Trogir is a beautiful town located along the Croatian coast, between Sibenik and Split, and is one of the most surprising historical towns on the Adriatic, which preserves intact the traces of its ancient and glorious Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Venetian past.
The fabulous Trogir Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and stands on a scenic island squeezed between the mainland and the large island of Čiovo, to which it is connected by road bridges. Its old town is an incredible concentration of historic buildings, churches, bell towers and ancient walls, in a mixture of styles ranging from Romanesque to Venetian Gothic.
What you will find in this guide to visiting Trogir:
- Trogir: Interesting Facts and Things to Know Before You Go
- Best Things to Do and See in Trogir
- Best Beaches in Trogir
- Best Restaurants in Trogir
- How to Get to Trogir
Trogir: Interesting Facts and Things to Know Before You Go
Trogir is a beautiful town located in one of the most scenic places in Central Dalmatia, along the Croatian coast between Split (which is about 30km away), Rogoznica (which is 30km away) and Sibenik (which is 60km away).
The town is partly on the mainland, partly on the small islet where Trogir Old Town is, and partly on the opposite island, called Otok Čiovo. The islet where the town of Trogir originally arose is connected with the mainland and with the island of Čiovo by road bridges.
Trogir Old Town is one of the gems of the Croatian coast: it boasts over 2300 years of history, a mix of cultures ranging from Greek and Byzantine to Venetian. The wonderful old town, located on a small island and protected by walls and fortifications, boasts several buildings of considerable importance, making it the best-preserved Romanesque-Gothic complex not only in the Adriatic, but in all of Central Europe.
For this reason Trogir Old Town has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its beautiful buildings from the Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque periods are today the ideal backdrop for its pleasant atmosphere: in summer the town is a popular holiday destination and offers several good bars and restaurants, has a luxury marina and is located just a few kilometers from Split Airport.
This is probably why Trogir also has some of the best hotels and villas on the coast, such as the Berislavic Palace, the Hotel Brown Beach House & Spa and the Bifora Heritage Hotel.
The origins of Trogir date back to ancient Greece, when the port of Tragurion was founded here, mainly active in the trade of marble quarried in the surroundings. Over the centuries the town passed from the Romans to the Byzantines and then to the Venetians, the traces of its past are still perfectly visible in the architecture of its old town.
Best Things to Do and See in Trogir
Visiting Trogir is quite easy, as all the main attractions are located on the island of the old town, which can be easily visited on foot in a few hours. If you come to Trogir by car you will have to leave it in one of the car parks located outside the old town.
Trogir Old Town
The Trogir Old Town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a wonderful complex of buildings that tell the story of the city, from Greek and Roman origins to Venetian rule. You could start your visit from Trogir’s main square, Trg Ivana Pavla II, which is home to numerous historic buildings and monuments, as well as the impressive St. Lawrence Cathedral and other beautiful churches and palaces. From there you could get lost in the maze of alleys of the old town, which is easily explored on foot as it is only 500 meters long and 200 meters wide. Also, the old town is mainly a pedestrian zone, so it’s really nice to explore.
Coming from the mainland you will pass through the Land Gate (Kopnena Vrata), called according to the Venetian custom of building fortified towns with two main gates, one from the mainland (land gate) and one from the sea. The Land Gate was part of the defensive system built by the Venetians in the 15th century: a complex with walls, towers and even a fortress.
Leaving the Sea Gate you will arrive at the beautiful promenade, from which you can have a fabulous view of the city walls, with its towers and with its beautiful buildings and bell towers. The promenade is lined with restaurants and cafes and walking all along it you will arrive at the Fortress Kamerlengo, dating back to the 15th century, which in summer often hosts events and concerts.
St. Lawrence’s Cathedral
Trogir Old Town boasts a large number of beautiful churches, but the most impressive is St. Lawrence’s Cathedral, located right in Trg Ivana Pavla II (John Paul II Square), the main square of Trogir. It is considered one of the greatest masterpieces of religious architecture in Croatia, and its construction took over 300 centuries, from 1193 to 1500.
This is reflected in its particular architectural style, a mixture of styles ranging from Romanesque and Venetian Gothic, to Baroque and Renaissance. Its exteriors are mainly Romanesque-Gothic, with a wonderful Romanesque portal from 1240 by the Croatian sculptor Radovan and finely decorated with reliefs ranging from biblical scenes, to exotic animals and legendary creatures. The entrance also has decorations, human statues and two lions on the sides.
The interior of the cathedral is mainly Gothic, arranged in three naves with chapels richly decorated with sculptures, statues and bas-reliefs. The most famous is the Chapel of Blessed Ivan Orsini, who was the first bishop of Trogir, dating back to the 15th century. You can climb to the top of the cathedral bell tower, which is the tallest tower in the city, from where you can have a nice view over the city.
Loggia
In the main square of Trogir, right next to the Cathedral and the Town Hall, is the beautiful Town Loggia, dating from the 13th century. This medieval white stone building, with a fabulous clock tower and portico, was once the main center of the town’s political life. Today it hosts art exhibitions, including works by the famous Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović. The clock tower is actually an ancient church from the mid-15th century, St. Sebastian’s Church, which has now been turned into a museum.
Town Hall
One of the most beautiful buildings on Ivana Pavla II Square is Trogir’s Town Hall, which still houses the town hall today. Inside you can take a look at the courtyard, in an austere Venetian Gothic style, with a beautiful white stone staircase and a well with the coat of arms of the Venetian winged lion.
Cipiko Palace
Just opposite St. Lawrence’s Cathedral is the Cipiko Palace, an elegant 15th century palace that was the home of one of Trogir’s most important families, the Cipiko. The building was designed by the architects Firentinac and Alesi, who also wrote some other works in the town. The style is mainly Gothic, with beautiful finely carved windows in the Venetian Gothic style.
Kamerlengo Fortress
On the eastern end of Trogir Old Town is the Kamerlengo Fortress, dating back to the 15th century. This was the seat of Kamerlengo, the governor of the town. In addition, the fortress was used to defend the city from attacks from the sea, and was part of the city walls.
In the fortress there is not much to see, today it is mainly used to host concerts and events, but from the top of the walls you can have a nice view of the city and the sea. A few steps from the fortress is St. Mark’s Tower, a circular tower that was once used to control access to the canal between the island and the mainland.
Benedictine Monastery of St. Nicholas
From the promenade you can admire the Benedictine Monastery of St. Nicholas, located near the bridge to the island of Čiovo. The monastery, founded in the 9th century, is still active and houses a community of Benedictine nuns. Here you can also visit a small but interesting museum dedicated to the history of the monastery, which boasts an important collection of sacred art, including a famous 3rd century relief depicting the Greek god Kairos.
The monastery includes St. Nicholas Church, built in 1066 and later enlarged with the addition of the sixteenth-century bell tower. The church boasts fabulous baroque interiors with some precious artworks, such as some paintings by Paolo Veneziano.
Trogir Town Museum
Another interesting museum of the town is the Trogir Town Museum, located near the Land Gate, inside the Garagnin-Fanfogna Palace, an elegant 18th century palace, in a mixture of Baroque and Romanesque styles.
The palace was the residence of an important local family, the Garagnin-Fanfogna, and today houses a museum dedicated to the history and culture of Trogir. The museum exhibits a collection of documents, photographs, uniforms, archaeological finds and artworks. The museum also includes what used to be the family’s private library, which boasts a collection of 6,000 books and documents.
Best Beaches in Trogir
Although Trogir is located on a small island surrounded by a pretty marina, and the area just adjacent is heavily cemented, there is no shortage of beautiful beaches in the surroundings, you just need to get away a couple of kilometers from the old town.
The most beautiful beaches in Trogir are located to the west and south of the city center, starting with the popular Medena Beach which is located about 4 km from Trogir. There are several nice beaches here, which similarly to others in Croatia are pebbly or concrete. The most famous is the Hotel Medena, but there are also other good hotels, such as the Hotel Viktorija and the Jadran All Inclusive Resort. From here you can rent kayaks and windsurfers and the area is quite lively, full of bars and restaurants. There are also some boats that take you to Trogir in a few minutes.
Much more beautiful (and equally popular) are the beaches on the Čiovo Island. The most famous is Okrug Gornji Beach, a nice and large beach that can get quite crowded in summer. In the same area there are several bars, beach clubs and restaurants. Also the whole area along the coast is teeming with good apartments and villas, such as Villa Okruk, Villa Klaudia and Livingstone Beach House.
If you are looking for a quieter and equally beautiful place, you could explore the beautiful beaches towards the east of the island, such as those of Arbanija and Slatine. There are also a couple of good hotels here, such as the Hotel Vila Tina and Hotel Sveti Kriz. Other beautiful beaches are those located to the south, such as Labadusa Beach, and those around the village of Okrug Donji.
Best Restaurants in Trogir
Konoba Trs
Located in a beautiful historic building, a few steps from the cathedral, the Konoba Trs is undoubtedly one of the best restaurants in Trogir. It also has a fabulous patio, and a relaxed atmosphere. It serves excellent local specialties, made with the best local ingredients and served with good attention to detail. It serves both seafood and meat specialties, including excellent grilled fish, octopus and tuna. The fish or lamb stews are also very good, but you should book in advance. The selection of local wines is also interesting.
Franka
Franka Restaurant is located in the heart of the old town and also has some tables in its beautiful patio, serving simple and tasty regional cuisine, good local cheeses, and seafood or meat specialties. It also has a good selection of local wines. It opens only in summer.
How to Get to Trogir
Trogir is easily accessible by car, as it is located along the D8 road which connects all the main cities of the coast, such as Split, Rogoznica and Sibenik. Furthermore, with the scenic D58 road you can easily reach the A1, the main Croatian highway.
Getting to Trogir by Plane
Split Airport is only 5 km from Trogir and is one of the largest in Croatia. From here you can rent a car and drive to Trogir or explore the beautiful surroundings. You can check prices and availability on Rentalcars or Discovercars.
Otherwise from Split Airport there is Bus n. 37 which leaves in front of the terminals and takes you to Trogir city center.
Getting to Trogir by Bus
Trogir Bus Station is located just outside the old town, next to the bridge that connects the island to the mainland. From Trogir there are several buses a day to and from Split (30 minutes) and Zadar (3 hours). There are also daily buses to Zagreb (5 hours) operated by FLIXBUS and the local company Cazmatrans.
