Čiovo Island

Address: Čiovo Island, Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia

Čiovo is a small Adriatic island off the central Dalmatian coast of Croatia in Split-Dalmatia County, directly adjacent to the town of Trogir. The island is a compact coastal destination known for its seaside villages and beaches; it has been a populated and cultivated island for centuries.

The island’s main attractions are its beaches, pebble coves and seaside promenades concentrated on the eastern shore, with several kilometres of accessible coastline and small marinas for day trips. Okrug Gornji is the primary resort area offering hotels, restaurants and organized beach facilities, while quieter bays and fishing villages such as Slatine and Arbanija offer more sheltered swimming and private coves.

Historically the island has been tied to the nearby town of Trogir for trade, fishing and agriculture; land use has shifted increasingly toward tourism in the 20th and 21st centuries. Traditional stone houses and small agricultural plots remain visible alongside newer tourist infrastructure.

The island sits in the Adriatic Sea immediately west of the Trogir channel and about 27 kilometres northwest of the city of Split. Narrow channels separate Čiovo from the mainland and it is linked by road bridges to Trogir, making it easily reached from the Dalmatian coast.

• Beaches: Best swimming and sunbathing beaches concentrate on the island’s eastern side around Okrug Gornji, busiest in July and August.
• Proximity to Trogir: The island lies immediately adjacent to the UNESCO-listed town of Trogir, making combined visits to Trogir’s old town and Čiovo’s coast straightforward.

What to See#

• Okrug Gornji: Located on the eastern side of the island, this is the largest and most developed tourist settlement on Čiovo with sandy beaches, hotels and a marina; it forms the main base for swimming and boat excursions.
• Slatine: A smaller coastal village on the island’s northern shore known for family-run pensions and a string of pebble beaches facing the Trogir channel.
• Bridge to Trogir: The road connection between the island and the town of Trogir, providing vehicle and pedestrian access across the narrow channel that separates Čiovo from the historic town.

Čiovo is the island immediately south of the historic town of Trogir and is connected to Trogir/the mainland by a road bridge. By car follow the Dalmatian coastal road (D8) toward Trogir and cross the bridge onto Čiovo; local roads then serve the island’s villages and beaches. Public buses that run between Split and Trogir continue to stops close to the bridge, from which the main settlements on Čiovo are a short walk or a few minutes’ drive.

• Aim for first light or late afternoon outside high summer: day‑trippers from Split and Trogir crowd the main beaches mid‑day, while mornings and evenings are far quieter for swimming and photography.
• Use the Trogir-Čiovo bridge as your main approach and plan parking in Trogir or Okrug Gornji rather than trying to drive straight to small village lots, which fill early in summer.
• Most visitors stick to Okrug's main beaches; head to the island's south and west coast (Slatine, Arbanija and small rocky coves) for far less crowded swimming and snorkeling - consider a local water taxi from Trogir to reach sheltered bays.