Travels with Tricia

For the past weeks, much like a diner on a progressive dinner savoring multiple courses, I’ve been the chance to slowly absorb the details of the Cathedral of Saint Lawrence in Trogir, Croatia.

I first admired the twelfth-century structure from afar as we watched Trogir’s animated Carnival parade a few weeks ago. Despite the parade craziness happening on the town square, the cathedral’s architecture somehow managed to capture my attention, too. (That’s saying a lot given that there were colorful horse-drawn carriages, children and adults dancing to Gangnam Style in a frenetic manner, and a parade ‘jester’ running through the crowd offering revelers a sip of an unidentified beverage from a Chianti bottle!) 

Days after the parade madness, we were ready for a “second course” of stimulation in Trogir (which has been on UNESCO’s World Heritage List since 1997). So, one early morning, we stopped at the imposing cathedral’s portal to soak up the Dalmatian sunshine. With the city’s residents on their morning commutes, criss-crossing the neighboring town square in a hurried fashion, we had the portal all to ourselves. I can only imagine what it’s like in the summertime as a sea of shutterbugs elbow each other for snapping space!

Not surprisingly, the cathedral is Trogir’s most prominent monument. Started in 1213, and finished in the seventeenth century, it incorporates Romanesque and Gothic architectural characteristics into its design.

One of the exterior’s highlights — its west portal — was completed by a local master named Radovan, along with some of his pupils and followers. The portal depicts religious motifs: scenes from the Bible, saints, and apostles. Ashamed Adam and Eve stand atop two protruding lions.

When you’re admiring the cathedral in person, it’s easy to get lost in the details. However, it’s remarkable to consider that these sculptures are nearly 800 years old! With the exception of Eve’s missing nostril and the couple’s slightly snipped fingertips, the artwork is intact. With today’s all-too-common practice of building shoddy, impermanent structures, I wonder what architectural legacy we’ll leave behind to future generations?

In a future post, I’ll share interior images from this magnificent cathedral. If I muster up the courage, I’ll also climb the cathedral’s infamous bell tower. (One of my well-travelled readers alerted me that the St. Lawrence Tower ascent can be quite terrifying, so I’m not sure I’ll make it to the top!)

Until then, I hope you enjoy these images of Radovan’s masterpiece.

Where in the World?

Planning Pointers:

• The Church of Saint Lawrence, known locally as Katedrala Sv. Lovre, has limited visiting hours, which vary based upon the season. When we visited in 2013, there was an 18 kuna fee to climb the bell tower.
• For more information, visit the Tourist Board of Trogir.
• Visit my Croatia page for more trip tips, plus an index of all my posts about Croatia.

Accommodation in the Split Area:

Shawn and I have spent a total of five winters and one summer in and around the city of Split, using it as a base to explore Croatia’s popular Central Dalmatia region. We’ve made it a habit to create new memories by staying in a different property each year. Over the years, we’ve had long-term stays in Split, Trogir, Solin, and Makarska. We would happily revisit all of the following apartments. (Please note that some are affiliate links.)

• Kaleta Apartments (Split) – These lovely apartments are located within Diocletian’s Palace (well, technically just a few meters from the Iron Gate). Our elegant studio apartment, called the “Diocletian’s Suite,” had lots of character — including Roman brickwork embedded into the wall. We had overhead views of life on Split’s Old Town streets, and we enjoyed chatting with the friendly owners, Novica and Negri. We spent about 2.5 months here.
• Guesthouse F (Split) – This cozy studio apartment is located in Split’s Varoš neighborhood, just a few minutes’ walk from Diocletian’s Palace. With its quirky narrow streets and stone homes decorated with hunter-green shutters and flower boxes, Varoš is charming. One of Guesthouse F’s apartments was originally a horseshoe maker’s workshop, owned by Anja’s grandfather. Shawn and I dubbed it the “horseshoe cottage.” Aside from our central location, we loved having a tiny terrace. We also appreciated the kindness of our hosts, Anja and Miro. In total, we spent about 2 months here.
• Viola Apartment (Split) – We spent roughly 3 months in this wonderful 2-bedroom apartment, which is also in the Varoš neighborhood of Split. The apartment also has a lovely sun porch and garden. It is in an old stone home, but the interior has recently been remodeled. We were in a perfect location for accessing Diocletian’s Palace and Marjan Forest Park, too. On foot, it takes about six minutes to reach Split’s most famous lookout point near the Caffe Bar Vidilica. The owner, Ljubica, lives upstairs. She is easygoing and helpful.
• Apartments Mirkec (Trogir) – We spent 7 wonderful weeks in this studio apartment, which is located in the heart of the town of Trogir. The apartment had good Wifi and a kitchen with all the basics. It was also perfectly situated in the heart of Trogir’s gorgeous Old Town, just a minute’s walk from the seaside walkway, the Riva. Trogir’s bus station was about a 5-minute walk from the Apartments Mirkec, making day trips using mass transportation easy. Note: As of 2025, I think this apartment has permanently closed. However, the owner’s popular restaurant (Pizzeria Mirkec), which is located underneath the apartment, is still cooking up delicious pizzas in their wood-fired pizza oven.
• Apartments Vesna (Makarska) – This 1-bedroom apartment was our home for about 12 months. The apartment is on the top floor and features skylights. A small balcony on the back of the apartment overlooks Makarska’s harbor — the views of Makarska’s dramatic mountains are wonderful! It takes about 8 minutes to reach Makarska’s bus station on foot. In a matter of minutes, you can also walk to Makarska’s Riva (seaside promenade), several grocery stores, restaurants, and cafés. The owners, Mise and Anna, are exceptionally friendly and helpful.

Photography & text © Tricia A. Mitchell. All Rights Reserved.