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Zaostrog Monastery

A Franciscan house on the Makarska riviera, home of the friar whose verse history everyone once owned.

Updated 30 August 2026

WhereSplit-Dalmatia County
Nearest cityGradac about 8 km; Makarska about 35 km
Best seasonMay to September
Time to allowTwo hours
Getting thereDirectly on the coastal road at Zaostrog; parking near the monastery
EntryFree; museum donation

The Franciscan monastery at Zaostrog stands between the coast road and the sea under the Biokovo ridge, founded in the medieval period and rebuilt after the Ottoman withdrawal. Andrija Kacic Miosic, who lived here in the eighteenth century, wrote the Razgovor ugodni naroda slovinskoga - a history of the South Slavs told in the metre and manner of oral epic poetry, published in 1756, which became the most widely read book in Croatian for the next two centuries and was found in households that owned almost nothing else. He is buried in the church. The monastery keeps a library, a small museum and an ethnographic collection.

What you'll find

  • The house of Kacic Miosic - who wrote and is buried here.
  • The Razgovor ugodni of 1756 - history in epic verse, read for two centuries.
  • A library and museum - the monastery's collections.
  • A seafront position - between the coast road and the water.

When to go

May to September, when the collections are open. Two hours.

Things to know

The museum keeps limited seasonal hours and depends on the community. This is a working monastery. The coast road runs directly past and is busy in summer. The beach here is pebble.

Nearby

Gradac and its beach are south; Makarska is north along the coast.

What to pack for Zaostrog Monastery

Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.

  • Comfortable walking shoes - Sightseeing means kilometres of pavement and cobbles daily. Find on Amazon
  • Modest clothing - Shoulders and knees covered - the single most common requirement. Find on Amazon
  • A slim anti-theft daypack - Zips that close properly; keep it in front in crowds and on transit. Find on Amazon
  • A scarf or shawl - To cover the head or shoulders on entry; women especially at mosques. Find on Amazon

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Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.

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