The beautiful September time prompted us to use one morning during our stay in Omis for adventurous activities. We decided to climb the Omiš Dinara, to Fort Fortica. Omiš is known as a town that lies in the embrace of the steep cliffs, and the view of this fortress from Omiš invites you to immediately explore these enchanting landscapes. Clearly, there is also a beautiful beach and Cetina, where there are opportunities for other outdoor activities, but we have decided this time to hike.

We started in the morning, and the fresh morning sun warmed us up. We had no idea that the same sun in an hour or two would become a little less dear to us. Also we went to this steep mountain in sneakers. Ordinary sneakers. For avid hikers like us it’s unacceptable, but the mountaineering shoes stayed at home, and we just couldn’t resist the call the mountains. And we were on our way. At least we’re not in flip-flops.

The start of the ascend was not a problem. We marched merrily towards the top, not suspecting that it is to become a bit more difficult. The Sun, our morning ally, slowly became the enemy. It was very hot, and the shade was nowhere to be found. I understand that the Sun and the heat are normal phenomena, but considering this trip was (obviously) very poorly planned, we had no hats or any other sunscreen. We felt as if we were melting, but nothing could spoil the plan to see Omiš from another perspective.

We continued. Our sneaker bent over every pebble. The sun was burning so much that I felt my hair was hot. Even the water we had was no longer so tasty. There was also fatigue from too little sleep. At one point, Fortica seemed simply unattainable. However, a pebble by the pebble, rock by rock, and this fortress was slowly looming on the horizon. This scene poured us a new strength and woke up that feeling of joy when approaching the top, known to every hiker. The pain in the feet was no longer so strong, the sun was as if it had turned down, and we were walking to Fortica with decisive steps.

Anyway, this fortress is very important for the history of this city. It dates back to the 15th century. Like what is known, Omiš was a powerful pirate city, and Fortica served as a scout in order to detect danger in time. This fortress is ideal for this purpose because it is located in a place with a view of the whole of Omis and the sea, so every intruder is easily spoted.

Today, this view also takes your breath away, but no longer serves for pirate purposes. Today it is a lure for hikers and others eager for adventure and a beautiful view of the city. That’s how it was with us. It was difficult to climb, but it was worth it. I think I could stand up there and admire that view for hours.

The return was a lot easier than a climb. Our feet were already accustomed to inadequate footwear, and we were under the impression of the whole trip all along, so it seemed that it wasn’t so hard to walk anymore. Immediately after returning to Omiš we went swimming, and our feet were especially grateful.

FInally, from this excursion we have mostly nice memories, even though we have violated several key rules of mountaineering. I would certainly recommend the hike and I hope this text will inspire you to do it. Of course, I hope you will learn from our mistakes and never go on the mountain without proper mountaineering equipment. Not only will it diminish your enjoyment during hiking, but it can also be dangerous. Always go prepared to the mountain, because the mountain does not forgive.