Okrug Gornji is a delightful, beautiful village on the island of Ciovo, just over the bridge from Trogir. The village boasts an excellent array of restaurants and bars that serve a fantastic choice of Dalmatian specialities. Okrug Gornji boasts a diving school run by professionals waiting to show off the beauty of the Adriatic Sea. There is also tennis and a fitness centre. Boat trips take guests to the quiet, hidden bays close by, and parachutes take visitors into the air to enjoy this magical spot from an alternative viewpoint. Villa Adrianna is just steps away from the beach.
Visitors can take a ferry from Slatine on Ciovo Island over to Split if you want to avoid driving all the way around the coastline. Split is a seafront gem combining honeycombs of intricate historical buildings such as the Diocletian’s Palace with a cosmopolitan, palm-lined promenade offering tourists a fabulous vibrant holiday experience. The town’s atmospheric, narrow streets are sprinkled with ancient monuments, amazing restaurants, cafes, bars and a good variety of boutiques. The main city beach, Bacvice, is a perfect place to relax during the day and a popular night-time jaunt in the evening.
Trogir is just 2 km from Villa Adrianna. It is a wonderful tourist resort offering much entertainment, historic buildings, scenery and a fabulous dining scene. It is set within medieval walls on a tiny island, linked by bridges between the mainland and Ciovo Island. The Cipiko Palaces and St. Lawrence Cathedral are examples of the town’s incredible architecture. Building work started on the cathedral in 1213 though the main part wasn’t completed until 1250, and the bell tower was built between the 14th and 16th centuries. Visitors can climb the bell tower to enjoy spectacular views from the top. The Cipiko Palaces were home to the town’s noble family in the 15th century. It is easy to see why Trogir was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997. On summer nights, everyone leaves the knotted, maze-like marble streets and heads to Trogir’s wide seaside promenade lined with cafes, bars, restaurants and luxury yachts. You will find local honey, wines, olive oils and grappa amongst the colourful local fruit and vegetable produce at the town’s vibrant market.
It is easy to visit some of Croatia’s other islands while staying here. The popular islands of Brac and Hvar are also very close by. Brac Island is blessed with stunning scenery, wonderful coves and the mesmerising picture-postcard Zlatni Rat Beach at Bol. Hvar is famed for its lavender fields and reputation as Croatia’s coolest clubbing destination. You can take boat trips to both islands.
Primosten is a delightful resort towards Sibenik. The Our Lady of Loretto statue, a shrine to the Virgin Mary, stands above Primosten on Gaj hill. The site offers panoramic vistas of the resort. Primosten offers some lovely beaches, the most famous being Raduca Beach. The town also boasts one of the best-known clubs in Croatia, Aurora, which regularly attracts the very best DJs.
Flowing from the Dinara mountains, the Cetina River is action-packed with an awesome zipline, canyoning, river tubing, rafting and kayaking. You can even rent see-through kayaks so that you can explore the flora and fauna when you are paddling down the river. Thrilling rafting takes place in the northern part of the river, where there are exciting rapids and challenging waterfalls to descend. White water rafting takes place in a section of 10km starting north of Kuciceand passes one of the prettiest beaches, Stuzica. The rafting ends in the village of Blato na Cetini, which is a great lunch stop. Canyoning is not for the faint-hearted! Expert guides will help adventurous guests plunge into newly discovered rocky areas and clear waters, swim underneath powerful waterfalls, flow down naturally formed chutes and jump into emerald pools. The very bravest can abseil down the 56m high Gubavica waterfall, providing the most exhilarating and unforgettable experience. Paragliding is also very popular, with instructors taking younger visitors on tandem flights.
Rogoznica is also worth a trip. It lies on a peninsula that was formally the island of Koper. The town has one of the most beautiful ports, and locals engage in farming, fishing and tourism. It enjoys some wonderful historic churches and a salt lake called ‘Dragon’s Eye. The beaches are fabulous, with plenty of water sports available.