Ciovo Island Map
Ciovo Island Map

Ciovo (Čiovo; en. pron. chiovo) is a small island in central Dalmatia, and it’s an indivisible part of Trogir town and Trogir Riviera.

It has an area of 28.8 square kilometers and 5,908 inhabitants (according to 2011 census), with the highest peak Rudine (209 m). The island has a typical Mediterranean climate, rich vegetation, archipelago of small picturesque islands, with innumerable hidden bays and beaches.

You can’t be wrong if you chose this island for your summer holidays. The largest places on the island are: Okrug Gornji, Okrug Donji, Arbanija and Slatina.

It’s the nearest island or peninsula to Split Airport, distanced little more than 6 miles. Once on the island you can find excellent boat connections from Trogir or Slatina village to Split town. If you prefer to take a bus to visit Split, there is a regular public bus connection N° 38 to Split town.

From Ciovo island you can easily reach Krka and Plitvice National Parks. Krka National Park is only 39 miles from Ciovo, while Plitvice Lakes are further and will require a 3 hour drive.

Getting to Ciovo island

The fact that Ciovo is connected with two bridges — one pedestrian and the second one the drawbridge, makes it almost a peninsula. The advantage of this island is its proximity to the Split airport, convenient for visitors getting to Trogir by plane.

For travelers arriving by car, particularly in high season, the most serious problem is passing over the only bridge from Trogir to the inner part of the island.

Getting to Trogir and Ciovo from Split:

  • Jadrolinija line 606 (car ferry).
  • Bura Company fast boats.
Bridge to Ciovo island
Traffic jam on Ciovo bridge, image from DalmacijaNews.hr

Reading the article from Dalmacija News, titled ‘Read what the inhabitants of Trogir have to suffer every day’, it’s evident that long car lines over the only bridge from Trogir’s old town to Ciovo can sadly discourage many tourist from visiting this awesome island.

I remember two years ago it took me more than an hour to cross the distance of 6-7 miles from Split airport to Arbanija village on almost 35°C in August. In high season road traffic over the bridge can be at or near a standstill.

Split to Trogir travel options

SplitTrogirCompare options

So, why visit Ciovo?

This island is usually visited “casually”, but after your first visit I’m confident you’ll ask yourself how is it possible that a place of this beauty isn’t on the top of tourist promotion of Croatia together with Dubrovnik or Hvar town.

Ciovo offers a calmer and less crowded atmosphere, as opposed to nearby hyped destinations like Trogir or Split. Besides beautiful beaches and secluded bays, Ciovo is a great destination for sightseeing.

Some of the most popular sights are Church of Our Lady of Prizidnica dating back to 1546, and small church of St. Peter in Supetarska lagoon. Village Žedno (situated inland) is also where you can find church of St. Maurice, and a Dominican monastery in village Arbanija contains interesting paintings from the 17th century.

Ciovo also offers many possibilities for a great holiday, with recreational activities and historical monuments, Mediterranean vegetation and mild climate, chill island life, archipelago with breathtaking little islands, and some of Croatia’s best beaches.

Ciovo Island Accommodation

Since Ciovo is often an overlooked destination (especially since it’s so near Trogir), it can boast cheaper accommodation offers than some other destinations. If you don’t believe me, check it yourself:

Booking.com

There’s a ton of affordable private apartments, hotels and hostels on Ciovo, and if you don’t even intend to travel in high season (July and August) you can easily get great bargain prices. The search form above will also look for villas, guest houses, resorts and other accommodation types.

Top Ciovo Beaches

If you are looking for the best beaches for you holiday on Ciovo island, here is a selection of the best and most popular ones. The beaches are for everyone from families with children, those who like to have a drink on a beach, jumping in the sea from the bar, nightlife lovers or naturist fans.

Arbanija beach
My favorite beach in Arbanija village, “Three sisters” (Tri sestrice)

For more great beaches in and near Trogir and Ciovo make sure to read my Trogir beaches guide!

Share and help:

If you like this travel guide about Ciovo Island – Trogir’s Top Holiday Destination and found it useful, consider supporting the author with a coffee or share it with your friends:


Compare deals:MY PARTNERED SITES

Compare deals from multiple websites to find your hotel, hostel, or private apartment for the best price! You can also check for flights and ferries to Croatia, book airport transfers in advance, or find most popular tours and cruises, all thanks to my partners!

This flight search form enables you to search and compare 1000+ airlines, travel agents and travel sites to get the cheapest flights and best dates. Try it out!


Search not displaying correctly? Search directly on any of the following sites:

Use the following search to book and purchase ferry tickets to and in Croatia. Find info about times, prices, tickets, routes, ports and availability for all companies operating ferries between Italy and Croatia.

If the form above is not loading you can search directly on DirectFerries.

Below are my recommended sailing trips in Croatia from trusted companies and tour operators. Feel free to check the offers and links to find additional information and more related cruises!

From Split:

Top rated: Southern Explorer

Split Cruises

Starting and ending in Split, this cruise will take you to Makarska, Mljet, Dubrovnik, Trstenik, Korcula, Hvar and Brac!

Dates & pricing »

From Dubrovnik:

Top rated: Dubrovnik Discovery

 Dubrovnik Cruises

Depart from Dubrovnik on a week long cruise and explore Mljet, Hvar, Korcula, Trstenik, and Sipan.

Dates & pricing »

More departure ports:

Organized tours are excellent ways to explore my beautiful country, and I highly recommend taking at least one trip during your visit. There are limitless fascinating places to see, and you can easily book a tour or day trip from my trusted partners below.

Below are five top rated tours from Split!

from 212h30m
Join a top-rated walking tour of Split's famous monuments and landmarks with a professional tour guide and learn more about our history and heritage.
from 11012h
Visit Komiza village, Blue cave on Bisevo island, Stiniva bay on island Vis, Green cave, Budikovac island, Pakleni islands, and Hvar island and town.
from 373h
Paddle around Split and Marjan Hill, discover and snorkel in secluded beaches and enjoy magnificent views.
from 5410h
Take a break from Split enjoy your coastline drive to Krka National Park and see what it's like to swim in pristine nature, with a visit to old town of Sibenik.
from 554h
Swim and snorkel in breathtaking blue lagoon, see small but beautiful Ciovo island, and grab a free lunch in memorable Trogir town.

Discover more trip ideas:

Find transfers and compare prices on:

From Dubrovnik:

From Any Location:

More options:


Consider cruise holidays!

Cruises are fantastic and inexpensive way to discover multiple destinations in Croatia.

Split to Dubrovnik Cruise

8 days, 9 destinations

From Split to Omis and Makarska, Bol (Brac island), Stari Grad (Hvar island), Vis, Korcula, Mljet, Sipan or Slano, Dubrovnik

€ 480 - 890

(€ 60 - 111 per day)

Learn more »

Young & Fun Party Cruise

8 days, 8 destinations

From Split to Makarska, Korcula, Dubrovnik, Mljet, Hvar, Brac (Bol), Omis

€ 370 - 700

(€ 46 - 87 per day)

Learn more »

Split to Dubrovnik Cruise

8 days, 9 destinations

From Dubrovnik to Sipan or Slano, Mljet, Korcula, Bisevo, Vis, Hvar, Bol (Brac island), Makarska, Pucisca (Brac), Omis, and Split

€ 425 - 890

(€ 53 - 111 per day)

Learn more »
About me:

Pero

Pero is Splitgg's founder who was born and lived in Split most of his life. His passion for traveling and immense experience from working in tourism industry encouraged him to write many of our expert Split travel guides. More about our authors »

RentalCars.com - best prices on car rentals