During an excursion along Croatia’s twinkling Adriatic Coast one winter afternoon, I concurred with astronauts who’ve professed Croatia to be the bluest place on earth.
Along with our friend, Damir, we’d left our home away from home within Diocletian’s Palace in seaside Split, and headed northwest on a day trip. We had plans to stop at Krka National Park, the risotto and yachting town of Skradin, and finally the island village, Primošten.
By day’s end, I’d add a postscript to the astronauts’ claim: Croatia’s coastline and rivers aren’t simply brilliantly blue, rather they’re a magnificent blend of teal, turquoise, and aquamarine hues.
As the best excursions often do, our trip along the coast had developed spontaneously. Thinking that we’d been bored and looking for things to do in Split, Damir contacted us and said we must visit Krka before we left Croatia. Since the weather hadn’t cooperated for Damir to prepare his boat for the summer season, we accepted his offer, knowing he was also eager to get out of town.
During the warmer months, Damir is a spearfisher who leads daring excursions out to the Croatian islands near Split. We haven’t yet been on Damir’s boat, but we’ve watched the footage of him plunging deep under the sea, speargun in hand, catching octopus, squid and fish, which he and his guests then grill for a summer feast.
Waterfalls, Fantastic Flora, Fauna & Hydropower at Krka National Park
Our first stop was Krka National Park, one of Croatia’s eight national parks. It’s endowed not only with fantastic waterfalls and scenic pathways, but also with the Roman ruins at Burnum, and Visovac Island, which is crowned by a Franciscan Monastery. We’d only get to see the latter two sites in images. However, we did get a chance to explore the Skradinski Buk waterfall and the neighboring forested area for several hours. Along the way, we spied lizards, ducks, cranes, and butterflies. We learned that Krka was the site of the first hydroelectric power station using alternate current in Croatia. Krka opened in 1895, just two days after Niagara Falls’ hydroelectic plant began operations. There is also speculation that along with Diocletian’s Palace and the Klis Fortress, Krka served as a filming location for season 4 of the Game of Thrones.
As we strolled, we marveled at spiders who’d chosen to spin their webs over the gusty spots around the raging waters. Since Damir usually visits the national park during the summer months, he kept expressing astonishment at the volume of water rushing through the park. This dramatic winter melt-off, coupled with the fact that we virtually had the 27,000 acre (109 km2) park all to ourselves, further convinced us that off-season travel is the way to go.
Strolling Skradin & Soaking up the Sunshine in Primošten
Bidding farewell to Krka National Park while simultaneously promising to return, we stopped in to the town of Skradin. To locals it’s perhaps best known for its Skradinski Rižot, or 12-hour Risotto, which was prominently featured on Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations travel show. Since the veal and ham culinary masterpiece really takes 12 hours for the town’s men to whip up and we hadn’t made advance reservations, we didn’t get to sample it. I’m also a ‘selectarian’ meat eater, and even though Damir and his friend told me it was worth abandoning my selectarian ways for this dish, I thought I’d defer until a future visit. Perhaps they can make a vegetarian or poultry-packed version then? :)
Skradin’s almost eeringly-quiet cobbled lanes wound past perfectly-manicured storefronts as well as some awaiting polishing. Since Skradin and the nearby city of Šibenik saw fighting during the Homeland War in the 1990s, we also spotted some structures pockmarked by artillery rounds. Damir mentioned that Skradin has recently gained fame on the celebrity front by attracting Microsoft founder Bill Gates during his summer vacations. A stroll along the marina where fishermen patiently untangled their nets, and an ascent to the town’s fortress capped off our visit to the sleepy but picturesque town.
On the way back to Split via a coastal highway, we paused in Primošten, the kind of town that would feel at ease modeling for a travel guide cover. Once a true island town connected only to the mainland via a drawbridge, Primošten’s tiny skyline features a bell-tower, and Old Town buildings that are crammed into a gently-sloping hill. With Damir’s mother’s freshly-baked golden donuts in his backpack and one of his favorite cafés just moments away on foot, we sauntered to the shore and soaked up the late-afternoon sunlight before winding past the city’s famed vineyards and returning to Split.
By then, I was thoroughly relaxed, meditating about what was prettier — driving along the glorious coastline or seeing it from space.
I think it could easily be a toss-up.
Have you visited Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast, or any of the country’s national parks? If so, what are your favorite spots? If you haven’t been to Croatia, what coastal areas or national parks around the world are your favorites?
Kayakers take to the water.
Video of This Experience:
Where in the World?
Planning Pointers:
- If you’ll be in the Split area and also want to do a day-trip similar to this one (or go island hopping, sailing or spearfishing with Damir) you can reach him through Opcija Tours. Shawn and I have also traveled to neighboring Dalmatian towns via bus, and found the mass transit network to be very good, but we wouldn’t have been able to make it to all three of these spots in one day, had we not had our friend to drive us there. (Thanks again, Damir!)
- Krka National Park is open year-round, but exhibitions and boat schedules vary, based upon the season. Between April and October, the park offers a free bus service which takes visitors from the entrance to the Skradinski Buk Waterfalls. From April to November, the park also transports visitors via boats. See the Krka National Park website for more details.
- Visit the Skradin Tourist Board or Primošten Tourist Board websites for more information.
- Do you need more planning inspiration for your trip to Croatia? This link contains an index of all my posts from Croatia.
Accommodation in the Split Area:
Shawn and I have spent a total of five winters and one summer in and around the city of Split, using it as a base to explore Croatia’s popular Central Dalmatia region. We’ve made it a habit to create new memories by staying in a different property each year. Over the years, we’ve had long-term stays in Split, Trogir, Solin, and Makarska. We would happily revisit all of the following apartments. (Please note that some are affiliate links.)
- Kaleta Apartments (Split) – These lovely apartments are located within Diocletian’s Palace (well, technically just a few meters from the Iron Gate). Our elegant studio apartment, called the “Diocletian’s Suite,” had lots of character — including Roman brickwork embedded into the wall. We had overhead views of life on Split’s Old Town streets, and we enjoyed chatting with the friendly owners, Novica and Negri. We spent about 2.5 months here.
- Guesthouse F (Split) – This cozy studio apartment is located in Split’s Varoš neighborhood, just a few minutes’ walk from Diocletian’s Palace. With its quirky narrow streets and stone homes decorated with hunter-green shutters and flower boxes, Varoš is charming. One of Guesthouse F’s apartments was originally a horseshoe maker’s workshop, owned by Anja’s grandfather. Shawn and I dubbed it the “horseshoe cottage.” Aside from our central location, we loved having a tiny terrace. We also appreciated the kindness of our hosts, Anja and Miro. In total, we spent about 2 months here.
- Viola Apartment (Split) – We spent roughly 3 months in this wonderful 2-bedroom apartment, which is also in the Varoš neighborhood of Split. The apartment also has a lovely sun porch and garden. It is in an old stone home, but the interior has recently been remodeled. We were in a perfect location for accessing Diocletian’s Palace and Marjan Forest Park, too. On foot, it takes about six minutes to reach Split’s most famous lookout point near the Caffe Bar Vidilica. The owner, Ljubica, lives upstairs. She is easygoing and helpful.
- Apartments Mirkec (Trogir) – We spent 7 wonderful weeks in this studio apartment, which is located in the heart of the town of Trogir. The apartment had good Wifi and a kitchen with all the basics. It was also perfectly situated in the heart of Trogir’s gorgeous Old Town, just a minute’s walk from the seaside walkway, the Riva. Trogir’s bus station was about a 5-minute walk from the Apartments Mirkec, making day trips using mass transportation easy. Note: As of 2025, I think this apartment has permanently closed. However, the owner’s popular restaurant (Pizzeria Mirkec), which is located underneath the apartment, is still cooking up delicious pizzas in their wood-fired pizza oven.
- Apartments Vesna (Makarska) – This 1-bedroom apartment was our home for about 12 months. The apartment is on the top floor and features skylights. A small balcony on the back of the apartment overlooks Makarska’s harbor — the views of Makarska’s dramatic mountains are wonderful! It takes about 8 minutes to reach Makarska’s bus station on foot. In a matter of minutes, you can also walk to Makarska’s Riva (seaside promenade), several grocery stores, restaurants, and cafés. The owners, Mise and Anna, are exceptionally friendly and helpful.
Photography & text © Tricia A. Mitchell. All Rights Reserved. My husband, Shawn, created the video.
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