tales of wander

I’ve been severely dragging since I got here due to jet lag. I realized that since my travels have been focused on South America since 2016, it’s been a long time since I’ve experienced this much of a time difference (9 hours)—and I am someone who gets thrown off kilter when daylight savings time hits twice a year (don’t even get me started on that). 

Thankfully, our first two stops were small towns where one could truly ease into the luxuriously slow vibe of coastal Croatia:

Trogir

Our first stop was Trogir, a lovely city known for its medieval old town, which is one of the oldest cities along the Adriatic coast and was made a UNESCO World Heritage site due to the number of well-preserved Venetian structures, an “orthoganal” street plan that dates back to the Hellenistic period (which, to the casual tourist, feels less like a ‘plan’ and more like a drunken prank), and its numerous churches, some of which date back to the 13th century. There’s even a fortress (Kamerlengo) that was built in the 15th century. 

The old town is located on a tiny island between the Croatian mainland and another larger island, Ciovo. We had the pleasure of staying in an apartment directly in the old town and loudly bumping our luggage along the cobblestone paths (not to mention getting turned around in its maze-like interior). We spent our short time here simply easing in, taking in the waterfront, the architecture, food, and copious amounts of delicious wine and coffee. I think I’m really going to like this place.

Sibenik

After decompressing in Trogir, it was off to Sibenik, a short 1-hr drive away by bus. Sibenik is yet another city known for its medieval old town, which was apparently used in several episodes of Game of Thrones (there are lots of GOT souvenirs and tours on offer in this part of Croatia). Not having watched the series, I couldn’t quite appreciate it from that perspective; however, one doesn’t need television to see the beauty of the stonework and the many fortresses (there are four here!). Interestingly, Sibenik was also the first “electrified” city in the world, thanks to Nikola Tesla’s (a native Croatian) AC current. 

Of particular interest here St James’ Cathedral (aka St Jacobs), which is a UNESCO World Heritage site (it seems there are a lot of UNESCO sites in Croatia). The cathedral was built in the 15th century in a Renaissance style and was made entirely of limestone blocks that were precisely carved to interlock, thus requiring no mortar or other binding agent (a fact that I found astounding, particularly when you look at all of its curves and details). As in Trogir, we stayed directly in the old town and enjoyed its many “caffe bars” (serving just coffee and liquor all day long) and restaurants. 

Sibenik is also known for Krka National Park, which was a particular draw for us because after several days in medieval towns, we were ready to get outdoors and experience some nature. We spent the day exploring Krka’s numerous waterfalls by foot, then took a 4-hr boat trip to see some of the sites further afield, such as Visovac island, which is home to a remote monastery.

I have to say that so far, it’s been a real pleasure sharing some of the travel planning with someone, which is not a luxury I often have. Anyone who’s spent any time abroad can attest that planning trips can be a bit complicated because every aspect of a trip must be researched—accommodation, language, transportation, visas, vaccinations, weather…the list goes on and on. On this trip, given that I am traveling with Jared from beginning to end, he’s taken on a part of the research that I just detest: transportation and navigation. It’s been a truly welcome change of pace for me and has enabled me to relax in a way that I normally don’t get to when I travel alone.

It’s been wonderful easing into this trip by spending time in small towns full of medieval charm. Now, it’s off to the big city…