Split

Today we planned to visit some of the local wineries; however, as most are not open until the early afternoon, we needed something to do this morning. We decided to take a walk to see the Church of St. Antun (Anthony of Padova), which is about a 6 km round trip (we didn’t tell the kids how far it was). We packed our trusty daypack and set off. The walking route took us through a lot of unexplored territory, which meant we got to see much more of the island than just the old town and surrounding village. ...

Today was about exploring Korčula further. We ventured out into the old town again, this time first walking around the outside of the walls before entering. It was an overcast and windy day, with rain looming. Many locals had suggested it would be a wet day, and the low clouds hanging over the nearby islands suggested the same. We headed into the centre of town and climbed up the St. Mark’s Cathedral bell tower—which had its challenges, given I’m not a fan of heights and the winds were only getting stronger as we climbed. ...

Today we moved on from Split and sailed by fast ferry to Korčula (about 3 hours). But not before we wished Laura a happy birthday! We all sat around the kitchen table to sing Happy Birthday and share some little treats and coffee. We packed up and checked out of our apartment (which was amazing and only a minute or two walk from the old town). Packs on backs again, we walked through the old town down to the ferry terminal and boarded our ferry to Korčula. ...

Today is our last day in Split—we leave bright and early tomorrow on a ferry for the island of Korčula. Today we slowed the pace. We needed a bit of a recharge after the past few days. Sleep-ins (7:30 am) and just chilling at the apartment before heading out to “get lost” in the old city. First stop—coffee. We found a nice place about a 2-minute walk from our apartment that roasts their own coffee. It was great. Laura and I had coffees and the kids had a second breakfast—sharing Nutella toast (inch-thick bread, thick Nutella, banana, and berries). ...

Today we headed out early, as we had booked a tour through Booker Tours to see Krka National Park, which is roughly a one-hour bus ride from Split. We met the tour group in the old city and then walked to our bus. Our tour guide was great and provided plenty of information about Split and the history of the region as we drove to the small village of Skradin to catch a ferry up the Krka River to the national park. ...

Today is a travel day. We say farewell to Varenna and Lake Como. It’s been a fantastic and busy few days—we’ve loved it. This morning, we caught a regional train from Varenna back to Milan, and from Milan we took a fast train (Frecciarossa) to Ancona, where we would board an overnight ferry to Split. We checked out of the apartment in Varenna, backpacks on, and headed for the station. ...