We arrived in the city of Split, the heart of the Dalmatian Coast, just in time for dinner. Mario, who was working the night desk at the Camera Hotel, recommended that we try a rooftop bar down the street called Artičok (pronounced Artichoke in English). What a treat - jazz music, classic American movies projected on the adjacent building, one of the best entrees we had: Grenada (fish stew), and a yummy dessert. The friendly couple from Ireland, seated at the table next to us, love Rovinj. So we had quite a bit to talk about.
Split‘s old town is dominated by a palace, built in the third century for the “retired” Roman emperor Diocletian and designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We spent several hours wandering its halls and grounds, marveling at the giant Sphinx he brought from Egypt, Jupiter’s template, and crypt of St. Lucy.
Suzette made some new friends before we took a break in the Peristyle, or palace courtyard and listened to the beautiful klapa (traditional acapella music) offered by local singers.
We climbed the tower of the Church of St. Domnius to take in the view. Along the way, we met a fun-loving couple from South Africa and witnessed a high energy mother-daughter photo shoot.
We ended this action-packed day with a fantastic sunset cruise and dinner in the shadow of the palace. We befriended the musicians and the captain, who let us both drive the boat for a bit. (Yes, that’s Country Roads playing in the video :). Split is awesome!
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