Biokovo Skywalk

The Biokovo Skywalk is a curved glass-floored platform that juts out from a cliff edge high on the mountain of Biokovo, above Makarska, in Dalmatia, in Croatia. It is part of Biokovo Nature Park, one of Croatia’s mountain parks, and stands at about 1,228 metres above sea level, so that the transparent floor gives a view straight down the cliff to the valley and the sea far below, a sensation that delights some visitors and unnerves others.

The platform is semicircular, and it extends about eleven metres from the rock, with a glass floor and glass sides, built to give an unobstructed view. It was designed to blend with the landscape and to offer visitors a safe way to experience the height, and it is wheelchair accessible. Standing on it, you look down the almost vertical face of the mountain toward the coastline, with the islands of Brač and Hvar spread across the blue Adriatic Sea, the long curve of the Makarska Riviera at your feet and, on very clear days, the distant coast of Italy on the horizon. Sunset, when the sky glows over the sea and the mountains turn gold and rose, is considered the best time, and photographers favour it.

Biokovo’s mountain is a limestone massif that rises abruptly from the coast to nearly 1,800 metres, and the skywalk gives an easy way to appreciate its scale without hiking. A paved road winds up through the park, past rocky slopes and pine woods, toward the summit of Sv. Jure, the highest peak of Biokovo, and the skywalk lies along this route. The drive itself is spectacular, with hairpin bends and sweeping views, and it is worth taking slowly. Whether you drive or take a tour, the facilities at the site include a car park, toilets and a geological column that shows the layers of rock that make up the mountain, giving a three-dimensional overview of its structure.

Accessible by road, the site is regulated. The Skywalk’s season is the warm half of the year: it is open, roughly from mid-April to late October, and it is wise to check days and times, because opening hours have been limited and have sometimes been only Mondays and Wednesdays. Tickets are needed, and because the number of visitors per day is limited, booking online in advance is strongly recommended. Guided tours, which may include hotel pick-up and refreshments, are available through local operators. Take a jacket, since the temperature at this height is much cooler than on the coast, and the wind can be strong.

Makarska Beach, Nugal Beach, Buba Beach and the rest of the Riviera are a short drive below, so a visit can combine mountain views and a swim. The skywalk suits nature lovers, thrill-seekers, families and photographers. People with a strong fear of heights may prefer to look from the safe edge.