Makarska is known for its beautiful nature and excellent choice of villas and apartments, but you might want to check the May events as it hosts an international comics festival.

In the central part of Dalmatia, under a mighty Biokovo mountain lies Makarska, small coastal town with breathtaking scenery surrounding it. Situated on a narrow strip of land between Biokovo and the Adriatic Sea, the town is a beautiful and charming place with stone streets and old Dalmatian houses, with never-ending sand and pebble beaches and crystal clean sea. Town's history goes way back to the ancient times as it was first mentioned in 4th century AD. Today Makarska is and important economic and tourist centre of the central Dalmatia.

Makarska and its surrounding area are one of the most popular tourist destinations in Croatia. The nature here is stunning. Facing south there are islands and the Adriatic sea, and facing north there are breathtaking cliffs of Biokovo, the third tallest mountain in Croatia. There is an excellent offer of accommodation with apartments and villas with swimming pool in Makarska and nearby places, but there is plenty more: fine restaurants, excellent clubs for partying and many events held there all add up to the marvelous holiday experience for visitors.

One event that puts Makarska on the must-visit map if you like the art of comics: annual MaFest, a comic book festival is hosted in this beautiful town and it was first held in 2006. This is a great opportunity for all the comic book lovers to meet the authors, grab a poster or a comic book and enjoy the lovely atmosphere and listen to the bands that hold concerts in the evening. There are also screenings of films, documentaries and TV series as the Festival includes a variety of events and different arts, that have comics in common.

MaFest includes exhibitions of the original art, interviews with authors, comic book signing, lectures and panel discussions. The Festival invites both well established and less known comics artists and there are drawing workshops being held for adults and children that makes MaFest a true place of graphic novel promotion in Makarska and in Croatia and Europe also. It adds not just to the cultural offer but to the tourist offer of Makarska as well as its famous international guests make it an interesting event for people around the world.

The Festival started out in 2006 as a small project of Mozaik Stripa association and has grown into an important comics manifestation since that has nevertheless been able to keep its laid-back atmosphere and attract friendly visitors year after year. So far it has hosted a plethora of authors that include Hermann Huppen, Jamie Delano, Fabio Civitelli, Gianfranco Manfredi, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Charlie Adlard, Jean Van Hamme and many more, together with the leading Croatian and regional comics artists.

Therefore, if you wish to have your favourite comic book signed and mingle with the comics lovers such as yourself, check this year's attending artists and book the dates from 24th till 27th of May in Makarska. And don't forget your swimming gear as it is already warm enough to take a dip in the beautiful Adriatic sea.