Tkon between cultural heritage and themed trails

If you’re looking for a hotel in Tkon, your interests can shape your stay: sacred sites, hiking and cycling trails, or the coastal landscape. The cultural sites and routes offer different ways to get to know Tkon and the wider destination.

Monastery, art and sacred trails

The Benedictine Monastery of St Cosmas and Damian on Ćokovac is a protected cultural monument with a small lapidarium. The church houses the Gothic Tkon Crucifix, dating from the early 15th century. The monastery is considered a centre of Glagolitic culture and Croatia’s last active Benedictine monastery. This combination of architecture, collection and ecclesiastical tradition makes the site a distinctive cultural highlight of a stay.

The “Koracima svetaca” route connects sacred sites in Tkon. It runs from the Maritime Heritage Interpretation Centre past the Chapel of St Anthony, Kalvarija and the Church of St Thomas to the Benedictine Monastery on Ćokovac. The section across Kalvarija includes 101 stone steps. If you plan to walk the route, check the current access conditions in advance.

Cycling route and longer trail

There’s also a specific point of interest for a cycling trip: the Pustograd and Jakovljev vrh route is linked to bicycle service stations, rest benches, route maps, and QR-linked virtual and panoramic walks. These improvements were part of a local infrastructure project in 2024 and were partly planned and partly implemented. Check on site which facilities are currently available before setting out.

The Adventurous Byzantine Trail is 9.9 kilometres long and runs from Tkon via Zaklopica Bay and Pustograd back to Tkon. The route details are therefore distinct: for “Koracima svetaca,” the figure of 101 stone steps applies to the section across Kalvarija, while the Adventurous Byzantine Trail is given a total length. From the Straža viewpoint, you can see the Kornati archipelago, Lake Vrana, Ravni Kotari and the Velebit mountain range.

In the wider destination of Tkon

Tkon is a fishing village and a port. The wider destination’s sacred history also includes the parish church of Sv. Toma apostola, which is listed in Croatia’s Register of Cultural Goods. The Church of Gospe od sedam žalosti on the hill of Kalvarija above Tkon dates from the 18th century. A stone staircase with 101 steps and Stations of the Cross leads to the summit. In the centre of Tkon stands the Church of Sv. Antuna opata, built in 1672.

The Maritime Heritage Interpretation Centre Tkon displays exhibits relating to Tkon’s past, including traditional skills and tools from boatbuilding, fishing and agriculture. Traditional Dalmatian architecture can be seen in the stone houses in Palestra and Rudića dvori, which are considered typical examples of this architectural style. The region’s culture therefore encompasses both ecclesiastical buildings and the crafts and everyday life of the local community.

Coast and landscape

Outside the centre of Tkon, almost the entire coastline consists of natural beaches. They were formed by continuous sand deposits and are considered a geomorphological phenomenon in Croatia. Bartovica is the only official dog beach in the Municipality of Tkon; check the current beach rules before visiting. Zaklopica Bay provides natural shelter from all winds for sailboats and yachts.

If you’d like to include natural and landscape features in your tour plans, the Adventurous Byzantine Trail and the Straža viewpoint offer specific points of reference. The trail passes through Zaklopica and Pustograd on its way back to Tkon; from Straža, the view opens up across several landscapes, from the Kornati archipelago to the Velebit mountain range.

Getting to Tkon

Jadrolinija ferry line 432 connects the mainland with Tkon on the island of Pašman. The crossing from Biograd takes about 20 minutes. Check the current timetable and fares when planning your trip so you can choose a crossing that fits your travel plans.

For the wider travel overview: Tkon.