Croatia Travel Blog

Archive for the ‘Sibenik’ Category

One of Croatia’s most popular music festivals will have a change of venue this year. The Garden Festival began in Zadar, moved to nearby Petrcane and will now be held in Tisno, on Murter Island some 29km north of Sibenik. Founded by Nick Colgan a former Irish footballer,  this musically adventurous festival is a huge favourite with British holiday-makers. The new venue is easily accessible from both Zadar and Split airports and offers improved accommodation facilities for backpackers and campers. In an interview, Mr Colgan explains that “The Garden Tisno has its very own village, featuring 80 on-site apartments which can hold 300 people, as well as 30 Indian Shikar tents with electric fans and lighting, proper beds, mosquito nets, dressing room and porch area. There are also 120 pitches for people bringing their own tents. It will also feature the familiar elements everyone knows and loves ‘ twice daily parties on the Argonaughty seadog including sunset trips close to the Kornati Islands, partying around the Main Stage and Tiki Bar day and night and a brand new Barbarellas club. The entire site runs right along a truly gorgeous shoreline, so dancing right by the glittering waters under the sizzling sun or a moonlit star-speckled sky – classic Garden experiences ‘ remain, helping to keep the festival so unique.” So set aside July 4th to 11th this year!

To be honest, I never felt truly in tune with Sibenik. Although home to Dalmatia’s finest cathedral, the town’s economy took a tough hit from the 1990s war. Well into this decade, it still seemed shell-shocked to me, struggling to make its presence felt as more than a pit stop between Zadar and Split. It seemed sad, poor and slightly depressing.

Strolling the town today revealed a new energy and  a new pride that Sibenik was on the tourist map even this far off-season. The unique and wondrous Sv Jakov cathedral was a busy place inside and out with a steady stream of visitors.

Detail from Sibenik Sv Jakov Cathedral

The marble exterior glistened after a recent restoration and its renewing spirit spread throughout the old town. Souvenir shops for the visitors and boutiques for the locals livened up the old streets without overwhelming them with commerce.

The economic rebirth has its limits though. There’s still not enough disposable income to keep a viable restaurant scene going. As elsewhere, locals make do with a lunch of cake, coffee and cigarettes in a cafe-bar while the restaurants languish. My lunch at Dalmatino Tavern & Wine Cellar was not particularly good value for money. Few locals can or will spend 100KN for pasta with clams and a glass of wine. Sibenik restaurants still have some work to do.

It’s easy to rush right to Sibenik’s main highlight, the Cathedral of St James (Sv Jakov) but there are other sights to see in this historic town. Right in the center is a beautifully renovated medieval garden located in the monastery of St Lawrence (Sv Lovre). Although neglected for a century, this garden renovation was designed by award-winning landscape architect Dragutin Kiš, who followed the traditional  medieval
layout: a cross path with a small well at its centre. The entire
garden is enclosed by bushes and old scented roses. At the centre  is a collection of decorative thyme.
As it is part of a monastery,visitors can also visit the Gospina Spilja (“Cave of the Lady”) and the St Lawrence Church, both part of the St Lawrence monastery.

Sibenik is near the world-class sailing destination of the Kornati Islands National Park and now the Sibenik marina will get the facilities it deserves. Mandalina marina is under new management and big plans are afoot. Island Global Yachting, a Florida-based developer of luxury marinas and yachting lifestyle destinations, and Nautical Center Prgin, a Croatian marine industry company, have announced a joint venture to develop Croatia’s first dedicated megayacht marina at Mandalina. It will represent the largest US investment in Croatia.

This vast project represents an investment of around 100 million Euros and will include a five-star hotel, expanded recreational facilities and residential villas plus the marina capable of berthing 100m-long yachts.

Much should be completed in time for the 2009 season but megayachts will have to wait until 2010 for the big berths to be ready.