Murter (Morter or Mortero in Italian) is an island in the Croatian part of the Adriatic sea, located in central Dalmatia. A small village on the north-western part of the island also bears the name.

Understand

The island is populated by around five thousand people, with two thousand of them living in the village of Murter.

The island lies in the northwest part of the Šibenik archipelago and is separated from the mainland by a 20 m wide sea canal at Tisno. The canal is spanned by a 37 m draw-bridge. The island covers an area of about 18.7 km², and the highest point is the peak of Raduč at 125 m above sea level.

The southwestern coastline is predominantly of steep slopes divided by many sandy coves. The island has an assortment of both sandy and rocky beaches.

Tourist information

• Turistička zajednica općine Murter-Kornati, Rudina bb, Murter, ☏ +385 22 434 995, info@tz-murter.hr. (updated Oct 2016)
• Turistička zajednica Betina, Trg na moru 2, Betina, ☏ +385 22 436 522, tz-betina@hi.t-com.hr. (updated Oct 2016)
• Turistička zajednica općine Tisno, Istočna gomilica 1A, Tisno, ☏ +385 22 438 604, info@tz-tisno.hr. (updated Oct 2016)
• Turistička zajednica Jezera, Put Zaratića 3, Jezera, ☏ +385 22 439 120, turisticka-zajednica-jezera@si.htnet.hr. (updated Oct 2016)

Townships

Murter is the biggest and oldest settlement, the three other settlements on the island are Betina, Jezera and Tisno.

• Murter was named in 1715 and carries the same name as the island. It offers hotels, homestays condominiums, marinas, nice quiet beaches, numerous restaurants and taverns. The township also has many sports facilities providing for tennis, basketball, five-a-side football and water sports. In the April the regatta Murter-Kornati helps start off the season. More traditional celebrations are St. Roko annually on 16 August and Nativity of the Virgin Mary on 8 September. The static population of around 2000 swells fourfold in the peak tourism season. The town has bank facilities, a health clinic, pharmacy, automobile repair shops, scuba diving shops, an open air cinema and marina facilities in Hramina bay.
• Tisno was first mentioned in 1474. It is split in two halves by a narrow straight. A long quay has been built along the narrowest part of it and a moveable bridge there connects the island with the mainland. There are a few shops in the town. Tisno has become an important religious centre due to pilgrimages to Our Lady of Caravaggio, frequented by believers from Šibenik and Zadar.
• Betina, on the northeastern side of the island near Murter, is considered to be one of the most beautiful places in the Adriatic with notable architectural attractions. The historical central part of Betina is built on the eastern slopes of Cape Artić, at the northern opening to the Murter passage. In Zdrače bay there is a marina and shipyard and a local beach. Betina has nearly 100 small family-run shipyards with a tradition of strong hand-built and long-lasting traditional wooden boats.
• Jezera is the smallest settlement on the island and spreads around the sheltered bay on the southeast side of the island. Its centre is on the north side of the bay. ACI marina at Jezera is situated on the south side of the bay. Jezera is a central Dalmatian fishing centre and the site of the holiday village "Lovišća", situated in Lovišća bay to the northwest of Jezera.

History

The island has been populated for nearly two millennia. An Illyria (Ancient Roman) settlement known as Colentum has been found near Betina. Documents from In 1293 indicate that Murter was called "Villa Magna' meaning 'the big village'. During the 13th century there were two documented settlements on the island; Jezera and Veliko selo, Srimač (now Murter). Betina and Tisno were most likely built around the beginning of the 15th century, during the time of conflict with the Ottoman Empire. The population of the island increased during that time as refugees fled from the Turks.

Beaches, quality accommodation and supporting services make Murter an ideal tourist destination and accordingly the island has a history as a popular regional destination.

Get in

By bus

• Regional buses from Tribunj, Vodice, Šibenik
• Daily buses to Šibenik , Zadar, Rijeka, Zagreb and various destinations along the coast.

By plane

The closest airports are in Split and Zadar.

For Split airport it would be more reasonable to get to Trogir straight from the airport (instead of Split proper), then take a bus from there.

By car

Cross the bridge at Tisno. All four towns on the island are readily accessible by road using a private car.

• 1 Podizni most u Tisnome (Moveable bridge in Tisno). 15 May-14 Sep 09:00-09:30, 17:00-17:30;15 Sep-14 May M W F 09:00-09:30. The island is connected with the mainland by a moveable bridge. In season they open the bridge twice a day for 1/2 hour to pass through the boats. Out of season the bridge is opened only 3 times a week. (updated Nov 2016)

Get around

By bus

• Regional buses also connect the major settlements on the island to each other.

See

• St. Michael's church, St. Rock's chapel, and the church of Our Lady of Gradina are the oldest churches on the island.
• The local graveyard, with historic early Croatian graves is situated on the Gradina cape.
• The Archeological Park ”Colentum" Remains of Roman buildings, including the remains of the antique settlement at Colentum. Visit the foot of the Gradina elevation, at Hramina cove and elsewhere.

Do

• Slanica cove, said to be the most beautiful beach of the Šibenik Riviera.
• Murter had a military base built on it during World War II, with tunnels bored deep inside the island. Some locals believe the site is haunted.
• There are 3 marinas on the island

Buy

The population of Murter traditionally deal with agriculture and fishing and are well known for these skills, as well as being producers of excellent olive oil.

Nema otvorenih restorana u Murteru, jedini otvoreni restoran na otoku je konoba "Broscica" u Tisnom.

Sleep

Murter offers various accommodation including hotels, homestays and condominiums.

• Hotel Colentum, Put Slanice bb, ☏ +385 22 431100, fax: +385 22 435255, info@hotel-colentum.hr. A modern hotel of 98 rooms. Several terraces look over the Kornati archipelago and the sea. Open from April to October. Open-air swimming pool, AC, central heating, TV, private parking, onsite restaurant, dogs are permitted 
• Hotel Stomorin, Put gradine bb (Located in the marina Hramina), ☏ +385 22 434 411, fax: +385 22 435 242, info@marina-hramina.hr. 10 rooms and 36 beds. Each room has a view of the marina and the sea. All rooms have A/C and a TV. 
• Heartofdalmatia.com (Apartments in Murter), Mehanova 6, 22243, ☏ +385 98 331 421. 120 apartments in Murter for rent. 

Connect

See Croatia#Telephone

Emergency services

• Emergency: 112
• Police: 192
• Fire Brigade: 193
• Ambulance 194

Go next

• Kornati National Park
• Vodice
• Prvić
• Šibenik
• Zadar
• Krka National Park
• Dugi Otok and Telašćica Nature Park
• Vransko jezero Nature Park
• Split, international airport , ferry terminal and harbour