The Cetina Canyon at Omis

The Cetina reaches the Adriatic through a gap in the rock so narrow that Omis is squeezed between the cliff and the water. Upstream the canyon opens into a green valley with walls several hundred metres high, and a small road follows the river inland past mills and swimming spots. The standard way to see it is from the water: half day rafting trips run a stretch with easy rapids and a few places where everyone gets out to swim, and a zipline system crosses the gorge above the town. Two fortresses sit on the rock above Omis, one reached by a steep scramble, giving the view down onto the river mouth.

What you actually see

• The river mouth - the point where the canyon walls close in and the Cetina meets the sea beside the town.
• The rafting stretch - an easy grade section upstream with small rapids and swimming stops.
• The zipline - a series of cables crossing the gorge above the river, run as a guided circuit.
• Mirabela fortress - the tower on the rock above Omis, reached by a short steep climb, with a view over the canyon and coast.

When to go

May to September for rafting, with the strongest water in spring and lower levels by August. The canyon holds shade in the morning and evening, which matters given the heat. Book rafting a day or two ahead in high season. Avoid weekends in July and August if the coastal road is part of your journey.

Honest expectations

The coastal road through Omis is one of the worst summer bottlenecks in Dalmatia and can add an hour to a short drive. Rafting is easy grade and marketed as adventure; the rapids are modest. The riverside road is narrow with limited parking. The town beach is directly beside the main road, and the canyon is hot and airless in the middle of the day.

Nearby

Split is half an hour north, and the Biokovo range rises behind the coast to the south.