SPLIT HAPPENS

HAPPY TRAILS

Travel destinations are personal things. You want to visit a place because you’ve read about it or heard about it or have seen pictures. Perhaps, a destination is alluring because it was a location of a beloved television show or movie or a sporting event. Perhaps you’ve heard the vistas are spectacular or the color of the water is exquisite. Perhaps wine is the magnet, or the people, or the food, or the history, or the siren song of long-lost friends is calling you to a particular place. Well, Croatia has all of that for this humble traveler, but Split was not on my radar at all.

It’s a busy port city after all. Ferries and cruise ships to all the islands depart from here, and buses and trains stop here, and seemingly everyone is scrambling to leave Split to get to somewhere else in Croatia as soon as they arrive. Personally, I would never have considered Split as anything more than a transit point, but thankfully Janet insisted on lingering here to see the city.

 

BEFORE

Even Diocletian’s Palace, a massive Roman edifice built in the 4^th Century as a retirement home for the first emperor of Rome to voluntarily abdicate his position, and is today Split’s most important tourist destination was effectively called a “dump” by the tour guide arranged by Unforgettable Croatia. Still this palace that also housed a military garrison in the 300’s remains the best-preserved example of Roman architecture.  

 

AFTER

We ended our trip with the Unforgettable Cruise line in Split. It is an attentive, small ship luxury cruise line that had us stopping at several islands in Dalmatia. The trip began in Dubrovnik and ended in Split. As alluring as Dubrovnik, Mljet, Korcula, Vis and Hvar were to me, Split was just not there at all. We remained on the M/S Infinity for a final night while in port, checking out early the next morning. Then after a two-day drive up to the Plitvice Lakes National Park we returned to Split for a final night. Yes, Split is a very busy port city, with the area down by where the Infinity docked having all the charm of Port Newark in New Jersey. It was a bustle of trucks delivering supplies and passengers going back and forth and it was almost too much frenetic activity. But, I have to admit, by the time we left Split, the second largest city in Croatia, I had changed my mind about it and when we left I wanted to linger there a while longer.

UNFORGETTABLE CROATIA CRUISES

HISTORICAL and VIBRANT

After Diocletian’s death, the massive palace was eventually abandoned by the Romans and people in the surrounding area made it their home. The outer walls were kept intact, but many interior walls were torn down or added to by people moving into the former palace to create homes.

 

SPLIT

Today the interior of Diocletian’s Palace is a mish mosh of narrow curving streets filled with shops, cafes, wine bars, restaurants, sobes and apartments and is home to roughly 3,000 people. Countless tourists stumble along this warren of haphazardly arrayed network of alleys where over time apartments were built wherever possible. The tourist hordes choke the walkways and locals working the shops have a withered look to them and greatly appreciate a simple “dobra don,” or ‘good-day’ from the relentless babel of foreign voices that fill this choked, but fun area. If you can say “Doviđenja” to them or ‘good-bye’ faces light up into huge smiles..  

One large open area in the middle of the former palace grounds is the peristyle. A peristyle is a columned veranda, sort of like a front porch, that would lead to the house. Usually decorated with plants or shrubs or even fish ponds, Diocletian’s peristyle was within the palace grounds and the entrance was guarded by several sphinx imported from Egypt. Over time many of them have been lost or destroyed, but one remains at the peristyle still protecting the apartment area of Diocletian.  

 

PERISTYLE SPLIT

Music and shows are performed nightly at the peristyle. During our last night in Split we watched for a time a performance of the opera Aida with a full orchestra before the stage. We actually just walked slowly past the stage. We couldn’t move very quickly because of all the people; it was that crowded. The alley that our sobe, Croatian for room, was on, actually led to the stage. So rather than being a part of the show, we had to walk around to reach it from the other side. When we got to the door of the Base Rooms Sobe there were several members of the chorus hanging on the steps of the Temple of Jupiter which was right at our door, waiting for their cue. Dressed in appropriate Egyptian garb, one woman started singing the Bangles, “Walk Like An Egyptian.” Janet slapped me when I started to dance with her and pulled me inside the Sobe.

 

BASE ROOMS & TEMPLE

Despite the proximity with the thick walls of our very centrally located sobe we heard none of the opera. Base Room Sobe wasn’t fancy, but it was clean comfortable and very reasonably priced. We stayed in Room 201

BASE ROOMS SPLIT

PARTY OUTSIDE THE PALACE

The palace was the main attraction of town, but the spacious quay beyond the walls was festive. Palm trees lined the walk-way near the water and were also interspersed among the many busy tables of cafes and restaurants. It was cooler here with the sea air, although the sun was fierce and the umbrellas were needed. Sitting at a table made for good people watching as people still incessantly walked around. We walked along this area our final evening and a traditional band was playing and women in folk dress waited their turn to take the stage to dance. It was a good relaxed breezy feel to this area which contrasted to the stifling air inside the palace.

DRINKS AND FOOD

Any café or restaurant in town is good. Here are three notables for us:

PORTOFINO  

Located in a little courtyard near the Silver Gate of the Palace. Outdoor seating and serving pastas, steaks and seafood. We got a 10% discount with our Privilege Card from Unforgettable Croatia. Great wine list and attentive staff.

 PORTOFINO SPLIT

PIZZERIA BOKAMORRA

This is also a 10% discounted place, but this is a restaurant that specializes in pizza. Fancy atmosphere and the place got extremely crowded after we were seated. They had an extensive listing of toppings and had drink or wine recommendations with each. We dined with another couple from the Infinity, Simon and Maureen from Fremantle, WA, and Simon and I had a dram of Ardbeg after dinner.

 

SPLIT

BLACK DOG

Located outside the palace, also near the Silver Gate, the Black Dog was a craft beer bar, of both domestic and foreign brews and a number of specialty cocktails. This place was quite the find.  

BLACK DOG BAR SPLIT

ZLATNI RAT

THE GOLDEN HORN AND SPLIT

Again, the captain of the M/S Infinity knew what he was doing and we left Hvar early to make Zlatni Rat before the crowds descended on this remarkable beach. It was our last full day of traveling with Unforgettable Croatia, a small ship luxury cruise line. We had traveled from Dubrovnik and had stops in Mali Ston, Mljet, Korcula, Vis and Hvar and Split was the end of the line. But before we would make the very busy port in Split, we had one last swim stop at Zlatni Rat, or the Golden Horn.

Do an internet search for Zlatni Rat and you will be amazed at this strikingly beautiful (and extremely popular) beach. Located on the island of Brac near the town of Bol, this 2,000-foot spit of white pebble beach extends into the cool clear waters of a current that runs through here called the Hvar channel.  This current and the different winds that grace this land, like the Jugo, or south wind, and the westerly Maestral can over time transform the direction of the Golden Horn so it will bend to the west or east.

I have wanted to return to Croatia ever since I saw the breathtaking aerial pictures of this impossibly beautiful beach and when the M/s Infinity anchored offshore and I took the launch over I had carved another notch on my bucket list. Like all beaches in Croatia it is comprised of rocks and pebbles and we wore water shoes to navigate on land and in the shallows, and I have to admit that was somewhat disappointing, but plenty of people lazed about Zlatni Rat like it was a fine talcum powder-like sand and negotiated the land barefooted. The swimming was wonderful, even at the early hour we arrived at the beach. There is a steep descent into the clear water and it got deep very quickly. Off the very tip of the Horn the current is swifter than the sides, and there is a grove of pine trees where early arrivals stake their claim to a shady spot. There are restaurants and playgrounds deep in the middle of the pine grove and there are chairs available for rent on the left side of the spit.

We were told anchoring off shore like we had done with the Infinity was going to be prohibited next year. As we swam on the right side of the horn there were several other boats anchored and evidently this traffic was ripping up the sea bottom. Next year the ships would have to anchor in Bol and then take a tram to Zlatni Rat. I was glad we didn’t have to do this, because we had finite time on the Horn and we had to back onboard the Infinity by 11 a.m. Team VFH took the last possible launch and by that time Zlatni Rat, one of the most popular beaches in Croatia was filling up. Yeah, that Calendar Captain (see other entries of this blog) has got his act going in the right direction!

Došao sam, Vidio sam, Pobijedio

Sadly, after this stop it was off to Split our last stop. Thankfully we had one last night on board the M/S Infinity before having to disembark by 9 a.m. the next day.

 

At the tip of Zlatni Rat

Thanks for reading…. I know this is a bit late… but there’s a lot of Pobijedio to do in Croatia. Come back I’ll catch up!

TODAY MLJET

SALT LAKES AND NATIONAL PARK

The next stop on this relaxing island-hopping adventure through the Dalmatian Islands with the small ship luxury cruise line, Unforgettable Croatia, was Mljet, a roughly 23-mile long island off the Peljesac Peninsula. After a swim in the blue waters of the Adriatic, we docked at Pomena, the port of call for all pleasure ships. We had our dinner on the Infinity while in port. Later we went ashore for a drink. 

There were several similar boats like our Infinity moored at the swim site and we all made for Mljet at roughly the same time. For a while there were three ships side-by-side and it looked like a race for the port. I’m not sure if it was a race, but the first one at the dock is the last to leave the next day. Not sure if chatter between the boats was about who’ll be first in the port or not, but three of the four boats were all run by our cruise line and the last was from another. It looked like our captain was edging this competitive cruise line out of the way when he took a course that came very close to an islet that forced this ship that was neck and neck with us to slow. For awhile our bow was aimed directly at the islet and a number of the top deck passengers started jokingly muttering “iceberg!”

 

Channel between two lakes in Mljet

Pomena is yards away from the Mljet National Park, but to get there by bike we had to climb a hill on a well-traveled road for about 1.4 kilometers and then descend into the park via a steep gravelly road. We rented bikes in port, but could have rented them at the entrance of the park and avoided these treacherous hills. Kayaks and canoes are available for hire as well. It’s a five-mile course around the two salt lakes, Veliko Jezera and Malo Jezera. Our entrance to the park got us a boat ride to the Monastery of St. Mary located on an islet in Veliko Jezera, the larger of the two lakes, but we opted to just ride the bikes around. You can swim anywhere you find a spot that’s suitable in either of the lakes, but a lot of people seemed to congregate in a channel between the two lakes. Some rode the surprisingly swift current for the 100 feet stretch that emptied into Malo Jezera and did it several times. We opted to try out our newly purchased water shoes, a must for the rocky beaches of Croatia, at a small “beach” for a short time, but never really swam. 

"swimmig" in Mljet National Park

The National Park was very beautiful and peaceful and is located on the northern half of the island.

  

There is evidently good diving off Mljet and in caves in the lake area. There was a dive shop in Pomena. We poked our head in, but never inquired about a trip. We really never have time on such trips unless we arranged everything before arriving.

MLJET DIVING

Monastery of St. Mary, Mljet NP

After dinner on board the Infinity a number of passengers stopped in one of the many Konobas that lined the port for some grappa, wine and beer. It began to rain and we were thankful that our ship was the first in port. The next day the Infinity set her sights on Korcula, the supposed birthplace of Marco Polo.

Thanks for reading.

TO INFINITY AND BEYOND

GOOD THINGS COME IN SMALL PACKAGES

The logistics of travel can be nightmarish. Getting from one place to another can either be easy or so difficult you’ll want to throw your hands up in defeat. So far this trip to Croatia has been so smooth one could get spoiled by expectations. With no steep steps to reach our sobe in the Stari Grad or Old City of Dubrovnik, and just inside the Buza Gate getting in and out has been easy and convenient. We were disappointed at first that we were unable to get a room in the center of everything, but in hindsight it was nice to NOT to be one of THOSE people wheeling their bags through the crowds on the Stradun.

 

LEONE TRATTORIA
on the left our
SOBE on the right

We had to vacate our sobe by 10 am, but we weren’t getting picked up until 1:45 in the afternoon. We left our bags in the little lobby of the sobe and the lingered over some coffee at Leone Trattoria which is just across the “street”. As people milled around us and others looked down from the city walls that towered behind us, we savored our coffees while still using the wifi from our sobe.

We then walked around a bit, filled our water bottle at the Onofrio Fountain and then went to a heart wrenching journalistic photo exhibition called “War” which chronicled the conflagration that shook this area in the 1990’s. Having known Yugoslavia before all the madness made this exhibit especially sad for me.

 

PLOCE GATE

Our driver met us near the Ploce Gate. It was a smooth leisurely walk, through the Buza Gate and down a gradual incline, with no steps, on the outside of the dramatic battlements to reach the designated area. It was a ten-minute drive to where the Infinity was anchored near the port of Gruz. She was anchored side-by-side with several other ships beneath a bridge and to reach the Infinity we had to walk through a few other boats. Our bags were already in our cabin after our introduction to the Cruise Director on a back deck. Janet and I were shocked at our luxurious and spacious cabin. We have never traveled at this level of accommodation before.

 

CRUISE SHIPS MOORED IN GRUZ

The Infinity has 19 cabins, the first 8 at the waterline and the rest on two levels of deck. We are in Cabin 2. When we climb our stairs there is an entrance to the eating area and to the outside decks. There are several seating areas on three decks the topmost has a number of chaise lounges and a hot tub. We’re not used to this level of travel so we oohed and aahed at everything like a couple of schoolkids.

At a specified time, Unforgettable Croatia drove us by bus back to Dubrovnik. There we took the cable car ride up to Kriz, a massive stone cross. From this height we had a dramatic view of the city and surrounding areas. After we descended from the mountain, the company had arranged a guide to give us an abridged tour of Dubrovnik. Then it was back to the Infinity for dinner.

 

Could we get used to this?

Travel doesn’t have to be so luxurious, but it certainly is nice. We are spoiled.

Thanks for reading we sail tomorrow for the Ephanti Islands to swim. Then we'll dock at Slano and tour the oyster beds of Mali Ston and sample oysters and mussels and then visit the salt farms of Ston and the massive wall there. 

THE DALMATIAN ISLANDS

SAILING THROUGH DIAMONDS

Do an online search of the Dalmatian Islands and you will be amazed at the stunning array of beauty stretching into the Adriatic Sea. There are major islands like Hvar and Korcula with towns of weathered stone buildings, and breathtaking islets of white sands surrounded by azure water. You’ll look at the pictures and you may think that is inaccessible. It is so far away, the price, etc.

 

ELAPHITI ISLANDS

There are many excuses, and but one reason to go; it’s a big world out there someone has to see it.

Don’t worry, if you decide to go to Croatia you will not be alone. Millions of tourists descend on this beautiful slice of the world each year, with the hordes peaking in July and August. Since the 1991-1995 Croatian war for Independence the tourism industry has steadily grown to become a major source of income for the country. As an American you’ll get to mingle with people from all over the world. Croatia is a popular vacation destination with Germans, Austrians, Poles and the English, just to name a few of the countries.

 

PAKLENI ISLANDS, CROATIA

Team VFH is especially excited about this particular trip because it will be an adventure, one might say this will be out of our comfort zone. We’ll just not be lolling about on the beach, walking the boardwalk hitting the arcades. Going to a foreign land that is quite safe for travelers, but with a completely different culture is always exciting and one that we don’t do quite enough. 

DUBROVNIK

Most of our traveling will be on the southern half of the 200-mile Dalmatian coast, from Dubrovnik to Split; two wonderful destinations. Dubrovnik is a medieval walled city fortified first against the Turks and then the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Split is where the Roman Emperor Diolectian had a palace built in the 4^th century. The palace is a tourist drawn today. These are the destinations, but everyone knows the journey is as important.

THE GO BETWEEN

To get between here and there we will be sailing with Unforgettable Croatia on their luxury cruise ship the MV Infinity. With a maximum capacity of 38 passengers the Infinity is just 3 years old and the company claims this will be an intimate experience.

UNFORGETTABLE CROATIA SAILING

STON OYSTERS

Our travels on the Infinity will include several stops. After leaving Dubrovnik we will head for the Elaphiti Islands, known for pristine beaches for a swim, and then to the coastal town of Slano for a visit to a fisherman’s village, then to the village of Ston on the Peljesac Peninsula to visit an oyster farm and some oyster sampling. This is where Croatians get their oysters. Perhaps we'll get enough energy from eating all these oysters to walk the Walls of Ston, a defensive fortification started in the 1300's.

WALLS OF STON, CROATIA

Then it's the Captain's dinner on board.

We will visit the large island of Mljet and the Mljet national park there and then see the salt lakes Veliko and Malo Jezero where we’ll have the chance to visit a 12^th century former monastery on Melita Island in the middle of Veliko Jezero. Mljet was once an important maritime stop for ancient Greeks and supposedly there’s great diving here. On the western side of the Peljesac Peninsula where my friend has his summer home, Mljet is called Croatia’s Greenest Island, and boasts some of Croatia’s best beaches. We’ll have plenty of time to explore as we will anchor in the port of Polace.

MELITA ISLAND

We will sail next to Korcula, the island where Marco Polo, the famous explorer and creator of that pool game was born. I had been to the island once before and I am looking forward to returning to this lively island. Again, we’ll have plenty of time to explore as we anchor overnight here.

 

KORCULA

Other islands we will visit are Vis where first we'll have breakfast  before quickly moving along to a local winery to sample some very good white Vugava and the red Plavac. 

The 2017 film, "Mama Mia: Here We Go Again!" was filmed on Vis. Once a sleepy island real estate prices have soared on Vis with the release of the film.

Bisevo Island is our next stop where, if the conditions are good, we’ll get to visit the Blue Cave.  At certain times of the day and seasons sunlight reflects through the crystalline water and bounces off the white floor of the cave to bathe the area with a blue glow. A boy can dream.

BLUE CAVE BISEVO

We’ll have lunch at the Pakleni islands, a chain of strikingly spectacular islands, before heading for the revelry of Hvar and anchoring overnight. Hvar calls itself as “the sunniest spot in Europe,” and it a popular tourist destination with yachts filling the harbor and hard partying going on late into the night with young crowds filling the discos. Don’t worry I ain’t busting a move anywhere near them. Hvar is also known for vast stretches of fragrant and beautiful lavender fields. Perhaps a tour of the lavender fields is more our speed; don’t want to break a hip dancing….

TOUR OF LAVENDER FIELDS, HVAR 

LAVENDER FIELDS FOREVER

The last island before we hit Split is Brac and a swimming stop at the famous Zlatni Rat. Sometimes called the Golden Cape this spit of land that extends into the Hvar channel, is listed as one of the top beaches in Europe. When I first saw pictures of this beach, I knew I had to someday visit it. Extending about 2,000 feet into clear blue waters it is quite a remarkable place for a swim!

We’re not off the boat once we anchor in Split. We get a tour of the city and we stay in our stateroom until the next day where they will then drive us to a rental for the next part of our journey to Croatia, the Plitvice Lakes National Park.

 

THE GOLDEN CAPE CROATIA

This will be quite unforgettable.