Tribunj

Why it is worth your time

Tribunj lies three kilometres west of Vodice and looks like what Vodice no longer is. The old core sits on an islet joined to the mainland by a stone bridge, the streets are too narrow for a car and everything spirals up towards the top, where the church of St Nicholas looks out over the channel and the islands.

Below, along the riva, runs a row of konobas where fish is still grilled in front of the guest.

The village is known for its donkey race, held every August since 1972 and lasting one afternoon. Donkeys once carried loads up to the vineyards on the surrounding hills, and when tractors replaced them they were out of work; the race began as a joke and turned into the main annual event, filling the place to the last corner.

Unlike Vodice, Tribunj has few beaches and almost no tourist infrastructure beyond the waterfront, so this is somewhere you come for two hours rather than a day.