Looking for a villa with a pool in Dalmatia first means choosing a region that stretches across hundreds of kilometres of coastline and dozens of islands. Whether you end up relaxing or spending lots of time in the car depends less on the villa than on its location. We rent out three private pool villas in Kaštel Stari, right in the heart of Central Dalmatia between Split and Trogir – and here we explain why we chose this particular spot, and who it doesn't suit.
If you're specifically looking for accommodation near the city of Split, you'll find the Split-specific information on our page Villa with Pool near Split. This page is about the bigger picture: the region.
Mainland or island?
Many people dream of a villa on Hvar or Brač. That can be wonderful, but it comes at a price: every arrival, every excursion and every departure depends on ferries, and in high summer that means waiting at the ramp. On the mainland in Central Dalmatia, it's the other way round:
- Split Airport around 10 minutes away – the airport is actually in the municipality of Kaštela
- Islands as a day trip – Brač by ferry from Split, the Blue Lagoon by boat from Trogir. Details on our page Villa near Split as a Base for Island Trips
- Mainland destinations without a ferry – national parks, old towns, the hinterland
What's within reach
Driving times from Kaštel Stari, outside rush hour, according to our guide Day Trips from Split & Trogir:
| Destination | Driving time (approx.) |
|---|---|
| Trogir (UNESCO-listed old town) | 10 min |
| Split centre | 25 min |
| Klis Fortress | 25 min |
| Sinj | 45 min |
| Omiš & Cetina gorge | 45–55 min |
| Šibenik | just under 1 hr |
| Krka National Park | a good 1 hr |
| Zadar | around 1 hr 45 |
| Plitvice Lakes | 2.5–3.5 hrs – we advise against it as a day trip |
That's exactly what we mean by "Central Dalmatia as your base": the north and south of the region are within a good hour, without you having to move. Honestly, though: for these excursions, a car is useful.
Why the Bay of Kaštela
Kaštela is a string of seven small villages along a sheltered, south-facing bay. Behind it stands Kozjak, a limestone ridge that shields the coast from the north. That has practical consequences, which we describe in our portrait of Kaštel Stari:
- Calmer water: when the bura blows, the bay stays remarkably calm while more exposed stretches of coast are already whipped up.
- A place where people live: bakeries, supermarkets and a market are open outside the season too – not a pure holiday resort with shutters down in October.
- Promenade: kilometres along the water, easy with a pushchair or dog.
What Kaštela isn't: a postcard town with an intact walled old town, nor a place for nightlife. If that's what you're after, you head to Trogir or Split – and are still happy to stay here, because there are hardly any villas with a pool, garden and parking there.
Why your own pool is worth so much in Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a pebble-and-rock coastline. The maestral brings waves in the afternoon, the sea can be murky after the jugo – and outside high summer, the Adriatic is simply fresh. Your own heated pool makes you independent of all that:
| Month | Sea (approx.) | Our pool |
|---|---|---|
| April | 15–16 °C | heated |
| May | around 18 °C | heated |
| July/August | 24–25 °C | heated |
| September | around 23 °C | heated |
| October | around 20 °C | heated |
| November–March | 13–15 °C in winter | only hot tub heated; pool on request for the cost of electricity |
Sea temperatures are rough guide values from our guides Heated Pool in the Shoulder Season and our seasonal guide. Pool heating from the end of March to October costs nothing extra with us – like final cleaning, tourist tax, electricity and water, it's included in the final price.