Trogir

Radovan's portal and Kamerlengo fortress before noon

See Trogir's old town in a morning. Enter through the North Gate early, while the lanes belong to residents, and see Radovan's carved portal at the Cathedral of St Lawrence before the groups arrive, with Adam and Eve on lions. Climb the bell tower, then walk the Riva to Kamerlengo fortress by noon.

Go straight to the Cathedral of St Lawrence to see Radovan's portal before the groups arrive: Adam and Eve stand on lions at either side, with the months of the year carved around them. Climb the bell tower for the view over the roofs, then cross the square to the 15th-century town hall.

Wander south through the lanes to the Riva and stop for coffee and rafioli. Walk to the far end to climb Kamerlengo Fortress, whose big tower looks over the channel and Čiovo.

After lunch, when the heat and the crowds peak together, cross the bridge to Čiovo for a swim. Come back for a walk on the Riva in the early evening, when the day-trippers have left and the yachts light up, and eat dinner in the old town. With more time, take a boat from the Riva to the Drvenik islands for a quieter beach the next day.

Rafioli almond pastries and grilled fish on the Riva

Trogir's own sweet is rafioli, crescent pastries filled with ground almonds, traditionally made for weddings and feast days and sold all year in the cafés around the main square. For main meals, the restaurants along the Riva and in the old town lanes serve Dalmatian grilled fish, seafood risotto and pasta.

Eat rafioli with a coffee in the morning, before the town fills.

For main meals, Trogir follows the Dalmatian pattern: grilled fish and squid, black risotto, pašticada with gnocchi, and plates of pršut and sheep's cheese to start. The restaurants on the Riva have the views, while those tucked into the lanes behind are often calmer and better value.

Mirkec, a pizzeria on the harbour, is a dependable stop for pizza and beer. Just over the bridge on the mainland side, Stari Most is a cheap takeaway with good falafel and grilled meat, useful before a bus. Self-caterers in an apartment can buy fruit and vegetables at the small market by the bus station.

Eat late if you can. By 8 pm the coaches and boats have gone back to Split, and the Riva tables are easier to find.

Swimming on Čiovo and boats to the Drvenik islands

Swim from Čiovo, the island across the bridge, because Trogir's old town has no beach. Small pebble spots on its north shore are within walking distance, Okrug on the south side has the busiest beach, reached by road or summer water taxi, and boats from the Riva sail to the Drvenik islands.

The old town has no beach, so swimming means crossing the bridge to Čiovo, the long island that shelters Trogir from the open sea.

The boats moored along the Riva sell day trips to Drvenik Mali and Drvenik Veli, two quiet islands west of Trogir with sandy patches and secluded coves, rare on this coast. Longer tours head out to the Blue Cave and Green Cave in the Vis archipelago, a full day at sea that is best booked when the forecast is calm.

Split is the obvious day out, with Diocletian's Palace 25 km east. Bus 37 is slow but scenic, stopping in the villages of Kaštela along the bay; the direct bus is quicker, and the boat makes the trip pleasant in summer. The airport is so close that Trogir works well as a first or last night.

Split's weather station, 25 km away, gives a fair guide: highs of about 31°C in July and August, 23°C in May and 25°C in September, when the sea is still warm.