When the summer sun is unbearably hot, and you don't feel like frying on the beach, or going on an exhausting walk around the city, much less sitting in the café bar, then the best solution for refreshment is - go straight underground! And we mean an unforgettable underground trip that is fascinating and enchanting at any time of the year.
At the foot of the central part of the mountain Mosor, on its northern side, not far from the village of Kotlenica in the Municipality of Dugopolje and only a thirty-minute drive or about 24 kilometers from Split, there is a karst beauty, Vranjača Cave, which has delighted tourists from all sides of the world for decades. But do not believe the stories and what you have read on the internet, head to Vranjač and experience one or more times a magical walk through the fairy-tale underground world, which you will always remember with joy and will hardly wait for a new opportunity to go back..
As legend has it, the cave was accidentally discovered by Stipe Punda back in 1903 while searching for an injured pigeon. In 1929, it was open to visitors and in 1963 proclaimed as protected geomorphological monument of nature.
The maximum depth of the cave is 107 meters, the total length of the trail for visitors is 365 meters. The cave, along its arranged paths, also has stairs with protective ropes, lighting, doors and a surveillance service.
After only ten meters from the entrance, you will feel the relief that no air conditioner can offer these days - the cave usually has a constant temperature of about 15 degrees Celsius throughout the year, so the visit is always pleasant.
Vranjača consists of two large halls, the first without stalactites and stalagmites and the second, large, consisting of nine smaller halls, each of which bears a colorful name, inspired by the shape of its unique stone decorations: Lobby, Waiting Room, Chapel, Small Gallery, Great gallery, Sponge house Palmin grove, Ballroom and Turkish cemetery. You do not have to worry about not finding them in the same condition on your next visit to Vranjača.
The halls in this shape generally remain so for centuries - stalagmites grow only one millimeter every 35 years! When visiting, which is a real anti-stress therapy, it is easy to disconnect from the outside world for a moment, and a good mood will keep you going long after you get back to the surface.
Concerning important information before the trip, it is only important to add that these days the working hours of the cave, maintained by the Punda family from Kotlenice, are from 9 am to 8 pm, and you can make an appointment at 098 / 749-000 (Marko Punda). The ticket price for adults is 50 kuna, for children 25 kuna, and the estimated tour time is 60 minutes.