Between the Adriatic coast, its divine islands, the beautiful Plitvice lakes, and its sublime architecture, Croatia is certainly not short of stunning scenery. In recent years, a little-known attraction in the Dalmatian region has been gaining in popularity. If you’re ready to get off the beaten track, don’t miss the incredible “Eye of the Earth”.
Here’s a special and unusual destination in Croatia.
Basics of the Eye of the Earth
Izvor Cetine, which means “source of the Cetina (river)” in Croatian, is a natural wonder that isn’t well known yet.
This spring of fresh water is nicknamed “The Eye of the Earth” (or “Eye of Kroatien”) and that name really makes perfect sense when you see it from the sky.
Indeed, seen from above, it looks astonishingly like a large azure-blue eye. Some even compare it to the pupil of a legendary fire-breathing creature.
Visit of the Eye of the Earth
Visiting the Eye of the Earth is free.
This jewel, still little-known to tourists, doesn’t have a large surface area, but it’s its depth that’s surprising.
Indeed, divers have even gone down to a depth of around 115 meters, but the abyss is potentially even deeper!
Only the bravest will be able to swim on the surface of this mystical waterhole, as the water is ice cold!
Swimming is not forbidden but it’s not recommended due to the invigorating temperature and the depth of the water.
Otherwise, you can kayak, paddle, watch the hole from the surrounding hills, or capture spectacular images if you have a drone.
There’s also a village and an Orthodox church right next to the waterhole.
The region also has many other natural attractions.
Location of the Eye of the Earth
The Eye of the Earth is located in the middle of nowhere in Central Dalmatia, the historic region in the south of the country, along the Adriatic coast.
It’s in the small town of Cetina, but the biggest city nearby is Split, 1h15 away. It’s the 2nd most populous city in the country and the most populous in the coastal region (that’s still pretty relative, it’s about the size of Moncton).
It’s not far from the great mountain chain that forms the border with Bosnia-Herzegovina.
These are the Dinaric Alps, where you can find Croatia’s highest peak, Mount Dinara.
As its Croatian name suggests, the Eye of the Earth is one of the main sources of the Cetina River (but not the only one!), which runs for over 100 kilometers from the Dinara massif to the Adriatic Sea, near the former pirate town of Omiš.
How to get to the Eye of the Earth
You can easily make a short trip in nature to the Eye of the Earth if you stay in Split, Šibenik, or Zadar.
Split airport (SPU) is the 2nd busiest in the country, and flights there are often as little as $40 to Paris, for example. So don’t be tricked into buying a flight from Canada to Croatia in just 1 ticket: use the self-transfer tip, as there are often roundtrip flights from Canada to Paris in the $600s.
Zadar airport (ZAD) also has several options, at as little as $62 to Paris and the city isn’t much further (2 hours from the Eye of the Earth).
If you’re in Dubrovnik further south, Split is only 4 hours and $24 by bus, and well worth the stop!
Then, to get to the Eye of the Earth specifically, you can do part of the journey by bus or train.
But neither goes directly there since it’s a pretty isolated place, so you have to take a cab for the last stretch. Therefore, it might be easier to simply rent a car for the whole trip. In Split, it costs about $90 a day.
Transportation options are:
- From Split
- From Šibenik
(Kosovo is the name of a train station in Zvjerinac, nothing to do with the country a bit further!)
If you prefer package tours, some are available from Split for $151.64.
Where to stay near the Eye of the Earth
Here are a few examples of accommodation in Split or the smaller towns closer to the Eye of the Earth.
Split
Vrlika
Garjak
Knin
Always use Trivago to compare hotel prices and Hostelworld to find hostels.
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Summary
In Croatia, north of the city of Split, you can admire a natural wonder nicknamed the “Eye of the Earth”. This unique water source, with its deep hole and azure outline, curiously resembles a human eye and is definitely worth a visit.
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Featured image: Eye of the Earth, Croatia (photo credit: Vlad Hilitanu)
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