Are you so lucky to be spending your holidays in the city of Sibenik? If you have chosen Sibenik as your next travel destination, you will not be sorry.
Sibenik has so much to offer as well as a great connection to other Dalmatian cities, so you will easily enjoy some true gems.
In Sibenik, you will not be bored. It is a small Mediterranean city, but it is extremely rich in historic buildings, sightseeing, traditional cuisine, and local culture. It is not one of the bigger cities on the coast, like Split, so you will have an easier time getting around and getting familiar with the place.
You can walk around the Old Town, enjoy the historic center with its stone-built houses, cobblestone streets and no traffic. It is also where you will find your first treasure – the Cathedral of St. James, a site of UNESCO’s World Heritage.
The design will amaze you, whether you are an architecture lover or just passing by.
Along with that, there are four fortresses in the city, monasteries, churches, museums, parks, a Game of Thrones filming site, and beautiful beaches you can relax at after all that walking. In the summer nights, there are also many festivals and events so you can have fun outings.
Krka National Park, Skradin
As previously noted, one of Sibenik’s biggest perks is its location. It is situated on the east Adriatic coast, and it is well connected to every place in the Dalmatian Region.
You can do many day trips to the nearest national parks, visit historic and cultural centres such as Zadar, Split and Trogir, or sail the Adriatic Sea and its islands.
The nearest national park to Sibenik is the Krka National Park, only 10km away inland. Why should this be attractive to you? The National Park is located along Krka’s lower-middle course. It is a majestic area, mostly untouched by humans with natural beauty and lush scenery.
It is one of the most beautiful National Parks in the whole of Croatia, offering sightseeing, tours, restaurants, souvenir shops and even a museum. A hidden gem: archaeological remains of Roman fortresses.
The reason why so many people have chosen Krka as their top pick when visiting Croatia is because of its breathtaking waterfalls. The most famous one is Skradinski buk, a natural pool surrounded by cascades and high waterfalls. It has gotten the compliment of being one of the most beautiful waterfalls in entire Europe.
There is a play of light on the waterfall’s whirlpools, which gives it many visual effects.
If you are looking to get the best of Krka, we recommend doing a Krka boat tour all the way to Skradin. You start off in Sibenik, passing under the Sibenik Bridge, while having sights of small prehistoric towns. Skradin is actually located near the entrance, so you will have the opportunity to see the above noted Skradinski buk and all of its magnificence from the boat! There is also an ethno village and remains of a hydroelectric plant which you will see on the way.
A tour of the Krka river is included, and this is where you will see the second most beautiful attraction in the national park – Roski slap. It is a place of 12 waterfalls, surrounded by walking and hiking trails, and a bunch of lavender which can also be seen all throughout the park.
Remember the monastery we mentioned before? It is situated on a little island within the park, called Visovac, or the “Mother of God” island. It was built by monks, demolished and rebuilt, and is rich in artefacts, clothes and a library with historic books and manuscripts. It can be easily reached by car.
Other trips from Sibenik
There are many other day trips that you can do from Sibenik, that will leave you amazed at Croatia’s beauty. For example, you can visit another National Park, very different from Krka, the Kornati archipelago. There are 10m high cliffs that make you feel like you are sightseeing a whole other world. There are also many beaches with crystal-clear water where you can do some swimming and soak in the sun.
Near Sibenik, there are many smaller islands that you can visit as well. That is where you will best get in touch with the culture of the locals and their gastronomy. You can go to Zlarin, Obonjan, Murter, Prvic and many others.
Another attraction is the Telascica park of nature, a very diverse area of birds, snakes, insects, reptiles, amphibians, mammals and many others. The place will not have you melting even in the middle of July or August, when the maximum temperature is only 25 degrees. The salt lake in the middle of the island takes the cake, being called “mir”, which means peace, quiet.
Definitely what you are looking for on holiday!
In final words
The Sibenik area is a great place to spend your holidays. The city itself has so much to offer – from rich culture, history, gastronomy and events to picturesque streets and beaches where you can recharge.
However, you should use the opportunity to explore the surrounding places as well, whether it be cities such as Zadar, Split or Trogir, smaller towns, islands or nature parks full of untouched beauty.
This is why we recommend doing boat tours, the best way to see as much as possible while still riding the waves of the beautiful Adriatic. The best thing about Sibenik is – it has Krka only 10km away! The National Park of Krka is marked by waterfalls and lush greenery that will give your soul a chance to breathe. We hope you will explore Skradinski buk and a drive up the Krka driver and that it will leave you the picture of what Croatia truly has to offer.