WHS: Historic City of Trogir, Croatia
Continuing our tour of Croatia, just around the corner from Split — almost literally, it’s less than 30km drive — is another place that although you probably haven’t heard of, you’re pretty likely to have seen on screen as it was the setting for Game of Throne’s scenes in Qarth: today’s World Heritage Site, the
Trogir is a remarkable example of urban continuity. The orthogonal street plan of this island settlement dates back to the Hellenistic period and it was embellished by successive rulers with many fine public and domestic buildings and fortifications. Its beautiful Romanesque churches are complemented by the outstanding Renaissance and Baroque buildings from the Venetian period.
Trogir is widely reputed as the best preserved medieval complex in all of Central Europe, because it’s built on a tiny island. How tiny? Check it out:
You can see by the scale of the castle — barely a keep, really — in the lower corner that it’s a matter of minutes to walk Trogir end to end; although it’s so jam packed with tourists, at least on the pleasant summer evening we were there, that it’s going to take you considerably longer strolling along with the throngs.
However, the upside of the place being almost totally geared to tourism is that it’s a gastronomic and shopping paradise — from the multitude of open air cafes along the oceanfront promenade you see on the right there to intimate bistros tucked away in the winding alleys, there’s something for every taste here.
So if you are anywhere in the Split area, we definitely recommend you stop by Trogir as well for that Renaissance aura to your wandering — particularly around mealtime!