Šibenik is one of the few Croatian Adriatic towns not founded by the Greeks or Romans but by Croats, first mentioned in the eleventh century, and it still has the feel of a place that grew from the hillside rather than from a plan. It climbs steeply from a natural harbour, protected by the long channel of St Anthony, with stone houses, steps and lanes arranged like a staircase up to the fortress of St Michael. At the foot of the slope stands the Cathedral of St James, a UNESCO-listed building constructed entirely of stone, without any binding material, between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Its dome is a vaulted shell of carefully fitted slabs, and a frieze of seventy-one carved faces runs around the apses, said to be portraits of ordinary townspeople.
You reach Šibenik along the Adriatic Highway, the old D8, which runs down the coast from Zadar toward Split. The road is a ribbon of rocky hills on one side and blue water on the other, with views of islands, headlands and the Kornati archipelago in the distance. It is a good riding road but not an empty one, because in summer it is full of campervans, coaches and holiday cars, and overtaking requires patience. The surface is usually decent, curves are long and gentle, and the bura wind, a cold gust that comes down from the mountains, can be severe in winter and sometimes closes parts of the coast road to motorbikes.
With more than thirty-seven thousand people, Šibenik has all the fuel, supermarkets, banks and cafés you could ask for, and the old town has small restaurants serving grilled fish, black risotto, octopus under the peka bell, and local wines such as Babić from the surrounding vineyards. Parking in the old town is limited, but there are car parks along the waterfront.
A short ride inland takes you to the Krka National Park, with its waterfalls and travertine terraces, one of the most beautiful natural sights in Croatia. Swimming in the falls at Skradinski Buk used to be allowed but is now restricted, so check the current rules.
Go in late spring or September, when the sea is warm, the crowds are thinner and the light on the stone is soft and golden.