A walking tour of Split, Croatia

It was a shock to have to get up at 6.30 am today but we were going on a guided walking tour of Split in Croatia, departing at 8.15 am! These photos of sunrise and the arrival into Split were taken by Kelly ... I hate sunrise.  Because you can, I had bacon and baked beans for breakfast.

Our local tour guide was knowledgeable and humorous and spoke good English which made for an excellent  tour. 

The major part of the tour was in Diocletian's Palace, a 3rd century AD structure built when the Roman Empire was very strong. Diocetian was one of two Emperors at the time, he was born in Dalmatia making him a local and is remembered as the only emperor ever to retire.

   An Info board showing what the Palace looked like in the 3rd Century A.D.

 The basement halls were discovered completely filled with rubbish. Great stuff for archaeologists! 

 The Cathedral of Saint Domnius is inside the Palace and was the tomb of  Diocletian and also has the tomb of St. Domnius. It is still a fully functioning Cathedral.

 The Cathedal from the rear with the famed bell tower'

Acapella singers singing traditional songs.

 Roman doors with intricate carved decoration.

Gregory of Nin, medieval Croatian Bishop who opposed the Pope and introduced the national language into religious services.

Croatia has had a varied history being ruled by many groups besides the Romans. They were under Venetian rule for 400 years and Austrian for another 100 years. The architecture of Split shows the influences of all these groups. They didn't  gain independence until 1991.

Pjaca Square has both Venetian and Austrian styled buildings, and was used in the filming of Game of Thrones.

After the palace we walked through the old town where many features were explained to us. It is a very picturesque town which we enjoyed on the tour and in free time after lunch.

 Split has a very attractive waterfront.

Local lace-making stall.

The spectacular rocky ranges behind the town are seen at their most stunning from the deck of the departing ship.

We had a really spectacular day in Split. Another UNESCO World Heritage site, it is well worth a longer visit.