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Mention Croatia and the Adriatic and everyone immediately thinks of Dubrovnik, the beautiful walled city at the southern tip of the country - the Pearl of the Adriatic. Well, yes, Dubrovnik is beautiful, but it is by no means the only pearl of a city along this coastline. There is a veritable string of such jewels stretching all the way from Porec in the north to Dubrovnik in the south and beyond - Kotor, across the border in Montenegro is an absolute gem of a small mediaeval city that can easily be visited in a day from Croatia. And then there are the islands - over a thousand of them, 67 of which are inhabited and most of those with their own small pearls of towns and villages Even if you intend simply to veg out on a beach and soak up the sun, you really should allow a little time to explore one or two of these lovely places. Whether you choose to join the crowds in Dubrovnik (and Dubrovnik does get very crowded indeed!) walk in the footsteps of the Emperor Diocletian in Split, check out some of the enchanting little towns on Brac, explore the narrow streets of Trogir or seek out somewhere off the beaten track, you will find they all have their own charm and much to please the eye. Leave a Comment
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Lying on the ouskirts of Split, in the town of Solin, are the ruins of Roman Salona. Founded by Greek-Illyrians in the 4thC BC, the 1stC BC saw the city taken by the Romans and it soon became the most important Roman city along this coast, with a population of 60,000. Salona must have been an impressive sight with its dramatic backdrop of mountains and the sea spreading out below. Now it is an abandoned ruin, sleeping quietly on its hillside, visited by very few - we had the place to ourselves the whole time we were there.
Entering the site from the carpark, you'll pass through an extensive area known as the Manastirine - the focus of early Christian life in the city. Following the burial here of the martyred Bishop Domnius - who had met his fate along with all the other Christians in the city when Diocletian ordered the execution of the entire Christian population in 304AD - the necropolis grew larger and larger until, in the late 4th C, the city's first basilica was built on the site. More churches, and burials, were to follow and now their ruined outlines and huge stone sarcophagi form much of what there is to be seen as you explore the site.
A shady garden area near the Tusculum (the museum) houses a small lapidarium and a cool cypress-lined avenue leads down through the site to the long walk to the ampitheatre, and it is worth the walk, even on a hot day! Built in the 2ndC AD, seating 18,000 and initially used for gladiatorial games (there is a wonderful small model of a gladiator in the Archaeological Museum in Split) it is thought this ampitheatre was the first to be used for Christian executions.
Well-defined baths can be found in the eastern section of the site.
Look out too for the aqueduct by the road from Split. Once it ran for 9km from the source of the River Jadro to bring water to the palace on the seashore. Leave a Comment Directions: Open daily - Summer 7-5, winter 9-3 If driving, look for the signs to Solin and then follow more signs to the site. Buses leave Split every 30 mins from Trg Gaje Bulata The site is extensive and mostly unshaded. Wear a hat and bring some water in summer.
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The Emperor Diocletian would have a hard time recognizing his palace by the sea if he was to come back today. Left to decay by its imperial tenants in the latter years of the Western Roman Empire, the palace was deserted for years until sometime in the 7thC AD when the citizens of Salona, the Roman city up the hill, took refuge within its walls from the advance of the tribes of Slavs and Avars who were taking over the region. Over the next few hundred years the city slowly outgrew its confinement within the palace compound, spreading to the the west into what became the mediaeval city of Split. This area was fortified in the 14th century.
Take a walk outside the old city through the Eljezna Vrata (Iron Gate) and you will pass through into that mediaeval city. Whilst the area around the cathedral in the heart of the old city remained the religious centre, commercial and municipal life was now centred here in the new part. Grand homes were built here - look out for the Cipriano Palace with its lovely windows and worn relief of St Antony just outside the Iron Gate. A new Town Hall was built on Narodni Trg (People's Square) and the square became - and remains - the hub of the city ( the Town Hall now houses the Ethnographic Museum). Further afield were the markets, the Green Market on Vocni Trg (now outside the Silver Gate on the east side of the old walls) and the Ribarnica (Fish Market) on Kraj Sv Marije where fresh fish is still daily brought to town by local fishermen.
If you have time, you can take a walk up the the hill to Varos to search for the tiny church of St Nicholas and explore the narrow cobbled streets lined with old houses. Otherwise, you can head down the marble-paved Marmontova with its elegant shops to the Riva and a well-earned drink and chance to rest your feet in one of the cafes there. Leave a Comment Directions: The Ethnographic Museum is open Monday to Friday from 10 till 3
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 Zlatna Vrata - The Golden Gate by TheWanderingCamel, 1 more photos
Grgur Ninski - Bishop Gregory of Nin - is the man portrayed. A much-revered figure in Croatian history, he is credited with defying the leaders of the Roman Catholic church in his championship of the Croatian Church's right to use the Slav language rather than Latin. This was in the 9th C - hundreds of years before Martin Luther's championship of the vernacular was one of the factors that lit the flame of the Reformation. Leave a Comment
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One of the real pleasures of a holiday in Croatia is the string of small towns and villages that lie all down the coast, some on their own small island linked to the land by a low bridge or causeway. Tucked into quiet bays and inlets on both the mainland and the larger islands, their mellow stone houses sit beautifully around small harbours while further away from the centre you'll find the newer houses and villas of more recent expansion. You'll find cafes along a seaside promenade; pretty parish churches (and sometimes the remnants of much earlier churches some dating back to Byzantine times); bright patches of colour from oleanders, bougainvillea, tecoma and the like. There's almost always a small beach of either pebbles or rocky shelving nearby where the water will be sparklingly clear though a little exploring around the area may well turn up an even more attractive, and quieter, place to swim.
Particularly if sunbathing and swimming are the top of your agenda for your holiday here, these villages make a great place to base yourself. There is usually very reasonably priced accommodation available in the form of small, privately-owned apartments and private rooms. Most villages and towns will have an accommodation agency somewhere near the approach into town or the centre and if you are travelling out of the peak periods of July and August you can be pretty sure of finding something suitable quite easily. Leave a Comment
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The first place to head for once you pass through the walls of what was once Diocletian's palace in Split, is the Peristil, the central meeting place of this part of the city ever since the palace was first built. It 's a grand space still, and it's easy enough to imagine what it must have been like when Diocletian made his public appearances here. The courtyard is dominated by the Cathedral, beside which a black sphinx stands guard under a row of marble columns with Corinthian capitals and linking arches.
The sphinx dates to 1500BC and is one of a pair brought from Egypt by Diocletian to stand guard over the mausoleum he built here for himself (the other is now in the Archeological Museum). That the cathedral and mausoleum are the one and the same building is a considerable irony - Diocletian came to think himself a god and built the mausoleum to house his mortal remains and glorify his immortality. His body disappeared however and, in time, the Christians he had persecuted unmercifully during his lifetime claimed the mausoleum for their own use as the city's cathedral.
Despite later additions and alterations such as a late-mediaeval belltower and two 15thC interior chapels have not managed to disguise the essential Roman style of the building with its exterior octagonal colonnaded form and high dome above a circular interior. Although very small, the cathedral has a 13thC pulpit, magnificent carved wooden doors and some wonderful Romanesque stone carving - including a splendid pair of lions to guard the entrance.
Climbing the bell tower must give you a wonderful view over the city - it was just too hot to contemplate when we were there in June. Next time....
The small Crkvica Sv Roka (Chapel of St Rocco) beside the cathedral dates from the 16thC. It is used now as the tourist information office.
The domed gateway on the seaward side of the Peristil leads to the Vestibule, once the entrance to the Emperor's private apartments. Leave a Comment
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Across the bay from Dubrovnik lies Cavtat, the southern-most seaside town in Croatia. Once a little fishing village, Cavtat's incarnation as a tourist destination dates back to the last years of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Its proximity to Dubrovnik makes it an attractive location for hotel developers, with the result that there are several large package tour hotels there now, and, no doubt, lots more in the planning. They're not the only option for would-be visitors though. We checked at the small accommodation agency on the main road from Dubrovnik and found ourselves a lovely apartment up the hill from the centre of town, with a fabulous view over the bay.
Our visit here was limited to an evening stroll down by the water, a delicious meal in a waterside restaurant and a quick flip back into town in the morning to take a couple of photos. We hadn't intended to stay there at all but a last minute change of plans had taken us south into Montenegro for a day rather than heading north from Dubrovnik as we had intended, with the result that we needed somewhere to spend the night. Maybe next time we're down this way we'll come back and stay for a little longer. Then we could check out those churches (the parish church of Sv Nicholas and the Franciscan monastery church of Our Lady of the Snows), have as swim at one of the numerous little beaches around the peninsula, walk up to the hilltop cemetery to see the white marble Racic Mausoleum and browse through the shops and galleries that no seaside town here seems to be without. Lunch back at that restaurant ( was it the Konoba Ivan?, I think so) would be good too.
Alternatively, after a quieter night's sleep - Cavtat is right under the airport's flightpath - we could catch a water taxi from Dubrovnik; the journey takes about 40 minutes. The bus takes the same. Going by sea and back by bus would be the way to do it. The road around the coast is lovely and, being high, affords you classic views of Dubrovnik as you approach the city. Leave a Comment
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 Hvar by night by KristaB
The town Stari Grad (Old Town) was established by Greeks from Paros island, and the name Hvar evolved from Paros - Pharos - For - Hvar. Locals still use the name For.
The town Hvar is really beautiful and charming, no wonder it is such a popular destination for tourists. Crowds of young people fill it with energy and pulsing rhythm.
Lovely beaches, my favorite ones are on Paklini islands just in front of town Hvar (taxi boats) and those on the southern side, some a bit hard to reach. But those on the northern side are also very nice, just a bit overcrowded during high season. Leave a Comment
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 Korcula by KristaB
But that's just a vague comparison. Because Korcula is rather different from Dubrovnik - more subtle, peaceful, dreamy. It welcomes visitors with warm grace, but would not surrender to plastic fetishes of modern culture, and refuses to sink under beverage-advertising tents.
People here are quieter, they care very much about tradition, old ways, respect and honor.
Perhaps that's why the old sword dance Moreska survived here for centuries. Participants are respected as honored citizens, pride of their families, everyone knows their place in this tiny community.
Olive oil, wine, figs, vegetables and fish. Crystal clear water, secluded beaches and peace, especially in small villages. Leave a Comment
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 Looking down on Dubrovnik by TheWanderingCamel
The main attraction is the mediaeval heart of the city, surrounded by massive, and very complete, fortified walls. A walk around the walls will take you about an hour and will give you a wonderful overview of the city's building - and those famous terracotta tiled roofs. For lovers of architecture there are some beautiful churches and a couple of lovely little palaces, tranquil monastery cloisters and street after street of mellow old stone houses. Others will find their enjoyment in the details - fine stone carvings over doorways, around windows, on fountains and capitals - there is so much to catch the eye here. There are more than enough umbrella-shaded cafes and restaurants in which to sit and watch the passing parade and shoppers will enjoy the quaint little shops that both line the main street - the Placa - and are tucked away in side streets and alleyways. The charm of the city lies in the sum of all these things - there's a really special wholeness about Dubrovnik and it is this that led to the city being declared a UNESCO World Heritage site as early as 1979.
So, even if you only have a few hours in Dubrovnik, you can get a real feel of what the city is like. The main streets and squares are busy from early morning until late afternoon - things quieten down as the day-trippers head back to their buses - but you don't have to walk far from the main thoroughfares to find you have a street to yourself - and the washing overhead- where you can really soak up the atmosphere of this magical place.
Click on photo for full panorama Leave a Comment
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