One of the most beautiful gravel beaches of the world is in a protected area, a cape covered in pine forest.
In July 2004, the American Forbes magazine listed this beach among the 10 most beautiful beaches in the world. Among the most famous ones, such as Copacabana, St. Tropez, Costa del Sol, and the exotic beaches in Belize, Antigua and the Maldives, there is also a small part of the Croatian beauty and for a good reason.
In 2014 The Huffington Post website described Brela as dream destination and a perfect reason to get on a plane to Croatia as soon as possible.
According to Belgian website European Best Destinations – Punta Rata is one of the most beautiful beaches in 2015.
The beach is a winner of numerous prizes in Croatia as well.
On the Western side of the beach there is the Brela Stone – a symbol of Brela, the most common motive from postcards of Brela and Croatia. The rock is covered in pines proudly protruding and presenting all its beauty and force, power and spite to grow from stone.
Brela have successfully combined the natural beauty and the human care for nature conservation. The success was achieved, apart from the stunning nature, also through vision, capability and skills of the local people.
This part of Brela is a protected area:
CATEGORY: a significant landscape (typical landscape of forest covered areas under the Aleppo Pine and typical gravel beaches below the mountain of Biokovo).
FOUNDING YEAR: 1964
SURFACE: 32.71 ha
POSITION: Western part of Brela
FLORA: The largest part of the protected area is covered by Aleppo Pine (Pinus halepensis), but also the myrtle (Myrtus communis), bearberry (Arbutus unedo), juniper (Juniperus oxycedrus), olive (Olea europaea), pine (Pinus pinea) and other Mediterranean plant species. The Aleppo Pine tolerates the drought, high temperatures and salt well. Because of its ability to grow from the naked stone and due to its resilience to salt, it is an ideal shade maker along the sea coast. Not only does it have a very pleasant smell, it also freshens up and has a favourable impact on the human psyche; it also has antiseptic characteristics.
FAUNA: birds and various other small forest animals
