“Let’s spend a day on one of the islands”, we agree. We’re in Split, Croatia. Having spent a couple of days exploring the city we think it might be nice to visit one of the islands off the coast. We’ve read much about the natural beauty of the islands; the whitewashed towns and rolling hills covered in lavender and vineyards, the clear blue waters of the Adriatic Sea which lap at the edges of golden sand beaches, and the hidden coves.
It is the height of summer so the queue at the ferry ticket booth helps us change our minds and look at an alternative option. Trogir and Ciovo are small islands connected to the mainland by bridges and we can drive there.
Rain is falling when we wake the next day, lucky we didn’t buy tickets for the islands! We set off hoping it will stop by the time we arrive in Trogir. The road is busy and the 30-minute drive takes almost an hour but the rain has stopped and the sun is peeping from behind the clouds by the time we have parked.
It’s early and few people are about. Much of the historic town is still closed so we look about without distraction. The town itself is very small and can be walked around in a matter of minutes. However, we take our time walking around the harbour and along the charming waterfront to the fortress before exploring the tight streets of the UNESCO listed historic centre.
Back in the car, we drive over the new bridge to Ciovo with the aim of driving as much as we can around the island’s perimeter taking in the scenery and stopping in the main resort areas of Okrug Gornji, Okrug Dornji and Slatine. Maybe we’ll go for a swim.
Once on the island, the coastal road takes us past sheltered coves with small jetties and pebbled beaches. Our leisurely drive comes to an abrupt stop when we reach Okrug Gornji, the island’s main town. There’s a traffic jam of holidaymakers trying to find a car park to buy supplies, settle by the beach or like us, passing on the way through.
Once past the traffic, we find Okrug Dornji, only several kilometres away. It’s a small beach settlement surrounded by pine trees. The road narrows and our GPS tells us that there is no option to circumnavigate the island. Lunchtime is nearing and with limited options, we turn back to Okrug Gornji.
The traffic is still there and we are ravenous by the time we are beachside. There are plenty of eateries along the waterfront to sit, enjoy a bite to eat and people watch. Children frolic in the shallow waters while parents keep an eye on them from behind sunglasses lazing on their sun loungers. There is an air of relaxed informality. Unlike most beaches in Europe which are segregated and cordoned for paying guests, the beaches on Ciovo are mostly public. There were options to hire sun loungers etc. although we did not see them being extensively used.
Well-fed and rehydrated we make the return journey bypassing the bridge back to Trogir to continue towards the other end of the island. The scenery is beautiful, small groups of holidaymakers are enjoying an afternoon dip or jumping off little jetties into the crystal clear waters. We reach Slatine, another small beachside area. Not too much else here either. But we can see Split across the ocean. We realise that our previous day’s circuit of Park Suma Marjan was ambitious.
Ciovo is a family-friendly island and vacationers seem to be mostly Croatian. The southern side is steep and barren making the northern coast more popular because of its varied landscape. Pine and cypress forests intermingle with vineyards, olive and almond plantations and the beautiful coastline, without having to take a boat ride to reach it makes it a popular destination. In keeping with the relaxed atmosphere, accommodation is mostly made up of small B&B’s and guesthouses. There is no sign at all of any large hotels.
Our conclusion about Croatian islands
You would ask if it is worth the visit? Would it have been a better use of our time to go to Brac or Hvar? The ease of access in the comfort of our own car (even with the slow traffic conditions) was definitely a bonus.
Trogir was quaint and charming. After the busyness of Split, it was nice to be able to walk about without being one of a crowd.
Ciovo provided a chance to observe how the Croatians like to holiday with their families (like us, simply). The coast road was beautiful and provided another perspective of the mainland.
We were glad we provided ourselves with this unplanned opportunity to do what we love to do; follow the backroads and see what other tourists don’t.
Our plan is to visit some of Croatia’s well-known islands on a future visit; hopefully, while small boat sailing along the captivating coastline of this country.
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