Blogs from Split, Dalmatia, Croatia, Europe - page 6

We could choose two different ways to get to Split, faster one through the highways and a slower (one hour longer) but scenic one by the coast... Well, we didn't have to think twice about that... You’d think that with the baby we would opt for the shorter one, but nope! On the contrary – coastal route it was then! The bus station was just around the corner from our apartment, so we got there in no time at all, bought some breakfast, got the tickets and were ready to jump onboard. I was quite surprised about the extra charge for putting the luggage in the lower compartments... Extra charge or not, there was no way we were going to sit with a pram and a gigantic backpack, so compartment it was then. We definitely chose ... read more

Day 23 - Fri. Oct. 14 - Port of call: Split, Croatia. Weather: Threat of rain in the morning and partly sunny in the afternoon - temperatures of 64°F/18°C Split is Croatia’s second largest city and lies on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea and serves as a major connector to the nearby islands in the Adriatic and the Apennine Peninsula. The city enjoys a rich and lengthy history stretching back to the 6th century B.C. The Greeks, the Romans and the Venetians all played important roles in the development of the city as an economic and strategic power in this region. Today we opted to take what one could call a road well travelled and joined a walking tour through Diocletian’s Palace in the old section of the city. The Palace, the old castle ... read more

Through the miracle of GPS, we found our way to Veli Varos of Split without incident on Sunday night. As soon as you set foot here, it's pretty clear that the street layout and buildings haven't changed much in hundreds, if not a thouusand years, which is one of the big charms of the area. There are only a few of the widest streets, which can accommodate one traffic lane and a parking lane (but its tight). Most of these are dead ends, with a pedestrian only 'street' continuing on. These pedesteian streets are the norm, and reflect the nature of these communities when they were originally developed. Typically about 8 -10 feet wide, they are paved, have small streetlights, street names and formal addresses for apartments, cafes, and other businesses. There are also a number ... read more

Woolly says – I felt quite sad to be leaving the magnificent Mostar but being the traveller that I am there is always another place to go and as the miles passed and the snacks went down I gave Jo ...the only one listening a brief overview on our next stop. Split is one of the oldest cities in Croatia considered to be just over 1700 years old...that’s nearly as old as Jo! Founded as the Greek colony of Aspalathos in the 4th century BC before becoming the ancient capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia. Following much of the rest of the country they encountered the Byzantines, the Venetians and the French before becoming a part of the former Yugoslavia. The pictures on google looked great so as the bus pulled into the terminal I ... read more

Geo: 43.5127, 16.4424Spent the entire day at Diocletian's home where he lived for his last six years. He died in 311 and was placed in the mausoleum he had built within the palace. Dio considered himself a God (son of Jupiter) so he was a bit upset at Christians who disagreed and persecuted them, although no Roman emperor persecuted as much as we are led to believe. At any rate, poor Dio was kicked out of his final resting place and replaced by a bishop.Furthermore, the palace was largely destroyed during the middle ages in favor of building smaller homes inside the walls. Thus the title for the entry. They, of course, left the walls for defense. Presently two thousand people live within the walls as well as a great number of restaurants and various shops, ... read more