Šibenik's old town is a stack of pale stone houses clinging to a slope between the fortresses and the sea, bound together by narrow alleys, vaulted passages and shallow staircases polished smooth by centuries of feet. Wandering without a map is the right approach. Look out for the four old town gates, the small Renaissance loggia on the main square and the tiny Church of St Barbara now serving as a museum of sacred art.
The Riva, the broad waterfront promenade, is the place where Šibenik gathers in the evening. Children chase footballs, old men play cards under the palms, the ferry to Zlarin pulls in and out. The cluster of restaurants and cafés here are touristy but reasonable. From the western end you can see the cruise port and St Anthony Channel curving away.