Bride’s Cliff

The Bride's Cliff is the name of one of the Biokovo passes, once the only link between the coastal and inland areas. Like most mountain passes, this one is a magnificent viewpoint from which you can enjoy memorable views of both the blue Adriatic and the Biokovo mountain landscapes.

In addition to being an important geographical point, the cliff also has a prominent role in local culture, as it is associated with a legend about the great love between a girl and a young man who were petrified by an evil fate that fell upon the bride (nevista).

According to legend, a girl somewhere "from above", probably from the inland region of Dalmatian Zagora, was supposed to be married in Primorje. Her mother was against that love, and above all against her daughter marrying someone not chosen by the family. The problem may have been that the young man was a primorac, a poor coastal dweller. The mother sent her daughter off with the curse, When she saw the sea, she would turn to stone! Despite these terrible words, the wedding procession set off, led by the groom and bride on horseback, not aware of the power of her mother's curse. When the merry company reached the top of the hill above Brela, the curse became true. Evidence of this is rocks in the shape of horses carrying the newlyweds, cakes and water barrels made of clay. If you look carefully, you can see the bride's veil, which at that very moment was blown off her head by the wind, and the wedding party that followed them. Today it is a little harder to see them unless looking for them specifically, since the pine forest has grown tall over time.

(Text by Vanja Sokol)