Croatia
Getting to Split required a little logistics—a private transfer across the border to Zagreb Airport in Croatia, then a flight to Split. We checked in, got settled, and I took a work call from the hotel room. One of the things I love most about what I do is that I can work from anywhere in the world—even mid-family-vacation in Croatia.
We were staying in the heart of Old Town at Hotel Slajiva Culture, which turned out to be one of the better booking decisions I’ve made. The hotel sits within Diocletian’s Palace and holds both national cultural heritage protection from the Croatian Ministry of Culture and UNESCO recognition as an international monument. During renovation they preserved the original exterior completely, while the interior blends modern decor with late antique architecture. The kids had recently studied Diocletian’s Palace in school, so walking into and around the hotel was really cool.
After the work call we went looking for a late dinner. It was raining, Old Town was mostly closed for the night, and the only place we found was Bosso Steak and Burger House which had outdoor seating only. Thankfully, the burgers were so good we barely noticed the weather. We really lucked out in that regard. It would have sucked to sit in the cold rain eating crappy food. Lol.
The next day the hotel helped us find trusted transportation to Plitvice Falls which was a three hour ride each way. There was a closer national park but we wanted to avoid crowds. Waterfalls are one of my favorite things. I’ve chased waterfalls all over the world and honestly had low expectations. I was wrong. Plotvice Falls are amazing! Getting so close to the waterfalls was incredible. What was less incredible was the narrow wooden boardwalk that winds through the falls. My mama bear instincts were on full alert the entire time. I was mentally calculating rescue routes the whole way through. We got completely soaked and it was freezing cold. Still worth it.
The following day we walked through Old Town and Diocletian’s Palace. What struck us most was the architecture—the scale of it, the detail, the fact that you’re moving through something that was built in the third century, and people actually lived and worked inside it. We love architecture, and this was the kind of thing you can’t fully appreciate from a textbook or a photo. You have to walk through it.
Two days in Split felt like more than two days. Being right in the center of Old Town meant everything was within walking distance, and we packed a lot into a short amount of time. By the last morning we were satisfied but also mentally preparing for the journey home which included an overnight layover in Frankfurt. Another stop with no itinerary. I actually booked our flight to Germany. At this point that’s just how we travel.
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