Today, we’re going to explore the beautiful old town of Šibenik. It’s a perfect maze of gorgeous stone houses and small streets where you can truly get lost. And sometimes getting lost is part of the fun. Today we’re diving in with almost no plan. We’ve got a couple of places pinned on our map—like the UNESCO listed cathedral and a secret courtyard garden—but mostly, we’re going to see where the day takes us!
Oh, and there’s a catch – we only have 3 hours to explore. But you can check out our full Croatia itinerary to see what else we’re up to after Šibenik.
Location: Šibenik, Croatia
Cost: Free (if You just explore outside and don’t go in any of the attractions)
Lenght: ~3h. But You would need more time if You wanted to go in any of the attractions.
How to get there: Public transport or driving. We parked in paid parking near the buss station.
Check out our full Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina itinerary
What to See in Šibenik if You Only Have a Couple of Hours
Playing Hide and Seek in Šibenik’s Old Town Streets
Location: Šibenik Old Town, Croatia
I feel like the tourist attractions of Šibenik are playing hide and seek with us. There are so many charming little streets and passageways that it takes at least three tries to find something. The first two, you’ll just wander off the path to check out another beautiful stone building.
Our goal is to find Šibenik’s St. James Cathedral. But where do the streets take us? To this quiet park. It has an old-world feel to it, especially the fountains. I believe it’s called Roberto de Visiani’s Park.
The smaller vegetation in the park seems quite beaten by the heat, and there’s no grass in sight. So Šibenik must be suffering from droughts often. But the fountains and the shade of the trees make this a nice hideaway spot.
Charm of Šibeniks architecture
I believe Šibenik is considered a medieval town (but don’t quote me on that). And medieval period is where this labyrinth-like layout comes from. There are a lot of ups and downs, twists and turns, and many steps to conquer. No issues to reach your step goals here.
However, when you look at the buildings around you, there seems to be a good mix of different styles and textures.
Most houses are quite rustic—big stone blocks with small windows and some succulents growing in the cracks. But others have more detailed features, like columns for staircases and little balconies. They all have their own charm though.
Oh, and keep an eye out for cats! In Croatia, there’s always a chance to stumble across a content kitty napping in the sun.
But I believe we have finally found one of the Šibenik attractions we were seeking.
Can You Find the Secret Medieval Garden of Šibenik?
Location: St. Lawrence Church and Monastery
After at least five wrong turns (and I don’t regret any of them), we managed to find a map. It told us that to reach the courtyard garden of St. Lawrence Monastery, we have to make just one more turn. And there it is, hidden behind a little restaurant.
It’s a tiny green oasis filled with a variety of plants. The monastery garden may be small, but seeing the drought in the park earlier makes this lush greenery much more impressive, doesn’t it?
And it gives you a sneak peek at how a medieval garden might have looked, as the herbs planted here are the ones that would have been used in medieval medicine and cooking.
Also, did you notice the shape of the garden? Yes, it’s a cross. Very fitting.
But now it is time to dive into the maze of Šibenik old town streets again.
Walking by the St. Michaels fortress of Šibenik for some panoramic views
Location: St. Michael’s Fortress
Many steps and streets later, we stumble across one of the four fortresses of Šibenik. Yes, there are four fortresses in one town. No messing around here!
One can obviously buy an entrance ticket and explore the grounds. But we have very limited time, so we just wanted to see if we could walk by the fortress to check out the massive walls. And it looks like we can.
I don’t know if it is the dried-out grass or the bare rock walls of the fortress or the heat radiating from the sun, but this place, same as the park earlier, is giving desert vibes.
Until you come to the other side where you can see a nice panoramic view of the sea and the orange roofs of Šibenik houses sitting on the opposite hill, which, you guessed, also has a fortress on top of it.
The views are picturesque. But we do need to find that cathedral, and we are running out of time, so let’s move on.
Check out the Interesting Details of the Church of St. Barbara in Šibenik
Location: Church of St. Barbara
While chasing the cathedral, we stumble across another church with some interesting exterior details.
You may notice its asymmetric layout, but what stands out to me is the clock. Instead of 12 hours, it has 24 hours depicted in Roman numerals and one o’clock is placed in a completely different spot than I would expect. Try decoding this one!
And in addition to that—it looks like we have finally won the hide and seek! The cathedral is around the corner.
Finally Finding St. James Cathedral of Šibenik
Location: Cathedral of St. James, Šibenik
What makes St. James Cathedral of Šibenik unique is that it’s built entirely from rock. There is no mortar or other binding materials used.
The builders carved the stones to fit together perfectly on their own. Even for the dome.
Try wrapping your head around that! It’s like a puzzle on steroids.
And talking about the heads… A unique feature of the facade is the line of stone heads. Each one seems to be an individual.
They are a bit creepy. But I wonder what one had to do to have their face commemorated on the facade of Šibenik Cathedral.
I would have liked to go inside, but unfortunately there was a sign that one needs to be properly dressed (no shorts), so keep that in mind when planning your outfit for the day.
But while you’re here, don’t forget to turn your own head the other way and check out the Renaissance building with the rounded arches—it’s Šibenik’s town hall.
The timer is buzzing now, indicating that 2.5 hours have gone by. So it is time to say goodbye to this lovely place and head out for the next one.
Thoughts?
Šibenik is a touristy town with many ice cream shops and souvenir boutiques, but somehow it feels less touristy than Split or Zadar. What is nice about Šibenik is that it is relatively quiet (at least at the end of May) which is perfect for wandering and exploring without a plan. And for me, the joy of finding another interesting street or building or detail that was not a pre-pinned point on the map is what made the experience special.
If that is something that sparks joy for you—you should like it too. Although there may be too many steps to climb on a hot day for some, so keep that in mind.
Don’t loose this post. Pin it!
Check out the full itinerary of our Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina road trip
A lot more fun things to experience organized in a day-to day plan