August 23, 2022 - Looking for an example of a Croatian destination with a masterclass in combining heritage and tourism - meet the fortresses of Šibenik.

I often get asked for advice on tourist destinations in Croatia – and that is the easiest one for me to answer, as my top recommendation has not changed in 5 years since my first extensive visit - Šibenik!

You can read about my fabulous day in 2017 when the whole family was stunned by the city's magnificence and offer in Croatia's Most Underrated Destination? Stunning Fortress Šibenik Has It All.

The Šibenik fortresses were truly an inspiration for anyone learning how to maximize quality tourism and heritage. 

In addition to being surrounded by two national parks and home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Šibenik is a Dalmatian gem for a long vacation or quick getaway. Recently, the meeting place of history, culture, music, and gastronomy has turned from a sleeping beauty into a lively city in recent years.

Thanks to its rich cultural offer, the city has greatly surpassed its former tourist image of a "sun & sea” destination and has found itself on the map of visitors looking for culture and entertainment - thanks in large part to the open stages at the revitalized St. Michael’s and Barone Fortress. The newest addition to revitalized fortification monuments is St. John’s Fortress, the largest and highest land fortress in Šibenik opened in June this year. These three are gathering places for history buffs, music connoisseurs, and those who simply love a good rhythm, as well as technology enthusiasts.

Since 2014, St. Michael’s Fortress hosts numerous concerts and dance performances at one of the most prestigious outdoor stages in the region. If you want to find out why come to one of this summer's concerts. Past concerts of Lorde, Jack Savoretti and King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, and the upcoming Kings of Convenience are just a part of this summer’s lineup. Also, they are a great addition to the past performers' list - Bryan Ferry, Anna Oxa, Michael Kiwanuka, Gregory Porter, Skye & Ross (from Morcheeba), Jacob Collier, Kruder&Dorfmeister, Roisin Murphy, and many, many Croatian artists.

Technology enthusiasts will enjoy the underground part of the fortress, i.e., the two cisterns from the 15th century, which, just like a time machine, take visitors to past centuries thanks to 3D mapping technology. Projections cover over 70% of the surface, which is curved in parts, which makes this undertaking the first of its kind in Croatia. By the end of the year, St. Michael’s Fortress will receive a new exhibition display and interactive content that will show the origin of an idea to place an open-air stage at the oldest Šibenik fortress. All these spots can be explored using an audio guide.

The smallest of them - Barone Fortress, has been leading its new life since 2016 as a more intimate summer stage and summer cinema under the starry sky. It is open all year round and a great place for that first-morning coffee or an evening glass of wine with one of the best views in the city. Of course, after you discover all its secrets through an augmented reality tablet that allows you to witness the angry Ottoman attacks during the greatest battles for Šibenik.

It was during this time and for this reason that the St. John’s Fortress was built. Recently renewed, the largest and highest land fortress in Šibenik opened in June this year. It consists of two parts – 'star', a fortified southern part of the fortress, and 'pliers', an outer fortification in the northern part.

The educational campus is situated below the so-called pliers, the northern part of the fortress. The campus is equipped with interactive classrooms, bedrooms, and conference rooms. The campus is intended for student groups, young experts, and artists who are coming to Šibenik for study visits or other educational purposes. This kind of space will also contribute to the development of educational tourism.

A short walk uphill is worth the while as the St. John’s Fortress is maybe the best photo spot in town! Fortress’ shop is placed in an old gun powder magazine; overlooking the west part of the town is a Tobruk-type bunker from Second World War. And yet, the fortress still has a lot of secrets to be discovered. One of them is the underground tunnel beneath the fortress (71 meters long, 2 meters high, and at places 5 meters wide) that is yet to be placed in function. The plans for the future also include implementing VR content that will offer a new, interactive, and fun experience for future visitors.

All these locations and their contents are available all year round, so it can be said that the revitalization of the fortresses also brought the revitalization of Šibenik and positioned the city as a hit destination and cultural hotspot that guarantees unforgettable experiences.

The newest addition to Šibenik's cultural scene is the House of Arts Arsen (named in honor of the Croatian artistic genius Arsen Dedić) officially opened in June 2021. From September to June, this venue is transformed into a cinema, concert hall, dance stage, space for presentations and exhibitions, workshop area - or anything your mind sets up upon! Thanks to a specific modular floor whose height can be adjusted to any need, the space transforms easily. This August House of Arts Arsen was a gallery, as it hosts an exhibition by one of the most important Croatian painters, Vatroslav Kuliš.

The easiest way to explore all these locations is with Mastercard, whose cardholders get many benefits throughout the year thanks to Mastercard’s partnership with Fortress of Culture. This public institution that manages the fortress House of Arts Arsen made sure that like-minded partners follow its every step in creating a fortress of good music, knowledge, and a new cultural audience.

So don’t lose any more time and visit Šibenik’s fortresses and see what’s all the fuss about.

You can learn more about the incredible Šibenik fortresses on the official website.

Learn more about this fabulous city with the Total Croatia Šibenik in a Page guide. 

April 19, 2022 - Šibenik Old Town, once hailed the most beautiful on the Croatian Adriatic coast by the former director of the Croatian National Tourist Board Niko Bulić, today faces a complicated reality with many buildings on the verge of danger and numerous lawsuits in order to restore them. The reason? Abandonment by their own owners.

''Don't talk about it in the press, because of my function and Dubrovnik origin, but my impression is that Šibenik's old town is the most beautiful on the Croatian Adriatic coast. And I think that Krešimir's city will experience a real tourist boom when the right way to value that part of Šibenik begins. I am especially fascinated by the combination of Gorica and Doc at the foot of the fortress of St. Michael.'', told the then director of the Croatian Tourist Board, Mr. Niko Bulić to Slobodna Dalmacija ten years ago in a pleasant walk through the streets, squares and thighs of Šibenik.

At that time, Šibenik already had great momentum in the reconstruction of its four fascinating fortresses, which have always defended the city from the sea and land, for which, according to objective observers, the Society for the Preservation of Šibenik Heritage "Juraj Dalmatinac" is especially responsible, reports Slobdona Dalmacija. Hence the interesting explanation of the director of the hotel complex Amadriapark for a high donation (90 thousand kuna) to the company:

''No, I don't think the donation is too high because we don't need to invest so much in the promotion of our hotels anymore. Our best advertisement is the decorated Šibenik Old Town, for which the company "Juraj Dalmatinac" is especially responsible.'', Goran Zrilić, director of Amadriapark, told SD three years ago.

The enthusiasm of ''Jurjevci''

Frequent praises did not diminish the enthusiasm of the "Jurjevci", as they are colloquially called in Šibenik. On the contrary, it seems that the restoration of some valuable details in the historical core of Šibenik has gained new momentum.

''In the last ten months, we have restored five details of the Šibenik Old Town architecture, and the sixth is in progress. We are talking about staircases, reliefs, vaults… Finally, we use our funds to -arrange the space for our activities, which were given to us by the city "government" as a sign of gratitude for our activity.'', said Nikola Grubić, president of "Juraj Dalmatinac".

The transfer of space to the mentioned society is only a part of the efforts that the city government is investing in the renovation of houses, or rather roofs and facades in the old town.

In the last tender for subsidizing the arrangement of (private) houses in the old town, the City of Šibenik offered more than 750 thousand grants. And not only that.

Unofficially, the people of Šibenik are at the forefront of the European consortium, which consists of six European cities, called the Kairos project, which facilitates the lives of residents in the old town.

''We are convinced that our project has a positive effect. Of course, with the help of other city factors.'', in unison are the head Petar Mišura and Ines Sarić, who in the Office of Economy directly take care of the project.

However, some residents of private buildings made sure that the considerable momentum in Šibenik did not go as smoothly as planned, who, just like passers-by in the city center, witnessed the collapse of their buildings, but did nothing. These are old buildings, which are beginning to pose a danger to walkers, and where external "interventions" are not enough to solve the problem.

They returned the facilities...

''It has become an extremely current city topic. At the same time, I am especially angry with those owners, to whom we returned the long-nationalized buildings, and who, obviously, do not move a finger about their renovation, let alone move in potential tenants. There are also buildings that have already turned into typical ruins. Without roofs, windows, or hung shutters, and whose owners "disappeared" as if those buildings had fallen into the ground'', Mayor Dr. Željko Burić told SD in an informal conversation.

The problem is not only in the negligence of the owners of old buildings. The problem is further exacerbated by the fact that Croatia, unlike some other Western European countries, does not have a law that, in such cases, would allow automatic urban "intervention". Therefore, only (private) lawsuits remain, which, as it were, have been dragging on in our courts for years.

Perhaps the most glaring examples are two particular neglected buildings on the city's busiest tourist route, across the stairs of St. Luca to the fortress of St. Michael. At the top of the stairs are two shamefully neglected buildings. For a tourist amazed by Šibenik Old Town, it is enough to look at their long-torn roofs, to turn his head to the other side, with disbelief that this is possible in a city which, as one of the last consultations said, "should be a model on how to value the city's heritage in parallel with tourism development".

For more, check out our politics section.

January 12, 2022 - The project Fortress ReInvented is carried out by the Šibenik City Museum and has been recognized by the European Commission and used as an example of good practice and use of European funds.

The project Fortress ReInvented- An innovative approach and digital content on the historical forts, whose head is the Šibenik City Museum, has been highlighted as an example of good practice to successfully use European funds to implement innovative techniques and content in the presentation of cultural heritage to the general public in the interactive guide The Cultural Funding Guide, which is published by the European Commission at the end of the year, reports HrTurizam.hr.

The guide presents all funding opportunities available at the EU level for the cultural and creative sectors in the coming period. In one place, here is the information for a total of 75 funding opportunities from 21 EU programs, from the Creative Europe and Horizon Europe programs to the Structural Funds and the InvestEU Fund. In this interactive tool, all European stakeholders in the cultural and creative sectors will be targeted in just a few "clicks" to the most appropriate EU financial support available to them. Presenting these opportunities is complemented by inspiring experiences and best practice examples.

Thus, the Šibenik project was found in this guide, noting that the Fortress of St. Mihovila transformed two underground water cisterns, dating from the 15th century, into time capsules and revived the legend of the city's origins and the turbulent history of the fortress through 3D video mapping projection techniques.

The guide published by the European Commission aims to help you navigate the many EU financial instruments, understand the opportunities available to applicants and, ultimately, facilitate access to these funds. Interested stakeholders in the cultural sector, as well as other interested parties, can adjust the search for funding opportunities based on their needs, the individual sector, or the type of organization they represent, which can be helped by completing the survey. The full guide can be found HERE.

For more, check out our dedicated travel section.

December 3, 2021 – On International Day of Disabled Persons, we take a look at how inclusive Šibenik makes this a welcoming city for everyone

Lying on a truly unique stretch of Croatia's coast, the city of Šibenik is famous for many things.

History, heritage and events

Barone Fortress © Šibenik Tourist Board

Sitting above the city are three fortresses. Historically, they defended Šibenik from attack made by any possible direction. There's another fortress below the city, in the middle of St. Anthony's channel. It guards the entrance to Šibenik from the sea and is a UNESCO protected heritage site. It's not the only one here.

Events at Barone Fortress © Šibenik Tourist Board

Šibenik's spectacular Cathedral of St. James is also a UNESCO heritage site. Understandably so. It's an architectural treasure. These five titanic landmarks are cornerstones of Šibenik Old Town. Its historic streets are among the most charming and atmospheric in Croatia. During warmer months, Šibenik's renowned music, children's, dance, theatre and cinema events spill out onto these streets.

Special gastronomy

Inclusive Šibenik: Bakalar (salt cod), served traditionally with potatoes © Maja Danica Pečanić

Šibenik has long been known for its classic Mediterranean brunches – marenda. For as long as anyone can remember, these simple yet tasty dishes have been enjoyed casually in the back streets and stone-paved alleys of Šibenik Old Town.

Inclusive Šibenik: Octopus © Maja Danica Pečanić

Consistently voted Croatian Restaurant of the Year, the international reputation of Šibenik restaurant Pelegrini received a boost in 2018 when it was awarded a Michelin star. Not only does it still hold the award, but its presence in the city has also helped raise the bar for fine dining throughout Šibenik's eateries.

Inclusive Šibenik © Maja Danica Pečanić

Furthermore, in the hills surrounding Šibenik, you'll discover some of Croatia's greatest small-scale wine producers. They might not be the most famous, but the winemakers of Šibenik-Knin County are consistently among the most highly decorated producers featured at elite international wine awards.

Landscape, nature and recreation

© Krka National Park

Few Mediterranean cities can boast natural assets like Šibenik's. And nowhere else looks exactly like this city.

Just 20 minutes drive from the town is Krka National Park. It is one of Croatia's most famous, most popular and most spectacular National Parks. Within 100 square kilometres of epic river valley, green wilderness and karst rock canyons, you'll discover seven spectacular waterfalls and a variety of birds and animals.

© Antonia Viljac / Šibenik Tourist Board

Closer to the city centre, St. Anthony's channel is a natural waterway that flows from Šibenik's sheltered harbour out to the open Adriatic. Running along the length of the channel's southern shore is one of Šibenik's best-loved areas of recreation. There you'll find St. Anthony's walking path and beaches with endless promenades.

Warm welcome

© Antonia Viljac / Šibenik Tourist Board

When talking about the distinct qualities of Šibenik, sooner or later you need to mention the welcome. Šibenik loves visitors. Šibenik residents appreciate nothing more highly than those who come to look and spend time here. That's why the city and Šibenik Tourist Board make a special effort to ensure Šibenik is accessible and a city for all. Recent EU project Tourism4all has helped to significantly improve Šibenik's ability to receive all visitors, including guests with disabilities and seniors.

Inclusive Šibenik History and Heritage: Fortresses and Old Town

Inclusive Šibenik © Šibenik Tourist Board

Šibenik Old Town wasn't designed with accessibility in mind. In fact, it wasn't strategically planned at all. Instead, the Old Town simply evolved over several centuries, rising up slopes when its expansion made that necessary. In total, there are over 2000 stairs and steps running through the Old Town. Charming to some, they are an obstacle for others. To help overcome those obstacles, Šibenik Tourist Board - with support from local associations of persons with disabilities - have mapped the accessibility of all the public buildings and tourist attractions. You can check out the map here.

Inclusive Šibenik © Šibenik Tourist Board

Experienced guides from the professional Association of Šibenik Tourist Guides Mihovil have recognised that, on average, at least one member of every guided tour group they lead has special needs. In response, they have invested time and effort to create tours adapted to the needs of persons with different disabilities. One additional tool that's been created to help visitors get around the city centre is a mobile phone app – Šibenik Audio Guide. It was designed with blind and partially sighted visitors in mind, although is useful for everyone. Šibenik Audio Guide is available in English, Italian, German and Croatian and is downloadable from Playstore and iStore.

Inclusive Šibenik: Barone Fortress © Šibenik Tourist Board

Further to these efforts, two of Šibenik's fortresses - St. Michael’s Fortress and Barone Fortress – have been reconstructed to be fully accessible to persons with disabilities. Inside the fortresses, you can learn how they helped defend Šibenik and more about the history of the city itself. One of the most breathtaking events spaces in Croatia, there's a spectacular backdrop of city, nature, sea and islands to performances at St. Michael’s Fortress. All of its dance, theatre, music and film events are fully accessible.

St. Michael’s Fortress

The Tourism4all project has supported the introduction of transport services - a minivan that is equipped for the transfer of wheelchair users visiting the city. It is operated by local NGO Aurora.

Discover the Šibenik food and drink that's right for you

Inclusive Šibenik: Brudet © Maja Danica Pečanić

Within recent memory, many places in Croatia struggled to cater for the growing number of vegetarian and vegan guests arriving at their destinations. But, great advances have been made over the last decade. Nowhere more so than the city of Šibenik, where you can access a food map specifically designed for those with food intolerances or distinct dietary needs.

© Baraka winery

Want to discover more about local food and the celebrated wine of Šibenik-Knin County? Baraka winery, just outside the city, is surrounded by vineyards and olive trees. Their new cookery classes have been designed to be accessible to all and are perfect for small groups. You'll learn to cook local dishes using ingredients popular to the region. Then, you'll enjoy lunch or dinner in these beautiful natural surroundings.

Inclusive Šibenik Nature, Wildlife and Recreation

Inclusive Šibenik © Antonia Viljac / Šibenik Tourist Board

The nature surrounding Šibenik is spectacular. Whatever your abilities or level of fitness, this nature can be enjoyed by all. Sections of Krka National Park with broad accessibility are specially designated by park authorities.

Inclusive Šibenik: Krka National Park 

There are numerous walks and hikes across the cityscape that are designed for people of all ages and abilities. Family groups with several different generations can enjoy untaxing strolls around St. Anthony's channel. Above the city, Šubićevac Forest Park has a fully equipped playground area, designed for inclusiveness and accessibility. You'll get incredible views from both these places.

Inclusive Šibenik: Dubrava Falconry Center © Šibenik Tourist Board

If you want to get up close to some of the animals that live in this area, then there are several options. Located in a dense pine forest less than 10 kilometres from Šibenik centre, at the Dubrava Falconry Center, you'll meet several different birds of prey.

Inclusive Šibenik: KK Kolan horseriding club at Farma Happy Horse © S. Živković

At Farma Happy Horse you'll meet horses and llamas. In fact, there's a range of domesticated animals waiting to greet you on this small family farm. They're all very friendly. Also, horse riding club KK Kolan operates on the farm. Their experienced team offer specially designed therapeutic horse riding sessions for children and teenagers with disabilities.

Accessible accommodation in Šibenik

© D-Resort Šibenik

D-Resort is a modern hotel resort at the side of Šibenik marina. It sits at the very end of a small, thin peninsula that stretches into Šibenik bay. Its light and spacious rooms have balconies that look out onto the bay, the city and the nature opposite. The hotel has 4 bars and lounges and, just next door, a spa area. The hotel has appointed rooms designed to be accessible and specifically with disabled guests in mind.

© D-Resort Šibenik

Visitors to Šibenik can take advantage of Šibenik Card and obtain various discounts, including 20% discount on accessible rooms at D-Resort. For more information about Šibenik Card, look here.

August 4, 2021 – Allowing free entrance to the city's best sights, plus discounts on everything from restaurants, activities, accommodation and a National Park, you can unlock the UNESCO city for less with Šibenik Card.

No fewer than 200 of Croatia's islands lie off the coast of Šibenik city and the wider Šibenik-Knin County. These are some of the very best waters for sailing in Croatia. Also, less than half an hour away, one of the most famous music festival sites in Europe (not to mention one of the best open-air nightclubs in the world).

Thousands of visitors pass within striking distance of Šibenik. Everyone has heard of the famous city – its famous fortresses, its Michelin-starred restaurant (Pelegrini), its Old Town, its UNESCO cathedral and its well-known events. There are countless reasons why anyone on holiday nearby should definitely make a stop in Šibenik. And, now there's one more.

Šibenik Card is a VIP passport to the city's best attractions. From the city's UNESCO Heritage Sites and Fortresses to Museums and boat trips, you'll get free entrance to many of the city's must-see destinations with Šibenik Card. Even greater is the discount offer that Šibenik Card also carries. Bargain price visits to Krka National Park, activities like canoeing, kayaking and cycling, restaurants even accommodation are included in the Šibenik Card discount scheme.

In fact, there are so many great things to see and do in Šibenik, you'd be well advised to set aside a long weekend or at least 48 hours if you want to truly discover this magical, reinvented city. Here's a suggested itinerary for two days in the city and how you can make the tour with the Šibenik card.

Šibenik Card: Day 1

8am: Cycling / Kayaking / Windsurfing in Šibenik

There are several great activities you can do if you want to get to know the geography of Šibenik. Kayaking will let you see the shoreline from close up. Windsurfing gives a wider perspective on the channel, not that you'll have much time for idly spectating on this thrilling ride. Taking a cycling tour between the city and either of the peninsula's between the centre and the open Adriatic is seriously one of the very best things to do in Šibenik. Amazing!

If you're visiting in summer, plan such activities for early in the morning, or late in the afternoon. Certainly, you can do activities during the strongest hours of summer sunshine in Šibenik – just make sure to apply generous amounts of high factor sunblock (a hat is also a good idea!). Alternatively, why not visit Šibenik for a long weekend in May, September or October. These months hold perfect warm, sunny days in which you can enjoy the great outdoors all day.

You receive 20% discount on all these activities with your Šibenik Card.

10.30am: Circle Boat Line / St. Nicholas Fortress

After getting your blood circulating first thing in the morning, you deserve to sit back, relax and let someone else do the work. There are few better ways to do this in Šibenik than on a boat. Why not take the Circle boat line? It's completely free with your Šibenik Card and it will allow you to cross all of the key points of the city's waterfront without ever going near a road. You can get on and off as many times as you like with your Šibenik card.

Alternatively, if you want to get acquainted with one of Šibenik's two UNESCO Heritage Sites, why not take the boat tour to St. Nicholas Fortress? You'll never have seen anything like it before. The photos are impressive enough, but they really don't depict the full offer. Not only are the fortress guides among the best in the city, but also there's a fascinating augmented reality aspect awaiting when you arrive.

You receive 20% discount on a guided tour of St. Nicholas Fortress with your Šibenik Card, including return boat trip from the city centre and down St. Anthony's channel.

1pm: Lunch

Some of Šibenik's best bars and restaurants offer generous discounts from your bill on the Šibenik Card, including;

-20%

Restoran Mendula, Ul. kralja Tomislava 15 A

SHE bio bistro, Zlarinski pro. 2

Bistro i kavana Pucalina, Ulica kralja Tomislava 9

-15%

Bistro Luce & Brigita, Obala dr. Franje Tuđmana 10A

-10%

Restoran Stari Grad, Obala dr. Franje Tuđmana 7

Restoran Pjat, Trg Pavla Šubića I 3

Pub & Wine bar Scala, Put Gimnazije 5

Restoran Peškarija, Obala palih omladinaca 10A

Restoran Stari Grad, Obala dr. Franje Tuđmana

2.30pm: Šibenik City Museum

Perhaps one of the most understated parts of the city offer, Šibenik City Museum holds fascinating exhibits of pottery, tools and architecture. You can trace the history of the peoples, culture and even the cuisine of those who've lived in the Šibenik area for millennia.

Free admission with Šibenik Card.

3.15pm: Civitas Sacra Museum

This cool and interactive museum tells the tale of the long and revolutionary construction of Šibenik's St. James Cathedral. Still very much a focal point of the city's Catholic worship, this museum is the best place to learn about the cathedral without intruding on solemn worship and attendance. It's the perfect place to visit in preparation for seeing the real thing up close.

Free admission with Šibenik Card.

4pm: St. James Cathedral

A UNESCO World Heritage site, Cathedral of St. James is a Renaissance masterpiece that took a century to build. On its facade are 71 different sculpted faces, said to be former residents of the town or contributors to the building. Try to look at as many as you can. You might be very surprised to see how some of Šibenik's former residents looked! After you've taken in the brilliant white exterior, prepare your senses for the celebration of colour inside.

Free admission with Šibenik Card.

5.30pm: Šibenik Old Town

One of the greatest pleasures of a visit to Šibenik is an unhurried walk around its Old Town. It is an incredibly atmospheric place, with countless unique winding alleys and stone stairways. Keep a look out for some fascinating architecture on your journey.

Unlike some ancient architecture in Croatia, the walls of Šibenik Old Town are completely free to walk around.

7pm: St Michael's Fortress

The first of Šibenik's fortresses to be renovated, St Michael's Fortress is one of the most iconic buildings in the city. Few pieces of architecture represent Šibenik better than this. Inside the fortress, you'll walk through floor-to-ceiling displays and find out about the former life of the fortress and its residents. From the roof, you'll enjoy spectacular views of the entire city, the Old Town and St. Anthony's channel. In the height of summer, this view is best enjoyed in the morning - before it becomes too hot - or at sunset. Unforgettable, as is catching a music, dance or culture event in 1000-seat theatre that now sits atop St Michael's.

Free admission with Šibenik Card.

8.00pm: Šibenik events

Throughout the whole year, Šibenik is alive with events. Depending on when you visit, you might find gastro festivals and cultural discussions in city parks, Children's processions through winding stone streets, dance festivals on public squares, incredible traditional and classical music performances and animation films projected on large screens in the heart of the city. Locals and visitors alike gather on the streets to enjoy. This is a city where some of the best culture takes place outside. And you're warmly invited to join in.

Šibenik's street events are all completely free.

9.00pm: Dinner

Dinner discounts are the same as those at lunch within restaurants accepting the Šibenik Card (see above).

11pm: A great night's sleep

You can get discounts at some of the city's very best accommodation offers with , including rooms to suit every budget or necessity. They include;

Amadria Park Resort 4* – 10% discount with Šibenik Card

Superior City Hotel Bellevue 4* – 15% discount with Šibenik Card

Heritage Hotel Life Palace 4* – 15% discount with Šibenik Card

D-Resort Šibenik 4* – 15% regular rooms, 20% accessible rooms

Hostel Scala – 10% discount with Šibenik Card

Šibenik Card: Day 2

8am: Krka National Park

7 magical waterfalls, boat rides to island monasteries, Neolithic caves, Roman heritage, an eco-ethno village, freshwater swimming, traditional cuisine, wildlife, spectacular nature, hiking and cycling trails. You could spend a week exploring Krka National Park and not get tired of the landscape or its offer. Unmissable.

20% discount at each of the Krka National Park entrances, throughout the whole year, with Šibenik Card.

1.30pm: Lunch

Back to the city for lunch in one of the restaurants accepting Šibenik Card.

3pm: Aquarium and Terrarium

Discover the world of Adriatic fish and plants as well as some tropical varieties. This is the perfect place to escape the heat of a midsummer afternoon.

Free with Šibenik Card

4pm: Šibenik Zip Line

Race across the spectacular scenery of the Cikola River Canyon, on the edge of Krka National Park, on Šibenik Zip Line. You'll run along a course of three separate lines, suspended hundreds of metres above the canyon floor. Thrillseekers will not be disappointed.

20% discount with Šibenik Card

5.30pm: Shopping in Šibenik

Searching for souvenirs from your time in Croatia? Looking to take back home something unique, handcrafted or locally designed? Want to pick up some nice new sunglasses for the rest of your holiday? There's nowhere better than the big city for shopping. A wide range of city stores and services offer discount with Šibenik Card. They include

Optika Glavadanovic –20%

Deni Design –20%

Gallery Juraj Dalmatinac –20%

Souvenir Shop Skrinjica –20%

Lana Art Gallery –20%

8.00pm: Barone Fortress

View from Barone

The most recently renovated of all Šibenik's fortresses (although, there's one more on the way!), Barone Fortress is unique in several ways. Firstly, it currently holds the most advanced augmented reality section of all the city fortresses. These vividly unlock the history of the building and the city. Secondly, this is the highest and furthest back of all the forts. As a result, the views you get from Barone are breathtaking, not least the sunset. Enjoy it with a glass of wine from the cool bar you'll find on the fortress top.

Free entrance with Šibenik Card

9.30pm: Dinner

Back to the city centre for dinner in one of the restaurants accepting Šibenik Card.

11pm: Romantic walk by moonlight along Šibenik waterfront, the perfect end to 48 hours in Šibenik.

You can buy Šibenik Card at:

Slaptours/Avalon Agency, Obala hrvatske mornarice 1, Šibenik.

Civitas Sacra, Interpretation Centre of the Cathedral of St. James, Kralja Tomislava 10, Šibenik.

Amadria Park Šibenik.

Souvenir shops in Amadria Park hotels.

Šibenik Tourist Board office, Tourist Information Center, Fausta Vrančića 18, or Obala palih omladinaca 3, Šibenik.

Vinoplod Winery Shop, Velimira Škorpika 2, Šibenik.

CoWorking space – Trokut Šibenik, Velimira Škorpika 7, Šibenik.

Or you can download a digital version to most phones here

Single card: 140 kn (approximately 19 €)

Family card - 2 adults, any number of children: 340 kn (approximately 45 €)

All photos © Šibenik Tourist Board or Marc Rowlands

July 20, 2021 – The streets of Šibenik are overflowing with life this July. On town squares, streets and in parks, different events appeal to every generation and demographic. On Monday 19th, the opening of the Supertoon animation festival sees families gather to watch feature-length cartoons in the Old Town streets. Above their heads, in St. Michael's Fortress, a much more startling evening's entertainment is taking place. It's the opening of the 10th anniversary Šibenik Dance Festival.

'Burning Water' by renowned Greek choreographer Andonis Foniadakis is not always easy to watch. Commissioned specifically for the ballet company of Croatian National Theatre Ivan pl. Zajc in Rijeka, the dancers have had a year to perfect it since its Capital of Culture premiere.

A spectacular backdrop of Šibenik, the Adriatic and sunset greet attendees at the opening of the 10th annual Šibenik Dance Festival © Marc Rowlands.

The audience takes their seats at sunset. But, as the performance begins, everything is enveloped in black. Minimally lit, androgynous dancers arrive on stage in a most unorthodox manner, their bodies twisted and contorted beyond regular, recognisable movement.

“That is the signature style of Andonis Foniadakis,” says Šibenik Dance Festival director Zorana Mihelčić. “Everybody knows it because he's so well established; very nervous, interrupted movements. I personally love his work and right now he's one of the most frequently requested choreographers in the world.”

Having helmed Šibenik Dance Festival from its start to this, its 10th anniversary, Mihelčić is more than satisfied with its progress. And, so she should be. In the seats on opening night, German, English, Slovenian, Croatian, and at least one Scandinavian language are heard. On the stage, an international touring ballet troupe and world-renowned choreographer. This is a far cry from the festival's beginnings.

Evolution of Šibenik Dance Festival

“We started Šibenik Dance Festival 10 years ago as a small review of dance studios and awarded dancers. But not, professionals,” says Mihelčić. “At that time, it was held in the square just in front of Šibenik cathedral. It grew steadily each year until 2014 when the first of our fortresses was renovated. Within a month of St. Michael's opening, we secured permission to hold our opening night there. That really put us on the map and we've been there ever since.”

“We now have two programmes running simultaneously; we kept the amateur and student dancers programme, which was our foundation. But, now we have professional, international dance companies as a major part of each event.”

Ilijana's dancers, part of the student / fringe programme of Šibenik Dance Festival © Mladen Božičković

Continuing throughout this week, Šibenik Dance Festival manages to entertain everyone currently in Šibenik. Committed fans of contemporary dance and art will visit more spectacular venues like Barone Fortress. On Wednesday 21st, a visit there by Zoltán Fodor's Inversedance – an incredibly well-respected dance company from Budapest. They arrive with a new performance 'You and the World'. Its premiere was just one month ago. The next night, Thursday 22 July, jazz and hip hop dancing, again at Fortress Barone and the Association of Ballet Artists of Serbia.

In Arsen Art House, conceptual and contemporary pieces by Rita Gobi from Hungary and regional star Isidora Stanišić on Tuesday 20th. The festival concludes in the same venue on Friday 23 with a conceptual piece called 'Body Shots'. It's a co-production between Germany's CocoonDance Company and Zagreb Dance Center.

Body Shots by CocoonDance / Zagreb Dance Center © Neven Petrović.

Although, for many visitors, the highlight of Šibenik Dance Festival is still the public performance on the city streets by youngsters and amateur dancers.

“This year, it's a really exciting mixture, accessible to everyone,” says Zorana Mihelčić, clearly excited about the performances to come. “20 minutes of great tap dancers from Dubrovnik, then 10 to 15 minutes of very young students from the ballet school in Split. After that, contemporary dancers from Požega, also salsa, hip hop fusion, classical and contemporary ballet. It will be great.”

As shown above, final applause for the 2021 festival opening night. Festival director Zorana Mihelčić can be seen in the bottom right-hand corner. 

The free public performance of youngsters and amateurs at the 10th anniversary of Šibenik Dance Festival takes place at Poljana square, just in front of Šibenik National Theatre on Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 July between the hours of 19.00 and 22.00.

All photos © Šibenik Dance Festival unless otherwise accredited.

May 12, 2021 – Using vivid modern techniques like 3D mapping and augmented reality, each of the Fortresses of Šibenik is unique. Here, we take a closer look at these fascinating, must-visit venues.

The city of Šibenik is surrounded by some of the most distinctive waters in Dalmatia. To the city's northeast, the great Krka river drops over gushing waterfalls, meeting Cikola river in the epic Krka National Park. Thereafter, it flows first into Lake Prokljan, then the bay of Šibenik. Around the water's edge in Šibenik, people enjoying in bars and restaurants. Or, in warmer months, sunbathing and swimming in the sea.

The Channel of St. Ante, with the City of Šibenik in the background and St. Nikola's Fortress in the foreground @ TZ Šibenik.

And yet, these special waters are not the only thing that makes Šibenik unique. There's much more to this city than just the sea. Not least, the unique Fortresses of Šibenik.

Actually, it's not that unusual to find a fortress, castle or fortifications in Croatian cities. After all, for several hundred years, this was the frontline of European defense against the invading Ottoman empire. However, Šibenik is unique within the entire Balkan region to have not one, but four fortresses from that era. Not only are they very well preserved, but also they have been completely renovated and thoroughly modernized.

Surprising multimedia and fascinating digital content now combine with fantastic views and unique architecture to draw visitors to the Fortresses of Šibenik. Subsequently, the four Fortresses of Šibenik now make up an unmissable part of any visit to the city.

Fortresses of Šibenik: St. Michael's Fortress

Fortresses of Šibenik: St. Michael's Fortress @ TZ Šibenik.

The oldest of the four fortresses of Šibenik, iconic St. Michael's is today known as one of the most prestigious open-air concert stages on this side of the Adriatic. But, it also a place where you can learn fascinating history via spectacular modern technology. Deep within the fortress, 3D mapping techniques make 15th-century water tanks spring to life. This vivid display will transport you through centuries of exciting Šibenik history, including the story of St. Michael and the dragon.

Vivid multimedia trails through the Fortresses of Šibenik @ TZ Šibenik.

Fortresses of Šibenik: Barone Fortress

Barone Fortress @ TZ Šibenik.

The latest of the four Fortresses of Šibenik to be renovated, in Barone Fortress you get a whole new dimension of reality. Actually, Barone Fortress successfully repelled the fiercest attacks of the Ottomans in the 17th century and therefore changed the course of history in this area. Via augmented reality (AR), you can relive the sights and sounds of these key moments in European history. After the thrill of experiencing the battles, you'd be well advised to take a breather on the Barone Bar’s terrace. There, you can enjoy views of the entire city, while any younger visitors can have fun on the children’s playground.

Vivid multimedia trails through the Fortresses of Šibenik @ TZ Šibenik.

Fortresses of Šibenik: St. Nikola's Fortress

Fortresses of Šibenik: The UNESCO-protected St. Nikola's Fortress @ TZ Šibenik.

Within the Fortresses of Šibenik, St. Nicholas is unique. Not only is it the only one that sits on its own island within the sea, but also is a unique Renaissance-style Venetian fortification. As such, it is protected as a UNESCO monument of world architectural heritage.

The fortress was built on the island of Ljuljevac, in the Channel of St. Ante, where the waters of Šibenik bay meet the Adriatic. Owing to its protected status, the best way to access the fortress is on an official tour. Lasting around two hours, the tour takes you from Šibenik down the channel by boat. After arriving at the fortress, you're guided rounded the structure on a tour detailing the architectural highlights and history.

Fortresses of Šibenik: The UNESCO-protected St. Nikola's Fortress @ TZ Šibenik.

Fortresses of Šibenik: St. John's Fortress

St. John's Fortress @ TZ Šibenik.

The medieval church of St. John the Baptist that once stood on a hill, north of Šibenik's historical centre, dates to at least 1444. It is around this church that St. John's Fortress rose up. Naturally, it's also where the name comes from. In early 1646, when it was speedily built, alongside its peers, it helped save the city from the Ottomans. Later, it continued to be used by resident armies all the way up until the times of Yugoslavia. Today, St. John's is the last of the Fortresses of Šibenik to be undergoing reconstruction. Its completion is imminent and its official reopening is planned for September 2021.

Three of the Fortresses of Šibenik are included in the pan-European Fortresses of FORTITUDE project, which links significant sites in Croatia to some in Montenegro and Bosnia. If you want to know more about that project - and learn a little more about the history of some Šibenik fortresses, then look here.

December 28, 2020 – The Sibenik City Museum and the Sibenik Fortress of Culture came up with two new traces of the medieval beginnings of Sibenik, one of the oldest Croatian native towns on the Adriatic.

As reported from Fortress of Culture, they came up with new findings belonging to the early Middle Ages only a few days before the 954th anniversary of the first mention of Šibenik. Namely, Šibenik was first mentioned on Christmas Day in 1066 in the deed of gift of King Petar Krešimir IV. That is why it is also called Krešimir's city.

The Šibenik City Museum, in cooperation with the Nature Institute of Šibenik-Knin County, has been researching the cave of St. Anthony the Great, located in the canal of the same name. The head of the research, senior curator of the Šibenik Museum Emil Podrug, gathered a team to write a scientific paper on this site – eight experts from five institutions and three cities (Šibenik, Split, Zagreb). The research results show that the cave was used from the 13th or 14th until the 20th century.

View of the St. Anthony the Great's Cave on the map of Martin Kolunić Rota from 1571 / Source: Fortress of Culture

Cave of St. Anthony the Great today / Source: Fortress of Culture

Plait from the middle of the 9th century

However, during a recent inspection of a baroque altar's remains in the cave, a well-preserved fragment of the altar partition pluteus (sculpture) decorated with a plait was found. It is a series of two knotted three-bar circles decorated with whirling rosettes.

Based on similar examples from Rižinice near Klis and Kašić near Zadar, it can be reliably declared as the work of the so-called Stonemasonry workshops from Prince Trpimir's time and located no later than the middle of the 9th century.

"A stone fragment with a plait into the cave was most likely brought in as a secondary building material. It should be noted that the immediate vicinity of Šibenik is not rich in archeological sites from the era of national rulers. In addition to the very important site of St. Lovre in Grušine near Donje polje, fragments of plait were found at only a few locations, mostly also as a secondary material," said Željko Krnčević, director of the Šibenik Museum.

Examples of plaits from Kašić and Rižinice / Source: Fortress of Culture

One of these rare locations is the Fortress of St. Mihovil. It is less known that a stone fragment with three-bar braids was found in the fortress as far back as 1911. Also, an oil lamp from the second half of the 9th century was found in the 1990s. The site has been used for defense since Illyrian times, and it is believed that most of the ramparts preserved today were built during the Venetian rule.

Šibenik is a century or two older

However, some walls seem older, and today's non-invasive archaeological methods provide new opportunities for exploration. One such wall is the deepest part of the northeastern rampart, whose plaster contained pieces of coal.

Experts from the Ruđer Bošković Institute performed the chemical C14 dating of coal.

A segment of the old wall, the northeastern rampart of the Fortress of St. Michael / Source: Fortress of Culture

The analysis results show date from the very end of the 9th or through the 10th century, more precisely between 881 and 978. This suggests that this part of the ramparts was built during the said period. Just a few meters away, the already mentioned oil lamp was found. The northeastern rampart's foundation extends about forty meters in the northwest-southeast direction, and a Venetian rampart from the 15th and 16th centuries was added to it.

"It was clear before that Šibenik already had to be a developed settlement to host King Petar Krešimir and his court in 1066 during the signing of the well-known deed of gift. These two new clues provide us with additional confirmation and suggest that we move the origin and continuity of Croatian Šibenik a century or two earlier. Perhaps more importantly, these findings motivate us to explore further. We believe that a systematic approach and continuous work, which includes the use of new methods, can lead to further knowledge of even the earliest periods in the history of Šibenik," said Josip Pavić from the Fortress of Culture.

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December the 17th, 2020 - The historic Dalmatian city of Sibenik has long been known as a shining star when it comes to the proper and creative use of European Union funds, and when it comes to the the Sibenik fortress restoration, it's difficult to find a better example.

As Lucija Spiljak/Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the success of the Sibenik fortress restoration, which regards the fortresses of St. Mihovil and Barone, has seen the two mighty structures placed on the list of 32 examples of good practice from the European Commission's Creative Europe programme.

The aforementioned programme is otherwise one of the most important publications of the European Union called Cultural Heritage in Action, which deals with programmes worth 1.46 billion euros for the cultural and creative sector.

The City of Sibenik is presented as an innovative city that has turned its imposing fortresses into exceptional tourist locations, settling well into the company of large European cities.

"We're extremely proud of the restoration of the fortresses of St. Mihovil and Barone, and the reconstruction of the third fortification building. Sibenik has become an example of good practice due to its excellence in the management of cultural assets, which is why we're proud,'' said Sibenik Mayor Zeljko Buric.

With the help of the Sibenik fortress restoration initiatives, Sibenik has managed to position itself as the cultural centre of Croatia, the fortresses have been revitalised and are some of the most visited historical monuments in all of Croatia, where numerous cultural events, concerts, screenings and more are organised.

The European publication also highlights the Club of Friends of Sibenik Fortresses, which connects the local population with the restored cultural heritage of the city.

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As Morski writes on the 21st of June, 2020, the day-long festival called Let’s ROCK!, which took place on June the 21st at the popular Sibenik Fortress of St. Mihovil, returned a form of musical and social life to the Dalmatian city of Sibenik after several months of silence caused by the coronavirus. As part of the Sibenik Zero Waste City project, specially designed reusable cups have been introduced at events being held at this Sibenik fortress and others, starting with this first post-coronavirus festival.

The Sibenik Zero Waste City project will be implemented over the next two years with the aim of launching numerous environmental activities and educating visitors and citizens of Sibenik about the importance of environmental protection, proper waste separation and recycling. The holder of the project is the association Youth in the European Union, which is implementing it in cooperation with the City of Sibenik, the Tvrdjava kulture (Fortress of Culture) Sibenik public institution and the Zeleni grad (Green city) Sibenik utility company.

One of the first things that will be introduced in cooperation with the Fortress of Culture Sibenik is the setting of a new standard at festivals and other events at this Sibenik fortress and in others through the use of reusable cups instead of disposable, plastic ones that have been used so far.

These specially designed reusable glasses made of polypropylene enjoyed their premiere on June the 21st at the Sibenik Fortress of St. Michael.

''The crisis brought to us by the coronavirus made us all even more aware of the importance of having a responsible attitude towards the environment and the protection of nature. Our first eagerly awaited festival this year is a great time to put washable, reusable beverage glasses into practice and thus involve our visitors in the effort to keep Sibenik clean and an example of a responsible attitude towards waste and the environment,'' said Vera Jergovic Bolanca.

On the first day of summer, which is also World Music Day, the people of Sibenik were able enjoy some of the more prominent names of the Croatian alternative music scene such as The Fogsellers, Pi, Porto Morto, Ichabod, Ischariotzcky, Jonathan, JRAugust, Lovely Quinces, Nipplepeople, Pocket palm and Rolo. These musicians will take turns on several stages at the Fortress of St. Michael.

In addition to encouraging environmental protection at festivals and other events in and around the city, as well as educational environmental activities for citizens, the Sibenik Zero Waste City project will also provide city infrastructure that will further enable responsible waste management.

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