Sveti Jure is the highest road of Croatia
Sveti Jure is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 1.744m (5,721ft) above the sea level, located in the Split-Dalmatia County of Croatia.
Can you drive to Sveti Jure?
Set high on the Dalmatian coast of the Adriatic Sea, in the Biokovo mountain range, this is a must do. The road is totally paved. It’s called Biokovska cesta (Biokovo Tourist Road). It’s said to be one of the highest mountain roads of the country.
When was the road to Sveti Jure built?
The road was originally built up to 897m (2,942ft) above the sea level, by the Austro-Hungarian Army in 1878. In 1964, it was extended to the top of the mountain in order to install a television transmitter there. The road was totally paved in 1978.
Is Sveti Jure dangerous?
There are some narrow parts (only 3-4 meters wide in places), impassable for 2 cars at the same time. You should be prepared to back up if you meet an oncoming vehicle. Actually so narrow, that passing by is possible only on the special islands, which are placed not so often. Is it actually worthy to take a risk and drive up there. You need to drive very slowly, even a small mistake can cause accident. There accident can mean falling about 1 km down. The speed limit is 30km/h. It’s forbidden to overtake. Drive with great caution. Take extreme care with the wind. The 3 last km are terrible with an average gradient up to 14%.
Is Sveti Jure steep?
The road to the summit is very steep, hitting a 23% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps. Starting at the paved D512 road, at 365m asl, the ascent is 23km (14.29 miles) long. Over this distance the elevation gain is 1.379 meters. The average gradient is 5.99%.
Is Sveti Jure open?
The route is recommended during all seasons. During winter time check the snow conditions. Don’t choose windy time because the wind can be very strong on Biokovo. Check carefully the weather report before the trip. The road to the top, through national park Biokovo (national park Biokovo is open from 7.00 to 20.00 hours) and has a fee entrance. Entrance is around 4 euros during the day. At nights it's free.
How long does it take to drive Sveti Jure?
Plan about 1 hour to complete the drive, without any stop. The view from the top is unimaginably beautiful, including the Adriatic Sea to the west. On clear days, even parts of Bosnia and Italy (across the Adriatic Sea) can be seen. The road commands a breathtaking panorama of the folds of the mountains stretching down to the seashore and islands of Croatia, and the view to the sea and inland is amazing. You’ll find many fine viewpoints along this long climb. The top of this mountain is large rocky dome, occupied by a television tower and the building of telecommunication devices. Until1964, when these towers were built, Sv. Jure chapel was standing there. Then it was moved a little bit to the north, few meters below the summit. It was there since 1646, until modern technology came. At the summit you will see relatively large parking lot designed for roughly 30 to 40 cars. There are several restaurants on the road, of which only one or two are open, mainly during the tourist season.