Mostar to
Makarska transfer

About the Mostar to Makarska transfer

The Makarska Riviera is a 60-km strip of pebble beaches and stone villages — Brela, Baška Voda, Makarska, Tučepi, Podgora, Igrane, Živogošće — stretched along the Adriatic under the vertical limestone face of Biokovo mountain (1,762 m at Sveti Jure, Croatia’s second-highest peak). It is one of the classic Croatian summer destinations and, surprisingly, one of the closest stretches of Adriatic coast to Mostar — a two-hour drive with a single border crossing. Makarska town itself is the Riviera’s hub: Franciscan monastery with its malacological collection, Kačić Square with the statue of 18th-century Franciscan poet Andrija Kačić Miošić, a walkable stone old town, and the harbour promenade backed by Biokovo’s cliffs.

The route itself

From Mostar the M17/E73 runs south along the west bank of the Neretva past Blagaj, Čitluk and the Kravica waterfalls turn-off. The Croatian border at Doljani/Metković is reached in about 75 minutes. From Metković the road cuts across the Neretva delta — Croatia’s most productive citrus-growing region and a Ramsar-listed wetland known for herons and the traditional “trupa” punt boats — then climbs onto the D8 (Jadranska Magistrala) and north along the coast past Ploče and Gradac into the Riviera proper. The final 25 km hug the shoreline with the Pelješac channel and the Hvar silhouette filling the horizon.

Optional stops

Kravica waterfalls (30 min detour from the main road) is the obvious summer stop — a horseshoe of tufa cascades dropping into a swimmable plunge pool. The Neretva delta is a birdwatcher’s and food lover’s detour — the traditional “brujet” eel-and-frog stew is the local dish; try it at Villa Neretva or Zrno Soli in Metković. Once on the coast, the Biokovo Nature Park road — a narrow, switch-backed 23-km climb from Makarska up to the Sveti Jure massif and the Biokovo Skywalk glass platform at 1,228 m — is a 2.5-hour round-trip and the Riviera’s signature experience.

When to go

Brela and Makarska beach season runs late May to mid-October; peak July-August brings dense German, Polish and Czech crowds and 30°C+ afternoons. June and early September are ideal: 26–28°C water, half the crowds, full restaurant calendar. The Jadranska Magistrala is spectacular year-round; our drivers flag the rare bura wind days in winter when strong gusts off Biokovo force speed restrictions on the coastal road. Croatia joined Schengen in January 2023, so the border at Doljani is a quick passport check only — no customs.

Arrival in Makarska

Drop-off is included anywhere along the Riviera at the same base price — Brela, Baška Voda, Makarska, Tučepi, Podgora, Igrane, Drvenik, Živogošće, Gradac. The main beach towns are compact enough that door-to-door access is easy; hotels like Romenada, Valamar Meteor, or BlueSun resort chains along the Riviera are all direct drops. Split Airport (SPU) is 75 km north if you are connecting to flights; Split city centre is 65 km and sometimes combined as a same-day extension.

Why private transfer

Mostar–Makarska public transport is technically possible (bus Mostar–Split, then bus south to Makarska) but takes 5-6 hours with a Split terminal transfer. A private car does it door-to-door in two hours with the Kravica or Neretva-delta detour as an optional stop. For families carrying beach gear, or couples with time only for one swim day, the time saved is effectively an extra half-day of holiday.