The Adriatic Sea

This morning we ventured north along the coast. The area that we were in, southern Dalmatia, is a narrow expanse of land fringed by hundreds of islands which can be accessed by ferry or private boat. Several of these island are home to some of the best conditions in Europe for windsurfing, sailing, diving and swimming. The Adriatic Sea attracts many underwater enthusiasts. Large numbers of scuba divers are attracted to the Adriatic due to the shallowness of the sea in specific areas and the lush vegetation. The central and southern Adriatic is well known for clearer water and steep cliffs that descend into the sea. We stopped in Neum, Bosnia for a coffee and headed to the small coastal town of Markarska for lunch.  The nearby Biokovo Mountains provided an illustrious backdrop and provide over thirty hiking trails of varying difficulty.

                                                                                                   

Although I was exhausted from overseas travel and a busy day in Dubrovnik, my tired eyes could not close on the dramatic coastline of which we were driving it seemed on the very edge.We traveled  132 miles  along the Adriatic coast to Split, Croatia, where the main attraction was  Diocletian's Palace. Gaius Airelius Valerius Diocletianus ruled from 284 to 305 and rose through the ranks to become emperor.  He abdicated his position (the first to do so) and retired in his palace on the Dalmatian coast, in the modern-day city known as Split, Croatia. The palace was a heavily protected area which covered nearly 10 acres and encompassed  Diocletian's apartments, several temples, a military installation and housing for the military and servants. Today, hundreds of people live in the medieval, yet restored apartments. Ah, I found another boutique hotel inside the palace walls  of which had just been beautifully restored.

                                                                                     

                                                                  Diocletian's Palace