We spent the night before Trogir at Baćina Lakes campsite – a calm spot with some greenery after days of driving through the sun-baked landscapes of Albania and Montenegro. In the morning we packed up and headed north.
Croatia welcomed us with something that felt almost miraculous after weeks of Albanian heat – it was about ten degrees cooler. A small difference on paper, but enough to breathe normally again and actually enjoy being outside.
An unexpected reunion
Somewhere along the way we found out that Darek – a cousin of Ania’s – was on holiday with his family in Croatia. Pure coincidence, no plans made in advance. We figured that since we were both in Dalmatia, why not meet up. And we did – we arranged to see each other in Trogir.
There’s something special about bumping into people you know in the middle of a foreign trip. It feels like an ordinary stroll with family, except it’s happening far from home, on cobblestone streets of a medieval town with the Adriatic in the background.
Trogir
Trogir is one of those Croatian towns that makes an impression straight away. The old town sits on a small island – connected by a bridge to the mainland on one side and to the island of Čiovo on the other. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1997, and walking those streets, it’s easy to see why.
The centre is dominated by the Cathedral of St. Lawrence – a Romanesque-Gothic structure built over several centuries, with a richly carved portal by master Radovan from the 13th century. You don’t need to be an art historian to appreciate the detail. The kids were more interested in the narrow passages between buildings, where the stone kept things pleasantly cool even in the midday heat.
We walked together – two families – through the maze of narrow streets, ducked into small squares, passed cafes and souvenir stalls. Trogir is touristy, no question about it, but that doesn’t take away from its charm. The stone is old, the streets are genuine, and the Kamerlengo Fortress at the western tip of the island gives a great view over the bay.
A lovely few hours – all the better for the company.
Camp Marina
In the afternoon we said goodbye to the C. family and continued north. We stopped for the night at Camp Marina. After days in a tent in Albanian temperatures, that Croatian evening – with a sea breeze and shade from the trees – felt noticeably better.
