Sibenik in 2020 - top 5 places to visit

If you are thinking about visiting or staying in Sibenik this year, read our guide. Sibenik is a tourist hit of 2020. We explore the top 5 places to visit in the old town.

Table of Contents

1. Cathedral of St. James
2. St. Michael's fortress
3. Barone fortress
4. Old town churches and palaces
5. St. Nicholas fortress

Cathedral of St. James

The most famous attraction in Sibenik, Cathedral of St. James, is our first pick.
It will take you less than 15 minutes of walking to reach the Cathedral from the main bus station in Sibenik. When you arrive, you will notice at the first sight it's a real masterpiece of art.

Looking at the Cathedral's front side, we can notice portal made in Gothic style. If we get closer, we will see numerous reliefs carved into the portal. Each of them is worth some attention.

Another interesting point are 72 human heads carved all over the Cathedral. These people are unknown. It is up to the visitor to think about what was on the artist's mind as he was carving heads into the Cathedral.

On the right and left side of the cathedral there are portals and statues, among which is the statue of St. Michael the Archangel.
Cathedral interior features works of art from Renaissance.
Being GOT location, this place will have additional interest for Game of Thrones fans.

St. Michael's fortress

After exploring the Cathedral, it's time for some uphill walking. The destination is St. Michael's fortress. It may take you around 20 minutes to reach it.

The fortress was built in the 13th century to defend the northern border of the town. As you climb the fortress, you will enjoy a panoramic view of Sibenik, St. Anthony's channel, and Adriatic Sea.

The fortress is also a great place to refresh yourself with a juice or a coffee while enjoying the panoramic view.
While walking around, you can use the educational board to understand why and how were the specific parts of the fortress built.
During the summer season there might be some interesting performance on the fortress, so if you are staying in Sibenik for a few days, check the program of the fortress. There will be a high-tech museum opening ceremony in 2020.

Barone fortress

Another prominent fortress is Barone, located 15 minutes of walking from St. Michael's. It will be necessary to do some uphill walking to reach it.

Barone features high-tech VR museum. You can virtually see the battle against Turkish army that took place in 1647., and the way Sibenik was defended.

While walking around, use educational boards to understand the importance of individual parts of the fortress.
You can refresh yourself with the high-quality home-made coffee in a coffee bar located on the fortress while having a panoramic view over St. Anthony's channel.

Old town churches and palaces

In addition to the three most prominent attractions in the old town, there many other which are worth paying attention for a while. Just near the Cathedral, there is restaurant Pellegrini located in the palace with the same name.
While walking towards the fortress of St. Michael, take a few minutes to enjoy Medieval Garden in Sibenik.
Do not miss to notice St. Francis Church and Monastery, located near the main square.

St. Nicholas fortress

For those who are staying more than a day in Sibenik, it's worth to take a boat tour to St. Nicholas fortress, another GOT location which was recently listed as UNESCO heritage site.

You need to reach the fortress by taking an organized boat tour from Sibenik Riva. Ticket price is 130 kuna for an adult person. The high price is the biggest drawback of this tour since it's amazing and enjoyable. The tour lasts for two hours and includes a ride through St. Anthony's channel, and exploring the interior of the fortress with the official guide.