Brela is a village, municipality and small port located in the Split-Dalmatia County. A small tourist area in the extreme west of the Makarska Riviera offers a wealth of crystal clear sea, natural pebble beaches and the smell and beauty of dense pine forest.
The forest area is largely a protected cultural heritage area. Numerous hiking trails intertwine from the promenade by the sea, through the old hamlets of the proud Dalmatian culture, all the way to the mighty peaks of Mount Biokovo. Due to its natural and cultural richness, Brela has played an important role in the tourism of the Makarska Riviera from the very beginning. It is known as the pearl of the Makarska Riviera. The pearl of the Adriatic or the pearl of the Mediterranean is the city of Dubrovnik. In 1968, Brela was crowned Adriatic champion for high achievements in tourism. Today, Brela continues its long tradition of comfortable living, hospitality of the population, old Dalmatian cuisine, wine, songs and entertainment. The municipality of Brela consists of two settlements: Brela and Gornja Brela. The settlement of Brela, formerly known as Donja Brela, lies at the foot of Mount Biokovo. It consists of several hamlets on both sides of the highway, the largest of which are Soline and Donje selo. Gornja Brela is located in Zabiokovlje, on the way from the sea to Zadvarje and Sestanovac. The settlement covers about 20 km2 of the Zabiokovo area within the Biokovo Park, with an abundance of karst phenomena, plant endemics and rich flora and fauna, as well as sacral and rural architecture.
The symbol of Brela is "Kamen Brela", a small rocky island right next to the main beach in Brela, Punta Rata beach. In 2004, the American magazine Forbes included Punta Rata beach in the list of the ten most beautiful beaches in the world.