Brela (pronounced [brě̞la]) is a municipality in the Split-Dalmatia County of Croatia. The village of Brela is located on the Adriatic coastline of Dalmatia, about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) northwest of Makarska.

Brela
Panoramic view of beach Liskamen (front) and beach Punta Rata in Brela
Panoramic view of beach Liskamen (front) and beach Punta Rata in Brela
Brela is located in Croatia
Brela
Brela
Location of Brela within Croatia
Coordinates: 43°22′11″N 16°55′21″E / 43.36972°N 16.92250°E / 43.36972; 16.92250
Country Croatia
CountySplit-Dalmatia County
Government
 • MayorStipe Ursić (HDZ)
Area
 • Municipality26.8 km2 (10.3 sq mi)
 • Urban
6.9 km2 (2.7 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
 • Municipality1,626
 • Density61/km2 (160/sq mi)
 • Urban
1,472
 • Urban density210/km2 (550/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
21322
Area code021
Patron saintsSaint Stephen
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Websiteopcina-brela.hr

In the 2011 census, the total population was 1,703. The municipality consists of two villages: Brela (1,575) and Gornja Brela (128).[3]

Brela is a tourist town located between the Biokovo mountain and the Adriatic Sea. It is known as the pearl of Makarska riviera.[4] The pearl of the Adriatic or the pearl of Mediterranean is the name given to the city of Dubrovnik. In 1968, Brela was crowned as "Champion of Adriatic" for high achievements in tourist activity.[5][6]

"Kamen Brela" and Punta Rata beach in Brela

The symbol of Brela is "Kamen Brela" (Brela Stone), a small rock island just off the main beach in Brela, the Punta Rata beach. In 2004, American magazine Forbes put the Punta Rata beach on the list of 10 world's most beautiful beaches, where it is ranked 6th in the world and first in Europe.[7] In January 2024, Lonely Planet ranked Punta Rata as the 11th best beach in the world, calling it "one of the Croatian coast’s most exquisite beaches."[8]

References

edit
  1. ^ Register of spatial units of the State Geodetic Administration of the Republic of Croatia. Wikidata Q119585703.
  2. ^ "Population by Age and Sex, by Settlements" (xlsx). Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in 2021. Zagreb: Croatian Bureau of Statistics. 2022.
  3. ^ "Population by Age and Sex, by Settlements, 2011 Census: Brela". Census of Population, Households and Dwellings 2011. Zagreb: Croatian Bureau of Statistics. December 2012.
  4. ^ "Brela :: Apartments Maček, Brela, Croatia". www.brela.biz. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
  5. ^ "Top 21 Gorgeous Places To Visit In Croatia - GlobalGrasshopper". globalgrasshopper.com. 2024-03-07. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
  6. ^ "Discovering the Top 15 of Europe's most beautiful beaches, the sequel". BoatNews.com. 2015-12-13. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
  7. ^ "Der Badestrand "Punta rata" bei Brela wurde im Jahr 2004 vom amerikanischen Magazin "Forbes" zum schönsten Europas erklärt". focus.de (in German). Focus. 19 March 2007. Archived from the original on 21 May 2016. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  8. ^ "20 of the world's best beaches". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
edit

  Media related to Brela at Wikimedia Commons

43°22′11″N 16°55′21″E / 43.36972°N 16.92250°E / 43.36972; 16.92250