Skip Dubrovnik: Šibenik, Authentic Dalmatia

Šibenik: Dalmatia Before Game of Thrones

Dubrovnik is a magnificent city, but the Game of Thrones effect has turned it into an open-air theme park. The walls that once formed the heart of an independent maritime republic are now walked by endless queues of tourists, while the cruise passengers who disembark every morning often outnumber the resident population. Šibenik, a hundred kilometres further north along the Dalmatian coast, offers an equally fascinating but radically different experience: here life still flows at the rhythm of real Croatia.

The Cathedral That Defies the Laws of Physics

Šibenik's masterpiece is the Cathedral of Saint James, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a building of extraordinary ingenuity: it is built entirely of stone, without a single wooden beam, a single nail, a single piece of metal. The stone slabs interlock like a giant three-dimensional puzzle, an architectural feat accomplished between 1431 and 1536 by the masters Juraj Dalmatinac and Nikola Firentinac. The exterior frieze with 71 portraits of ordinary citizens carved in stone is a unique work in Renaissance art: not saints or kings, but the faces of merchants, craftsmen and townspeople.

What to See

- Cathedral of Saint James — UNESCO World Heritage Site, a unique masterpiece of Renaissance stone architecture.

- Fortress of Saint Nicholas — Venetian fortress on a small island at the entrance to the Sant'Antonio channel, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

- Fortress Barone — Recently restored, it houses an open-air stage for concerts with panoramic views over the sea and islands.

- Medieval old town — Limestone alleyways, staircases, small squares with open-air cafés and no queues.

- Krka National Park — Just 15 km from the city, spectacular waterfalls where swimming is possible.

- Archipelago islands — Zlarin (red coral) and Prvić (Leonardo's village) reachable by ferry.

The Krka Waterfalls

The proximity to Krka National Park is one of Šibenik's great advantages. The Skradinski Buk falls, with their 17 natural travertine steps, are among the most beautiful in Europe. Unlike Plitvice Lakes (also stunning but increasingly congested), the Krka offers the chance to swim in the natural pools beneath the falls. Travelling upriver you reach the monastery of Visovac, on a small island in the middle of the lake, and the upper falls of Roški Slap, where the crowds almost never venture.

Where to Eat

Šibenik's cuisine is pure Dalmatian: grilled fish, black cuttlefish risotto, pašticada (beef stew in wine) and the famous šibenski školjke (local mussels and clams). The konoba Pelegrini, overlooking the cathedral, holds a Michelin star and is one of the best restaurants in Croatia at prices that would be unthinkable in Dubrovnik for comparable quality. For a more informal experience, konoba Dalmatino in the old town alleyways serves traditional dishes with the catch of the day.

How to Get There

The nearest airport is Split, about an hour's drive away. Frequent buses also run from Split. By car, Šibenik lies along the A1 coastal motorway connecting Zagreb to Dalmatia. In summer, ferries connect Šibenik to the archipelago islands and other coastal towns. The old town can be explored entirely on foot in half a day.

When to Go

May, June and September are the perfect months: the sea is warm, the days are long and the city has not yet hit the peak of summer season. In summer, Šibenik hosts the International Children's Festival, a unique cultural event that transforms the squares into stages. Autumn is ideal for excursions to the Krka, when the water flow is at its highest.

Why Šibenik and Not Dubrovnik

The comparison is telling: Dubrovnik records over a million overnight stays in summer alone, in a walled city of just a few thousand residents. Šibenik has two UNESCO sites (not one), a national park fifteen minutes away, a Michelin-starred restaurant and can be enjoyed without booking access to the walls or calculating cruise-ship disembarkation times. It is the Dalmatia that Croatians themselves frequent — and that, perhaps, is the finest compliment of all.