Best Things To Do In Trogir
Trogir is a quaint, coastal town found a stone’s throw away from Croatia’s second-largest city, Split.
Found on a small island, Trogir is set within medieval walls, linked to the mainland of Croatia and the larger island of Čiovo.
You could happily spend your entire day wandering through the Romanesque cobbled streets, getting lost in the maze of 14th-century buildings, but Trogir has a lot more to offer than just its unique architecture, however beautiful it may appear.
Whether you are visiting the town on a day trip from Split, or whether you are basing yourself there for a few days, Trogir has a lot to offer, and this article is going to showcase the highlights of Trogir.
So, let’s dive into the: Best things to do in Trogir
Trogir at a Glance
Highlights: Cathedral of St. Lawrence; Trogir Town Hall; Blue Cave and 5-islands boat trip
Best time to visit Trogir: Shoulder Season (April-May and September-October)
Best guided city tour: Trogir walking tour
Best place to stay: Villa Sv. Petar (Boutique hotel in Trogir old town)
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Is Trogir worth visiting?
First of all, we are going to answer a question that we see being asked all the time - is Trogir worth visiting? The answer, unsurprisingly, is yes, Trogir is 100% worth visiting.
Though it is often seen as merely a stop-off for day trips and tour buses heading to and from Split, Trogir is a destination that deserves to be explored in its own right. In fact, it makes a great alternative to staying in Split, particularly if you’re looking for a more relaxed, slower place to base yourself.
There is a reason that Trogir was named the ‘best island city in the world’ by National Geographic in 2015 - a niche award to win, but it doesn’t detract from the fact that Trogir possesses incredible beauty and should certainly be worthy of your attention.
Drinking coffee in the central square in Trogir
How much time should you spend in Trogir?
In truth, the majority of the sights at Trogir can be seen in the best part of a day. As the Old Town is so small, you can easily see the majority in just a couple of hours.
However, we still recommend spending at least 2 days in Trogir because you can spend the first exploring the old town, eating seafood in the restaurants and enjoying a drink by the Marina.
Then, on the second day, you can take advantage of all the boat tours on offer from Trogir. You can head towards the Blue Cave, Blue Lagoon, the Three Islands and many more.
Honestly, one of the best things to do in Trogir is to simply slow down, relax and enjoy a slower pace of life. That’s why we think you should be spending longer than just a few hours here.
Trogir - one of the most beautiful towns on the Dalmatian Coast
What is the best time of year to visit Trogir?
We visited Trogir in mid-April and the temperature was perfect - not too hot, but warm enough to be comfortable in shorts and a t-shirt.
The nice thing about visiting at this time of year is that Trogir isn’t too crowded. As it is such a small place, in the summer months, it becomes swamped with tourists and every single restaurant and bar, particularly those by the water, is completely overrun.
That’s why the best time of year to visit Trogir is in the shoulder season (April-May and September-October) when the weather is very pleasant, and you still have plenty of space to explore all the fascinating cobbled streets of the Old Town.
Best Things to do in Trogir
Despite not covering a huge area of land, there is plenty to see and do in Trogir. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site, features a wonderfully preserved Old Town and is situated on one of the most beautiful coastlines in Europe.
Underneath, we have highlighted all the best things to do in Trogir, so you can create a mini Trogir travel itinerary for your upcoming visit to Trogir.
Take a Guided tour of Trogir
As you will have probably realised already, Trogir is a little place with a lot of history. While walking around the town, you quickly get a sense that some of the buildings have been there for well over 600 years and you want to find out their story.
The best way to do this is through a guided tour of Trogir - this tour lasts 1.5 hours, which is the perfect amount of time because city tours that last over 2 hours can get rather tiring.
The tour will give you an overview of all the UNESCO World Heritage Sites within Trogir and recommend the best places to eat and drink within Trogir. You can check for the tour availability below.
Cathedral of St Lawrence
Known as the most imposing monument in Trogir, the Cathedral of St. Lawrence is a Roman Catholic Cathedral found in the centre of the city's old town.
As the highest building in Trogir, exploring the Cathedral of St Lawrence is definitely one of the highlights of the city and climbing the bell tower of St Lawrence is certainly one of the best things to do in Trogir.
The entrance fee to the Bell Tower is 30KN (£3.40/$4.20), and entry to the Cathedral itself is 25KN (£2.80/$3.40) which makes it a wonderfully inexpensive way to spend some time in the beautiful city of Trogir.
Cathedral of St. Lawrence
Trogir Town Hall
Another 15th-century building found in the Trogir central square, the Town Hall, is a Renaissance building that features a wonderfully decorated Gothic courtyard and an intricately carved stone stairway at its centre.
Once a symbol of political power in the city, exploring the town hall represents one of Trogir's best things to do.
It is certainly one of those buildings where you would benefit significantly from having an experienced tour guide with you to fully understand and appreciate the history and uniqueness of the Trogir Town Hall - a guided tour of Trogir is great for this exact reason.
Trogir Town Hall
Boat Tour to Nearby Islands
Blue Lagoon and 3 Islands Cruise - on the Blue Lagoon and 3 Islands Cruise, you get to spend a wonderful day cruising around the Adriatic Coast, visiting some of the most beautiful islands Croatia offers. We loved this particular tour because it includes lunch, with options of fresh fish, barbequed meat or a vegetarian offering.
Blue Cave and 5 Islands Tour - we’d recommend this tour for 2 reasons: the first being that the Blue Cave is absolutely remarkable, the luminescent cave is sure to be the highlight of your trip to Croatia, but also because it incorporates a trip to Hvar as well. This means you get the chance to tick off 2 Croatia bucket-list activities in one go.
Full Day Island Trip - this tour is exactly as expected, a full day exploring many of the islands around the Trogir Riviera. You will get the chance to visit the beautiful island of Maslinica, as well as ample opportunities to swim and snorkel in the gorgeous waters of the Adriatic Sea.
Three Islands Speedboat Tour - if you prefer to pick up some speed when you’re out at sea, this tour is perfect for you. It still offers you the chance to visit the spectacular 3 islands, but what sets this tour apart from the rest is the chance to experience the beauty of the Adriatic Coast at speed.
Cipiko Palace
One of the premier photo opportunities in Trogir, the Cipiko Palace is a 15th-century mansion most famous for its unique Venetian-Gothic architecture.
Dating back to the mid-1450s, the palace can be found in the main square of the old town of Trogir, just opposite the St Lawrence Cathedral.
It is worth noting that the main attraction of the Cipiko Palace is the architecture of the exterior of the building, with the interior being slightly underwhelming.
Explore the Marina
With Trogir being an island city, it is to be expected that there are a number of boats moored up around the town. One of our favourite things to do in Trogir was to simply wander up and down the marina.
Trogir’s Marina features a main promenade that is flanked by beautiful palm trees, which gives a lovely, vibrant atmosphere to the place.
On top of watching all the boats and yachts pass by, there are a number of cute restaurants, bars and cafes to enjoy.
The old town of Trogir is charming, but it’s hard to look past the Marina as our favourite area to hang out in Trogir.
The marina in Trogir
Try some local seafood
Croatia has over 6000km of coastline, so it is of little surprise that the country is famed for the quality of its seafood.
While any of the seafood available in Trogir is likely to be fresh and taste delicious, we do still have a few favourites that we would recommend.
Crni Rižoto (Black risotto) is a staple along the Adriatic Coast, with the risotto getting its signature colour from squid ink. If you prefer something more hearty, then perhaps you should try Brodet (Fish Broth) - it usually comes served with fresh bread and is a real treat to have in Trogir.
While not in itself a particular meal, Gradele (Grilled Fish) is something you should try to search out on the menus of the restaurants in Trogir - often, the grilled fish in question will be whatever has been caught most recently, ensuring it is fresh and delicious.
Town Loggia
While most of the older buildings in Trogir were built in the 14th or 15th Century, the town Loggia, again found within the city’s main square area, was built in the 13th Century.
While the Town Loggia is a marvellous building from the outside, it isn’t until you pass the columns and look upwards that you realise how impressive the Town Loggia really is.
A series of beautiful paintings, motifs and murals are plastered on the ceiling of the Loggia.
On top of this, local musicians often perform within the Loggia, which makes sitting and enjoying the artwork even more enjoyable. It really is one of the best things to do in Trogir.
Decorative ceiling of Trogir’s town Loggia
St Sebastian’s Church and Clock Tower
Built in 1476, St Sebastian’s Church was originally created by the residents of Trogir as a thanks for emerging from a deadly plague. The two-story clock tower rises from the front of the Church and is often described as the centre of life in Trogir.
Kamerlengo Fortress
The Kamerlengo Fortress is a fortified 15th-century castle offering picturesque city and harbour views. You can happily walk the circumference of the fortress and around the Marina, but one of the best things to do in Trogir is actually to explore inside Kamerlengo.
Unfortunately, when we were in Trogir, the fortress was being used as a cultural event venue, so we couldn’t visit - but ordinarily, tickets cost around 10KN (£1.00/$1.40) per person, with the fortress opening regularly from 9 am - 8 pm.
Kamerlengo Fortress
Sacred Art Museum
Open daily from 9 am-8 pm, the Sacred Art Museum can be found right next door to the Town Loggia in Trogir’s central square.
Home to a splendid collection of Venetian and Dalmatian artwork from the 14th and 15th centuries, the Sacred Art Museum is a must-visit place in Trogir if you are somebody who enjoys visiting art museums when you travel.
Where to stay in Trogir?
Despite the old town being a relatively small area, there are still a number of great places to stay in Trogir. Staying in Trogir is a great, and often cheaper, alternative to the busy city of Split.
We have highlighted our favourite recommendations of the best places to stay in Trogir below:
Villa Sv. Petar
The Villa Sv. Petar is situated in the heart of the old town of Trogir. It is found within a 14th-century stone building - one of the many buildings that contribute to Trogir’s UNESCO World Heritage Status.
The rooms have a wonderful blend of old stone and mahogany and feature views over the St. Peter Church. It really is one of the best places to stay in Trogir.
Trogir Square Apartment
The Trogir Square Apartment is again found in the centre of Trogir’s Old Town, less than 100m from the Cipiko Palace.
The thing that sets the Trogir Square Apartment apart from many of the alternatives in Trogir is that it has been recently renovated and decorated with modern furnishings. This creates a beautiful contrast between the centuries-old building it is found within and the up-to-date furniture inside.
There we have it, folks, a complete round-up of the best things to do in Trogir. This quaint, old town on the Adriatic Coast is a must-visit destination when you find yourself in Croatia.
