Trogir is a small picturesque town that offers hints of Venice at a fraction of the price. Its rich history dates back 2,300 years, and the old town is a virtual labyrinth of tight streets amidst gorgeous architecture. Many of the buildings are beautifully decorated, and demonstrating Venetian origins.
A nice cup of cappuccino or a tasty local pastry awaits those willing to explore, and you’ll find a long row of marina cafés, along Trogir Riva promenade, under the palms, and overlooking the canals.
Where is Trogir?
Trogir is situated in the center of Dalmatia, Croatia on the eastern coastline of the Adriatic sea. It lies in the middle of a small islet between the gentle hills on the mainland and the island of Ciovo.
It’s also only a few kilometers away from Split Airport, the biggest in all of Dalmatia.
Why Visit?
Wandering through the winding streets of Trogir, visitors will have the opportunity to admire many palaces and buildings that detail a long and storied history. The selection of beaches around Trogir Town and Ciovo Island which is also nearby offers a nice escape too.
Trogir also has an advantageous geographical position, which places it close very close to Split Airport, as well as the town of Split. From Trogir, you can easily reach several top Dalmatian attractions, such as the Krka and Plitvice National Parks.
When you add in great choices for cheap accommodation and cheap food, you’d have to think long and hard to come up with a reason of why NOT to visit!
Exotic History
The history of Trogir dates back over 2300 years to the 3rd Century BC. From Greek Colonists to migrating Croats, conquering Saracens and Venetian Rule, Trogir has seen it all, and its eternal beauty has survived with grace.
Venice of the Adriatic
Why is Trogir Town is sometimes called, the Venice of the Adriatic? When you compare Trogir with Venice, it’s not because of the presence of the canals. The similarities with Venice are in the local architecture, as the Venetians, who called this place Trau, ruled here from 1420-1727.
Town Labyrinth
Trogir Croatia is a virtual labyrinth of tight streets in the middle of beautiful buildings. Many of these buildings are beautifully decorated demonstrating Venetian origins. Just be careful when wandering through the city, you might not find your way out!
Colorful Nightlife
It is also very colorful at night in Trogir, as the town boasts an active nightlife, with many popular dance clubs and bars.
Cheapo Italiano
Trogir has several excellent Italian restaurants, serving authentic pizza, seafood, and pasta at very reasonable prices.
Attractions
The Old Trogir Town, the Riva Promenade, Kamarlengo Castle, and the Cathedral of St. Lawrence are the main attractions, but the artwork found at the Monastery of St. Nicholas makes it a true hidden gem. The Cipico Palace and City Museum and the old City Hall are also worth visiting.
Kamarlengo Castle
While walking along the palm-lined Trogir Promenade, on the west side of Trogir Islet, you can’t miss Kamerlengo Kastel. Built by Venetians in the mid-15th century, it was used as a naval base. Trogir in that period was an important navy harbor of the Venetian republic.
The name of the castle derives from the name of town Magistrate Camerarius. The word kamerlengo (camerlengo in Italian) refers to the title of a Venetian administrative official, a chamberlain.
Nowadays, the fortress is a multimedia-center with open-air cinema and stage for various cultural events.
Tickets — The entrance price is 10 HRK ($1.50) for adults and 5 KRK ($0.75) for children.
Hours — The fortress is open to visitors from 9:00 AM daily.
St. Mark’s Tower
The St. Mark’s Tower on the north end of the fortress was built shortly after the castle in typical Renaissance style. It was part of the west defense line together with fortress Kamerlengo. The tower was particularly important in the 15th century for defense from Turkish invaders.
Cathedral of St. Lawrence
One of the highlights worth visiting is the Katedrala Sv. Lovre, which is situated in the very center of this Romanesque town.
The St. Lawrence Cathedral is a triple-aisled basilica, set on the foundations of an early Christian church destroyed during an Arab invasion, built in the 13th century.
The greatest value of Trogir’s finest cathedral lies in its renowned Romanesque portal (circa 1240), the masterwork of one of Croatia’s greatest sculptors, master Radovan. This two-piece portal depicts scenes from the Gospel and the birth of Christ. The doorway is filled with scenes of everyday life, pictures of saints and apostles, exotic animals, sirens, and centaurs.
On the outer edge of the doorway, there are two lions, one on each side, on which are seated Adam and Eve respectively. The St. Lawrence cathedral, as well as the old part of Trogir, were given UNESCO World Heritage List status in 1997.
St. Lawrence Bell Tower
The bell-tower of Katedrala Sv. Lovre is like all bell towers in every city, the best point to see the town. It’s the tallest and most distinctive building in the Trogir area.
It is 47 meters high and built in three different styles over nearly four centuries. You might find it rather strange to see the sign, Your climbing on the bell tower is your own responsibility, but it’s worth climbing, if only for the gorgeous view.
Tickets — The entrance price is 5 HRK ($0.75).
Hours — You can visit the Sv. Lorvo bell tower daily in the morning from 9:00 AM till Noon, and in late afternoon/early evening from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
Monastery of St. Nicholas
Inside the Benediktinski Samostan I Crkva Sv. Nikole, you’ll find a fascinating collection of church art and artifacts from the 3rd century BC when Trogir was under Greek rule. It also exhibits Romanesque, baroque, and gothic architecture all under one roof. The religious paintings, icons, statues are from as far back as the 13th century.
The treasury of this Women’s Benedictine Monastery is home to a stunning 3rd-century relief of Kairos, the Greek god of opportunity, carved out of orange marble. The bronze Kairos statue known in literature and made by the famous Greek sculptor Lysippos from Sikyon was probably the model for the relief from Trogir.
Tickets — The entrance price of 30 HRK ($5) may seem a bit pricey but the nuns use it to support the high maintenance cost of this very old building.
Trogir City Museum
The Muzej Grada Trogira is located in the building once known as Garagnin – Fanfogna Palace. It shows up a rich history of the town. The library belonging to the Garagnin – Fanfogna family and the stone fragments and sculptures dating back to the Antique are only fragments of the interesting pastimes.
Tickets — The entrance price is 10 HRK ($1.75) for adults and 5 HRK ($0.75) for children and groups.
Hours — The museum is open daily from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM from June 15 through September 15.
Cipico Palace
Cipico Palace was the home of Trogir’s most important family. Located in front of the main town church, today its outside architecture draws attraction. It’s particularly spectacular an intricately carved Venetian-Gothic triple window.
City Hall
The City Hall of Trogir, also known as Gradska Uprava Trogir, and the Rector’s Palace is another 15th-century building with a Gothic courtyard decorated with coats of arms. The facade is well carved with the winged lion of St. Mark, the symbol of the Venetian Republic.
Beaches
Many of the best beaches are located in the surrounding area of Trogir town, along the Trogir Riviera, as well as on, the nearby Ciovo Island and Drvenik Islands (Veliki and Mali Drvenik).
Pantan Beach
A beautiful beach located 1.5 km East of Trogir Center, on the mouth of the Pantan River. It’s a 500 meters long gravel and sand beach with pine-tree wood on the eastern side providing nice shade during hot summers.
This beach is easily reachable by bus No.37 from Trogir bus station. You should get off at the second stop, walk for 200m and turn right where you will see the beach sign.
On the beach, there is a popular beach bar called Mosquito located directly on the seashore offering cold drinks, ice-cream, and light food. The whole area is a protected natural resort with wonderful Pantan Mills on the north side of the beach.
Medena Beach
On the south side of the Trogir Riviera, there are many beaches, worth visiting. One of them is the famous Medena beach, 4 km from Trogir town center. This 3km long gravel beach is surrounded by old pine-woods and features various sports facilities.
Medena beach is part of Medena Hotel Resort with 650 rooms and 200 apartments in the area. Medena Hotel is one of the most popular low-cost hotels, ideal for families with children.
To reach Medena Beach, there is a bus from Trogir Bus Station for Medena Hotel or you can drive for 4 km to the west from Trogir. There is also a sea taxi service from Trogir seaside promenade to Medena hotel. It runs in the summer period every 15 minutes, and you can check Filip’s Marina service for the latest schedules and info.
What’s Nearby
Trogir is also the most convenient destination to easily reach not only Split Town but also some of the most popular destinations as:
- Krka National Park – 48 Km
- Plitvice Lakes National Park – 237 Km
- Sibenik – 46 Km
- Zadar – 120 Km
- Split – 25 Km
- Omis – 45 Km
- Makarska Riviera – 85 Km
- Podstrana Riviera – 30 Km
How To Get There
Considering its central position on the Dalmatian coast, getting to Trogir is easy and stress-free.
By Plane
Getting to Trogir by plane is the quickest way to reach this town and the nearby island of Ciovo. Being only a few kilometers from Split Airport, Trogir it’s the fastest way to reach the Adriatic Sea.
From even the most northern European destination you can reach Trogir in less than four hours by plane. Upon arrival at the airport, you can take a private taxi to Trogi with 2-3 persons for 10-15 €, even in high-season.
If you only have carry-on luggage and just need a cheap way into town, then take local bus N° 37 to Trogir Bus Station.
By Sea
The most scenic way to reach Trogir Croatia is via Bura Line, which offers the Split-Slatine-Trogir route on a fast, passenger-only ferry that connects Split with Ciovo Island and Trogir. Current departures are mid-morning and late afternoon cost 21 HRK ($3.50) for adults and 13 HRK ($2) for children.
From Split
The distance from Split to Trogir center is approximately 30 km and it takes about 25 to 30 minutes to get there. The cheapest way is by bus N° 37, but keep in mind that the bus from Split leaves from Sukoisanska Bus Hub.
This is NOT the main bus station in Split and is still 1.5 km walking from the city center. If you’re near the center, then you’ll have to take a taxi, or a bus to Sukoisanska from the station right by Split Harbor.