Sometimes the best travel experiences are hidden in plain sight. Šibenik is just an hour from Split airport, yet it’s barely known to the masses heading off to Hvar. The broad Riva waterfront promenade and the old town’s shiny marble lanes have a wonderfully laid-back feel, and a fraction of the crowds.
As the ancient Romans preferred to set up outposts in Split and nearby Zadar, it was down to the Croatians themselves to found the city in the 9th century or thereabouts. The Venetians brought their customary beauty to the exquisite medieval architecture that was squeezing itself into the hillside rising up from the sea; the 17th-century threat of Ottoman attacks brought formidable fortresses that still stand guard.
Cafés along the Riva are full of Croatians lingering over their coffee, having a good gossip. And from there, stone steps lead upwards into the tangle of lanes and squares of the old town. Eventually they wind up in Trg Republike Hrvatske, the spacious square where the 16th-century, UNESCO-listed Cathedral of St James vies elegantly for attention with the Renaissance former town hall, Gradska Vijećnica, now a restaurant whose outside tables offer prime views. Discreetly set in a medieval building in the corner is Pelegrini, one of only five Michelin-starred restaurants you’ll find in Croatia.
Plunge back into the maze of lanes and steps and it’s easy to follow signs uphill to the St Lawrence Medieval Mediterranean Garden. Planned to look like a medieval monastery garden (and succeeding), it’s full of fragrant herbs, plants and handy benches on which to stop, sit and savour the scented air.
From there it’s only a few more uphill steps to reach one of Šibenik’s four fortresses, St Michael, which has panoramic views of terracotta rooftops and the deep blue Adriatic.
While you can’t escape the occasional souvenir shop in Šibenik’s labyrinth of lanes, you’ll also find Croatian boutiques and brands – look out for Borovo shoes in Ulica Kralja Tomislava and innovative Croatian fashion at Charlie in Dobrić.
From here you’re seconds away from the compact but lively Zlarinski Prolaz square, filled with cafés, including SHE Bio Bistro. Part restaurant (with lots of veggie options), part artists’ workshop, part yoga studio, it also has a lovely little rooftop bar. For fresh Adriatic seafood, near neighbour Bistro Luce & Brigita will do splendidly.
Back on the Riva, carry on westwards until the moored fishing boats are joined by a string of chilled out waterside bars and restaurants. The waterside path takes you past the rowing club and up the wooden walkway to the city beach, Plaža Banj. Paddle among the pebbles and take in views of the old town from the terraces of the beach bars.
From Šibenik’s centre, boat taxis take you through the channel to the Zablaće isthmus, where the fourth fortress, St Nicholas, has its own island connected via a footpath. Go for a swim and ramble through 8km of signposted trails.
This taste of nature is a curtain raiser for two of Croatia’s national parks on Šibenik’s doorstep. The River Krka that flows into the city comes from the waterfalls and lakes of Krka National Park. By contrast, there’s a stark beauty among the 140 islands of Kornati National Park. Take a tour boat from Šibenik and go off grid to the archipelago where there are only 25 permanent residents. It’s the largest and densest archipelago in the Adriatic – but, like Šibenik, easy to miss if you’re not looking.
Details: Croatia
Easyjet flies to Split from £116 return (easyjet.com). Stay at Heritage Hotel Life Palace (hotel-lifepalace.hr), below, an elegant boutique hotel in the old town, with doubles from €120, B&B.
