Going banannas in Split

We awoke early at 5.30 am. The ferry was approaching Split. We endured a sleepless night in a stuffy cabin with poor air conditioning. We had a quick breakfast before disembarking the ferry at 6.45 am.

We were met by large crowds in Split. The promenade area that runs along the foreshore is crowded with open air restaurants and souvenir shops. There are many youngsters about. Split on first impression seems quite the party town.

Located on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast, Spit is known for its beaches and the fortresslike complex at its center, Diocletian's Palace, erected by the Roman emperor in the 4th century. Once home to thousands, its sprawling remains include more than 200 buildings. Within its white stone walls and under its courtyards are a cathedral and numerous shops, bars, cafes, hotels and houses.

We found a nice Resturant for breakfast just outside the walls of the Diocletian's Palace where we relaxed drinking coffee until 9.30 am. We headed to our apartment nearby. We were met by the owner. She was very friendly. The apartment was lovely. 2 bedrooms with a large central kitchen and small lounge area. Most importantly it had air conditioning and a washing machine. We were just about running out of clean clothes after a week on the road. As the previous guests had just checked out we were asked to return in 2 hours time. We left our bags at the apartment.

We wandered around the nearby shops until 11.30 am. We returned to the apartment and did the formal check in with Anna. Anna was a friend of the owner and works at the nearby Museum. She had plenty of tips including the best beaches to swim at.

After several loads of washing in the afternoon we caught the bus to Kasjuni beach. It was a pebble beach. The beach was very crowded. The water is refreshing and quite clear due to the presence of limestone and favorable currents. Stewart cut his foot on the sharp rocks.

We caught the bus and returned to town. We headed back to the apartment where we got cleaned up. For dinner that evening we ate at "Augubbio". The food, service and atmosphere were great only ruined by the poor air-conditioning in the Resturant. In defense it was swelteringly hot day. We would have stayed longer but it was insufferable. Of particular interest in the restaurant was the stone floor which was original Roman.Read more