Primošten – beach vacation by the sea in Croatia: what to do, the best beaches, restaurants and entertainment in and around Primošten.
If you want to take a break from the crowds, I recommend Primoshten. This is a small town in Central Dalmatia, where there are not as many beaches as on the Makarska Riviera, so there are not as many tourists (especially in September). Primosten is located near Split Airport. It has excellent tourist infrastructure, a good selection of restaurants and tourist attractions. You can also stay in campsites – there is a large selection of them.
We chose Primosten for the second part of our trip to Croatia. At first, for five days we lived in Baska Vodaon the Makarska Riviera, and the last five days in Primošten, because it was interesting to see other places, to compare different parts of the Croatian coast.
Did we like it? So much!
Season – when is it better to go to Primoshten
The sea in this part of Croatia warms up in late June. At this time, the water can warm up to a temperature of +22 degrees. The air is not yet hot, so it’s nice to sunbathe on the beach and relieve fatigue in the cool water.
July and August are considered the high season. Sometimes it can be very hot – these months have the highest prices for housing and car rental. It also has the highest air temperature – sometimes up to +35. The water warms up to +23-25 degrees.
The best season to visit Primosten and Croatia is September. There are fewer tourists, housing prices are falling by 20-30%, the water in the sea is very warm – +23-24℃, and the air is more comfortable for beaches and travel – +25-28℃. September is the perfect time to spend a vacation on the Croatian Adriatic.
Getting to Primosten
The easiest way to arrive is to fly to Split – Split Airport is 25 km from Primosten. Or to Zadar, a city north of Split, where Ryanair and Wizzair fly mainly from different cities and countries in Europe. We came to Croatia by car from Ukraine – but you can fly to Split or Zadar airport and rent a car.
I recommend renting a car in advance because, during the high season, rental prices at airports are much higher.
Beaches in Primoshten
Primoshten is not the same as the resorts located on the Makarska Riviera. There are no endless beaches here, where you can relax on one day and another tomorrow. Prymoshtyn has two beaches of its own – Velyka Raducha and Mala Raducha. They are located on both sides of a small peninsula adjacent to the town.
But these beaches are among the best in Croatia. And this is not my opinion, it is confirmed by the many European titles and blue flags that Primosten’s beaches receive every year.
Mala Raducha beach is smaller and more party-like. The entrance to the water is steeper here, and there are more waves. There are also sun loungers and umbrellas for rent, catamaran rentals, and cafes and restaurants on the beach, where prices are slightly higher than in other establishments in the city.
The beach of Velyka Raducha has small white stones, a very gentle entrance to the water, and pine trees all around. There are free parasaolki – mushrooms made of straw. You can also rent individual sun loungers and umbrellas. There is a toilet, changing rooms are free of charge. Of course, I liked the beach of Velyka Raducha better – in September there were few people here, the water was clean, warm, and clear.
There is one more – a very small beach, which is more suitable for those who have settled in the Old Town. This is Plaža Rosi, located on the cape of Stary Primosten, a very small place surrounded by stones. We didn’t swim here because it was more convenient for us to go to Velyka Raduha, where it was much better and there was more space.
Where to stay in Przemysl
If you want to go to a nice beach in the morning. Or to be able to sit in restaurants in the evenings and travel between different sights and interesting places during the day – then I advise you to settle in Primoshten itself. There is a large selection of apartments with a kitchen and living room, which are much more comfortable than hotels. For example, if you buy fresh fish from fishermen in the morning, you can cook it yourself at home.
Recommendations: Look for apartments outside the Old Town, as there may be parking problems. The Old Town has narrow streets, with buildings huddled together. Most tourists leave their cars in a paid parking lot before entering the Old Town.
If you want to live outside the city on the first line with a view of the Adriatic Sea, I recommend looking at apartments in the nearest villages. Most of these apartments are located in Grebaštica, just north of Primosten.
There are almost no wide beaches here, but stone stairs lead to the water, near which small places for sunbathing and swimming are arranged on the stones by the water.
Restaurants in Primoshten
There are many restaurants in Prymoshtene, but I will recommend the ones I really liked.
Konoba Tereza is a family restaurant with delicious cuisine. It is located close to the waterfront, but it is quite quiet and peaceful. Tables are in a nice courtyard, very nice service by sisters. We ordered a huge sea bass with vegetables – it was delicious and one fish was enough for three of us. The price tag is 60 euros for three people.
Garbin is a snack bar in the center of Primosten’s Old Town. It offers deep-fried sea creatures, Dalmatian potatoes. I liked the fish, like our tzatziki, and the squid. It was delicious!
But the best place where we ate the best octopus (trunk) in Croatia is Šarićevi dvori (22202, Primošten). It is both a restaurant and an agritourism, where octopus is cooked in a wood-fired oven with potatoes in red wine. A portion for one person cost 130 kuna (15-18 euros), with wine and salad. Sooooo delicious!
What to see and do while vacationing in Primorska
While vacationing for five days in Primoshten, we managed to see quite a few places. It’s all thanks to the car, because you can’t do that much by public transport, and some places are almost impossible to get to.
Trogir
We liked Trogir very much – it’s nice, cozy, and there are a lot of cafes with specialty coffee. Narrow streets, stone staircases, churches, a waterfront and a fortress – a full spectrum for being a pleasant tourist city.
There is also a fish market in Trogir – we came twice to buy fresh fish. It is located opposite the entrance to the Old Town. There is a souvenir and food market near the fish market. Prices are slightly higher than usual market prices, but not critically so.
Lake – Eye of the Dragon
We visited the small village of Rohoznytsia, near which there is a karst salt lake Zmajevo Oko. According to an ancient legend, a dragon once lived in it. But we decided to try swimming – a strange feeling: you swim in a lake, but just like in the sea, only surrounded by rocks.
Krka National Park
The fantastically beautiful Krka Nature Park is 20 km from Primosten. You need to spend the whole day there, so you have time to walk all the hiking trails, go boating, see the waterfalls, and visit not only the central part near the Skradinski Buk waterfall. But also to get to the Roshki Slap waterfall, where there are also hiking trails.
Recommendations: if the summer was hot, you should not count on a large amount of water. The waterfalls run dry in August and September without rain. But the Krka Nature Park is still very beautiful!
I recommend to read – What to see and do near Primosten
Useful articles and links:
- Brela – the most beautiful beaches of the Makarska Riviera
- Sicily – road trip for a week
- Apartments and hotels in Baska Voda, Croatia – where to stay on vacation
- Rogoznica, Croatia – a paradise near the Dragon’s Eye
Booking of hotels and apartments – Booking.com
Rent a car – the best options for a rental company on the aggregator Rentalcars.com
