October the 28th, 2025 – You likely had no idea it was called Zir, but this landmark Croatian mountain has been seen by countless drivers on their way to and from the coast. The secrets the “A1 mountain” hides however are far from well known.

As Putni kofer/Martina Hrupic writes, you’ll see it every single time you drive to the coast and back. The “A1 mountain” standing alone and boasting an unusual shape is the signpost to the sun, waves, salt and seafood each summer. Despite seeing it countless times, few actually know anything about it, why it got its unusual name or even how high it is. Can it even be climbed? It turns out that there is so much more to know than meets the eye about Zir, the landmark Croatian mountain for all road users.

a wealth of natural wonder the roadside could never reveal

Julian Nyča

Zir is an unusual work of nature. Completely isolated, rising from the flat, vast Lika plain and seemingly impregnable. It is the main decoration of the A1 motorway and probably one of the most recognisable mountains in all of Croatia for drivers. A rest stop on the motorway, the Zir rest stop, is named after this mountain, though few connect the name with this odd looking giant rock.

Mount Zir is 850 metres high and has a forested base with relatively gentle slopes, from which a mighty, dizzying and steep rock then rises. At first glance, depending on the angle you look at it, it looks like something only professional climbers could possibly tackle, but it actually isn’t. Zir is a great hiking destination and is also not just what we see, hiding all kinds of surprises few could ever imagine from the motorway. Inside the mountain itself there is a 350-metre-long cave with a small, mysterious lake at the very end. It isn’t the only cave and pit on Zir, but it is by far the largest and is located along the only marked path that leads all the way to the top.

the disuputed name origin saga of this landmark croatian mountain

Julian Nyča

There are two explanations for how Zir got its unusual name. According to one theory, during the Ottoman invasions, the mountain served as an observation post from which an unbeatable view all around was offered. The second theory invokes its beauty: Zir is so beautiful that it was always the target of everyone’s gaze and everyone was always busy staring at it.

In the past, people climbed it to observe the surroundings, and today, hikers continue to do it to enjoy the beautiful view that stretches for miles all around. In fact, they say that one of the most beautiful views of the mighty Velebit mountain range stretches out from its very peak. The longest Croatian mountain can be seen in its entire length from Zir. Zir itself is striking and highly atypical in its appearance.

The Croatian Mountaineering Association states that there is only one marked path to Zir, and you’ll need to employ an hour and a half of walking. It begins on the road near the tiny hamlet of Trkulje. “You should leave your car near the underpass under the motorway, at the place where the village road towards Trkulje branches off. From there, you should take a side village road towards the hamlet of Trkulje along the eastern slope of Zir and further through the dense forest in a westerly direction,” they reveal.

According to the experiences of those who have tackled the route, the trail isn’t too demanding: the steep climb is only near the peak, and the path towards the very end goes through the rock itself. The view from the top will reward all those who attempt to traverse this landmark Croatian mountain that few pay as much attention to as they should.

Subscribe to our newsletter

the fields marked with * are required