What to Do and See in Trogir, Croatia

Founded by Greek colonists in the 3d century BC, then called Tragurium, Trogir is a historic town and harbor on the Adriatic coast in Croatia. I visited it recently with my friend Selma and as we arrived the sun had already set a while ago, so our visit was during the night. Since 1997, the historic center of Trogir has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. It's a cozy, smaller version of an old town when compared to the close by Split or Dubrovnik further east.

A little bit of History from Trogir

• In the 3rd century BC, Trogir was founded by Greek colonists fand it developed into a major port until the Roman period.
• In the year 1000 the Republic of Venice received submission from the Trogir inhabitants and the city started since then to have commerce with the Italy.
• In 1123 Trogir was conquered and almost completely demolished by the Saracens. However, the city recovered in a short period to experience powerful economic prosperity in the 12th and the 13th centuries, with some autonomy under Venetian leadership.

• In 1420 the period of a long-term Venetian rule began and lasted nearly four centuries. On the fall of Venice in 1797, Trogir became a part of the Habsburg Empire.
• After World War I, Trogir, together with Croatia, became a part of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs and subsequently, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.
• During World War II, Trogir was conquered by Italy and was part of the Italian Governorate of Dalmatia. Subsequently Tito's partizans occupied it in 1944. Since then it belonged to the second Yugoslavia, and from 1991 to Croatia.

Arrival into Trogir

Trogir has a high concentration of palaces, churches, and towers in the town center, as well as a fortress on a small island. You arrive by car or bus, and there is the Split Airport which is very close by. Parking is in front of the old town and right next to it before you arrive into town (I recommend this parking spot more since it's only 10 kuna/hour), and I had no trouble finding it. After you are set in, you can immediately walk into the old town core and start exploring.

Cathedral of St. Lawrence

The Cathedral of St. Lawrence (Katedrala Sv. Lovre) is a Roman Catholic basilica. Since its construction lasted several centuries, it illustrates all the styles that succeeded one another in Dalmatia. It serves now as the most imposing monument in the city. You can see it in my first images and the entrance in the image above. A large vestibule was added in the 15th century and the artistically well-executed Gothic rosette on the western facade is from the same period. At the far end of the entrance hall there is a Gothic and Romanesque baptistery which was added to the cathedral in about 1467. The Gothic sacristy was added to the cathedral in the 15th century. The outside thick wall is divided by pilasters and pierced with arched opens.

When you depart from the main city square and city lodgia you can explore Trogir in all directions. Many side streets delve further into the old city walls and various corners. You will find cafes, restaurants, ice cream shops and many souvenir shops there. Prices are a bit steep in the busy tourist season, and if it's not dinner you're after then you can find corn on the cob, popcorn, doughnuts, pastries and many other snacks on the outer side of the walls.

Trogir Marina

The marina is a place where you will find docked yachts, a sprawling walking lane, and lots of restaurants and cafes. You can't really swim in the city since there are no beaches, but you can find small towns nearby that offer up beaches for you to swim and relax, and then explore Trogir at night. Those cities are Okrug Gornji, Okrug Donji, Kastel and Seget.

Fortress Kamerlengo in Trogir

The fortress was built in the mid-15th century (image above). Today it is used as a location for performances during the summer months. The word kamerlengo (Italian: camerlengo) refers to the title of a Venetian administrative official (a chamberlain).

Goodbye to Trogir

As the night moved on so did we. We walked to the outer parts of the city, back to a small park which overlooked the sea. A new hotel could be seen on the other side of the bay as the lights from it were reflecting quietly in the water. I have to say it's a really lovely town and surely worth a visit, especially if you are in the Split area and want something new. It's best visited in the summer, but it's also more crowded then.

If you are further intested in Trogir, check out my post from this old town during daytime here. 

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