Moving further south gets us to Split, an epicenter of Croatian climbing with a very special community. They are such an easy-going charismatic bunch, and their coffee-drinking abilities are unparalleled.
When I visit, my nervousness rises exponentially as our obligatory pre-climbing coffees regularly stretch beyond the two-hour mark. How can they just sit there while we are surrounded by miles of the best rock? It’s taken me years to (somewhat) learn their relaxed southern tempo, though, to truly live it you have to have it in your blood.
Admittedly, it is very hard to choose a representative spot amongst all the climbing areas. I went with Omiš due to its unique combination of sport climbing, multi-pitches, the Adriatic Sea, and pristine nature of the Cetina River. However, other spots, such as the city-crag of Marjan or the mother-of-all-crags, Markezina Greda, are top-notch as well.
Holiday climbing at its best
The trademark of Omiš is great quality limestone crags right next to the road (luckily, not a very busy one), and just outside of town. You could literally belay from your car if you wanted. This is a true vacation destination in line with the laid-back southern mentality—except you can get 300m off the pitch.
Simply follow the Cetina River, the longest in Dalmatia, and choose your favorite sector. Planovo offers world-class 5s (5.7 to 5.9) and 6s (5.10 to 5.11), while others further down the road have harder climbs. Some sectors do require a more challenging approach, such as Perivoj and Gospinica, with up to 30 minutes of gnarly hiking, however, the trouble is worth it. You can also simply be a spectator, and observe climbers from one of the town’s pleasant bars or beaches.