Split, Croatia

Perhaps I am an 'old soul' from a bygone era, as I seem to have gravitated toward another place simply named 'Old Town' - this time, it's in 'Split' - in the southern part of Croatia, very near to the Bosnian border.

I landed in Zagreb, Croatia - then had a couple of hours to wait for my connecting flight here to Split - as there were no direct flights from Athens. Once on the ground, I called a taxi for the 25km trip to my stay. He didn't drop me right to my door - instead, he just stopped on the street and pointed toward an alley (locals able to speak English seem to be few and far between in this part of the world, I have discovered). I did have a bit of trouble finding my apartment and in many other parts of the world, that might have been a problem- but not here!. Luckily for me, on warm summer evenings in Europe, there are still people waiting in queues for ice-cream in the middle of the night! and someone was able to point me in the right direction. I was dying to have a proper look around but after eventually finding my door and enjoying a hot shower, I was out like a light.

As it had been just after 1am by the time I arrived down that dimly lit alley, I had barely seen a thing, but by the light of the following morning, I would come to realise I was literally tucked right behind the beautiful ruins of Diocletian's Palace!

Wow - as soon as I stepped out the door into the huge open courtyard behind the palace, I was feeling pretty pleased with myself for scoring yet another stay, right in the middle of the most beautiful maze of old marble-lined streets - with cafes, restaurants, and little shops, all resident beneath the historic stone buildings that epitomise these European countries. (Fun fact: I later discovered the epic psychological thriller 'The Weekend Away' (running on Netflix and starring Leighton Meester) - was filmed just one year earlier on these exact streets!

A turn to the right, through the large stone archway that leads into the courtyard, and I discovered a morning market, busy with both locals and tourists alike, and filled with colour and the delicious aromas of freshly baked bread, cheeses, fruits, flowers, and lavender stalls. Feeling hungry from no real dinner the night before (other than a fruit cup at the airport) - I decided a slice of fresh pizza would be perfectly acceptable for breakfast! Yuuum!

Another turn, through the side of the market, and I discovered I was also right next to the beautiful harbour, filled with cruise ships, and lined with a long strip of eateries running through a large central pedestrian area. Wow again!!

Plenty of pics below.. you can see the town is surrounded by distant hills and a sparkling waterfront. A lane of steps at the southern end of the town leads up to what eventually becomes a decent climb - to the monument at the top of a hill that offers a stunning 360-degree view of the whole town and the mountains beyond to the north, the sea out to the west, and right back out towards the airport, even further south. I spent the morning walking up and over the hill, then in the afternoon I wandered the town and found myself wishing again, that I had an empty suitcase and a full wallet - to take advantage of some of the things on offer in the stores.

After initially only booking 2 nights here, I realised in the first 10 minutes outside that I needed to extend for at least one more night, and was able to do that easily, as my host was conveniently located in another apartment close-by and gave me an immediate 'Yes' on WhatsApp when I asked. The ability to make these last-minute decisions is perhaps the biggest benefit of traveling the way I am; with no real plan or budget, just making it up as I go along. If I love somewhere more, I stay longer. If I don't, I move on. Not a luxury that comes with a shorter timeframe and a fixed itinerary. My little room at Lenas Suite Inside Palace was modest but very clean and well-equipped, and although there was no view, there was no denying the stellar location. My stay here was $387AUD for 3 nights.

After yet another time-zone change and a big day walking, I was feeling pretty jaded, and after 'just lying down on the bed to rest for a minute' - I woke up about an hour and a half later - just before the sun was due to set! I was keen to get photos of the sunset, so I grabbed my bag and headed back down to the harbour. This is where I had my next memorable experience - meeting cool people along my travels. A group of 4 ladies that looked around my age rallied beside me, trying to take a selfie with the sunset. As soon as I heard the kiwi accents I knew I had to say 'hi' and offer to take the photo for them. Before you knew it, they were asking all about my trip and inviting me to join them for dinner! (along with their husbands and another couple they were traveling with). Hailing from the second capital of NZ, they were the best bunch of Aucklanders I've ever met - and although we are often reminded of the '6 degrees of separation' theory - I believe it is much less - as it turned out that one of my closest friends from high-school in Whangarei, had been the best friend of one of the ladies, when they were at intermediate! Mind blown. So, we managed to find a restaurant that was able to accept a group of 11 rowdy kiwis - and proceeded to make as much noise as I would have with my own group of friends at home - while enjoying the most amazing food - at PIER WINE & DINING. (The photo featured on their web page is the exact one we sat at!) The food was sublime and we all felt compelled to compliment the chef as we were leaving - who turned out to only be 23! And for the icing on the cake - my compatriots insisted on paying for my share 💕

Day 2 here for me was spent with another hike up and over the highest point of Marjan Mountain to Telegrin Peak and halfway down to the beach on the other side. As it was lunchtime when I finished my walk, I grabbed the BEST Turkey salad ever, from Feel Green cafe and took it back to my apartment. I got back just in time to escape the thunderstorm and heavy rain that rolled across out of nowhere, then I spent the rest of the afternoon on a HUGE mission to put together the bulk of what is now my itinerary for the remainder of my trip. Scary and exciting at the same time - to think of all the adventures still to come, but also the trip back to a life that will look quite different to the one I was living before this journey.

I needed a little sleep-in before breakfast after finally turning the light off close to 2am - then a re-pack in preparation for my 4-hour bus strip to my next destination.

Split gets an absolute solid 10/10 from me!. Dubrovnik here I come!

Tasty treats

Sights in Split