It was intended to be a week in Dubrovnik after years of the fabled Croatian city being high on my bucket list.
Then a friend asked: “What about Split?”
“What split?” I asked.
I am reasonably well read and have travelled widely but I knew nothing about this fascinating historical melange – a medieval city built higgeldy-piggeldy within the fortress walls of a Roman palace the size of nearly eight football pitches.
My research led to a split decision to spend time in both cities.
Becoming a Roman emperor was often not a life-enhancing career choice – 33 were murdered or executed. So it was a display of great optimism when Emperor Diocletian decided in about 298AD to build himself a retirement palace on the coast of the Adriatic.
No expense was spared on his quarters and massive fortifications to guard against the possibility of an uprising and the risk of joining the early departed .
No emperor had ever retired before Diocletian moved to his retirement home in 305AD reportedly “to grow cabbages” after reigning for 21 years.
He was one of the few emperors to die peacefully. His body was interred in the suitably palatial mausoleum surrounded by 24 soaring columns.
After the collapse of the Roman empire the locals started moving into the fortress, building homes and businesses at random in the quarters created by two main streets. As century followed century some older buildings were demolished to make way for new, with remnant arches and buttresses remaining in the maze of narrow alleys and small courtyards.
Up yours! In the seventh century Christians dug up Diocletian’s remains, turned the mausoleum into what is now reputed to be the oldest Catholic cathedral in the world and dedicated it to Saint Dominus, a local bishop who had been beheaded during Diocletian’s persecution of Christians.
My plan became all the better when I discovered that the cost of flights from London to Split was far cheaper than those to Dubrovnik, despite them being only 165 kilometres apart.
In Split we stayed in the heart of the palace at Aborda Rooms, ultra modern facilities in an old building with the front door opening to a charming courtyard with three restaurants with outdoor tables.
After three days in Split we caught the Kapitan Luka ferry to Dubrovnik, a delightful four and a half hour journey calling at five islands on the way.
Dubrovnik’s medieval centre has one main street dividing the flat southern area from the north with lanes and alleys so steep that hundreds of steps confront the unwary.
We stayed at Apartment 77 in the heart of the flat medieval centre, very handy for lots of restaurants.
For our return journey to Split we chose a Flix bus, taking us along a narrow strip of lush greenery between soaring grey-white cliffs on one side and the blue Adriatic on the other.
My verdict: while medieval Dubrovnik is also contained within vast walls and deserves its world heritage listing, I found Split far more interesting and fascinating.
Both are almost entirely traffic free due to their narrow streets and alleys, often with right angle corners so it’s necessary to walk to accommodation.
Dubrovnik for the most part comprises grid-pattern streets and can be walked in a day whereas Split is a warren of twists and turns, a mixture of Roman grandeur and a hotch-potch of different styles, ages and quality.
Dubrovnik is more expensive – 35 euros just to walk on the city walls while entry to Split’s cathedral, crypt, baptistery, treasury and bell tower costs only 15 euros.ie”
To the eternal shame of author Patricia Schultz, neither city is listed in her “1,000 Places To See Before You Die”
I’ve always thought it’s difficult to see somewhere after you’ve died. Do visit both cities.
Then a friend asked: “What about Split?”
“What split?” I asked.
I am reasonably well read and have travelled widely but I knew nothing about this fascinating historical melange – a medieval city built higgeldy-piggeldy within the fortress walls of a Roman palace the size of nearly eight football pitches.
My research led to a split decision to spend time in both cities.
Becoming a Roman emperor was often not a life-enhancing career choice – 33 were murdered or executed. So it was a display of great optimism when Emperor Diocletian decided in about 298AD to build himself a retirement palace on the coast of the Adriatic.
No expense was spared on his quarters and massive fortifications to guard against the possibility of an uprising and the risk of joining the early departed .
No emperor had ever retired before Diocletian moved to his retirement home in 305AD reportedly “to grow cabbages” after reigning for 21 years.
He was one of the few emperors to die peacefully. His body was interred in the suitably palatial mausoleum surrounded by 24 soaring columns.
After the collapse of the Roman empire the locals started moving into the fortress, building homes and businesses at random in the quarters created by two main streets. As century followed century some older buildings were demolished to make way for new, with remnant arches and buttresses remaining in the maze of narrow alleys and small courtyards.
Up yours! In the seventh century Christians dug up Diocletian’s remains, turned the mausoleum into what is now reputed to be the oldest Catholic cathedral in the world and dedicated it to Saint Dominus, a local bishop who had been beheaded during Diocletian’s persecution of Christians.
My plan became all the better when I discovered that the cost of flights from London to Split was far cheaper than those to Dubrovnik, despite them being only 165 kilometres apart.
In Split we stayed in the heart of the palace at Aborda Rooms, ultra modern facilities in an old building with the front door opening to a charming courtyard with three restaurants with outdoor tables.
After three days in Split we caught the Kapitan Luka ferry to Dubrovnik, a delightful four and a half hour journey calling at five islands on the way.
Dubrovnik’s medieval centre has one main street dividing the flat southern area from the north with lanes and alleys so steep that hundreds of steps confront the unwary.
We stayed at Apartment 77 in the heart of the flat medieval centre, very handy for lots of restaurants.
For our return journey to Split we chose a Flix bus, taking us along a narrow strip of lush greenery between soaring grey-white cliffs on one side and the blue Adriatic on the other.
My verdict: while medieval Dubrovnik is also contained within vast walls and deserves its world heritage listing, I found Split far more interesting and fascinating.
Both are almost entirely traffic free due to their narrow streets and alleys, often with right angle corners so it’s necessary to walk to accommodation.
Dubrovnik for the most part comprises grid-pattern streets and can be walked in a day whereas Split is a warren of twists and turns, a mixture of Roman grandeur and a hotch-potch of different styles, ages and quality.
Dubrovnik is more expensive – 35 euros just to walk on the city walls while entry to Split’s cathedral, crypt, baptistery, treasury and bell tower costs only 15 euros.ie”
To the eternal shame of author Patricia Schultz, neither city is listed in her “1,000 Places To See Before You Die”
I’ve always thought it’s difficult to see somewhere after you’ve died. Do visit both cities.
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