Croatia has an extensive rail network, but some regions especially further down south from Zadar, are not easily accessible by train. Therefore, it is better to travel on a bus. The cost for a bus ride to Split is 100 kuna ($20) and it takes…Read More

Croatia has an extensive rail network, but some regions especially further down south from Zadar, are not easily accessible by train. Therefore, it is better to travel on a bus. The cost for a bus ride to Split is 100 kuna ($20) and it takes less than 4 hours. One word of cautious though, the bus station can be pretty chaotic, so make sure you are on the right bus with the right ticket as the buses are run by a few different companies.

Split is Croatia's second largest city. Home to Diocletian's Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Split offers a wealth of museums and Roman ruins under a dramatic mountain backdrop, and a large promenade facing a vast expanse of the sea. Rather than just a museum piece, Diocletian's Palace is a remarkably well-preserved Roman ruin with shops, cafes, and private accommodations behind its walls. You could see the tradition of the Dalmatian way of life with lines of clothes hanging out of home windows.

There are a few entrances into the Palace. The ceremonial entrance is a monumental court, called the Peristyle, which gives access to the Diocletian's mausoleum. It is also the location of the Cathedral of St Duje and the Bell Tower, which is the city's main symbol. A few steps below street's level, the ceremonial entrance court is lined with granite columns and two piers with Corinthian capitals. Just outside the Golden Gate, lies the statue of bishop Gregory of Nin, a medieval Croatian bishop. Rubbing the statue's toe is said to bring good luck. As darkness descends over the palace and its surroundings, Split can become a romantic spots for locals and tourists alike. I hung out really late that night cause everywhere is just walking distance. The hostel that I stayed is just 10 minutes walk from the palace, while the bus station is just a 5 minute walk.

The following morning, I went to the Promenade. The sun was shining brightly, and with the avenue glazed with white tiles, the reflection from the sun can be blinding to the eyes. But people seemed to be enjoying the sun on lazy chairs and benches laying along the Promenade under palm trees since summer comes only a few months in a year. That afternoon, I took a 4-hour bus ride (cost 105 kuna or $20) to Mostar in Bosnia.Close

Croatia was the last destination on a 3-month solo-backpacking trip through Europe. With 10 days left in my trip I arrived in Split, exhausted, cranky and very tired of traveling. After 3 months of changing locations every 3 to 5 days all I really wanted…Read More

Croatia was the last destination on a 3-month solo-backpacking trip through Europe. With 10 days left in my trip I arrived in Split, exhausted, cranky and very tired of traveling. After 3 months of changing locations every 3 to 5 days all I really wanted was to go home.

Split was hot and very sunny and I needed a hat desperately, so I ventured out of my youth hostel and to the goods market that surrounds the fruit and veggie market. I was looking at sun hats and being hassled by the woman who owned the booth, I really didn't want to haggle I just wanted a hat and at the moment when I most wanted to give up and go on my way with out at hat or just stay inside for the next 10 days, I saw something out of the corner of my eye and fell in love with Split.

It was a woman, and old woman who looked like the pictures of my great grandma, a babushka (grandma) I would have called her. She was dressed in all black, with a scarf over her head and a face that should the effects of time and the war in every crease of her beaming smile. She was dancing... Rocking out to the modern music of a group of young artist playing in the abandoned fruit market. She spun in circles with her arms out and rocked her head and body to the beat like children do at hippie festivals. Her eyes where close and she smiled the most beautiful smile I have ever seen.

At that moment I forgot about the sun and the heat and the hat and walked towards the band, sat down and watched them play. I sat there for most the afternoon. After about 45 minutes one of the girls that was taking pictures of the band came up to me and took my picture and started to talk to me. This was the first time in my who trip that someone, not living out of a backpack, really talked to me. By the end of the bands set most of the watchers where hanging around where I had sat talking to me about art, music, fashion and the effects of the war. It was a game of translation with some, and those who spoke beautiful English translated for those who spoke none.
This group of people, all about my age had experience the most gruesome war and near genocide, they where in there early twenties and had seen so much violence and hatred and still were sitting here taking the time to talk to me about art.

I was in love. Split with its punk/goth counter culture and vibrance was my city.

This is a story from our travels that always gets laughs and people seem to love it!John and I (Visnja) get into Split late, mid summer, around 12 at night, and an old local lady, waiting on the stone wall, meets us at the boat…Read More

This is a story from our travels that always gets laughs and people seem to love it!

John and I (Visnja) get into Split late, mid summer, around 12 at night, and an old local lady, waiting on the stone wall, meets us at the boat and takes us to her apartment in Split in town. We walk a long way too, to get there, dragging our bags over the cobblestones...we had been visiting my aunt in Pula, Istria and took the boat down from there along the Adriatic. We had stopped on Hvar too. We were exhausted. So she puts us into a room with only a bed in it and we go to sleep, it's hot as hell.
In the morning, we are startled to suddenly see a man somewhere in his early 60's standing over us looking down at us saying "in Croatia, it's time to get up, it's 7 AM" in Croatian. John had locked the door to the room when we went to bed and had put the key in his pant pocket. The man then said he slept in the "closet", and he couldn't get out because the door was locked. He was dressed for work it seemed. We were completely naked, under only a sheet and shocked to say the least. John unlocked the door and he quickly exited. Then we peeked in the "closet" and it was really a very small room, almost as small as a closet but it appeared to have no exit with some sheets on the floor, a small mattress too. And then we packed as fast as we could while the old lady apologized profusely and I swore at her in Croatian as we rolled out of there.
In retrospect we think he was a dirty old man and a peeping Tom too! We call him Uncle Fester now when we remember the story! Watch out and always look in the closet!!!!! LOLClose