Debeli Brijeg

Debeli Brijeg is a modest hill near the village of Zabrđe on the Pelješac peninsula, in Croatia's Dubrovnik-Neretva County. The hill itself is unremarkable in appearance, but it has become known as the site of one of the country's key road tunnels — a critical link on the access route to the Pelješac Bridge.

Where exactly is Debeli Brijeg?

The hill sits on the eastern side of Pelješac, close to the settlements of Zabrđe (about 1.7 km away), Dančanje (roughly 2.2 km) and Gnjili Rat (about 2.7 km). It lies not far from Ston, famous for having one of the longest defensive wall systems in Europe, making Debeli Brijeg a natural waypoint for anyone driving between the bridge and the rest of the peninsula.

What makes the Debeli Brijeg tunnel notable?

Running beneath the hill is the Debeli Brijeg road tunnel, 2,467 metres long — the fifth-longest tunnel in Croatia. It was built as part of the "Road Connectivity with Southern Dalmatia" project, whose goal was to create a direct route to the Pelješac Bridge, connecting the peninsula to mainland Croatia without having to cross into Bosnia and Herzegovina at Neum.

The main tube was holed through at a remarkable pace — in just 74 days, despite difficult conditions during the pandemic, around the turn of 2020 into 2021. The second phase of the access roads, which included the Debeli Brijeg tunnel along with nearby structures — the Doli viaduct (156 m) and the Dumanja jaruga I (488 m) and Dumanja jaruga II (80 m) bridges — was scheduled for completion ahead of the 2022 summer season.

Why does this spot matter for travelers?

For anyone driving toward Pelješac and Dubrovnik, Debeli Brijeg is part of the new route that shortened and simplified access to the peninsula. Previously, reaching Ston or the tip of Pelješac meant passing through the border crossings at Neum. Today the route via the bridge and the Debeli Brijeg tunnel bypasses that stretch entirely, which matters especially in high season, when border traffic can back up significantly.

The hill itself, modest in height, offers a glimpse of landscape typical of Pelješac — dry, rocky terrain covered in maquis shrubland, with views toward the bay and surrounding hills. It's a spot that will interest people curious about road engineering and the history of the bridge project more than travelers looking for a classic scenic viewpoint or monument.

What else is worth seeing nearby?

Visitors passing through the Debeli Brijeg area are close to Ston, known for its defensive walls stretching across the hills — the second-longest fortification system in the world after the Great Wall of China. Nearby are also the Ston salt pans, among the oldest still operating in Europe, along with vineyards and beaches along the Pelješac coast.

Frequently asked questions

Is Debeli Brijeg a tourist attraction? Not in the classic sense — it's primarily known as the hill under which a major road tunnel runs, a key piece of infrastructure linking Pelješac to the bridge. The surrounding area still has the landscape typical of the peninsula.

How do you get to Debeli Brijeg? The easiest way is by car, driving the access road to the Pelješac Bridge toward Zabrđe and on into the peninsula. The Debeli Brijeg tunnel is part of this route.

Is it worth stopping here? It's more of a pass-through point than a destination in itself. It's worth stopping nearby in Ston, though, to see the defensive walls and try the local oysters or wine.

How long is the Debeli Brijeg tunnel? The tunnel is 2,467 metres long, making it the fifth-longest road tunnel in Croatia.