Sibenik (Croatia) is a resort town on the Adriatic coast, attracting tourists with clean beaches, original ancient architecture and attractions, the main one of which is the Cathedral of St. James, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
General information
If you take a bird’s-eye view of the city of Sibenik (Croatia), the photo will show arrays of tiled roofs mixed with green trees, located along the shores of the sea bay at the confluence of the Krka River.
Archaeological excavations show that settlements in this place have existed since ancient times, and about 10 centuries ago, the current name Sibenik was first mentioned in the annals. In different historical periods, the city was ruled by the Republic of Venice, Austria, France, Italy, and Yugoslavia, until Croatia gained independence in 1991.
Sibenik is now a thriving tourist destination in Croatia with a population of 34,000. Tourists from all over the world come to relax on its beaches and explore the sights.
Beaches in and around the city
Beach lovers, going to Croatia, often choose Sibenik, its beaches are recognized as the cleanest on the Adriatic coast. They stretch far beyond the city limits and include the coastline of suburban settlements.
Banj city beach
The city beach of Sibenik Banj is one of the most beautiful in Croatia. It is unique in that, being in the city limits, it surprises with its extraordinary cleanliness. Banj Beach has been awarded the International Blue Flag for its excellent coastal condition and crystal clear sea water.
Small pebbles and a gentle entrance to the sea make Banj beach suitable for families with small children. Here you can rent everything you need for a comfortable stay and popular water activities.
Solaris beach
Located 8 km from Sibenik (Croatia), Solaris beaches are one of the best sandy beaches in the country. Here, on the shore of a small bay, there is a hotel complex that includes 4 hotels and 2 campsites with restaurants and all kinds of entertainment for different categories of vacationers – families with children, young people, and people of mature age.
The clean sandy beaches of Solaris stretch for 4 km along the bay. There are lively places with cafes, bars and evening discos, as well as quiet areas for those who love peace and privacy.
Solaris beach is ideal for families with children, with children’s pools and playgrounds, and Sibenik’s only water park.
Terraneo beach
Just 6 km from the center of Sibenik is the Terraneo beach, which is famous for being located next to the venue of one of the best annual music festivals in Europe, which has the same name. The Terranea Festival attracts musicians from all over Europe every July, and a real live music festival takes place in the open air.
Rezaliste beach
6 km from Sibenik is the small village of Brodarica, where there is another popular beach – Rezaliste. The shallow, shallow beach is ideal for families with small children. It has a well-developed infrastructure, offers many water activities and opportunities for active recreation.
Attractions and entertainment
Not only is Sibenik famous for its cleanest beaches, but the sights of this ancient Croatian city deserve no less attention. Tourists who come here will enjoy a rich excursion program.
The Cathedral of St James
The Cathedral of St. James is considered to be the most famous attraction in Sibenik, because this unique architectural monument is included in the UNESCO list. The construction of this Catholic cathedral began in 1431 and lasted for more than a hundred years. The majestic building of the cathedral became the life work of three great architects of the past, who alternately worked on the construction of this masterpiece of architecture.
The main feature of the Cathedral of St. James is that it is completely built of stone blocks, without the use of bricks, wooden or metal floors. The 32-meter-high building features a mixture of Gothic and Renaissance architectural styles. Many sculptures, stone ornaments and paintings adorn its walls, immersing visitors in the mysterious atmosphere of the Middle Ages.
- Entrance to the cathedral is paid, the ticket price is about 4 €.
- You can find this landmark on the sea embankment, it is visible from many points of Sibenik.
Krk Island-how to get there and what to see
City Hall
On the cathedral square opposite The Cathedral of St James is another Sibenik landmark – the old town hall. Built in the middle of the XVI century, the two-story building is made in the Renaissance style.
The facade of the town hall is a terrace with columns and arches-a characteristic detail of ancient architecture, protecting the premises from the hot southern sun. The openwork railing of the second-floor terrace is decorated with lion heads and floral ornaments.
Two stone staircases leading to the second floor were added to the sides of the facade 200 years after the building was built. In 1943, this landmark of Sibenik suffered from bombing and in the post-war period was restored to its original form.
Now the town hall has lost its function, government offices and the meeting room have been converted into a room for registering marriages and a restaurant.
St. Barbara’s Church (Crkva sv. Barbare)
In one of the streets of the historical center of Sibenik, there is a landmark that attracts many tourists – the Church of St. Barbara. The building of this Catholic church was built in the middle of the XVI century. Initially, the church was dedicated to Saints Benedict and Nicholas, but later it was re-consecrated in honor of St. Barbara.
The modest stone facade of the church is decorated with an unusual antique clock with a dial divided into 24 hour sectors, and a bas-relief depicting the ancient coat of arms. The pediment of the building is crowned with an open belfry with three bells. But it is not only the ancient architecture that attracts this active church. The main thing that it is famous for is the museum of church art located within its walls.
The exhibits of the museum of church art belong to the XIV-XVIII centuries, but there are also rarities dating back to the XI century. The museum’s exposition impresses with its richness and stylistic diversity, it presents paintings, sculptures, jewelry, precious church utensils.
This attraction is located at Kralja Tomislava 19, Sibenik, Croatia.
Harbor and Port (Channel-Harbour)
In the city of Sibenik (Croatia), there are many attractions, which is not surprising, given its thousand-year history. But even if they did not exist, the harbor and port alone would be enough to leave its guests with an unforgettable experience of this city.
Channel-Harbour is a favorite place for city dwellers and vacationers to walk. From here you can enjoy a magnificent panorama of the sea with numerous coastal islands, the old town rising above the harbor, the majestic Cathedral of St. James, the port’s water area with ships, yachts and boats. It is especially beautiful here at sunset, when the sun disappears behind the sea horizon, illuminating Sibenik with sunset rays, photos taken at these moments are especially beautiful.
The port is constantly bustling with life, cruise liners and yachts dock, boats scurry around. Here you can rent a boat for a boat trip, go on a tour of the picturesque coastal islands. On the embankment there are many cafes, bars and restaurants with cozy interiors and various cuisines.
Vinoteka Vina Rak
Not far from Sibenik is the settlement of Rakovo selo, which has become widely known due to the winery there. The owners of this company organized a family tourism business-guided tours of the vineyards, factory and wine cellars with wine tasting and sales.
Thanks to the hospitality of the hosts, the excellent quality of wines and snacks, as well as affordable prices, the Vina Rak wine shop quickly gained popularity among the guests of Croatia. Now it is one of the main attractions of Sibenik, recommended for visiting.
It is advisable to allocate at least two hours to visit the Vina Rak wine shop. During this time, you can visit the vineyard, the garden with olive and fig trees, visit the bottling shop and wine cellars. The introductory tour ends with a wine tasting, which can be selected at will.
Rave reviews from tourists relate not only to the quality of Rak wines, but also to the cuisine of the restaurant, which is part of this family business. The best Croatian national cuisine, olives, local cheeses and ham perfectly complement the bouquet of Rak wines. At the end of the tasting, you can buy selected wines at favorable prices.
- Vina Rak Wine Shop is located at Rakovo Selo 98, Sibenik, Croatia. GPS: 43°44’45.1″N, 15°55’54.8″E
- Visiting hours are 11.00-18.00.
- Website: www.vina-rak.hr/en.
The popular spa and cultural city of Zadar is located near Sibenik. For its inspection, it is also worth allocating time.
Dalmatian Ethno Village Restaurant and Museum
One of the unusual sights of Sibenik is the restaurant complex, stylized as a Dalmatian village, resembling an open-air ethnographic museum. It recreates the atmosphere of a Dalmatian village with a working water mill, rustic houses, real vegetable gardens and a vineyard. In the houses there are restaurants of national cuisine with stylized interiors and staff in folk costumes.
With Croatian folk instruments playing, the museum restaurant serves local cuisine with self-baked bread and the best Croatian wines. The prices are quite high, but the portions of dishes are not small, usually one serving is enough for two.
- Dalmatian Ethno Village is located on the territory of the Solaris hotel complex near the beach, next to the Ivan Hotel. Address: Hoteli Solaris 86, Sibenik, Croatia.
- Веб-сайт: https://www.amadriapark.com/dalmatian-ethno-village/
Aquapark Dalmatia
Sibenik’s only water park is located in the Solaris hotel complex. Aquapark Dalmatia is the first themed water park in Croatia. Numerous slides, nozzles, sprinklers and waterfalls are just part of the fun adventure. A variety of activities and attractions, such as the extremely popular “lazy river”, the big barrel in the rain fortress and the children’s area, extend over more than eight thousand square meters. In fact, this is a small area, it is quite enough for children up to 10-12 years old, and adults can be boring if you go for water activities.
The water park can accommodate up to 1000 people at a time. All visitors can relax in peace, because professional lifeguards are on duty in the water park all day.
A daily ticket to the water park offers a full water adventure, sun loungers, umbrellas, showers and bathrobes. Splash Snack Bar offers food and refreshing drinks, and you can enjoy homemade ice cream.
- The water park is located at: Hoteli Solaris 86, 22000, Sibenik, Croatia.
- The ticket price for adults and children taller than 1.2 m is 190 kuna, and a child taller than 0.9-1.2 m will have to pay 120 kuna, children below 0.9 m are free of charge. At the beginning and end of the season, prices differ — they are slightly lower than indicated.
- Opening hours: May-September from 10.00 to 19.00.
- Official website: www.aquapark-dalmatia.com.
Accommodation and meals
Sibenik has quite a large selection of accommodation, but there are even more people who want to relax. As elsewhere, the price depends on many factors – the area, room size and available room amenities, transport accessibility, etc.
Hotels and apartments
Sibenik is a relatively inexpensive resort. Apartments near the sea for 4 people at the height of the beach season can be rented for 50 € / day. This is the most common type of housing in the town. The price of a room for two in a three-star hotel in summer starts from 100 € / day. However, in season, book rooms and apartments several months in advance of your planned trip.
Cafes and restaurants
As in any other resort in Croatia, Sibenik has a wide selection of places where you can have a snack, a dense and delicious meal, or spend an evening in a romantic atmosphere with a beautiful view. As for prices, the situation is as follows:
- the cost of lunch in an inexpensive cafe is about 7 € per person;
- in a medium-priced restaurant – about twice as high, 15-17 € per person;
- in a fast food restaurant – 5,5 €;
- 0.5 l glass of local beer — 2 €;
- cup of coffee – 1.5 €.
How to get there from Split
There is no airport in Sibenik (Croatia), the nearest one is in Split.
The most convenient way to get from Split to Sibenik is by bus. During the beach season, buses leave for Sibenik every half hour from 5: 00 to 23: 00 every day from the Split Bus Station, which is located at Obala Kneza Domagoja br. 12. The Split-Sibenik highway is 87 km away. Travel time is 1 hour and 30 minutes. Ticket price-from 6 €.
