Sinjska alka

What the alka is

The alka is an iron ring hanging from a rope across the course, and the contest is to hit its centre with a lance at full gallop. It has been ridden in Sinj since 1715, in memory of the town holding out against an Ottoman siege, and the riders still wear the uniform of that period. UNESCO added it to the list of intangible cultural heritage in 2010. It takes place on the first Sunday in August and only men born in Sinj and the surrounding Cetina region may compete.

How the contest day runs

The contest is run on the Alkarsko trkalište, a straight course of about 160 m at the edge of the town centre. Each rider, called an alkar, gallops the full length 3 times and aims his lance at the ring. The small centre scores 3 points, the upper section 2 and the lower sections 1, and the rider with the most points after 3 runs is named slavodobitnik. Before the riding, the whole company parades through the town, led by the vojvoda, with squires in folk dress walking beside the horses. The Alka is on Sunday afternoon, but the same course is used on the 2 days before: the Bara on Friday and the Čoja on Saturday, practice contests with less ceremony and easier access.

Getting to Sinj

Sinj lies about 35 km inland from Split, on the road that climbs past Klis fortress into the Cetina valley. Split airport at Kaštela is the nearest, roughly 35 km away, and the drive takes under an hour outside the summer peak. There is no railway to Sinj, so visitors without a car take a bus from the main Split bus station beside the harbour. Services run through the day and the journey takes around 45 minutes to an hour. On Alka Sunday streets around the course are closed and parking fills early, so arrive in the morning or leave the car on the outskirts and walk in. From Zagreb allow about 4 hours on the A1 motorway, leaving at the Dugopolje or Bisko exit.

Where to stay

Sinj is a small town with a limited stock of rooms and private apartments, and between the Alka and the pilgrimage of 15 August they are taken months ahead. If you want to sleep in town, book as early as you can and expect higher prices than at other times of year. The practical alternative is to stay in Split or on the coast at Kaštela or Trogir and come up for the day, since procession, contest and prize giving fit into a single afternoon. Trilj, 12 km south east on the Cetina, is a quieter inland option.

Sinj and the Cetina valley

The Alka Museum in the former Kvartiri barracks beside the course shows the uniforms, lances and harness and explains the rules better than any leaflet. Above the old centre stands the small Kamičak fort, a short climb with a view over the Cetina plain, and on the hill beyond it the Stari grad fortress where the 1715 defence was made. The Franciscan monastery on the main square holds the painting of Our Lady of Sinj, to which the town attributes the victory.

• Klis fortress on the Split road, about 20 km from Sinj
• Trilj and the Roman legion camp of Tilurium at Gardun
• Rafting on the Cetina from Blato na Cetini
• Vrlika and the source of the Cetina, north west of Sinj

Where to eat

The dish to look for is arambaši, chopped beef wrapped in sour cabbage leaves and cooked slowly, which Sinj claims as its own. Konobas around the main square also cook lamb and veal under the peka, a metal lid buried in embers, and this needs ordering a few hours ahead. On Alka Sunday restaurants fill by early afternoon, so eat before the procession or book a table. Stalls near the course sell grilled meat and drinks through the day, and bakeries open early for breakfast.

Practical notes

Early August in the Cetina valley is hot, often above 30 degrees by midday, and the stands give little shade, so bring a hat, water and sun cream. Seats in the stands are ticketed and sell out well ahead, and standing places along the fence need an early claim. Croatia uses the euro and cards work in most shops and restaurants, but carry cash for stalls and small konobas. Mortar shots mark every hit in the centre, which may unsettle small children. Sinj is also a pilgrimage town, so cover shoulders and knees in the church.