While many tourists are in a rush these days to get to the next destination, The Guardian’s Kevin Rushby has taken the opposite approach with a leisurely 5-week tour of the Adriatic Coast. The fifth and final report on September 10, 2016 sees him reach the end of his journey in the Dalmatian capital.
“My guide Dino is not a man to mince his words. “Coming here and not seeing the palace cellars is like going to Rome and missing the Colosseum.”
I keep quiet about my previous visit to Split. It was only a morning spent in transit, but I’m not sure Dino would forgive the omission. Actually, it’s a blessing that a lot of people do not visit the cellars. Upstairs, in the old town, the narrow lanes are packed with tourists – Split airport broke Croatian records for numbers this year, reflecting the massive and fast-growing popularity of the country. Down here, however, beneath the crowds, it’s cool and quiet. The truth is that the empty vaults of a Roman emperor’s palace do require a guide to bring them to life, and in particular, a Dino. He does it with extra zest.”