Šibenik Plus is the proud winner of The Golden Embroidery recognition, awarded to the best tourist agency in Šibenik-Knin region
Why pay for a guide if you can have a good one for free? Many locals would love to take you around town as a free guide!
GET A UNIQUE PEEK INTO THE LOCAL LIFE. How to meet the locals in Šibenik region and Croatia generally?
In Dalmatia, people's lifestyle has been influenced by the Mediterranean climate and leads to lack of urgency, fuss and very much the café culture.
Everything can be done a little later and most likely over a cup of coffee or pivo (beer).
A perfect day in Šibenik starts with, you guessed it, a great cup of coffee. Drinking coffee is a ritual in this part of Croatia. It's the influence of italian and turkish culture. Croatians drink coffee with their friends, lovers, colleagues, business partners, alone...
You should never drink your coffee fast, take your time and enjoy it, no matter whether you are alone or in good company. If you want to have a good cup of coffee, just take a walk to Giro Espresso bar in the town centre, across the only orthodox church in the old town „Uspenje Bogomatere“ on Zagrebačka street.
If you want to have your coffee and enjoy the sun at the same time, take a walk to the coast and visit one of the many bars on the promenade.
During the rush hour (from 10a.m. to 1p.m.) it's a lottery to find a free table. Unlike other countries, it's not a custom to share a table with a stranger. It would be best to sit at the bar or wait for someone to finish their drinks or invite you by themselves. The waiters are always useful sources of information and most of them speak English.If you like sports, football for example, going to a bar before the match is a good way to meet people. The Croatian people are proud of their nation and heritage. So, if you want to appeal to people in Šibenik, ask them about Croatian football, Football Club Sibenik, Sibenik basketball, Drazen Petrovic and so on.
They care how you feel about their country and about them. They want you to appreciate the beauty, the history and culture, their gastronomy and their hospitality.
On the other side, the Croatians are very open and curious so don't be surprised if they ask you questions that are in some parts of the world considered as private. For example they might ask you about your family, marriage status, salary, religion, etc. We also like gatherings, like dinners and weekend events that usually take place at one's home.
It is not uncommon to have an unannounced visitors at your home, someone just dropping by to say „Hi“ or have a cup of coffee. We are not formal.
Other Mediterranean similarities can be seen in afternoon siestas during the summer months when shops usually close. A common sight also for all to enjoy are the evening walking parades where locals stroll together in their finest clothes on promenades whilst onlookers sip their drinks and enjoy the scenery. Tourists say that women in Šibenik are extremly beautiful, nicely dressed and that's true. They are quite style-conscious. In the cities and towns women seldom go out in public without putting on make up and nice clothes. They spend a lot of money on their clothes and they take care about their image in public.
If you are a guy and you meet a Croatian girl this summer, don't hesitate to invite her out for a drink, be romantic but never push too hard and don't overdo with too many sweet words. It's better to 'throw the hook', as Dalmatians like to joke about it, and then pull back, it will work for sure...
There are many national parks in Croatia, one more beautiful than the other. There are two in the Šibenik region – the Krka waterfalls and the Kornati islands. A lot of advertising has been done and buses and boats full of tourists visit them. But not this one – Vrela Cetine – The Springs of the Cetina river. Not many tourists come in the spring season, but it is a place worthwhile visiting.
One thing is for sure: you will be impressed by the beauty of the spring and the crystal clear water. You'll never see water more clear than here. This is the reason why we want to share this story with you.
The Cetina river emerges on the surface at the south east part of Dinara Mountain near Cetina village at the altitude of 395m. The Cetina is one of the 4 most beautiful Croatian rivers. It is 105km long, flows through deep canyons and goes into the Adriatic Sea in the city of Omis.
Vrela Cetine cover an area of almost 30ha and have been protected since 1971 as the hydrogeological heritage of nature. No acts that threaten its features and values are permitted in this area. There are several springs here. At the given coordinates you will find one of the most beautiful springs of the Cetina river.
Its source is really amazing. It is easily described as a huge, 100m deep, perpendicular chasm filled with crystal clear water.
Full strength of the river is coming out of it. To visit the source of the Cetina turn from Knin-Split main road at Civljane village, where signs point ‘Cetina’.
When you come there please preserve nature, do not enter the water and do not throw stones into the water.
The old Church of St. Salvation (Svetog Spasa) is located near the springs. It is one of the best preserved old churches in Croatia.
“Public institution for management of protected areas in Sibenik - Knin County” approved of this earthcache and preserves this beautiful location.
The Channel of St. Ante in Šibenik is one of the most beautiful and fascinanting coastal entrances into the town. It's not a rare motive in the beautiful photos from Šibenik and from the Adriatic. The channel of St. Ante, which includes the area from the Šibenik bridge to the end of the channel and the fortress of St. Nikola, is more than 2000m long. The whole site was pronounced a protected area in 1974. Since last year it has become available to citizens and tourists. The left side of the Channel of St. Ante was fenced off by barbed wire and forbidden to the public for decades. Rarely had anyone set foot on this part of the channel but thanks to the project of the Public institution for regulation of protected natural heritage of the Šibenik-Knin County, it is finally connected to the town by a walking path.
The pathway stretches from Mandalina along the channel. The walking path includes a number of attractions.
Apart from the main sightseeing point (about 1.5 km away from the entrance to the Panikovac bay), from which you can enjoy the panorama of 360 degrees, there is an attractive church – cave of St . Anthony with an underground chapel. The most notable of all is certainly the fortress of St. Nicholas, one of the most fortified monuments on the Croatian part of the Adriatic, which will soon decorated appropriately to its importance. The fortress was used to monitor the St. Anthony channel, the only maritime port of Sibenik.
It was designed by a Venetian architect and it was completed in the mid-16th century. Although it is a mighty fortress, it has never been actually used for military purposes.
IT'S GOOD TO KNOW...
So, the walking path connects areas that were once under military rule - Panikovac bay and St. Nicholas fortress. The link is about 4.5km long and because of its hilly terrain a walk takes about an hour. It provides unsurpassed views of Sibenik, the St. Anthony channel and surrounding villages. The promenade is largely surrounded by pine and oak trees. However, at noon it is difficult to find a shadow and in summer the best time for walking is either in the morning or at sunset. The walking pavement is covered with stone slabs, so you can walk with your sandals or summer shoes on .
HOW TO GET THERE
Since the pathway connects the fortress of St. Nicholas and Panikovac bay, it is possible to reach it from two sides. Both ways lead across the Adriatic highway.
If you want to start from Panikovac bay, you have to get off the highway immediately after Dalmare shopping centre when you see the road sign.
After that, when you reach the roundabout, take the second turn to the right. After 100m you take again a turn to the right, which is indicated by the road sign.
From this point on you drive along the coast on the bad road. The first two kilometers of the road are renovated and narrow. You can drive at 20-30 km/h. The last third of the road is full of holes. If you want to make sure not to damage your car, you should drive at max 15 km/h.
If you are coming from Split via Zablaće, get off the main road at crossroad to Solaris hotel resort. After 1,5km, take a turn to the right, continue straight ahead and take a turn to the left, at the T-crossroad. From there you can follow the road along the coast of the Blato (swamp with healing mud) or turn to Zablace and follow the signs to the fortress.
Our tours were nominated
for CBTour award for 2013.
Our Unique thematic tours of the city of Sibenik were nominated for the award of the prestigious annual Awards for creative and innovative programs in tourism - CBTour 2013., with a special emphasis on sustainable development.
Tourist Agency Šibenik Plus with it's project "Unique thematic tours of the city of Šibenik" were nominated in the category BEST MARKETING PROGRAM OF CROATIAN TOURISM for 2013.
Do not hesitate to try them!
Perfect Croatian weekend! find story here...
The Secrets of Šibenik! find story here...
Something special around every corner! find story here...