Kaštela

A string of seven fortified villages lining the bay between Split and Trogir. Each grew around a castle (kaštel) built in the 15th and 16th centuries by local nobles to defend peasants against Ottoman raids.

Kaštela sits in Dalmatia, a part of Croatia with its own character, and the city & town is the reason most people stop.

Mornings are quieter and cooler. Most old towns wake up slowly, so an early coffee is worth the effort.

Practical info

• Entry: look up the current price and opening hours before you go. Both change through the year, and a few spots close completely out of season.
• How to get there: The map above gives exact directions. Expect paid, signposted parking in most towns (blue P zones), and pad your schedule if you are catching a ferry to an island.

Timing your trip

Aim for May to October at Kaštela, and within that, June and September for warm water without the peak crowds. High summer means heat and queues; winter, by contrast, is quiet, cheap and surprisingly handsome inland.

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