Exploring Skradin in Dalmatia: Skradiniski Buk Waterfalls & Zlatne Skoljke Restaurant

While in Dalmatia, on our two week tour of Croatia, we did more than just visit wineries, also checking out some restaurants and cultural sites. There is certainly much to see and explore in Dalmatia, and whatever your preferences, you'll likely to find something to appeal to you. Dalmatia is the most popular tourist region in Croatia, especially due to its beautiful beaches on the Adriatic Sea and compelling cities like Dubrovnik and Split. 

We made a stop at the Krka National Park, located in the Šibenik-Knin County, and it has been certified as a national park since 1985. Covering about 42 square miles, the park is rich in wildlife and plants, said to include approximately 220 types of birds and 860 kinds of plants. Such a great place to hike and enjoy nature. Within the park, you'll also find Visovac Island, which is home to a monastery which was established in the 14th century. In addition, another historic site is Burnum, the remains of an ancient Roman military camp, which includes the only military amphitheater in Croatia. 

One of the highlights of the park are the Skradiniski Buk waterfalls, which are fed by the Krka River, and there's even an area where you can go swimming. We spent a little time here checking out the beautiful waterfalls. 

First, we boarded a boat in the village of Skradin and took a slow boat ride, about 30 minutes long, up the Krka River towards the location of the waterfalls. I'll note that the region around Skradin has numerous vineyards and olive trees, as well as the Bibich Winery. 

There is an approximately 500 meter section which has seventeen mini-cascades and you can walk up the marked trails to see the various waterfall spots. The allure of natural wonders! 

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We had a little time to wander around Skradin, and the marina area, where we caught the boat to the waterfalls, was filled with many boats. On the waterfront area, there were also a number of restaurants and souvenir shops. A quaint port village.

It resembles a medieval village in some respects, with great views of the region.

One evening, we dined at the Zlatne Skoljke restaurant, located in Skradin, which has been open since 1974. The name means "golden shells," referring to the abundance of shellfish in the region. The restaurant is well known for its seafood dishes, but they also have a variety of meat dishes, especially local specialties. It's a casual spot, with a homey vibe. 

Feral cats seem to enjoy the restaurant too. Check out the cat in the bottom picture with a fish head! 

We were prepared for our first course, Skampi, Mussels and Noah's Ark Clams, in a white wine and garlic broth. Bibs were provided so we wouldn't get too messy with all of the shellfish. The seafood was fresh and delicious, and the broth was excellent, as well as the perfect place to dip bread. I could have been satisfied with simply enjoying lots of this shellfish.

Besides seafood, there were plenty of vegetables too. 

Our main course was grilled Branzino & Squid, both being tender and flavorful, 

During the course of the dinner, we enjoyed three different wines, including the 2019 Vina Biograd Debit, the 2021 Ante Sladić Marastina, and the 2019 Dzapo Prominska Marastina. Although all three wines were good, my favorite was the Ante Sladić Marastina, which possessed more complexity and intensity of flavor. Marastina is an indigenous white grape, and this wine had 24 hours of skin contact and was aged on the lees in neutral Slavonian oak. It was an excellent seafood wine, and was fresh and crisp and with a strong minerality. 

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While in this region, we stayed at the Hotel Skradinski Buk, which is located just a short walk from the marina. It was a nice hotel, with clean rooms, and it has its own restaurant. If you're in Skradin, this hotel would be a good choice for lodging.