Apart from the beautiful and gentle Mediterranean climate, the town of Šibenik in central Dalmatia has lots to offer. It primarily has a rich, long history being the oldest native Croatian town on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. Today, it is the third-largest city in what was once the region of Dalmatia.
Šibenik, also known as “Krešimir’s town” was dubbed this name by King Petar Krešimir IV in 1066 and even served as his seat for a certain time. However, its history from that point forward was much more turbulent as it was ruled over interchangeably by Venice, Byzantium, Hungary, and the Habsburgs.
Nevertheless, the town managed to flourish. Walking through the historic center today, it is precisely this turbulent history that we have to thank for the numerous feats of architecture and engineering that the city has to offer – from the world-renown Cathedral of St. James, St. Nicholas’ Fortress, both on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites, and St. Anthony’s Channel, just to name a few.
Although you can experience the town on foot, a panorama boat tour offers an entirely different perspective from St. Anthony’s Channel from where you can look upon the beautiful historic center in its entirety, and take in the calming seascape.
Private Taxi Boat through St. Anthony’s Channel
St. Anthony’s Channel leads from the Šibenik bridge, to St. Nicholas’ Fortress. It is just over 220 m wide, about 40 m deep, and just over 2 km in length, which is ideal for a short trip if you want to take a break from going about the town on foot.
Because of the seascape it provides and its historical value, the Channel has been protected since 1974. In the past, the only way to get to Šibenik was through St. Anthony’s Channel, which meant that it was of great military and strategic importance for the town – anyone who controlled the channel and the ships passing through it could effectively control Šibenik as well.
Visit Saint Nicholas’ Fortress
However, the first line of defense into St. Anthony’s Channel was St. Nicholas’ Fortress located on the island of Ljuljevac. It is one of four fortresses in Šibenik, and surely the most crucial one for its defense.
This Venetian-style fortress dates from the 16th century and was originally built to protect the town from Turkish invasions. Its architect, Michele Sanmicheli who specialized in fortifications, designed it to be durable and made it out of a combination of quality white and red stone. The fortress was, for that time, very modern and enabled a panoramic view of Šibenik, the nearby islands, and the general seascape, which made it easy to spot possible invaders.
Recognizing the importance of St. Nicholas’ Fortress for Šibenik, but also the fact that it is one of the most long-lasting and unique maritime fortifications along the Adriatic coast, UNESCO included it on its list of World Heritage Sites in 2017.
Tour Info
If visiting these locations sounds interesting to you, or walking just isn’t your style, a boat tour is the right way to go!
Our tours last 1 hour, which gives you plenty of time to take in the other aspects of Šibenik, but also enough time to just take a break from all the walking, and take in a bit of that fresh, salty, sea air.
On the tour, we start from Šibenik, sail through St. Anthony’s Channel, and visit St. Nicholas’ Fortress, finally circling our way back to Šibenik.
The prices vary depending on the number of passengers. So, a tour for 1-4 people is priced at 360 kn, whereas a tour for 4-6 people would cost 450 kn, and a 6-8 people tour would come out to 600 kn, which is only 75-100 kn per person! The more the merrier!
Join us on a taxi boat tour of Šibenik and get the chance to experience the town as well as the beautiful sights around it amidst the peace and calm of the clear blue Adriatic Sea.