Makarska is the main town of the Makarska Riviera, on the Dalmatian coast about 60 kilometres southeast of Split. The town sits at the foot of the Biokovo massif — a dramatic limestone range that rises sharply from the sea — giving it one of the most striking backdrops on the Croatian coast. The old town is centred on the Baroque Kačić Square with its Church of St Mark; just west the 16th-century Franciscan monastery hides an unexpectedly serious seashell museum.
The Makarska Riviera extends roughly 50 kilometres, with a string of pebble and shingle beaches sheltered by the mountains. The Biokovo Nature Park above the town has hiking trails and the glass-floored Skywalk cantilevered out over the cliff with views across to the islands of Hvar and Brač. Makarska is a lively resort town in summer, popular with both domestic and international visitors, with a good waterfront Riva, open-air bars, and seafood restaurants. Out of town the hidden Nugal beach is the most dramatic swim on the coast.