Airport and transport – Zadar (around 68 km); Split (around 60 km); railroad; ferry connections with islands Prvić, Zlarin, Žirje, Kaprije, Obonjan; airports in Zadar and Split.

History – remains of a culture from the prehistoric Iron Era have been found; first time mentioned under its present name in 11th century in a Charter of the Croatian King Petar Krešimir IV; it was a seat of the Croatian King; created initially as a castrum (a fortification or a campus).

Interesting to see: the Cathedral of St. James (15th century; built for over a century, entirely of stone, no other material being used; on the UNESCO World Heritage List); Church of “Uspenie Bogomatere” (17th century; built in the location where the Templars lived in the 12th century); St. Gregory church (constant thematic exhibitions of “Giorgio da Sebenico (medieval sculptor and architect of the Cathedral of St. James) and his works outside of Šibenik”); St. Francis church and monastery (14th century); Church of St. Barbara (15th century; small museum holding most important art from 14th – 17th century); Church of St. Ivan (15th century); St. Krševan church (17th century; today it is the Gallery of St. Krševan. Located next to the church is the oldest bell in Croatia, built in 1266 and found under the sea near the island of Silba); St. Martin church (17th century); Church of “Gospe vanka grada” (15th century); Church of The Holy Spirit (17th century; stunning Baroque style rosette); New Church (15th century); St. Nicolas church (17th century); St. Elizabeth church (16th century); St. Dominic church (organ built in 1818); the Fortress of St. Michael (built in the period from the 15th to 17th century); the Fortress of St. Nicholas (on entrance to the St. Anthony Channel; 16th century; is one of the strongest forts on Croatian coast); the Fortress of St. John (on a hill 115m high on the northern side; 17th century); The Šubićevac Fortress (17th century); Šibenik Theater (19th century); the Šibenik Art Museum (former Prince’s Palace from 13th century; has archeological, cultural, historic and ethnographic departments); the Laudato Gallery (offers exclusive Croatian sacral art); the St. Grisogonus County Gallery; Atlas’ gallery Sebastian (exhibitions and the selling of artwork by eminent Croatian artists); Archeological site (one of the most significant in Croatia; in the village of Danilo Gornje (17 km); Neolithic’s cultural circle consists of remains of buildings and fortification system (from the prehistoric era to the middle ages).

Info – population 41 012; Šibenik is a political, educational, transport, industrial, cultural and tourist center; with most probably the beautiful town square of the Croatian urban heritage; the city is arranged amphitheatrically around the natural harbor and on the surrounding hill slopes; situated in the area where is the best-indented archipelago in Europe (Islands of Kornati) and karst hydrographical phenomena (Skradinski Buk, Visovac, Roski Waterfall); the Šibenik bay (10 km long and 300-1200 meters wide, opens towards the open sea and islands through a narrow curving channel).

Happenings: the International Children’s Festival (15 days; end of June/beginning of July); Organ summer school (14 days in July); Antiques fair (from June 20 to September 1); the Day of St. James (25th of July; the patron saint of the city); Adriatic Boat Show (September); “Fair in the Medieval Sibenik” (September).

Where to go out: St Lawrence Monastery organizes ¨A Medieval Evening in Dalmatia¨ (includes a traditional Dalmation dinner, drinks and desert under traditional torches and staff dressed in Medieval costumes with Medieval theme); evenings of Šibenik’s “Klapa” songs (a cappella groups).

Inevitable to see: Šibenik Button (the most original Croatian souvenir in 2007) and Šibenik hat (souvenir); Medieval Mediterranean Garden of St Lawrence Monastery (integral part of the St Lawrence Monastery is notably rare; the only one of its kind in Croatia); underwater photo-safari; horseback riding school in Jadrtovac; Falcony center Dubrava (7 km; the only center which provides seeing (face to face) all kinds of birds of prey); Etnoland Dalmati (15 km; the first theme park of its kind in Croatia; the place where it is shown how people used to live and work in this rocky and very poor land).

Good to know: The town of Šibenik was the first city in the world to receive a polyphase system of alternating current. The system supplied 340 street lights and some electrified houses in the town; Fausto Veranzio (inventor of the parachute; 16th century) was born in Šibenik.

For sailors:

Town Šibenik: (along the waterfront) exposed to strong waves from jugo, and waves from bora (going to the direction parallel to the coast).

The channel of St. Ante (leads to the port; estuary of the Krka river; 1.4 NM long; narrowest spot is 140 m; depth 20-40 m; entrance 220 m wide; the channel is in its whole length well marked with lighthouses on both sides): Approach: lighthouse Jadrija (W side; red light), the lighthouse on the cape Ročni (green light; warning-shallows and cliffs: along cliff Ročni (should be passed from the W side), and the tower near the fortress Saint Nikola. Exposed to bora (that can be strong). Berth: little pier (in the bottom of the bay; depth around head is 5 m; muddy bottom; anchors hold well; recommendation: in case of bora keep closer to the NE coast); N from the lighthouse Jadrija (on the W shore of the channel) is the bay Guština (with a shallow little port), and behind it is the bay Sičenica (protected from all winds), between them is little jetty with the breakwater (from the beginning to the middle the depth is about 2.5 m; full with taxi-boats during the summer); the bay Dolac (to the N; with a yacht club and the waterfront along which the depth is 2-3 m; exposed to wind and ground swell). Anchorage: bay Škar (NE of the fortress of St. Nicolas; suitable as shelter from S wind); in the port (is possible everywhere); allowed along the coast (SE from the cathedral of Saint Jacob, all to the quay Krka, which is reserved for liners). Warning-narrow strip: in the port about 100 m NNW from the port light on the jetty Krka (anchor does not hold well). Warning-shallows: NW from the cathedral (also crowded with local boats); around capes Senišna, Cipac and Debeli (recommendation: keep the big distance). Warning: the usual speed of the permanent current (towards the entrance) is 2 knots (differs from 0.5 knots in the summer to 3 knots in the winter or during bora and heavy rains); allowed speed is 6 knots; ships of up to 50 tons of carrying capacity (apart from tugboat) can sail through the channel without special permit (but should keep to the right side of the channel and make way to all bigger boats; giving them priority in entering or leaving the channel); forbidden is anchoring in the channel or in front of the entrance to the channel (area is limited with the parallels passing through the lights on the fortress of St. Nicolas (E), the shallow Roženik (W), and the meridian that goes through the lighthouse of St. Nicolas (E) and the one touching the most eastern point of the coast of the islet Lupac (W)); all vessels are forbidden to approach or anchor in the area of the cape Burnji turan (around the bays Panikovac, Dumboka and St. Peter); the depth along the waterfront is 2-4 m; the waterfront (SE from the jetty Krka) is reserved to the fishing boats and bigger ships; the bay of St. Peter is forbidden (military) area, and the line which should not be crossed is the lighthouse Ravna – cape Kulina on the peninsula Mandalina.