Sibenik vs Split

I have been to Split; twice. For me, for the history, Split would have been fine for a day trip in the morning before the crowds and the drunk European Trust Fund Brats wake up. Otherwise I found little I enjoyed. Unfortunately both trips were at the whim of someone else and both trips I spent a few days there.

I have never been to Šibenik but from the videos and what i was able to read on line, I would gamble that I could be happy in Šibenik for many, many days. https://youtu.be/7QGHRaTy9GM?si=htKzOocKnrWhIkBW

If you are looking for Šibenik kind of places then, this trip, or a future trip, consider going further south to Montenegro. Sort of like Croatia before the tourist found it .... but it wont stay that way forever.

I've been to both. I loved Sibenik, especially the monastery garden. Sibenik is quiet and has a notable church as well. Split, however, was exceptional to me. I loved the way that the city is built around Diocletian's palace. But Split is larger and gets uglier as you get outside of the center. Split has a lovely seaside promenade, as does Sibenik, but the locations/geography are very different. Sibenik is notable built in a hillside while Split's center is very flat. I suggest looking at google images and google maps for a sense of each place.

I agree with Emily. Šibenik is one town that is wholly of Croatian origin, whereas Split is Roman and Hvar Venetian. Šibenik was the first city in the world to have electric streetlights— courtesy of Nikola Tesla.
Krka National Park is only 15 minutes away from Šibenik.
What you could do is stay in Sibenik and then go to Split (1-hour) see Diocletian’s Palace in 2-3 hours before boarding the one-hour catamaran to Hvar. Korcula is another 70 minutes from Hvar by catamaran.
Split’s ferry port is right next to Diocletian’s Palace.

Having been to both cities I would choose Split.
Besides the history and Diocletian’s palace, it is flat. Easier to walk around.
Šibenik was a bit of a disappointment for us. We finally went last summer and we didn’t fall in love with the city. I wouldn’t call it mellower at all.
Another city which gets overlooked is Zadar. It is also flat, has a nice history, and beautiful gardens.
And Mr. E, you must have hit Split on a bad week because we have been there 3x and never encountered the groups you write about.

Barbara, I may have just had bad timing. Each time in the summer and the same, crowded and drunk. But after the first time it happens admittedly i can be looking for it the second time round. I always warn people to avoid decisions on the experience of one or two or even 200. Especially my advice cause I tend to go for the off beat and not yet popular places. If the place appears interesting to a person, then I bet they enjoy it.

sharin.berger my problem is that both Emily and Barbara have such good taste in things like this...... You will have to spend equal time in both.

I know we have run into many stag and hen parties in different capitals around Europe, but they seem to have quieted down lately. Maybe because of the bad publicity they have been experiencing in the past few years. Anyway, if you can avoid these places in the height of summer, your chances are better for average them.
I thank that’s why we have avoided Hvar all these years, we only read about the partying.
PS, the Aussies don’t need an excuse to drink, the locals complain about them more than the others.