Holiday apartment in Grude – Culture, Karst and Water Landscapes

Grude brings together sacred architecture, karst and water landscapes, historical sites and designated routes. Between the Church of Sveta Katarina, the Tihaljina–Trebižat river system and the cultural sites of Gorica, the town reveals many different sides.

Culture

The Church of Sveta Katarina in Grude is a monumental three-nave, Neo-Gothic basilica made of hewn Herzegovinian limestone and has three bell towers. It stands on a hill above the town and is visible from almost all sides. Construction of the church began on 25 September 1925.

Another historical trace leads to Ravlića Cave in Drinovci. Traces of a settlement dating from the Late Neolithic were found there. In Gorica in the municipality of Grude, the cultural and heritage area includes an old church, archaeological excavations, an early Christian baptistery with a baptismal font, the Croatian Franciscan archaeological collection of Sv. Stjepan and a gallery in the old parish house. Also in Gorica, the archaeological and historical collection of Sv. Stjepan od Imote presents a permanent exhibition with finds from the Šamatorje, Grabarje and Grotuša sites.

The municipality's cultural calendar includes the Šimićevi susreti. This traditional cultural event takes place every year in May and was first held in Drinovci in 1964. Ganga singing from Zagora and parts of Dalmatia and Herzegovina is described as endangered intangible cultural heritage and as UNESCO-protected cultural heritage.

Nature

The wider area of the municipality of Grude is characterized by numerous caves and karst depressions, as well as numerous springs and other water resources. These include Lake Krenica and the Tihaljina–Trebižat river system. The Tihaljina rises at Peć Mlini, is called the Trebižat downstream and flows into the Neretva.

Lake Krenica is designated as a geological natural monument in Grude. It is permanently connected to the groundwater and never dries out. Its dimensions are given as approximately 300 metres in width and 47 metres in depth. The springs of the Tihaljina at Peć Mlini are also designated as a geomorphological natural monument in Grude.

Ravlića Cave lies at an altitude of 260 metres above the source of the Tihaljina.

Activities

Peć Mlini Adventure Park is located next to the source of the Tihaljina in the municipality of Grude and offers rock climbing and a zip line. For use of the Via Ferrata in Peć Mlini, a fixed price of KM 20.00 per person applied from 1 April to 31 October; this included the rental of safety equipment with a harness and carabiners. During the same period, the admission price for adults visiting Peć Mlini and Ravlića Cave was KM 5.00, including an all-day visitor parking space.

Cycling

The L303 cycling route leads from Grude via Blaževići, Drinovci, Peć Mlini, Tihaljina and Cerov dolac back to Grude. A second connection is the 14-kilometre L301 mountain bike route through rural areas of western Herzegovina. It leads via Begleri and is considered suitable for beginners; according to the route information, it starts in Posušje and ends in Grude.

More local pages: Ljubuški, Zvirići, Široki Brijeg, Radišići.

For the higher-level travel overview: West Herzegovina Canton.