Murter is an island, situated in the north Dalmatia. Murter is also the name of the largest and oldest place on the island. An island is connected to the mainland by a short bridge in Tisno, so no ferry is needed to reach Murter.
Today, the island of Murter is a significant tourist destination with numerous cultural and historical sights, natural beaches and uninhabited islands nearby.
On the north side of the Hramina bay, at the foot of the Gradina hill, remains of an ancient town called Colentum can be found under sea. This town was most prosperous during the reign of the Roman emperor Nero (37-68 B.C.), whose money was found on the site during the first archaeological research done in 1907-1909. Colentum had a typical antique architecture houses with an upstairs floor, water containers, thermae and the narrow streets covered in stone, similar to today's streets in old parts of Dalmatian towns. Some of the archaeological findings can be seen at the Murter in the light of recent archaeological research exhibition at the Murter library.
In the Middle Ages, the island of Murter was inhabited by Slavs. Since the access to the estates on the islands was possible only by boat, there were major changes in the urban appearance of the settlement by migration to the coast. The consequence of this process was the construction of the largest marina on the Adriatic, which exists today.
Most of the island is covered with centuries-old olive groves and fig trees, which are traditionaly grown by the local population. In the last years, due to the exceptional natural potentials, tourism is the main branch of economy development.
The island of Murter is known by exceptional natural environment. With its location, it becomes an excellent starting point for tourist tours and getting to know one of the greatest natural resources of Croatia, such as the Kornati National Park, the Krka National Park, the Paklenica National Park, and Vrana Lake. It is located near almost all major Dalmatian cities that can be easily reached from Murter (Zadar, Sibenik and Split).
