Biokovo Nature Park & Skywalk: Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting

The mountain is protected as a Nature Park — a stretch of high karst landscape, forest and rock that runs almost the full length of the Makarska Riviera. On a clear day the view from the ridge takes in the whole coast, the islands of Brač, Hvar and Korčula, and, when the light is right, the far side of Italy.

It is one of the few places on the Adriatic where you can drive from sea level to over 1,400m in less than an hour. The landscape changes the whole way — palms and pines at the bottom, dry stone and juniper as you climb, and bare rock at the top.

The Skywalk is a horseshoe-shaped glass viewing platform that hangs out from the side of the mountain at just over 1,200m. Standing on it, you see the coast directly below your feet — Makarska, the main beach, the islands, and, on a good day, the whole Riviera.

It is the single most photographed spot in the park, and the reason most day trips head up here. Allow around thirty minutes to an hour at the top — long enough to walk out, take your time on the glass, and enjoy the view without a queue building behind you.

The easiest way is by car. From Makarska it takes around forty-five minutes to reach the Skywalk, depending on traffic on the mountain road. The turn-off is signposted from the coastal highway just north of the town.

If you would rather not drive the road yourself, organised half-day tours run from Makarska daily in the season. They handle the driving, the ticket and the timing — a good option for first visits and for anyone nervous about narrow mountain roads.

Early morning and late afternoon are the two best windows. In the middle of the day the light is flat, the platform is at its busiest, and the drive up is hot and slow behind other traffic.

For photographs, arrive around ninety minutes before sunset — the light on the coast turns gold, the shadows lengthen, and the crowds usually thin as the day tours head back down.

Weather matters more here than on the coast. A cloud on the peak can make the Skywalk view disappear entirely. If the mountain looks socked in from the town, it is worth waiting a day.

Water — there is a small café near the Skywalk, but nothing between the entrance and the top of the road. Comfortable shoes are useful; the paths around the platform are stone and uneven in places.

Sun protection matters even in the cooler months — you are much closer to the sun up here, and there is very little shade around the viewing platform. A light jacket is worth taking too; the temperature at 1,200m can be ten degrees cooler than in Makarska.

Yes, with older children. The Skywalk itself is safe and railed, and children who are comfortable with heights usually love it. Younger children can find the glass floor unsettling — it is worth being honest with them before you set out.

The drive up is long and winding, and there are no facilities between the entrance and the top. For very young children, a shorter local walk on the coast is usually more enjoyable than a full day out on the mountain.

Check the weather in the morning — Biokovo makes its own conditions and can be in cloud when the coast is clear. Fill the fuel tank before you head up; the road is remote and there are no petrol stations inside the park.

Respect the wildlife and the landscape. Biokovo is a Nature Park — take everything you bring in back down with you, and stay on the marked paths.