It would be fair to characterize Trogir, Croatia as a “hop, skip, and a jump” sort of town. The biggest part is located on the mainland, there’s a smidgen that sits on a small islet, and the rest of the town is on a larger, but still small island named Čiovo. And while all of Trogir is charming, the islet – designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO – gets most of the attention and has been attracting people for more than 2,300 years.

Located in Dalmatia about 17 miles due west of Split, the islet that is part of Trogir (troh-gear) is tucked between the mainland of Croatia and protected by the island of Čiovo (chee-oh-voh). By way of size comparison, Čiovo is just over 11 square miles, while the islet of Trogir is a mere 27.6 acres. But make no mistake, there’s a world of history and charm to be found on that small parcel of land. read more

Once Mother Nature set her hand to task she took special care when she arrived at a spot along the Adriatic Sea. She graced it with a secure foothold at the water’s edge, erected rugged mountains for protection from land invaders, blessed the region with a warm and sunny climate to grow crops, provided crystal blue waters, and stocked it with an abundance of sea life to feed people. These are just a few reasons Dubrovnik, Croatia is called the “Pearl of the Adriatic.”

More than 1,400 years ago a settlement was established here, around 614 AD. In addition to the reasons cited above there is an excellent harbor for ships and solid bedrock to serve as a base for streets and buildings. A ready supply of limestone was on hand to construct buildings and roads. read more