Where to stay in Šibenik
In Šibenik you choose between the old town's stairs, staying near Krka in Skradin, or a cheaper part of town outside zone one.
- The old town
- Everything on foot and up stairs
- Skradin
- Krka's other entrance
- Parking in Skradin
- Private and paid
Šibenik has no district chosen for a beach — it is chosen by how much you climb and how much you ride. The old town keeps everything within walking distance, Skradin shortens the morning to Krka at the cost of distance from the cathedral, and the area outside the walkable centre is cheaper with city transport.
Šibenik has no airport
The nearest is Split (SPU airport), ~2 h 5 (shuttle then coach) from town. It's airport bus to Split + Autotrans/Arriva coach to Šibenik; a one-way ticket costs €16.20–21.40.
The old town — everything on foot, up stairs
The old town is steep, with the cathedral and three forts on the same climb from the waterfront. Stay here and everything is a walk, so the €1 (zone I) single-ride fare stays unnecessary. The drawback is the same steepness. A suitcase gets carried up the stairs to the door.
Skradin — Krka's other entrance
A river town upstream, one of two entrances to the national park. Anyone planning more than one day at Krka, or wanting to skip the morning drive from Šibenik, shortens the trip here — but parking at this entrance is private and paid, unlike the free lot at Lozovac, and reaching the cathedral and forts in Šibenik then needs a car.
Outside zone I — cheaper, with city transport
The part of town beyond the walkable centre falls into the second or third city-transport zone — a ride costs more than in zone I, where the fare is €1 (zone I) and a day pass €3 (zone I). It makes sense for a longer stay, with the trade-off that every trip into the old town is paid for separately.
What to check before booking
- How many steps to the door. An old-town address that looks close on the map can sit high up the slope, with no lift.
- Which Krka entrance is closer. Staying in Skradin shortens the morning to the park but lengthens every trip into the old town.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
Where is the best base for exploring the old town?
The old town itself — the cathedral and three forts sit on the same climb, all on foot, with no need for city transport.
Is Skradin the better base for Krka?
For the park itself, yes — it's closer to the Lozovac entrance, but its parking is private and paid; reaching the cathedral in Šibenik then needs a car.
How much does city transport cost in Šibenik?
€1 (zone I) per ride in zone I, €3 (zone I) for a full day; zones II and III cost more.
Ready for Šibenik?
Where to next
What to eat in Šibenik
→The same Dalmatian menu as the rest of the coast, plus one dish named after the river town by Krka — Skradin…
Split · 51 km
→A Roman palace people still live in today, with house numbers built into the emperor's walls
How well does Šibenik suit you?
→Six questions: a score for this place and others like it.
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