Traveling the Coast of Croatia

Black granite Egyptian Sphinx dates back to 1450 BC, one of 12 that were brought to the Palace

Along the western Balkan Peninsula, Slovenia has 29 miles of coastline, Bosnia-Hertzogovina has just 12 miles but Croatia dominates with 3,600 miles!  The Croatian Dalmatian Coast has been one of top tourist destinations for nearly 200 years and we just discovered it this year!  We have spent the last week in some of the most spectacular and glamorous towns.

Romans, present-day tourists and YES! The Dalmatian dog came from Croatia

Split, our first stop, had a long histoy of ship building. The old town is another walled city but more unique is that it originally was a walled palace of the Roman Emperor Diocletian from the 4th Century A.D.  When Diocletian "retired" he returned to his homeland and had a massive palace built for himself and about 600 bodyguards, servants and soldiers.  It was both a luxurious imperial residence and fortified structure surrounded by walls and towers covering nearly 8 acreas. 

good travel website:  www.split.gg

Reconstruction of Diocletian's palace, 1912

  
The Palace is so facinating because it has been lived in and "remodeled" for 2,000 years.  When the palace became abandoned during the Medevial times, people began building "over" and "around" the palace destroying the building and using the stone to rebuild houses and other structures.  Four hundred years after Diocletian's death and his brutal persecution of  Christians, his mausoleum became a Cathedral dedicated to the martyred St. Domnius.  

Cathedral of St. Domnius (formerly Diocletians's elaborate mausoleum)

Peristyle, or courtyard, leading into the vestibule which was the entry into the residence 

On Diocletian's orders, St. Domnius was drownd in A.D. 302 with a millstone tied to his neck

Everywhere we walked signage indicated a 12th, 15th, 17th or 18th century plaza, house or monument.  It was difficult to follow the Roman, medieval, and Renaissance architecture, not to mention the modern Split Promenade (Riva).  

15th century tower

Tiny St. Martin's Chapel was built inside the palace walls at the Golden Gate in the 5th century for the soldiers who guarded the gate and is now a Dominican monastery

We "stumbled upon" the opening of a floral show in the basement halls (cellars) of the Palace

The vast cellars were rediscovered in the last century and archaeologists are able to determine the entire floor plan of the palace above.  Now the huge underground rooms are used for a variety of events and displays.

there were hundreds of floral arrangements on display apparently in this annual Florist Show


Our apartment, inside the walls, was several hundred years old and repurposed from stones and bricks from the Palace!  

our 3rd floor room was over several cafes and "alleyway" streets

our perfect little "walk up" apartment all in one room

grilled seabass - delicious!

Daily menu handwritten according to what they have (100 Croatia Kuna is about $15 US)

We took a ferry to the island of Hvar

 The day we left it was raining and the wind was strong so our catamaran ferry was cancelled and we had to figure out, with the help of a friendly Croatian, how to get an alternate ferry to another town & then take a bus to Hvar city.

1703 St. Stephen Cathedral in Hvar (don't pronounce the "H")

Hvarska pjaca (Hvar's square) is the largest square in Dalmatia and we thought it was quite small....kids were playing soccer 

our apt. was in this very old traditional stone house right next to the Cathedral with the bells starting at 6:00 am

 very modern!

View from our hike up to the fortress above the city

Hvar is a small port and really just a lovely place to walk around the coast and the harbor. In the summer is swells as a playground resort for the wealthy but now it was a little quieter.  While it is listed as one of the top 10 Best Islands in the world there are no sandy beaches!  They have vast fields of lavender, ancient olive trees and vineyards.  Lavender was introduced as a "cash crop" after the lost of the grapes due to disease and at one time Hvar was the 8th largest producer in the world.

Lots of rocky coves, secluded beaches and pine forests.  One day it poured rain and we ran between buildings, then the next day it was pretty and warm.

fishing botas with nets

Next we are off on another ferry for a week in Dubrovnik.