Friday 11th October 2024

In and around Split

Not sure if it was the church bells or the small herd of elephants in the room above that woke us, but the new day dawned about 630.

Cracking morning as we struck out through the old town trying to find a spot for breakfast. Whilst we are perfecrly situated it’s an absolute rabbit warren finding your way through the narrow cobblestone streets. 

There is no dearth of cafes, restaurants, bars, souvenir shops or ATM’s in the second largest city in Croatia where tourism reigns.

Breakfast here is typical of Europe, coffee and maybe one of 300 pastries on offer.  With a walking food/culture tour to come the breakfast was adequate, but Western inclined.

Wandered down to the harbourside and at 830 it was already jammed with tourists off the two hotels on water docked from overnight. 

If you wanted a picture it was never going to be other than with people included.

At 10 we found our guide and 8 other people and did a walk through the markets which were awash with fruit and vegetables, meats, cheeses and other farm produce. Sampled a few delicacies before moving to the fish market. It was epitomised by every fishmonger having a cigarette hanging out of their mouths or slapping down a beer. Because we had arrived late stock was low, as was the crowd, aside from the seagulls on the roof waiting for scraps to be disposed of.

The guide explained there were no flies in market due to the thermal sulphur springs below. Adjacent to the market was a thermal bath house, closed for renovation, where people could bathe and cure anything from asthma to warts.

Nothing like visiting the famous bakery to savour some biscuits and also the chocolate shop who happened to manufacture a chocolate bar big enough to enter the Guiness Book of Records. Apparently the town took just 2.5 hours to eat it in the town square.

Finished the tour, which was interesting from both a culinary and cultural perspective. Three lessons – apparently never wear a Dynamo Zagreb football jersey in Split and never expect less than 2 cruise ships a day to arrive to swell the local population of 160k. Something like 1.5 million arrive annually and a Euro doesn’t go very far.

Wandered around the old town taking in the architecture and marvelling at the fact that an old castle was now a living city of apartments. Did the obligatory shopping and then headed down to collect our ferry tickets for tomorrow to Hvar.

Had a drink in the market area before heading home for some tourist free time.

In the evening  we wandered off grid to an area to find restaurants recommended by the guide. They were either full or closed, but we found a quaint one in an alley way which served great local food.

Headed back through squares we had not even seen during the day which were stacked with dinners, before one last Xmas decoration buy, gelato and then headed home.

Friday night and Saturday morning sure are busy in Split with plenty happening until early hours which meant a disturbed sleep