrad Fortress
Take the hard route up and the easy route back down again - this is the way we hiked to the Satarigrad fortress and it was definitely the best way of doing it. Yes, the hike up is steep and tiring, but it only takes around 45 minutes, and then you’re at the top. If you take the easy route there and back, the hike is likely to take up the majority of the day and with so much else on offer in Omis, this seems a little bit of a waste.
We have read that during busier times, there is a man at the entrance to the fortress who requires you to pay 15KN (£1.60/$2.00) before entering. While this man wasn’t there while we hiked up to the fortress in April, we are reliably informed that he will be there to collect your entry fee during the summer months.
On a dry day, you can comfortably complete the hike in a sturdy pair of trainers/sneakers. On a wetter day, it is likely that you’re going to need proper hiking shoes.
The Starigrad Fortress Hike is a popular activity in Omis for tourists and locals, so try to begin your hike early in the morning to avoid the crowds.
Starigrad Fortress
Other great things to do in Omis
If you find yourself in Omis, you will want to try out a number of different adventure-themed activities. While hiking to the Starigrad Fortress is a wonderful way to spend a morning or afternoon, you are going to need more activities to create a full Omis itinerary.
Among the many activities on offer in Omis are: Canoeing, Kayaking, Snorkelling, Rafting, Swimming, Climbing, Zip-Lining, Cliff-Jumping, Via-Ferrata, Quad-Biking, Horse-riding, Sailing and Boat-Rentals.
There really is something from everyone in Omis. You can check out some of the best activities below:
Best Day Trips from Omis
While Omis itself has enough to offer to fill any length of travel itinerary, the surrounding area in Croatia is brimming with incredible nature and landscapes. It would be a shame not to take advantage of this, so we have collated some of the best day trips from Omis.
You can take advantage of Omis’ ideal location along the Adriatic Coast and see some of Croatia’s best sights that are only a few hours away.
Some of the best day trips from Omis are:
Krka Waterfalls and Trogir Group Tour - this day trip from Omis wonderfully combines two of Croatia’s best commodities: fascinating old towns and spectacular scenery. The waterfalls at Krka have to be seen to be believed and wandering around the cobbled streets of Trogir is like stepping back in time - visiting Krka National Park simply cannot be missed!
Plitvice Lakes National Park - arguably Croatia’s most famous natural attraction, Plitvice Lakes National Park is home to a series of tiered lakes, pools and waterfalls that create a truly dramatic scene. We explored Plitvice during our trip in Croatia and we couldn’t recommend it enough! Thankfully, Plitvice Lakes National Park is easily explored on a day trip from Omis.
Blue Cave and Island Speedboat Tour - from Omis, you can enjoy a full-day island-hopping tour that takes you around the Adriatic Coast, with the chance to snorkel and visit the famous Blue Cave - the tour even includes a brief stop in the old town of Hvar. It really makes for a great day trip from Omis.
Where to stay in Omis?
As Omis is a modestly sized town, there is very little room for grand luxury resorts and hotels. This makes the appeal of a private apartment or villa even more desirable. We recommend the best place to stay in Omis, the Mimac Apartments.
Found less than 500m from the beach, in the centre of Omis, the Mimac Apartments are the perfect place to stay in Omis. Many of the apartments also feature balconies with stunning views of the Sea and the nearby Cetina River. There is no better place to stay - trust us!
Balcony from one of the Mimac Apartments
There we have it folks, a complete round-up of everything you need to know about hiking to the Starigrad Fortress in Omis. Omis is a wonderful coastal town in Croatia, and the Starigrad Fortress Hike is certainly among the best things to do in Omis.
