Hiking Off the Beaten Trail in Split, Croatia

We explored Split in reverse: the country and natural part first and then the historic palace core. Our first day, we headed off along the embarcadero waterfront west of the city.

Like Bodrum, it is easy to tell that Split is a city that makes a living on the sea. There are busy marinas dotting the coastline and massive ferries headed for Croatian islands and Italy. Instead of soccer, dozens of kids head out for racing lessons on Saturday morning.

It pays off, with Croatia taking home all kinds of Olympic and European championships in sailing.

We kept walking along the coast past the harbor as it turned into beaches, then farms and monasteries.

It's hard to believe you're just a few minutes outside of the bustling town from here.

Eventually, a road forks off to the water.

At the bottom, a beautiful lagoon at Kasuni Beach. Perfect for swimming and away from the crowds.

Did you notice the tiny stone building set into the very top right of those rocks? We did!  And were determined to go up to explore. There is a hiking trail that starts off the main road above the beach up to "Crkva Sveti Jere."

The little Church of Saint Jere is charming.

Those buildings set into the rocky wall are apparently the "aesthetic caves where St. Geronimo resided."

The limestone hills are littered with rock climbing routes around the church. It looks so fun!

Marjan Park is also a popular area for Croatian cyclists.

We cut back through the middle of the peninsula park on a wide gravel trail.

Gorgeous view of the ancient palace neighborhood of Split on the way back!