If you've been to Venice, but can't stand the prices,
there's a place you can go where you can get a great taste
of Venice at a reasonable rate.
The place?
The Dalmatian
Coast - a region on the eastern Adriatic, dotted with
thousands of wonderful islands, palm trees, beautiful
scenery. It is a place the Venetians once conquered and
built up, and much of their architecture remain, flavored
by the Croatian (and former Yugoslavian) influences of
this century.
Trogir is one of the Dalmatian Coast's wonders.
It is a small island just north of the major Croatian
city of Split, separated from mainlain Croatia by mere
canals. The entire island has been built up like an old
fortress, complete with high walls and towers. Its streets
are wafer-thin and cobblestoned. In short -- it is like
a small bit of Venice, but less crowded and less expensive
than its more popular neighbor across the sea.
The city has several major features -- such as the
Trogir Castle -- the outer city wall, three large
churches, and a large inner marketplace dominated
by a massive clock tower and theater.
As is the case with similar cities in Italy, Trogir
is a virtual maze of tight streets amidst tall buildings
that snake around at many angles. Many of these buildings
are beautifully decorated and ornate, reminiscent
of their Venetian origins. Just be careful when wandering
through the city, you might not find you way out!
But once you do, you might be ready for a nice cup
of capucchino or a tasty Italian pastry. Trogir has
a long stretch of marina cafés, like the one
under the palms and overlooking the canals. Trogir
also sports a number of excellent Italian restaurants,
serving authentic pizza, seafood, and pasta at bargain-basement
prices.
Trogir is also very picturesque at night. Trogir has
an active nightlife, with a number of popular dance
clubs and bars. Also, there are several other night
spots across the canals on the mainland, with theaters
and other attractions.
The surrounding area has a number of large marinas
and marketplaces that are worth exploring. Some of
the most interesting buildings, such as the wasserturm
(water tank), have not yet been restored, but since
Croatia's independence, the Dalmatian Coast has thrived
through tourism such that Trogir has several active
renovation projects underway. It is a great place
to go now, and will only get better.
