Šibenik
General information
The historic town of Sibenik, connected with the expansion and development of the early Croatian state, is rich in cultural and historical monuments. The most representative among them is the famous Cathedral of Sibenik, one of the most original architectural projects of the late Middle Ages, primarily linked to the local master Juraj Matejev Dalmatinac (George of Dalmatia). Sibenik is today a tourist centre situated in the area where the best-indented archipelago in Europe (Islands of Kornati) and karst hydrographical phenomena (Skradinski Buk, Visovac, Roski Waterfall) merge into the ecologically and aesthetically most attractive tourist and recreational zone on the Croatian Adriatic.
Sibenik is the birthplace of one of the greatest world basketball players Drazen Petrovic. There are many recreational sports grounds, and Jadrija has beach-volleyball facilities. Water sports offer includes yachting and rowing. There are several diving clubs organizing diving courses and underwater photo-safari. The Dubrava Hawking Centre organizes falconry courses lead by top experts. Hunting of small game (hare, pheasant, etc.) is organized for advanced participants. There is a horseback riding school in Jadrtovac.
Restaurants offer domestic specialities (lamb, grilled dishes, baked dishes - especially turkey). In the quarter called Dolac, in the town centre, there are about a hundred cafés with music. The most popular cultural events include the International Child's Festival (last week in June and first week in July), the Summer Organ School (in the second half of August) and the Sibenik Summer. The Day of St. James (25th of July), the patron saint of the city, is festively commemorated.
Sibenik, a city and port in northern Dalmatia, not far from the estuary of the Krka river into the Bay of Sibenik, connected by narrow straits with the Sibenik Channel. The city is arranged amphitheatrically around the natural harbour and on the surrounding hill slopes. The climate is mild. The average air temperature in January is 6.5°C and 24.2°C in July; around 2,750 hours of sunshine a year. Economy is based on industry (non-ferrous metals, aluminium), textiles and food processing as well as on shipbuilding and tourism. The city, with the old fortresses of St. Anne, St. John and Subicevac overlooking it, consists of the Old Town, characterized by narrow and steep alleys in the west, and the modern part in the north and south-east. Sibenik is a cultural centre: the International Child's Festival. There is a department of the Faculty of Economics of the Split University. Chief occupations in the Sibenik surroundings are viniculture, vegetable and fruit growing. Natural beauty of the region (Skradinski Buk, Roski Waterfall, the small island of Visovac on the Krka, the Kornati Archipelago) as well as the rich cultural and historical heritage of the city attract many tourists and excursionists. Sibenik lies at the intersection of the main roads Zadar - Sibenik - Split (M2, E65) and Sibenik - Drnis - Knin (M11.02); the railroad over Perkovic connects Sibenik with the railroad Zagreb - Knin - Split. Ferry connections with the neighbouring islands (Prvic, Zlarin, Zirje, Kaprije, Obonjan).
