The hike to Dragon's Cave on Brac Island in Croatia is challenging, involving a steep climb over unstable rocks. Along the way, you'll pass by weathered stone structures and clusters of lively pine trees, all leading to breathtaking panoramic views of the ocean from the elevated mountainside. Upon reaching the summit, a towering stone fortress with a securely locked gate awaits, guarding the entrance to the cave where a majestic dragon resides. In this post, I'll provide you with essential information for embarking on the hike to Dragon's Cave in Murvica on Brac Island, Croatia.

Hiking Info

Trailhead location: Here is the All Trails Map for the starting point
Cave location
Out and back and 1.7 miles
Rated: Hard, mainly because of the loose rock
Admission: Free to hike up to the gate, but go on a tour if you want to explore inside the cave.

The History

In a tour led by local guide Zoran Kojdic, the Dragon's Cave unfolds as a theological enigma, intertwining Slavic god worship and Christian practices. Kojdic contends that the islanders persisted in honoring both old and new deities, with pagan rites, including lamb sacrifices, disguised under the veneer of Christian pilgrimages to St. Vitus chapels. The Dragon's Cave, ostensibly a Christian chapel, is revealed as a memorial to Veles, the snake deity, with an altar outside representing an unknown god associated with stone.

This cave was once used as a residence and temple for priests, and inside houses a stone sculpture of a demon and a dragon, believed to have been sculpted by an imaginative 15th century priest. No one knows for sure the origin story of the carving, but one thing is certain, this cave is cool!

The Hike

Park and start hiking up and old dirt road past stone ruins.

After the ruins it gets really steep on loose rock. Wear shoes with good traction and watch your step.

As you hike up further along the loose rock, you’ll first see the abandoned Silvio Hermitage in the distance.

There are incredible views of the Adriatic Sea and you climb higher on the trail.

Finally, you’ll arrive at the cave. The cave is relatively small, about 30 meters long, and is accessible through a wall gate entrance on the south side of a hill. We didn’t go on a tour so we could only peer through the gate below to see inside. It’s always locked unless you book a tour.