Sumartin combines different types of beaches with a layered local history and hiking trails through the landscape. This offers several ways to plan your trip, whether you want to spend time by the water, explore cultural history or walk trails through Sumartin and its surroundings. You can choose what to focus on based on the specific differences between the beaches and historical sites.
Beaches with Different Characteristics
The central Riva Beach is a pebble beach with shallow, calm water. Restaurants and children’s playgrounds are nearby. Baywatch Beach is also a pebble beach and is suitable for families with children. Jezero Beach alternates between pebbles and rocks; it has a shower and natural shade from trees. Facilities may vary by season, so it is advisable to check current conditions before your visit.
Lučica Beach is surrounded by pine forest and is about a ten-minute walk from the center of Sumartin. This is an approximate time: walking time may vary depending on the route and conditions. Together, the descriptions offer a practical choice: Riva combines a beach with a central location and nearby amenities, while Jezero has a different character, with tree shade and mixed terrain. Baywatch is the option specifically described as suitable for families; at Lučica, the pine forest shapes the landscape around the beach.
Monastery, Invention and Remembrance
The Franciscan monastery and adjoining church form a historic complex in Sumartin. The monastery’s collection includes Baroque paintings, an extensive library and a 17th- and 18th-century archive with registers in Bosančica. The present-day church was built between 1911 and 1913. The paintings, written records, library and church building each highlight a different aspect of local history.
Another local connection is to Mario Puratić, the inventor of the Puretic Power Block, a device for hauling in fishing nets, who was born in Sumartin. The house where Puratić was born is associated with this invention and holds significance in the settlement’s collective memory. The Lučica Cave offers another historical perspective: it sheltered Sumartin’s residents during the fighting of the Second World War. The natural cave in Lučica Bay near Sumartin also serves as a small shrine today.
Hiking Trails and Island Culture
Hiking trails in Sumartin pass through old olive groves and vineyards. Another coastal route passes several coves on its way to the semi-abandoned settlement of Rasotica. It offers a different focus from trails through the olive groves and vineyards: the sequence of coves and Rasotica are part of the route described here.
In the wider destination of Općina Selca, Via Brattia offers a broader hiking context. The 140-kilometer circular trail passes through Sumartin and Povlja, connects numerous settlements on Brač and includes twelve cultural and historical sites. If you follow the route, check trail conditions and signage locally. The total distance helps put Via Brattia in context as an island route, while the hiking trails through olive groves and vineyards in Sumartin have their own local character.
Other cultural sites are specifically located in Selca, not Sumartin. In Selca, the Church of Christ the King houses a statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus by Ivan Meštrović. The Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel was Selca’s first parish church and was built in the 18th century in the lower part of the town square. The square also features a Poets’ Wall with stone plaques honoring poets recognized at the annual poetry evening “Ča, kaj, što.” This helps distinguish Sumartin’s monastic and fishing history from Selca’s own literary and religious connections.
Plan Your Journey
The ferry crossing between Sumartin and Makarska takes about 60 minutes; the duration may vary slightly depending on operating conditions. Check the current timetable when planning your trip. When deciding whether to stay overnight in Sumartin, you can weigh your interests: beach days, local history and hiking trails each offer a different focus.
Discover more destinations: Povlja, Selca.
View the wider travel overview: Općina Selca.
