Adventures of a Wandering Thirtysomething

Yesterday started out as my favorite day thus far on our vacation. Our boat from Hvar to Split wasn’t scheduled to leave until nearly 2 p.m., so we took full advantage of the morning by heading down to the highly recommended Nonica bakery, coincidentally operated by our rental apartment hostess Eta, for muffins and coffee.

After breakfast, we made our way to an ideal swimming spot I’d scoped out on my stroll the evening before. The water in Hvar was the clearest and warmest of all our stops along the Adriatic. By late morning the sun was already high and hot as we swam and soaked up some rays on the stone dock. My perfect morning concluded with lunch, a repeat visit to the previous nights foodie find Giaxa.

As we arrived in Split, it took merely an hour or two for me to deem it my least favorite destination in Europe to date. Split is a port city, a massive transportation hub and a jumping off point for cruises throughout the Adriatic coastlines of Croatia, Greece, and Italy (think Ft. Lauderdale to Caribbean cruises). The big, and frankly only, tourist draw in Split is the retirement palace of the Roman emperor Diocletian. Diocletian was a hated emperor who ruled in the 3^rd century A.D., and was known for his persecution of Christians and his decision to divide the Roman Empire among four rulers, a decision widely credited as the beginning of the end for Rome. The palace is a display of the empire’s power and wealth at its height.

What makes Split a novelty among Roman ruins is that the palace was overtaken by squatters about 300 years after Diocletian’s rule, and the city of Split continued to grow within its walls. New buildings, streets and churches were erected within the grounds of the previous palace. Ancient columns and squares became the facades of new businesses and homes. While it’s understandable why the city built up within the fortified walls 1500 years ago, it’s frustrating to see this philosophy of developing instead of restoring continue even today. Sections of the palace basement, excavated as recently as 1995, have been made into enclaves for hawkers of tourist trinkets.

Even worse is that Split’s bustling port of cruise ships and ferries is located directly in front of the ocean-facing walls of the palace. Emperor Diocletian’s living quarters once faced the open ocean of the Adratic and today his bedroom would look out on something similar to the ferry terminal in Seattle. The port is gritty and an eye sore starkly contrasting against the façade of the ancient palace.

To say I was annoyed with Split as we headed to dinner was an understatement. If you ask Christina, she could confirm I wasn’t in a good mood and struggling to hide it. Not being a food town, we checked menus at two different recommended restaurants and walked around for over an hour until we admitted to each other we were cool with just grabbing pizza. Rick Steve’s top pizza joint was a godsend and I went to work managing to eat my entire pizza.

That pizza symbolized the turning point for me and Split. The city offered me a slice of herself and finally I saw past the crust to its many delicious toppings. (Editor’s note – I will pause here to comment that Matt is incredibly proud of this pizza pun and even insisted on a high five for creating what he calls “literary gold.” My apologies to any real writers out there.)

After dinner we sat is the palace courtyard and people watched. A restaurant on the square provided live music while locals and tourists mingled together amidst the centuries-old ruins. The scene was reminiscent of our favorite parts of Rome.

Today provided a true throwback to our previous Europe trip as we rose early to beat the tours and, with our guidebook in hand, conducted our self-guided tour of all that Diocletian’s palace had to offer. All day long we enjoyed not just the ruins, but the city of Split which has invaded them.

In the palace’s grand entry we listened as a local men’s choir sang traditional Dalmatian songs. Just outside the city walls we caught the sights and smells of the local fish market next to the natural sulfur springs, and even witnessed a traditional Croatian wedding procession heading into the cathedral as evening set in.

I was finally able to appreciate the culture even though it came at the cost of some preservation, but Christina and I are still suckers for ruins and our favorite part of Split was something most people wouldn’t even notice. In a small alley off the main gate are a set of stairs leading to what is one of the earliest Christian chapels in the world: St. Martin’s Chapel. It’s a small simple room, no more than five feet wide, in the city wall directly above the gate. It was put there in the fourth century for the guards who protected the entrance all those centuries ago.

 

St. Martin's Chapel

Tomorrow we are picking up the car and beginning our driving adventure with a trip to Plitvice National Park, but I am happy to say that we really enjoyed our time in Split.