For years, Poles have been in second place in terms of the number of tourists visiting the Šibenik-Knin County. Only the Germans are more numerous.
The region gained such popularity for a reason. Not only does it occupy a central place on the east coast, but the location is also advantageous due to very good connections. The region is located near two airports (Split and Zadar) approximately an hour's drive from Šibenik. The highway on this section is located close to the coast, which means that when you leave the route, all the attractions are almost at your fingertips.
What attracts tourists most is the Mediterranean climate and the beautifully developed coast – in a straight line it is 56 km long, but the actual coastline is over 800 km long! Yes, it's all these twists, coves, peninsulas. Plus almost 300 islands! Needless to say, it's a sailor's paradise.
The peculiarity of the region is not only the Adriatic coast, but also the mouth of the Krka River. The combination of these waters defined the character of the area. It was because of them that settlement began here and it dictated the way of life. The river was a natural barrier separating other peoples, and the Adriatic Sea was a link with the rest of the world.
Croatians themselves believe that the most important reason to visit this region is the beauty of nature.
They emphasize that while Croatia is divided into 22 counties and has 8 national parks, two of them are located in Šibenik-Knin County. And these are not the only areas subject to special care.
In addition to parks, there are 17 protected areas, three of which are nature reserves.
The real gem is the Krka River National Park. Apart from the Plitvice Lakes, this is the most famous national park in Croatia, associated mainly with one of the most famous views – the Skradinski Buk waterfall with 17 cascades, which is visited by about one and a half million tourists every year. Few of them know that apart from the most famous one, there are six other waterfalls in the park, as well as many interesting objects of cultural and historical heritage. It is best to visit the park in spring or autumn because temperatures are very high in the summer months. And you can do a lot of activities there. Tourists have at their disposal, among others, 400 km of bicycle paths and 200 km of hiking trails.
The second national park, Kornati Park, is a complex of islands located in the southwestern part of the region. Their character is reflected in the words of Bernard Show: “on the last day, God wanted to honor his work and from the stars and breath he created Kornati.”
You can explore Kornati in several ways, e.g. opt for a one-day boat trip or a trip combined with diving. There are also many houses on the islands that are not permanently inhabited. The owners of these properties are most often people living on the island of Murter or on the coast itself. In the past, they used them during the agricultural season, now they are a tourist attraction. But the group that loves the islands the most are sailors, among other things, because there are very good restaurants scattered throughout the archipelago. You can try many delicious dishes there, and the biggest attraction is fresh fish.
It is also worth paying attention to the cultural and historical monuments located in this county. What characterizes the region, but also Croatia as a whole, is the meeting of various civilization circles. It was influenced by Mediterranean culture due to Venetian influence, but there were also Central European influences because much of the country was under Austria-Hungarian rule. The Ottoman Empire also left its mark. Each of these influences, combined with the culture of the local population, contributed to the creation of a distinctive world with specific cuisine, architecture and customs. Many interesting cultural sites are located in the city of Šibenik, which boasts almost a thousand years of history. Although it is not the oldest city on this side of the Adriatic (there are also some that were founded during the times of the Greeks and Romans), it is the oldest city with records that it was founded by Croats. Šibenik is strongly connected to the sea, which flows into the city through a canal, and next to it the Krka River enters the city. Sometimes it's hard to know what's in front of us, is it an island or the mainland, sea or river?
The city has two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The first is Santa Claus' Fortress, which is located on an island. The second one is the Cathedral of St. Jakuba is characteristic primarily because it was constructed without connecting materials. It is also considered a kind of monument to the Renaissance community that united the creators of this cathedral, which took 105 years to build.
Saint Nicholas' Fortress is located at the entrance to the canal, but there are three other fortresses in the area that are worth visiting: Saint Michael's Fortress and Barone and Saint John's Fortress (built to fight the Ottoman Empire). They have been restored and house cultural centers where numerous concerts, performances and other events take place.
But Croatians want to attract people not only with nature and historical heritage. They also find their lifestyle very attractive. They consider gastronomy to be an important part of it and are proud of their cuisine, but they also point out that there is something – perhaps even more important – in their regional identity. Namely, they sing all the time. Feasts at a lavishly laid table combined with singing are an expression of hedonism and sincere joy of life that Croatians want to share. And what will we find on the mentioned table? For example, the mussels called pidoče by the Croatians, which are bred in the place where sea water meets fresh water.
In June, there is a festival during which these mussels are served with local Debit wine. It is also worth trying prszut, a long-ripened ham, preferably from Drniš, a small town near Šibenik, which is considered a unique delicacy and owes its taste to a unique microclimate. In recent years, many places where you can taste wine have opened, and a good date is April 27 and 28, when tasting days are organized. It is also worth visiting Primošten south of Šibenik, famous for its characteristic vineyards, where vines grow in the very stone.