Old Towns of Split and Zadar

Onwards from one of the highlights of this trip, Mostar, and back to Croatia, we had a tough time deciding which famous Dalmatian islands to visit - Hvar, Brač, Mljet, Korčula. Should we make it a day trip to just one of them, stay a couple of nights at one of them and/or island hop while staying in Split?

If you have read our trip overview, we finally decided on staying 2 nights at Brač Island. Read on to find out why and also the experiences you must do at Split and Zadar.

Brač Island

It was tough deciding between Hvar, Korčula, Mljet and Brač. Hvar is well known as the “party island”, more lively and popular with the younger crowd. Korčula town is like a mini-Dubrovnik and also known for its vineyards. Mljet is the green paradise, Brač is the quieter and larger island with the most photographed beach of Croatia.

We don’t drink and have been to Dubrovnik and Korčula seem less attractive to us. We don’t party much and prefer to see some sights so we eventually chose to spend 2 nights at Brač and possibly do a day trip to Hvar from there. We chose Brač because it has the highest peak, Vidova Gora, among all the islands, and to visit the famous Zlatni Rat (Golden Horn Beach). It is also near Split, compared with Mljet where the ferry timings were less suitable for us.

Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t favourable when we reached Brač and rather than spread our experience thin across Brač and Hvar, we decided to keep it chill and explore Brač.

We stayed at Boutique Hotel Bol and strolled along Bol Port and along the beach towards Zlatni Rat. These are the must do:

1. Zlatni Rat - This pebble beach has a unique “horn” that changes shape throughout the year. It was windy and wasn’t crowded when we visited it.

2. Vidova Gora - Originally wanted to hike up to this peak, but drove up to it instead due to bad weather concerns. The drive up was relatively easy and you can drive all the way to the antenna tower and park there.

3. Koloč Rock - A protected monument of nature since 1986, this unusual rock looks like 2 kissing puppies.

4. Pučišća Town - Quaint town with a small beach and beautiful views. We didn’t manage to visit the masonry school as it was closed, but did buy Brač stone souvenirs back.

5. Konoba Kopačina - Our best meal for the entire trip. Must try the lamb! We chanced upon it while visiting Jaksic Gallery. We only saw locals there and it was well worth the drive over just for a meal.

We found it easy to buy the ferry tickets (for 2 pax and our car) online for the timing we want. We took the car ferry from Makarska to Sumatin (Brač). Arrive 30-40 min early to join the special lane to queue (look out for road signs) and wait for boarding. When leaving Brač, We explored Supetar old town while waiting for our ferry to Split.

Split and Diocletian's Palace

We had a lovely time at Split getting to know Diocletian's Palace and exploring Split. As usual, we signed up for a free walking tour to learn about the history and stories related to Diocletian's Palace. During the tour, we heard live traditional singing at the vestibule and found out that this culture is inscribed to UNESCO. After that tour, we bought the “green ticket” to explore the cathedral, treasury and bell tower on our own.

Our host at the apartment room we booked gave good recommendations for food and places to visit in Split. The room is located 5mins walk to the Old Town, but street parking can be tricky there, so be sure to ask your host for parking recommendations if you are staying in that area.

We also found a zero-fee ATM with Kent Bank to withdraw Euro using our Wise card. On top of Diocletian's Palace, these are highly recommended:

1. Emiliana Gelato - A rival gelato shop with a similar name is opened just behind it. This one faces the public WC area. Their Emiliana Original flavour gelato was unforgettable.

2. Picasso Pizza & Bar - A beautiful Picasso-inspired Italian pizza restaurant. The restaurant deco is an art itself! We shared their Picasso Prosciutto Burrata pizza for lunch and it was delicious!

3. Sustipan Park - You will reach this park when strolling along the port. It is a quiet park where young lovebirds visit 😉

4. Viewpoint to Marjan - The 2nd best view of Split and it is free! 300+ stairs will lead you to this viewpoint and a sunset view of Split. The best view of Split is from the Bell Tower in Diocletian's Palace, and is worth the ticket price.

5. Konoba Otprilike Ovako - We found this place for seafood pot after we failed to get a table at the famous Konoba Fetivi. 10% off your bill if you pay using cash.

Zadar - The Under-Rated City

Enroute to Zadar, we made a day trip to Krka National Park. We will share more about the 2 famous Croatia national parks we visited - Krka and Plitvice Lakes in our next post.

Zadar is under-rated compared to Split and Dubrovnik, and this is obviously not as popular when we compare the cost to park near Zadar Old Town - A full day parking at Zone 2 only costs 4€, with free parking after 4pm on weekdays! Despite having some “Old Town” fatigue by then, we both felt that Zadar is unique and worth visiting.

We stayed at an apartment less than 6 mins walk away from the Old Town, and spent a day exploring it. We highly recommend:

1. Sea Organ and Greeting to the Sun - Interesting and you would not miss this as you explore the Old Town’s waterfront.

2. Roman Forum - This is the largest forum in Croatia and a nice place for instagram-worthy photos.

3. Five Wells Square - The park right beside has a nice view of the city too.

4. City Walls - You will not miss Gradski bridge as you enter the Old Town. Walk around the city walls (it’s free) for nice views of Zadar port. These walls are also part of the Venetian Works of Defence in UNESCO World Heritage list.

5. GRICKO - Wallet friendly place and the best ćevapi we had on our trip. The large ćevapi was delicious without being too salty.

6. Bob Rock’s Ice Cream - Their Mozart flavour reminds us of Emiliana Original flavour. Simply delicious!

While at Split, we had a hard time finding a place to have some grilled seafood for 2. We managed to finally try it at “4 Kantuna”. It was a lot of food for both of us but the seafood was so fresh and we finished it all.

It was during this phase we were craving for some McD fries and we had some with the garlic chilli we brought from Singapore. Interestingly, the fries tasted subtly different, starchier but still recognisably McD.

A Decathlon store was within drive distance from us and we had to do some last minute shopping to prepare for a rainy hike at Plitvice Lakes. Be sure to check our next post about our Krka and Plitvice Lakes hiking experience and we will share tips on how to get the best views there.

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