It is a tourist centre, located on a horseshoe shaped bay between the Biokovo mountain and the Adriatic Sea. The city is noted for its palm-fringed promenade, where fashionable cafés, bars and boutiques overlook the pretty harbour where many pleasure craft are moored. Adjecent to the beach are several large capacity hotels as well as a camping ground.

Center of Makarska is an old town with narrow stone-paved streets, a main church square where there is a flower and fruit market, and a Franciscan monastery that houses a sea shell collection featuring a giant clam shell.

Makarska is a center of Makarska riviera, popular tourist destination under the Biokovo mountain. In the summertime tens of thousnds of toursts flock to the area from Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as other countries.