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October 2nd, 2009
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.
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