Located on the Croatian island of Murter, Betina is a charming village that was originally settled by the ancient Illyrians. It’s dotted with Roman villa ruins and is on the doorstep of pebbly beaches while it’s also one of the few remaining centres for wooden shipbuilding on Croatia’s Adriatic coast.
Preserving the village’s industrial traditions is the Betina Museum of Wooden Shipbuilding, where small kaićs and large cargo ships are exhibited. Learn about the design and construction of Betina gajeta and the skills used to make these wooden boats, which are now recognised as part of Croatia’s Intangible Cultural Heritage.
For a day at the beach, head to the pebbly cove of Kosirina, which offers stunning views of the Kornati Islands and crystal clear waters that are ideal for snorkelling. It’s surrounded by towering pine trees that provide plenty of shade and there’s a playground where children can let off steam.
Getting there
Betina is around 35 minutes’ drive from Šibenik and 1.5 hours from Split. Split Airport is just over an hour away and has seasonal flights to destinations across Europe. Renting a car is the most convenient way of getting to and around Betina.