QUICK VIEW: Join the Road Hackers on a memorable tour of historic Trogir. The City of Masters is one of Croatia’s most interesting coastal gems. This special UNESCO Site has the most intact medieval town in Central Europe.
At Hacking the Road, we are dedicated to finding ways to help people live a Better Life ... on the Road! We are full-time travelers and experience seekers, and we want to share our journey with you. We believe that travel opens hearts and minds, and makes the world a better place. Join us as we explore each new destination.
We are Rainman and Tricia ... and we are the Road Hackers! As Road Hackers, we specialize in building itineraries that allow us to discover diamonds in the rough all over the world.
These amazing places are usually well known to domestic travelers, but tend to be overlooked by most international tourists. Our Croatia itinerary was no exception, yielding several gems!
Trogir is one of these lesser-known diamonds in the rough we discovered on our Croatia trip!
Croatia is blessed with 10 UNESCO Heritage Sites. Trogir easily made that list ... and for very good reason!
Researching our Trogir itinerary revealed a long list of very interesting experiences and sites:
... City of Masters ... Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance Architecture ... St. Lawrence Cathedral ... Game of Thrones Intrigue ... St. Sebastian Church ... Radovan Sculptures ... Church of St. Dominic ... Kamerlengo Castle ... Ciovo Island ... Trogir Green Market ... UNESCO Heritage Site
Join us as we share why Trogir is such a special place.
Getting to Trogir
Trogir is a small island city only 17 miles/27 km north of modern day Split.
Luckily for us, the public busses regularly ran between Split and Trogir--and the tickets were cheap. Our home base in Croatia was the small seaside town of Suhi Potok, just south of Split. We wanted to be in Trogir before the big crowds arrived, so we got going bright and early.
First, we caught the bus in Suhi Potok to Split.
Next, after a quick visit to the ATM, and a treat from our favorite pastry shop, we headed over to the bus and settled in for the scenic drive.
Any trip to Split always started with a visit to our favorite pastry shop
We could have taken a commercial bus from the main Split bus station, but they had limited departure times. The public bus had a more convenient schedule, with buses leaving every 45 minutes.
The Sukoisanka public bus stop was about a 15 minute walk north of the Diocletian Palace complex. There, we caught the super-sized double-length #37 bus (Split-Airport-Trogir).
This leg of the journey only cost $3 for a one-way ticket! The ride took about 45 minutes, but it was a great opportunity to see more of the great views north of Split.
Catching the #37 bus to Trogir
Trogir Background
Every building had its own history just waiting to be told ... and we were ready to hear all the stories!
Trogir has been continuously inhabited for over 2,300 years. The Greeks settled these islands in the 3rd Century BCE. Roman and Byzantine influence began 300 years later and ended during the crusades.
Control of area later passed to the Saracens, the Venetians, the French, and the Austro-Hungarians.
Today, this UNESCO Heritage Site is widely considered the most intact medieval town in Central Europe.
A UNESCO Heritage Site, Trogir is widely considered to be the most intact medieval town in Central Europe
Trogir has it all ... and we wanted to see everything for ourselves:
Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance architecture
Iconic Castle
Ornate palaces
Medieval bell towers
Ancient churches
Trogir is located on a very small island less than 100 yards from the mainland. The larger island of Ciovo lies about 500 yards beyond Trogir, extending further into the Adriatic Sea. These islands are connected to the mainland by a series of small bridges.
A view of the bridge connecting the mainland of Trogir to the island of Ciovo
The Old Town is extremely compact, roughly a half mile long and no more than one third of a mile wide.
About 13,000 people live in this small municipality--and love every minute!
Popular Culture Pro Tip:
Trogir also has a fictional history that many Game of Thrones (GOT) fans follow!
Various sites around Trogir were used as backdrops for scenes depicting the Town of Qarth.
St. Dominic’s Monastery was a Game of Thrones location for many of the scenes shot in Trogir
Game of Thrones described the Town of Qarth as "The Greatest City that Ever Was or Will Be."
For some, this could be an apt description of Trogir as well!
Entering Trogir Old Town
Crossing the small bridge from the mainland to Trogir, we made our way to the iconic North Gate. This 15th Century entrance is also known as the Land Gate.
A sculpture of St. John, Trogir's Patron Saint, can be seen atop the Renaissance archway. Just below the sculpture is St. Mark's Lion.
Unfortunately, the space above the arch is often used to hang event announcements, and the Lion was covered by a banner for an upcoming triathlon on the day of our visit.
Trogir is known as the City of Masters, largely because so many master artists and architects were active in creating the buildings and cathedrals of the city.
The historic St. Mark's Lion was hidden beneath a modern triathalon festival banner
Moving beyond St. John's Gate, there was no doubt we were walking through a living medieval city!
The cobbled lanes seemed to be part of a nicely planned maze. When the Greeks originally planned Trogir, they were careful to maintain a disciplined orthogonal street plan.
Winding along the cobbled streets of Trogir, we felt the merging of historic and modern
Approaching the main town square (Narodni Trg), we started to see small outdoor restaurants and a few commercial concessions. Space was at a premium.
One concession was of particular interest! According to online reviews, Bella Gelato had the best gelato in town ... so we were ready to test the recommendation!
Bella had so many gelato choices. After several samples, we finally decided on salted caramel and a ricotta with orange peel. Wow! Perfection on a hot day!
The living city of historic Trogir, and Bella Gelato
Narodni Trg Square
As we got closer to Narodni Square, we passed the Garagnin-Fanfogna Palace Complex--two blocks of Gothic, Baroque, and Romanesque architecture. Parts of the complex now serve as the City Museum.
The Bell Tower of St. Lawrence Cathedral was in sight as we rounded the next corner.
We had reached Narodni Trg Square, and the beating heart of Trogir.
Narodni Trg Square is the heart of Trogir
It was easy to see why National Geographic included Trogir on its Top 10 Island Cities list in 2015!
Every section of Narodni Trg Square oozes charm ... and history!
In order to better understand the layout of the square, here's a quick orientation to the major sites:
Northern End: St. Lawrence Cathedral and Bell Tower
Southern End: Town Loggia, Town Clock Tower, and Old Cipiko Palaces
Western End: New Cipiko Palaces
Eastern End: Town Hall
The Trogir City Hall building on the eastern side of Narodni Trg Square
Our Narodni Square exploration started at the western end. The extravagant 15th Century Cipiko Family Palaces dominate that side of the square.
The palace complex was designed by the famed Croatian architects, Alesia and Firentinac. Much of the Cipiko Palace exterior artwork was created by Croatian Master Duknovic.
The Cipiko Palaces are also known for their exquisite Gothic window designs.
The Gothic window designs of the Cipiko Palaces
As we turn to the Northern end of the square, we see the inspiring Cathedral of St. Lawrence.
The dramatic 13th Century West Portal of the St. Lawrence Cathedral was clearly the most popular attraction in the square. Hundreds of tourists queued to enter the cathedral through this intricately decorated portal.
The ornate Romanesque-Gothic design of the West Portal was created by Radovan, one of Croatia's Master Sculptors.
The ornate entrance to the St. Lawrence Cathedral
Construction on St. Lawrence Cathedral started in 1193, and continued for almost 400 years. This church is also known as St. John's Cathedral by the locals.
The current cathedral was built on top of an old basilica destroyed by the Saracens in 1123.
Interestingly, the history of the foundations goes back even further! Two previous churches were built at this exact location in the 5th and 7th Centuries. Both churches were destroyed by invaders.
Excavations have shown possible earlier Greek and Roman structures below this spot.
The Bell Tower rises well above the St. Lawrence Cathedral and dominates the square.
The Bell Tower is a towering presence in Narodni Trg Square
The tower was constructed between the late 1300s and the end of the 16th Century and displays several architectural styles--Gothic, Venetian Gothic, and Renaissance.
Apparently, the views from the top are spectacular, but access is generally not available. Accounts of the climb up the tower describe a difficult and narrow ascent. 'Definitely not an attraction for Rainman.
Narodni Square is crammed with restaurant umbrellas, making it difficult to photograph St. Lawrence Cathedral and the surrounding buildings. We had to settle for partial images.
Restaurant umbrellas fill the interior of Narodni Trg Square, making it difficult to capture all angles of its architecture
Moving to the eastern end of Narodni Square, we pass the Town Hall building.
The history of the Town Hall building is more recent. This structure was completed in the late 19th Century and incorporates some of the original Rektor's Palace structures of the 15th Century.
The Town Hall complex has an impressive Renaissance stairway in the internal courtyard--so impressive, it caught the attention of Game of Thrones location scouts. GOT used the courtyard in a scene where Daenerys asks the Spice King for assistance.
The stairway in the internal courtyard of the Town Hall Building was another Game of Thrones filming location in Trogir
On to the busy southern end of the square!
St. Sebastian Church, with its beautiful Town Clock, stands directly across from the St. Lawrence Cathedral. The church was built in 1476 as a dedicated votive church after the dreaded plague devastated Europe. The interior of the church holds several sarcophagi as reminders of the city's ancient history.
St. Sebastian Church was built on top of the earlier foundations of St. Mary's Church. Today, St. Sebastian also memorializes victims of the recent 1990s war of independence in Croatia.
Although St. Sebastian is no longer an active place of worship, visitors are still welcome to pay their respects.
The Clock Tower is attached to St. Sebastian Church and the Town Loggia on the southern end of the square
The 13th Century Town Loggia structure stands adjacent to St. Sebastian. The Loggia was essentially the center for all legal matters in the city.
The building facades and ceiling are beautifully decorated by reliefs completed by Ivan Mestrovic.
Today, The Town Loggia houses an Ethnographic Museum that showcases famous Croatian sculptures, statues, decorative paintings, antique furniture, and traditional costumes.
The decorative ceilings and walls of the Town Loggia
The Church of St. Barbara lies just south of the square, next to the Loggia. The entrance is so obscure, it is easy to miss, but make sure not to miss it! This is one of the oldest churches in Trogir.
The pre-Romanesque architecture is very simple, and was built at the beginning of the 9th-10th Century on top of a destroyed earlier church dating back to the 9th Century. The bell tower that rises above the church is designed to hold three bells, but one bell remains today.
Inside The Church of St. Barbara is very intimate in size, with an out-of-the-way side entrance
The church was originally called the Old Croatian Basilica of St. Martin. The basilica was renamed when the St. Barbara Church on the mainland was destroyed and the congregation relocated to Trogir.
The Promenade & Karmerlengo Fortress
Leaving the immediate vicinity of the main square, we headed to Trogir's Southern Gate.
Once through the gate is a very different view of the city from the promenade. A wide open pedestrian promenade runs next to the Adriatic for about half a mile. Palm trees line the promenade and provide welcome shaded areas along the way.
The pedestrian promenade in Trogir is similar to the Riva in Split
Restaurants of all kinds extended out from the buildings all the way to the palm trees. This is the place to be seen in Trogir--hip, with a great vibe!
The much bigger island of Ciovo can be see across the water from the promenade, connected to Trogir by a substantial bridge. Ciovo is a popular beach destination for tourists.
As we headed further west on the promenade, we reached the Church and Monastery of St. Dominic.
The Bell Tower at the Church of St. Dominic was restored to its present-day grandeur
The Dominicans established an order in Trogir around the 1240s. Church construction was begun in the 1280s and was completed in the late 14th Century.
Much of the Monastery was destroyed during WWII. Fortunately, much of the complex has been restored.
Continuing along the promenade, our attention shifts to a large structure toward the end of the walkway. Kamerlengo Fortress stands guard at the western edge of Trogir's Old Town. This iconic castle is seen on a lot of Trogir tourist brochures.
The Kamerlengo Castle towers at the end of the promenade
The castle's tall Veriga Tower was built in the 14th Century and the rest of the fortress was completed in the mid-15th Century.
Veriga Tower was once called the Fortress of Chains. The original tower anchored chains that spanned the waterway between the islands of Trogir and Ciovo.
We paid the $7 entry fee and entered the fortress with good intentions to climb to the top of the castle tower.
The stairs leading to the upper walkway looked sturdy. So far, so good ...
The stairs leading to the upper level of the castle
Reaching the walkway that runs along the castle walls , we got a really nice view of the internal courtyard.
The top of Veriga Tower had an even better view, but required an additional climb. That part of the climb started inside the tower. There was a narrow metal ladder that lead to a rather small opening at the top. The ladder didn't look all that sturdy.
This is where intentions parted ways with reality! Rainman's fear of heights took hold and there was no way to take another step up the ladder.
Climbing to the tower's tippy top via a narrow ladder was not in the cards for us
As we accepted reality (what were we thinking???) and exited the castle, we took another walk up the promenade, this time focused more on the waterway between Trogir and Ciovo.
What a beautiful sight! Boats and yachts lined both sides of the islands. Trogir and Ciovo have become very popular destinations. Maybe some day we'd be back with our own boat!?
Boats and yachts lined both sides of Trogir and Ciovo
Trogir's Green Market
With our tour of Trogir Old Town at an end, we headed back across the north-side bridge for a final treat, the Trogir Green Market.
The Green Market lies just across from the main bus station. 'Perfect for a quick meal and a little sightseeing before we left for home.
The colorful Green Market in Trogir offers a rainbow of fresh garden produce and an array of other products
The market has something for everyone: fresh fruit & vegetables, olive oils, lavender products, fresh flowers, arts & crafts, cheeses, cured meats, clothing, tourist nick knacks, and plenty of Croatian street food stalls.
Green Market is similar in size to the Pazar Market in Split. The sights, sounds, and smells all combine to make for a very interesting and exciting atmosphere.
This vendor sells a variety of protein choices, including cheeses, cured meats, and seafood
As we prepared for our Trogir adventure, we came across several excellent reviews of Big Mama's Grill & Food at Green Market. The reviews lived up to all the hype!
Big Mama's had quite an extensive menu, including a variety of toasted panini sandwiches, grilled food, kebabs, tortilla wraps, burgers, and vegetarian options.
Big Mama's had many tempting choices for lunch... now to choose!
We eagerly chose super-sized grilled chicken breast paninis with lettuce, tomatoes, grated cabbage, red onion, and olive oil. Prices were very reasonable at $4.80 each!
Fortunately, we found a a stone bench under a tree facing the river to enjoy our lunch. What could be better than that!?
Our loaded panini sandwich from Big Mama's Grill & Food in Trogir required two hands to hold
With our appetites satisfied, we headed to the bus station.
As the Split bus pulled up, we knew we were leaving a very special place. Trogir would always have a place in our hearts.
If you're looking for beautiful scenery ... amazing architecture ... intriguing history ... in a special medieval setting, then Trogir is the place for you! Welcome home!
