1936 On the Continent

with equal facility from
Selce
(Hotel Rokan), or from
Novi
(Hotel Lišanj), two quiet wind-protected family bathing resorts, which, like Crikvenica and practically every place along the Croatian coast, have their historic Frankopaniforts, towers and ruins. Near by is picturesque but wind-swept Senj.
    Opposite Senj is the island of
Krk
, covered with small woods, vineyards, and fig and olive groves. It has an excellent sandy beach. The island is studded with quiet places which give one the sensation of being “far from the madding crowd,” like
Aleksandrovo
(Hotel Frankopan),
Malinska
(Hotel Slavija),
Omišalj
and
Baška
. The last-named contains the oldest national monument, a stone slab carved in A.D. 1110.
The Island of Rab
    Smaller, but much frequented and liked by lovers of the picturesque, is the island of
Rab
which rises dreamily with its wooded slopes, weather-beaten grey walls and moss-grown ruins, and is full of sunshine and warmth. One of the great charms of this “evergreen” isle is the little town of Rab itself (Hotels Imperial, Praha) with its attractive campanile and narrow paved streets, and its thousand and one pleasant surprises in the shape of artistic old houses, balconies, door-handles, loggias and interesting sculptures.
    Below Rab stretches the island of
Pag
, famous for its lace, its cheese, and salt mines. It is little frequented by bathers, though of interest to the fisherman because of its large lake. Skirting Zara, which belongs to Italy, we leave the Croatian coast and enter Dalmatia proper at
Biograd-na-moru
, a bathing resort much favoured because of its sands and its large luxurious hotel (Ilirija, with 150 rooms).
    Šibenik
(Hotel Krka), with three forts guarding the entrance to its bay and built in the form of an amphitheatre, is an appropriate introduction to Dalmatia. Its artistic pride is its wonderful cathedral, a masterpiece of early Renaissance architecture. Begun in 1431 in Venetian Gothic, it was completed entirely in stone and marble with an arched stone roof in 1530. Šibenik is a convenient starting-point for excursions to the mountain fort of Skradin and the grand fan-like waterfalls of the Krka, which roar their impetuous way over rocks amid luxuriant vegetation towards the sea. Nearby is Zlarin, known for its coral fishing.
    Farther south, past the Riviera of the Seven Castles,lies fairy-like
Trogir
(Hotel Central) with its many stone houses, its palaces, its Benedictine monastery, and its cathedral, which was pronounced by the English writer Jackson the finest in Dalmatia, all huddled together within a narrow space and sleeping in a dignified, distant, medieval calm.
Split
    The chief town of central Dalmatia is
Split
(Hotels Bellevue, Central, Slavia, Bavice), Jugoslavia’s chief seaport. The traveller is greeted from afar by a tall tower which marks Split’s architectural wonder, the palace of Diocletian. Built in A.D. 295 to 305 over an immense area of 40,000 square metres, it now houses 3,000 inhabitants in the quarter built into the former walls. The centre of the palace is the peristyle. The six Corinthian columns on each side, the bronze lions, the fine old Egyptian sphinx of black marble, and the large defiant figure of Bishop Gregory of Nin by Meštrovi, combine to create a powerful impression. After this, the quiet beauty of the interior of the cathedral, with its wood-relief of the life of Christ by Bovina, comes as a complete rest. The attractions of Split are almost too numerous to mention. There is the Jupiter temple, the Porta Aurea, the mausoleum, the many palaces, the picture gallery, the archaeological museum, and the town’s museum with a fine collection of Dalmatian handicrafts and embroideries. Above Split, on a 178 metres high hill, stretches the beautiful park of Marjan. There are 800 broad stone steps leading up to the park which comprises the whole promontory and has numerous walks, rare plants, a small natural museum, aquarium and zoo, all of which combine to make it the finest park of all Dalmatia.
    From Split there are numerous excursions to various points on the coast and on the islands, to the picturesque mountain fort of Klis, and to
Solin
(ancient Salona), which was for a time the third city in the Western Roman Empire, and is of absorbing interest to archaeologists owing to its mausoleums, basilica, baths, aqueducts, sarcophagi and monuments.
    Should you happen to be in Split on April 23rd, or on August 14th, 15th and 17th, then