Sv Jure from Brela

In September 2019, as I approached my 50th birthday, I decided to celebrate this milestone in a special way—by checking off a major item on my bucket list: Sveti Jure, the highest mountain in Croatia.

I wanted a quiet celebration with just Andrea and me, so we combined it with a late summer holiday. As usual, September offered perfect weather with warm temperatures and little wind.
On the day of the ride, I left early in the morning, still in the dark, and drove to the base of the Biokovo Mountains. Starting in Brela, just before the tourist city of Makarska, I began my climb from sea level, aiming for the summit at 1,762 meters. This would also be my longest climb at the time. The excitement was mixed with curiosity about how much the temperature would change during the ride.
After covering the first few hundred meters of elevation, I entered the Biokovo Nature Park, paying the bike entry fee of about 3 euros. The 23 kilometers remaining to the summit were marked with signs showing the distance, which could be mentally challenging, especially early on when the road looked like a sheer wall. But, as I made my way up through a series of switchbacks, the stunning views started to unfold, making the effort worthwhile.
Around halfway up, I reached a plateau, and the road turned 180 degrees back north. The climb became flatter, but the peak was still out of sight. As I gained more altitude, I finally glimpsed Sveti Jure and realized I still had a lot of steep climbing to go. After a few more hairpin turns, I finally reached the summit—the highest point in Croatia.
The effort of the climb faded quickly as the view from the top was breathtaking. From there, I could see the nearby islands like Hvar, Brac, and Korcula, as well as cities like Split and Trogir on the horizon. At the summit, the temperature was a comfortable 15°C.
The best part of climbing up a mountain like this is the descent. With no other way down, I rode the same 28 kilometers back, enjoying the exhilarating downhill and taking time to stop and appreciate the stunning views of the Adriatic Sea. It was the perfect way to mark my 50th birthday, giving myself the gift of an unforgettable ride and a beautiful milestone.

bike: Pretty Betty Specialized Tarmac S-Works
starring: Gerry Samer