St. Michael's Fortress

St. Michael's is the oldest and most spectacularly-positioned of Šibenik's four fortresses — a Norman-Venetian bastion dating from the 11th century, perched on a limestone cliff directly above the old town with a jaw-dropping panoramic view over the harbour, the Šibenik archipelago and the distant Kornati islands. The fortress interior has been beautifully restored and now houses a 1,077-seat open-air amphitheatre that hosts Šibenik's summer classical music, jazz and rock festival — one of the most romantic concert venues in the Mediterranean. Even outside concert nights the fortress is well worth a visit: a small archaeological museum inside covers the site's 4,000-year history (Bronze Age hillfort, then Illyrian, then Byzantine, then Venetian), a beautifully designed viewing gallery runs around the fortress walls, and there are several cafés with the best-value cocktails-with-a-view in Šibenik. Access is by a punishing but rewarding uphill walk through the old town (500 stone steps from the harbour, allow 25 minutes) or via a paid parking lot at the top of the hill. Come at sunset for the extraordinary view of the sun dropping into the sea behind the Šibenik islands. Check the summer festival programme in advance — a concert here is a genuinely unforgettable Mediterranean experience.