A Day Trip from Split, Croatia: Hiking Mosor

If you spend enough time in Split, eventually the surrounding mountains will start calling you to explore, and rightfully so… Two weeks into our stay in the stunning seaside town, we met up with our local friend, Srđan, eager to retreat to the rugged mountains that so dramatically frame the metropolitan area around Croatia’s second-largest city.

Inside Diocletian’s Palace: A Walking Tour in Split, Croatia

In Split, Croatia, residents’ ancestries can be just as intriguing as the remnants of the city’s Roman palace — something that we discovered on a superb walking tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our host for the afternoon, history-teacher-turned-guide, Dino Ivančić, exuded passion for Split’s history, yet we found that he’s rather modest aboutContinue reading “Inside Diocletian’s Palace: A Walking Tour in Split, Croatia”

Photo du Jour: The Sphinx Under a Moon-Lit Sky – Split, Croatia

About 1,700 years ago, Roman Emperor Diocletian spirited away a set of granite sphinxes from Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. The mythical creatures found a new home in the emperor’s retirement palace in present-day Split, Croatia, where we are lucky to be enjoying the winter months.

The Windows of Diocletian’s Palace – Split, Croatia

Split, Croatia is the stuff of explorers’ dreams. Situated along the sparkling Adriatic Sea and crowned by the Palace of Roman Emperor Diocletian, its Old Town features maze-like passageways and weathered limestone buildings and lanes. In the Fourth Century AD, Roman Emperor Diocletian had his retirement palace built here. Emperor Diocletian indeed recognized the good life. InContinue reading “The Windows of Diocletian’s Palace – Split, Croatia”

Making a ‘Split Decision’ in Croatia

With a need to escape the borders of Europe’s Schengen Zone, we packed our bags for the winter and made a ‘Split‘ decision to head to Croatia’s splendid seaside city of the same name. Incredibly, the city has been continuously inhabited for 17 centuries, ever since Roman Emperor Diocletian had his retirement palace built here.Continue reading “Making a ‘Split Decision’ in Croatia”

Photo du Jour: The Red Balloon – Šibenik, Croatia

A young girl, carrying a cherry-colored balloon, explores the entrance to the Cathedral of Saint James in Šibenik, Croatia, as lion statues seemingly look on. During our café break, across the square from the cathedral, we actually saw a steady stream of local little ones climbing atop the lions and playing hide & seek. ThisContinue reading “Photo du Jour: The Red Balloon – Šibenik, Croatia”

Gluten-Free Goodness in Dubrovnik (& Two Must-Try Recipes)

Life has a funny way of shaking things up and throwing in surprises that often lead to unexpectedly-delightful outcomes. Let me introduce you to Dubrovnik restaurateurs Gildas and Ružica, who epitomize this idea. When this couple visited Dubrovnik several years ago, they intended to visit for a single day. However, when they arrived, they decidedContinue reading “Gluten-Free Goodness in Dubrovnik (& Two Must-Try Recipes)”

Riding the Dubrovnik Cable Car: Breathtaking Views and Pensive Moments

“You haven’t seen a tree until you’ve seen its shadow from the sky.” Amelia Earhart Our first two days in Dubrovnik, the sun hid among a thick cloak of clouds. Dodging a deluge of raindrops that is unusual for the city, we longed for the vibrant ‘Pearl of the Adriatic’ of postcards – those sapphire-blueContinue reading “Riding the Dubrovnik Cable Car: Breathtaking Views and Pensive Moments”