Dubrovnik and Dalmacija travel guide

Franciscan Monastery, Krapanj
Skradin
Skradin was on the front line
during the wars of the 1990s, and
both its Catholic and Orthodox
churches took heavy damage
during that period. These days
the town is prospering, thanks
both to its role as a gateway to
the Krka National Park (see
pp20–21), and to its accessibility
as a sailing destination. It’s quite
a compact little place, and can
be walked around in an hour;
afterwards, you can reward
yourself with lunch or dinner in
one of the decent seafood
restaurants that are geared
towards visiting yachtsmen.
Map C4 • Tourist info: Trg Male
Gospe 3. 022 771 306. www.skradin.hr
Novigrad
Apart from a well-equipped
campsite, tourism has yet really
to make its mark on Novigrad.
The name means “New Town”, so
it comes as a pleasant surprise
to discover its delightful old core,
which meanders off up the
hillside. Here, rather than funky
pavement-cafés and ice-cream
stalls, expect to see card-playing
men, and old women hanging
out their washing. The best view
of the town is from the ruined
medieval fortress that looms
over it from high on the hillside
above. In season, boat trips
depart from Novigrad for the
nearby Zrmanja Gorge (see p76).
Map B3 • Tourist info: Obala Elizabete
Kotromani 4. 023 375 051
A Day in Northern
Dalmatia
Morning
Make an early start and
head north out of Šibenik
to the small town of
Skradin, where you can
have a light breakfast in
one of the town’s
waterfront cafés. From
here, you could just take a
boat to the Krka National
Park (see pp20–21) and
spend the day there.
Alternatively, follow the
old road which winds its
way alongside the new
motorway towards Zadar;
here, vineyards and new
houses are gradually
restoring normality to a
terrain that not so long
ago was ravaged by war.
From the road, you could
either drop down to Lake
Vrana (see p76) or just
carry straight on for lunch
in Zadar (see pp30–31).
Just outside the old town,
Foša (see pp48, 79) has a
pretty terrace by the water
with parking nearby.
Afternoon
After lunch, continue north
on the motorway from
Zadar. Turn off before the
Maslenica Bridge and
follow the Novigradsko
More east to the compact
little town of Novigrad,
where you can climb the
hill to the fortress and
enjoy sweeping views out
over Northern Dalmatia,
before drifting back down
to one of the waterfront
café-bars, where you can
take a break as the local
fishing fleet goes about its
business. If you’re short of
time, head straight back to
Šibenik; otherwise, make
a detour to Otavice (see
p76), where you can take
in the unforgettable family
mausoleum of sculptor
Ivan Meštrovi.
Around Northern Dalmatia
75