Trogir
Trogir’s south entrance gate, to the left of the low red-tiled portico, is still flanked by its original Venetian walls. The tower of the Cathedral of St. Lawrence is the center of the Old Town.
Although Trogir is world-famous as a UNESCO World Heritage site for its fabulous mix of outstanding Romanesque, Renaissance and Baroque buildings, it was founded between 300-400BC by the Greeks who used their island stronghold of Issa (today’s Vis) to colonize the Dalmatian coast.
The Old Town is on its own tiny island that you can walk around in half an hour. At one time, completely walled, at the far end the Kamerlando fortress still stands, guarding the city against attack. In the summer it is used as an enclosed outdoor festival site.
The drive here from Split or pretty much anywhere on the coast is tough because the roads are narrow and the historic town is connected to the mainland by a single two lane bridge and then to the island of Ciovo with a similar bridge. So it can take hours to get on and off! Best best from Split is to come really early or just take the very pleasant $5 water taxi right from Split’s waterfront Riva (google the Bura Line, but from May through October there are at least five trips a day each way). The water taxi’s first stop is Slatine, a beachy community on the island of Ciovo, so you may want to go for a swim and then catch the local bus or the next water taxi toTrogir! The final stop is a dock on the Ciovo side of that tiny bridge, just a a five minute walk to the town. Or you can take the sleepy #37 bus from Split which leaves two or three times an hour.
Like Diocletian’s Palace in Split and the walled city of Dubrovnik, also UNESCO sites, Trogir has a warren of ancient streets and alleys leading to the waterfront in one direction and to open air courts in the other. But the feel of the place is completely different than either. Trogir is much more intimate and charming with much finer sculpture and stone work than Split and to my mind, the overall ensemble is even more beautiful and fascinating than Dubrovnik. Off the main, wider touristy streets, just get lost and enjoy the discovery. Soon you will be wandering around ancient high walled back streets where you can still see how the stones were set slightly higher in the center to ingeniously allow rainwater to cascade into carefully positioned spillways that flank these ancient alleys. And then notice the profusion of graceful open courtyards (many now used for outdoor restaurant seating) ornate windows, lintels and exquisite carvings over doorways. Just spectacular. Some of the houses here still have their original wood floors and balconies from the 1500s! Some residents even allow small groups to come look inside some of these high-walled gardens, so if this is your kind of thing write to us!
Thankfully, no cars—so it is a walkers delight. And its proximity to Ciovo Island (via a three minute walk or 30 second drive over that tiny bridge) make it a magnet for families who want a beach vacation and great culture side by side (and a zillion apartments to choose from)!
In UNESCO’s words “…Trogir is an excellent example of a medieval town built on and conforming with the layout of a Hellenistic and Roman city that has conserved its urban fabric to an exceptional degree and with the minimum of modern intervention…” The crown jewel of its architectural ensemble is St. Lawrence Cathedral, whose portal by Radovan (1240) is astonishing—but what’s tucked
The astonishing portal of St. Lawrence Cathedral, created by Radovan in 1240AD, looks like something done in the high Renaissance era more than 300 years later!
away inside the Cathedral’s deceptively simple interior is simply jaw-dropping. All this and, it’s pretty, with boats bobbing about, a bustling outdoor green market, islands and islets and those great rocky and pebble beaches on Ciovo and some really terrific food and shopping, is it any wonder Trogir is one of our very favorite places to spend a perfect day!?
Tourist Office
Trg Ivana Pavla II. Br. 1,
21220 Trogir
Tel. +385 21 881 412
Fax: +385 21 881 412
E-mail: tzg-trogir@st.htnet.hr
Our favorite links
www.max-rent.com
–home of the M.V.Sirena, one of a number of restored wooden boats docked on the Ciovo side of the tiny bridge that connects Trogir to Ciovo (turn right as you cross the bridge), Matko and his crew offer a great daily fish picnic cruise as well as scooters and boats for rent.
–in the remains of the Church of All Saints, on Bl. Augustus Kazotica 5, which the owners lovingly restored, creating a wonderful art gallery and travel agency. Well worth visiting and nice people too!
–expert, personal service, just before the tiny bridge to Ciovo