We took the TPLine catamaran ferry from Dubrovnik to Split through the beautiful Dalmatian archipelago, stopping at Korcula, Hvar, and Brac. All in all it was a 51/2 hour ride, but very enjoyable.
A quick uber ride to our apartment where our host met us to show us the ropes and then we set off back to town to meet up with Mira (once again) and Deenie, who was also on the Balkans trip, and spends six months a year here.
Today we did a walking tour of Diocletian’s palace which is claimed to be the best preserved example of late Roman architecture.
Diocletian, from Salona in Dalmatia, uncommonly for a non-Roman rose through the ranks of the Roman military to become emperor in 284 until he abdicated in 305. He built this massive 30,000 sq. meter (7.5 acre) palace in just 10 years! There are four distinct quadrants and four entrances which had 36 ft wide arcaded avenues. Half was used as apartments for his family and the other half for military use. The surrounding walls were 18 feet thick with 16 towers, of which only three remain.
There was also a 9km long aqueduct built to bring water from Salona to the palace.
He lived there for only six years before his death and for the next 300 years the palace was occupied by Byzantine rulers.
Over the years much of the palace was dismantled and the stones, along with stones and bricks brought in were used to build houses and churches within the compound walls. Now the entire palace and the buildings within are a UNESCO World Heritage site.
We enjoyed some time sitting on the Riva (promenade) people watching.
We took a tuck-tuck tour to Marjan park and some other viewing points around the city. We enjoyed a delicious pizza sitting on a patio on the Riva looking out to the islands! Life is good!
