Tragyrion (Trogir)

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We left Zadar today and headed for our next Croatian coastal destination, Trogir. As we left the freeway to wind our way down the mountain to the coast, the road reminded me a little of the Nurburgring, so I coaxed the Alfa to see how it performed around the circuit. Kim did not see the similarity and reminded me that the speed limit was 60 kph.



The Old Town of Trogir is located on an island, as is our apartment, on the main island just over the bridge from the Old Town. When we arrived at the apartment, Stefan, our host, had his company vehicle parked in the driveway. He is a purveyor of Gluten Free Foods, and was able to provide a recommendation for a GF friendly restaurant in Trogir, and offered to provide for a small fee, a GF breakfast for Kim.



The apartment is within a five minute walk of the Old Town, and from the rooftop terrace, we enjoy panoramic views over the Old Town.



Trogir has an colourful history, beginning in the 3rd century BC, when Tragurion was founded by Greek colonists from the island of Vis. When the Romans conquered the town, it became known as Tragurion. With the fall of the Roman Empire, the town was ruled by Croats until being almost completely destroyed by the Saracens in 1123. Trogir recovered in a short period to experience powerful economic prosperity in the 12th and the 13th centuries, with some autonomy under Venetian leadership. In 1420 the period of a long-term Venetian rule began and lasted nearly four centuries, when the town became known as Trau. On the fall of Venice in 1797, Trogir became a part of the Habsburg Empire, which ruled over the city until 1918. After WW1, Trogir, together with Croatia, became a part of Yugoslavia. During WW2 Trogir was annexed by Italy. Subsequent to the war, Trogir again became part of Yugoslavia, and since 1991, it lies within Croatia.



After settling in to our accommodation, we walked down to explore the Old Town. Trogir is the best-preserved Romanesque-Gothic complex not only in the Adriatic, but in all of Central Europe. We began by exploring Fortress Kamerlengo, which dates back to the 15^th century. We then visited the Cathedral of St Lawrence, which has incredibly carved stonework in the portal by the renowed artist Master Radovan. Whilst in the church, we also climbed the Bell Tower, which provided panoramic views over the town.



We stopped off for lunch at the GF Friendly restaurant recommended by our host, and the food was sensational. After lunch we kept exploring the town, and due to an unexpected rain storm, we sought shelter in the GF restaurant, and enjoyed coffee and GF Tiramisu. After the rain stopped, we again kept exploring the town, and then walked back to our apartment. Dinner was, again, at our favourite GF restaurant.



Tomorrow we are headed for a boat ride to Split, weather permitting.

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