The area
Jadrija, Šibenik's own beach
Jadrija sits at the mouth of St Anthony's Channel, directly opposite St Nicholas Fortress. It opened on 6 August 1922 as Šibenik's first public bathing area, and a century later it is still where locals go on a hot Sunday. Weekend houses, a pine wood, a wide beach, and a row of changing cabins with doors painted every colour there is.
The beach
Pebbles and flat rock with concrete jetties, so you can walk straight into the sea. The water is clean and deep close to shore. Most people gather near the cafés and the boat pier at the eastern end; walk five minutes west and you have the rocks almost to yourself. The diving platform off the beach and Ruši's doughnut stand have been there for years. Bring a parasol: there is shade under the pines, not on the beach itself.
The cabins and the lighthouse
The changing cabins date from the 1920s and are on Croatia's Register of Cultural Goods, the last of their kind on the Adriatic. So is the St Andrew lighthouse, built in 1871 and still lit every night. The name comes from the same saint: Sveti Andrija, the islet with a chapel that was joined to the mainland by an embankment in 1922 to make the beach. The houses sit on the mainland just behind it.
Windsurfing and the wind
Jadrija is exposed to every wind that blows through the channel, which is why it is the region's windsurfing spot, and not only in summer. If you sail or paddle, bring your board; there is room to set up on the flat rock.
Getting between Jadrija and Šibenik
By road it is about 14 km round the bay. In summer a small passenger boat runs between the Šibenik waterfront and Jadrija pier several times a day; the city publishes the timetable each June. The crossing is the best view of the town you will get, and it saves parking in the old town altogether.
Eating nearby
A few cafés and a konoba, the Croatian name for a simple family tavern, near the pier, busy in July and August. For dinner, Vodice is the nearest town with a good choice of restaurants, and Šibenik old town is worth the drive. Dino is happy to recommend his favourites.
Quiet hours
Jadrija is residential, and quiet hours run from 11 pm. It has the feel of a village rather than a resort, which is a big part of why guests come back. If you are after nightlife, Šibenik's bars are a short taxi ride away.