Eva and I spent 15 days in Sibenik, Croatia from October 30 until November 14th. It’s another great little town on the Aegean sea with magnificent plazas and much more.
What was the most surprising thing about Sibenik?
Eva: The library built on top of ruins. It was super-modern, but the bottom half has ruins coming out of it.
Ehren: How much more lively, young and “in-business” it seemed being half the size of Pula, which itself was half the size of split.
What would you change about this trip?
Eva: I don’t know if it’s local custom time for meals, or circumstances of COVID, but their scheduling for restaurants always seemed to be off for us, but I did enjoy being there during olive picking season.
Ehren: I would’ve visited the Aquarium/Terrarium (even though I don’t much care about animals) & Interactive Museum
Scale of 1-10, how easy is it for a US Citizen visiting for the first time to communicate and find the things you need?
Eva: 8, super easy
Ehren: 7, most people speak English and stores are easy to find. Uber & Taxis are readily available. Restaurants were more prevalent, but as Evalynn alluded, most work very specific hours that are not US hours and those hours seemed inconsistent.
How long would you optimally stay there (+/- how long we stayed)?
Eva: I could stay here a year. I could even see retiring in Sibenik.
Ehren: I would say I’d have optimally stayed 3 months. I loved our apartment. We’d finally found some good affordable restaurants and certainly had our favorites. It’s easy to get around and the grocery stores were well stocked. I wish we had had more time.
Could you move/live here?
Eva: Yes. Because I see it being a livable community. It’s walkable. Fresh produce. The people were easy to get along with.
Ehren: Yes, I could. It’s one of the best places we’ve stayed so far. The church bells every hour might take some getting used to, but it was a vibrant town.
What did you learn about travel?
Eva: It’s important to understand the food schedule.
Ehren: Every apartment we’ve had in Croatia locks by key from the inside as well as the outside. So, I’ve had to lock Eva in the apartment when I went out alone or leave the apartment unlocked. Also, always ask about how to dispose of garbage when moving in. They typically use small garbage bags that fill up quickly, and there are specific instructions on how to dispose of them.
Anything else you want to add?
Eva: No
Ehren: We really loved the Zlaril & Prvic island tours, seeing the Olive oil harvested and processed. I’d highly recommend looking into the AirBnB tours if you’re in the area. There do seem to be a lot of small children in some of the plazas which can get loud, but it also makes the city seem more active.
Quick Fire Favorites:
Restaurant:
Eva: Terra Mare
Ehren: Pizzeria Angola
Hang out Joint:
Eva: Market Sibenik
Ehren: Azimut bar
Best Shopping:
Eva: Swarovski Delmare Mall
Ehren: Kerum (grocery)
Point of Interest:
Eva: Cathedral of St. James
Ehren: St. Michaels Fortress (want to see a concert there)