Hotels in Grude: Culture, Karst and the Tihaljina

One of the town’s most striking buildings is the Church of Sveta Katarina in Grude. It is a monumental three-nave basilica made of hewn Herzegovinian limestone and has three bell towers. At the same time, it is a Neo-Gothic basilica situated on a hill above the town and visible from almost all sides. Construction of the church began on 25 September 1925.

The cultural year is associated with the Šimićevi susreti, a traditional cultural event in the municipality of Grude held every year in May. The Šimićevi susreti were first held in 1964 in Drinovci. The Ganga singing tradition from Zagora and parts of Dalmatia and Herzegovina is also part of the region’s culture. It is considered endangered intangible cultural heritage and UNESCO-protected cultural heritage.

In Gorica, 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. In Gorica, in the municipality of Grude, the archaeological and historical collection Sv. Stjepan od Imote also presents a permanent exhibition with finds from the Šamatorje, Grabarje and Grotuša sites.

The Ravlića Cave in Drinovci also has an archaeological dimension: traces of a settlement from the Late Neolithic have been found there.

The Tihaljina rises at Peć Mlini, is known downstream as the Trebižat and flows into the Neretva. The springs of the Tihaljina at Peć Mlini are designated a geomorphological natural monument in Grude; Lake Krenica is designated a geological natural monument in Grude.

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. Lake Krenica is permanently connected to groundwater and never dries up. It is approximately 300 metres wide and 47 metres deep.

The Ravlića Cave lies at an elevation of 260 metres above the source of the Tihaljina. In this landscape, water, karst and underground traces of human settlement are therefore closely connected geographically.

Peć Mlini Adventure Park is located beside the source of the Tihaljina in the municipality of Grude and offers rock climbing and a zip line. Use of the Via Ferrata in Peć Mlini was subject to a fixed price of 20.00 KM per person from 1 April to 31 October. This included the rental of safety equipment with a safety harness and carabiners.

From 1 October, the admission price for adults visiting Peć Mlini and the Ravlića Cave was 5.00 KM; this included an all-day visitor car park.

Cycling route L303 runs from Grude via Blaževići, Drinovci, Peć Mlini, Tihaljina and Cerov dolac back to Grude. Another option is the 14-kilometre mountain bike route L301 through rural areas of western Herzegovina. It passes through Begleri and, according to the route information, is suitable for beginners; it starts in Posušje and ends in Grude.

For more pages about local destinations, you can go directly to Zvirići, Radišići, Ljubuški and Široki Brijeg.

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