Riva

Cappuccino and a coffee made by Laura on our DeLongi coffee maker. Eggs and toast for breakfast, cooked to our liking, in our kitchen. So started the day. Then it was off on foot to see more of Split. Our plan was to spend the morning exploring the UNESCO World Heritage site of Diocletian’s Palace. When we arrived we realized that we had left a map of the extensive site in our room. As well, I had left my sunglasses there and was finding the glare off the white, limestone block streets hard on the eyes. So, we walked backed to our apartment.

Once there, we decided to change things up and do now what we had planned for the afternoon and leave Diocletian for the afternoon. Our room is in the historic Veli Varos part of town. It has all kinds of irregularly shaped, narrow streets and alleyways and is located on the slopes of Marjan Hill. Our planned route would take us up the hill through a park where we would get nice views of Split and the surrounding ocean. Taking our time, we slowly ascended to the top. This included a section with 178 steps! The effort was worthwhile as there were several viewpoints enroute, and it is a park full of beautiful trees filled with the chirping sound of cicadas.

From the top of the hill we could see beaches on the shoreline far below. Our next goal was to find our way down to the beach where we would have a cold drink and a bite to eat. It was enjoyable making our way down and we came across a few interesting features, such as a small, very old stone church built into the side of a rock bluff. Getting to the beach took us on a bit of longer walk than expected, however, because there was no public access until quite a distance along the shoreline. Eventually though we got there, ordered cold drinks and a side of fries and enjoyed the ocean view.

Checking my map app, it was almost 5 k back to town. We decided to bus it back because we still wanted to see Diocletian’s Palace and it was now almost 2 o’clock. It was a short walk to the bus stop and then a short wait for the bus, but for $3 it was well worth it. After a quick break in our room, it was off to the Palace, this time with our map in hand.

This tourist attraction is like no other historic archeological site I’ve ever seen. Not only does it cover a very large area, but the centuries old buildings inside the walls of the place are still in active use. There are shops, bars, restaurants, apartments and all kinds of businesses occupying the numerous buildings that line the narrow alleyways and promenades. You feel transported back in time and get a feel for what life might have been like. It’s not a typical ancient ruin where you have columns, walls and statues but no intact buildings or inhabitants still living there.Read more