Čelina, Kapinovo Street 18, 21317 Omiš, Croatia
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CROATIAN RIVER
The Cetina is a very picturesque river, the mouth of which is located in the town of Omiš, only 5 km from Villa Bugenvilla. It is she who makes the area a very special place on the Croatian coast, and in terms of tourist attractions, it is second to none.
Although it is only 105 km long, the Cetina is the longest river in Dalmatia (not counting the Neretva, which, however, only flows through the region for a short distance). What's more - despite its relatively short length, the Cetina could divide several other rivers with its advantages.
The source of Cetina, sometimes called the Blue Eye, is located in the Dinaric Mountains, in the Krajina region (104 km from Villa Bugenvilla). This popular destination for day trips is an unusual place. The river flows out of a cave about 115 meters deep, and about 15 meters in diameter. The source creates fabulously, turquoise lake. The water is crystal clear and has a constant water temperature all year round - 8 degrees Celsius! Although the place is quite often visited, it has completely resisted commercialization - there is no bar, no shop, or even a decent parking lot. A few hundred meters from the source is Crkva Sv. Spasa - the ruins of the 9th-century church, demolished at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries by the Turks.
A few kilometers further, the dammed waters of the Cetina created an artificial reservoir – Perućko jezero. This is something for lovers of total silence and chillout. The river is home to an endemic species of fish – the Cetinian trout.
Further on, the Cetina runs through a region called Cetinska Krajina, with the towns of Sinj and Trilj, with a history dating back to antiquity. You can visit the Sinj Old Town, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Sinj (Crkva Gospe Sinjske), or the archaeological site of Tilirium. In the vicinity of Blato na Cetini there are nice bathing areas with beaches and parking lots.
The most interesting part of the landscape begins just behind Blato na Cetini, in the lower reaches of the river, where the Cetina creates a deep and extremely picturesque canyon, approaching the coast, and then turning sharply west, after "bouncing back" from the Mosor mountain range, to over 20 km further the watershed estuary to the Adriatic Sea in the city of Omiš. Here you can admire the Gubavica waterfall (in Zadvarje), discover the „blue lagoon” hidden among the rocks, look at the canyon from above, from numerous vantage points, ride a Omiš zipline over the canyon, and above all, thanks to the rushing current of the river, go rafting and canyoning, and when the Cetina current finally softens, a few kilometers from the estuary, excursions by motor boats and kayaking are organized. It is also a real paradise for anglers, and the two old mills in the area have been converted into atmospheric restaurants – Radmanove Mlinice and Kaštil Slanica. River bathing areas hidden under the trees provide shade and refreshment for residents and tourists, who are temporarily fed up with sunbathing on the Adriatic beaches.