Šibenik, Zadar, Split, and nature on the island

NEARBY CITIES & NATURE

Visit Cities near Obonjan

Looking to explore the surrounding areas during your stay at Obonjan Island Resort? We highly recommend visiting some of the incredible cities located just a short boat ride away from Obonjan. With their unique blend of history, culture, and entertainment, you can visit these cities for a perfect day trip during your stay at Obonjan Island Resort.

Šibenik

The city of Šibenik is located in northern Dalmatia and due to its position, it is an ideal starting point for excursions.

Numerous opportunities for excursions are provided by the beautiful islands of the Šibenik archipelago. One of the islands is Obonjan which can be reached by a taxi boat or you can enjoy a ferry ride. Two neighboring cities, Zadar in the north and Split in the south, are about an hour’s drive from Šibenik.

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Main attractions to visit in Šibenik town

In addition to many sacral buildings such as the Cathedral of St. James, palaces and houses of noblemen and commoners, portals, vaulted streets and other sights, the old city stands out with the beauty of its central city square – Square of the Republic of Croatia.

The Square of the Republic of Croatia is the most important public area of the Šibenik municipality. For centuries, this square was the center of public social life, surrounded by the Cathedral of St. James, the Civic Loggia (recently called the City Hall) and Small Loggia (City Guard Loggia). Close to the main city square there is also the Prince’s Palace, the seat of the city government at the time of the Venetian administration.

The Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik is one of the most significant and most beautiful architectural achievements in Croatia and was included on the UNESCO Cultural World Heritage List in 2000. It was built in a stretch of more than a hundred years, during the 15th and 16th century, and is unique for it is entirely built of stone. The Cathedral was first built in Gothic, and completed in Renaissance style.

Its beauty is especially emphasized by the imposing Renaissance dome, the work of Niccolò di Giovanni Fiorentino, which was damaged in the Croatian War of Independence, and nowadays is a special symbol of Šibenik.

St Nicholas’ Fortress at the entrance to the St Anthony’s Channel in Šibenik represents a unique Renaissance building of Venetian fortification architecture and an exceptional monument of the world’s architectural heritage. The construction commenced in 1540 and it was constructed on the islet of Ljuljevac, where once was the Benedictine monastery of St Nicholas, after which the fortress was named.

Particular value of St Nicholas’ Fortress lies in its original form and some rare Renaissance architectural solutions, so in 2017 it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the nomination The Defence System of the Republic of Venice between the 16th and 17th Centuries.

In terms of natural beauty, Obonjan Island Resort has everything you could wish for: crystal-clear seas, hidden coves, forested walking trails, and a rich Mediterranean flora and fauna. Additionally, the island has no traffic or permanent settlements and is surrounded by national parks, making it a truly unique vacation spot where time flows slowly and beautifully.

Whether you’re looking to unwind, explore nature, or tap into your creative side, Obonjan Island offers something for everyone. With its serene atmosphere, peaceful surroundings, and range of activities, it’s the perfect destination for those seeking a tranquil escape.

Events in Šibenik during summer season

Nox Festival – a two- electronic music festival – starts on the first weekend in August on Martinska beach. During two days and on two stages, NOX will host performers from all around Croatia, the region and from abroad – divided by genre into melodic electronic music and the more hardcore tunes.

The Salsa Beach Splash Festival is the biggest open-air dance show that is held at the end of July. A part of the dance evenings is held in the old city of Šibenik. The festival brings together many enthusiasts of this dance expression, including well-known dancers and choreographers.

The International Children’s Festival is kind of a trademark of Šibenik. It was first held in 1958 and soon became a major international festival. During the festival held in June, all the squares and streets are livened up and this city is completely reigned by children from different parts of the world. MDF encourages many ideas in various forms of art for children’s creativity: drama, puppetry, music-scene, film, literary and visual arts.

Zadar

The city of Zadar has a truly amazing geographical position, located in the center of the Eastern Adriatic coast and surrounded by stunning nature of great variety. With every step you take, its streets, squares, the seafront, churches and monumental heritage unveil its antiquity. Three thousand years ago the foundations were laid and the adventure started.

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Split

Split is the second-largest city of Croatia and the largest city on the Croatian coast.

The story of Split is already 17 centuries old, dating to the time the Roman Emperor Diocletian decided to build his Palace right on the peninsula. During these 1700 years the Palace slowly turned into a city, which to this day lures with its rich tradition, glorious history and beauty of its natural and cultural heritage.

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Main attractions to visit in Split town

Diocletian Palace

It’s one of the best preserved monuments of Roman architecture in the world. The Emperor’s Palace was built as a combination of a luxury villa – summer house and a Roman military camp, divided into four parts with two main streets.It has been on the World Heritage UNESCO list ever since 1979. A walk through the ancient city takes you through time, along the great examples of ancient architecture.

Peristyle

The Peristyle, located at the main square of Diocletian’s palace, has well-preserved Roman architecture. Owing to its unique beauty and unusual acoustics, Peristyle became the ideal theater scenery, perfect for opera classics and works of ancient literature, but also the stage where abundant urban life continues.

Jupiter temple

Rectangular in its floor plan, the temple served to celebrate Jupiter’s cult. This ancient Roman temple became St. John’s church.

Cathedral of Saint Domnius

It was built around 305 AD as a mausoleum of Roman emperor Diocletian’s (the oldest cathedral building in the world). The cathedral is also a very beautiful mixture of Roman temple and the Catholic church. It also has a beautiful bell tower that provides a great panoramic view of Split, nearby islands and Marjan hill.

Events in Split town during summer season

Split is much more than glorious architectural scenery. Split is also a venue for excellent gourmet and vine experiences, numerous cultural happenings like film and theater festivals, exhibitions, excellent museums and concerts, a city that offers eclectic modes of entertainment starting with numerous clubs and bars, through street festivals to events such as Ultra Europe Festival

Ultra Europe Festival

It’s a multi-venue outdoor electronic music festival that is a part of Ultra Music Festival’s worldwide expansion, which has now spread to twenty countries. The festival is been developed in July and now it lasts seven days in the heart of Dalmatia, and includes an opening party, the three-day festival, yacht regatta, Ultra Beach, and a closing party. This festival is visited each year by up to 100 thousand young people from around one hundred countries of the world.

Mediterranean Film Festival Split

The Mediterranean Film Festival confirmed itself as one of the best and most popular cultural manifestations of the Adriatic and its positive spirit during the last 11 editions was recognized by more than 100.000 visitors. It is mostly because of the movies from the Mediterranean that have their regional or Croatian premieres and which cannot be seen in a regular cinema distribution. But the scent of old pines and rumors of the sea, sandy beach, smiley faces during the parties…it is all a bonus that visitors get during 10 days in June of the festival.

For more information please visit https://visitsplit.com/en

Explore Nature near Obonjan

Find the real natural wonders surrounding Obonjan Island Resort by visiting nearby three national parks. From the cascading waterfalls and picturesque scenery of Krka National Park, to the stunning landscapes of Kornati National Park, to the interconnected lakes and waterfalls of Plitvice Lakes National Park, there’s no shortage of breathtaking nature to explore during your stay. Whether you’re interested in a day trip or an extended excursion, our team is here to help you plan your adventure.

Krka National Park

Krka National Park lies about 10 km inland from Sibenik in this part of Dalmatia. Named after the Krka River, the Park covers an area of just over 142 square km and includes two-thirds of the river itself. The top attraction of the Park is its magnificent waterfalls, including the famous Skradinski Buk falls which are one of Croatia’s most famous sights.

Other highlights include the small island of Visovac and Roski Slap waterfall. A boat trip through the park (included in the entrance ticket) is a great way of seeing much of the Park.

Kornati Archipelago

The Kornati Archipelago, also known as the Stomorski islands, is located in the northern part of Dalmatia, south from Zadar and west from Šibenik, in the Šibenik-Knin county. With 35 km length and 140 islands, some large, some small, in a sea area of about 320km², the Kornati are the densest archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. From northwest to southeast (from the island of Balabra to Samograd), and from northeast to southwest (from Gangarol to Mana) they stretch for 13km. The name of the archipelago is the plural form of the name of the largest island, called Kornat.

Plitvice Lakes

The Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia’s most popular tourist attraction, was granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 1979. Located 1 hour and 40 minutes from Šibenik , the beauty of the National Park lies in its sixteen lakes, inter-connected by a series of waterfalls, and set in deep woodland populated by deer, bears, wolves, boars and rare bird species. The National Park covers a total area of 300 square kilometers, whilst the lakes join together over a distance of eight kilometers.