With Croatia’s growing popularity as a hit travel destination, cities such as Zagreb, Dubrovnik, Rovinj, Split and Hvar are enjoying growing numbers of visitors every year. Some guests arrive on cruise ships or drive to Croatia on their own, while most fly in from various countries all over the world. One thing many of these visitors have in common is that they have heard of certain places and things in Croatia that everyone visits and are an absolute must –see! Places such as the Old Town of Dubrovnik or Diocletian’s Palace in Split are visited by millions of guests every year. In fact, if one of your friends just returned from a trip to Croatia, at least one of these destinations was surely visited.
However, this blog is not going to be about one of those popular places or attractions. We are going to pay some much deserved attention to a special place that is so far ‘off the beaten path’ than even most locals have not been there and many have not even heard of it. Only exceptionally curious travelers willing to stray from the typical Croatian holiday itinerary will get to see what is nestled in the small clearing of a valley between two villages, deep in the Dalmatian hinterland.
The Rajčica water wells are one of the newest undiscovered gems of Croatia’s cultural heritage. One of the biggest reasons they have remained hidden from wandering-lusting eyes for so long is because of their hard-to-reach location, which has just recently gotten a little easier with the construction of new roads and development of hiking paths in the area. Less than an hour’s drive from Split, in the rugged karst landscape of the Klis hinterland, you’ll stumble upon an extraordinary site. Known as Rajčica, the valley near Nisko village is home to a cluster of 10 ancient wells.
The narrow path leading to where the wells are located is marked only by a small sign off the side of the road, easily missed if you do not know exactly where you are going.
Very little is officially known about the 10 natural wells, encompassed by carefully layered stones. Were the wells constructed along a busy route to the Adriatic as a spot to rest horses and quench their thirst as our companions were doing that very day? Or were they constructed to be used by locals as baths, as the stone steps leading in and out of each well might suggest? We do not know the answers to these questions as the wells have yet to be studied properly, partly due to their hidden location but also due to the mysticism that surrounds them.
Legends about the Rajčica water wells have been passed down through generations by local villagers. According to these legends, the wells have been around long before the Ancient Romans started roaming the land we now know as the Dalmatian province of Croatia. Also, according to legend, the wells have never gone dry. Regardless of what these legends and local villagers might say, there is no denying that the wells are quite intriguing and many people are looking forward to finding out the true origins and history of the Rajčica water wells.
Whatever the case, there’s a certain mystical quality to the picturesque site; it appears to be timeless. The wells are all alike in size and design; they’re closely spaced, each encircled by a dry stone wall and fitted with stone steps descending to the water surface.
Three of the ten wells are shrouded by greenery and have a lower water level, making them somewhat harder to spot. Since the site is located in a valley, heavy rain will often leave the area flooded; during summer droughts, the water level drops.
It’s unknown whether there are any underground rivers in the area, or if the wells are mainly getting water from precipitation. Nestled among the wells is a small pond where the cattle roaming the area often comes to drink.
The name of this wondrous site is another mystery that remains unsolved. Why Rajčica valley? The name literally translates to tomato in Croatian, but it’s believed to be more likely to refer to the place being a paradise in nature (raj = paradise, heaven). Finally, there are sources that claim the toponym originates from a family name that had a historical presence in the area (the valley of the Rajčić).
The wells of Rajčica used to be a seldom visited site, hidden away in a somewhat inaccessible location where one would have to fight their way through the thicket to get to the untouched clearing.
These days, it’s more visit or-friendly. Backed by EU funding, Klis Municipality first had a forest road restored that connected the nearby villages of Brštanovo, Nisko and Matase, and which also doubles as an access road to Rajčica valley.
In a more recent part of the project, they had a picnic site built near the ancient wells. As of late 2021, there are seating areas, a grill, and even a balota rink as a nod to one of Dalmatia’s favourite pastimes.
Rajčica valley gained in popularity since it was touched up a bit, especially as the pandemic drove more people to forgo urban destinations and spend time in nature instead. It’s not overcrowded yet, so if you happen to be looking for trip ideas, it just might be the perfect moment to visit the mystical wells before they become too popular among the locals and tourists alike. The Mystery of Rajčica
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