Top 5 marvelous small cities on the Dalmatian coast that you must not avoid.

After the large cities on the coast we continue our top 5 choice to travel the most interesting small towns. This time our focus was only on the Dalmatian cities.

1. Trogir

Our first choice is Trogir, City of extraordinary beauty and vividness.

Trogir is a historic town and harbour on the Adriatic coast in Split-Dalmatia County with a population of 10,818 (2011). The historic city of Trogir is situated on a small island between the mainland and the island of Čiovo. It lies 27 kilometres (17 miles) west of the city of Split.

Since 1997, the historic centre of Trogir has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.

Trogir is the best-preserved Romanesque-Gothic complex not only in the Adriatic, but in all of Central Europe. Trogir's medieval core, surrounded by walls, comprises a preserved castle and tower and a series of dwellings and palaces from the Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque periods.

In the summer Trogir is full of tourists with lots of luxury yachts and boats in the port.

Moondance festival has been organized every summer in Kamerlengo Fortress and became one of the most popular festival of house and electro music in the surounding region.



2. Ston

Our second choice is Ston.

Ston is a city, harbour and the administrative center, located on the narrow strip of land which connects Peljesac with the mainland. It is situated on the shore of Ston channel which leads to the sea. On the southeastern side there are areas of very shallow water which helped create the salt production. Ston is surrounded with the about 5,5 km long Walls of Ston and the forts.

Ston is famous for his Oysters farms and Gastronomy. When you are in Ston or its surroundings, it is an imperative to go to at least one of many first class restaurants that have traditional specialties on offer.



3. Cavtat

Cavtat is a town in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County of Croatia. It is on the Adriatic Sea coast 15 kilometres (9 miles) south of Dubrovnik and is the centre of the Konavle municipality.

Cavtat is the largest and the only urban centre in Konavle that has been built up deliberately. It is located on the peninsula of Rat, which surrounds the well protected and accessible bay together with the peninsula of Sustjepan.

In its harmonious architecture, the centuries-old natural, spiritual and material affiliation to the Dubrovnik Republic can be observed.

Today, Cavtat is a popular tourist destination with many hotels and private households that rent rooms and apartments. The seafront is filled with shops and restaurants. A ferry boat connects the town to neighbouring Mlini and Dubrovnik. There are often many private luxury ships and yachts along the strand.

Places like Cavtat offering so much to the visitors are quite rare. Its scenery, the rich cultural and historical heritage along with the range of services offered to tourists meet the demands of the present day tourists, thus making it one of the most attractive destinations on the Adriatic coast. Cavtat is located between the magical city of Dubrovnik on one side and beautiful Konavle on the other. There one can still feel the spirit of the past time and experience the centuries old tradition of our ancestors. It is an ideal holiday resort. Each visitor can discover his own wishes, enjoy the hidden coves at peace, long walks at the seaside or spend active holidays going in for recreational sports and entertaining cultural programmes.



4. Biograd

Biograd na Moru (Biograd on the Sea) is a city and municipality in northern Dalmatia, and is significant for being the former capital of the medieval Croatian Kingdom. Its population is 5,569 (2011). Biograd is administratively part of the Zadar County. It is located on the Adriatic Sea coast, overlooking the island of Pašman, on the road from Zadar and Sukošan towards Vodice and Šibenik.

The city of Biograd is a tourist resort: the first tourists started arriving in the 1920s from Czechoslovakia, and its first hotel was built in 1935.

Today it is a well-recognised nautical and tourist centre situated at the very heart of the Adriatic Coast. The city, tailored to suit everyone’s preferences, lies on the peninsula surrounded by a promenade and contemporary marinas from which a memorable view can be seen all the way to the Pasman Channel and islets scattered in it.

Located on the coast half way between the northernmost and southernmost point of the Croatian Adriatic, the city of Biograd is the ideal starting point for further tourist expeditions of the surrounding area, but also the more distant attractions along the coast. Nearby there are three national parks, two nature parks, and several historical cities, which offer numerous sites for exploration.



5. Primošten

Once an island, Primošten has preserved the atmosphere and all the architectural features of a medieval Mediterranean fishing village. The town is dominated by sv. Juraj (St. George) on the highest point of the former island, and the Church of Gospa od Milosti (Our Lady of Mercy) and the chapel of sv. Roko (St. Rocco) certainly attracts our attention.

Naturally sheltered from the winds, surrounded by vineyards woven into a stone honeycomb, at the foot of the hills there is Kremik marina which is unique on the Adriatic.

The view of the Babić vines in their stone cells on the nearby slopes is a special experience and testimony to how man's hand can enrich and fertilize even the harshest landscape. On the Raduča peninsula, to the north of the town, in a pine forest, there are hotels and beaches with a wide range of facilities.