Villa Jadrija

The area

Šibenik and the parks, from a quiet base

Jadrija is on the edge of Šibenik, so you get the town's cathedral, fortresses and restaurants in the evening and come home to silence. Two national parks are within reach for a day trip.

Šibenik old town

Šibenik is the oldest Croatian-founded town on the Adriatic, first recorded in 1066. The Cathedral of St James, built between 1431 and 1536 entirely from stone, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Around it is a medieval grid of steps and alleys with an unusually good choice of restaurants for a town its size. It is at its best in the evening, once the day-trippers have left.

Four fortresses

  • St Michael's, above the old town, with a summer stage that hosts concerts under the stars.
  • Barone, on the hill behind, with the best view over the bay towards Jadrija.
  • St John's, the highest of the three on land.
  • St Nicholas, on its islet at the channel mouth, a UNESCO site since 2017. You see it from Jadrija beach. Visiting is by boat tour from the Šibenik waterfront, about two hours all in.

Krka National Park

The Krka waterfalls are inland from Šibenik. The Lozovac entrance is 13 km from town and the Skradin entrance 20 km; from Jadrija allow roughly half an hour by car. The main loop at Skradinski Buk is a 2 km boardwalk over the cascades. Go early in July and August; by late morning the car parks are full.

Kornati islands

A hundred-odd bare limestone islands offshore, a national park, and one of the strangest landscapes in the Mediterranean. Full-day boat trips leave from Šibenik and Vodice with lunch and swimming stops. Book a day ahead in high season.

Beaches beyond Jadrija

Banj, the town beach under the old town walls, for a swim before dinner. Zablaće and Solaris across the bay. The islands of Zlarin and Prvić by Jadrolinija boat from the waterfront, both car-free.

Getting here

  • By air. Split (SPU) and Zadar (ZAD) airports are both about an hour's drive. Hire a car at the airport; there is free parking at the house and a car makes Krka and the coast easy.
  • By car. From the A1 motorway take the Šibenik exit, follow signs for Šibenik and then the Šibenik bridge, then Jadrija. Dino sends a map pin and a photo of the turning before you arrive.
  • By bus. Šibenik bus station has frequent coaches from Zagreb, Split and Zadar. From the station, take a taxi to Jadrija.
  • By boat. In summer, the Jadrija boat leaves from the Šibenik waterfront next to the bus station.

When to come

May, June and September are warm enough to swim and quiet. July and August are the busiest and the hottest. Spring and autumn suit walkers and windsurfers, and the house has heating and a fireplace for the shoulder months.