Split, Croatia: Modern City on Ancient Roots

Split's residents are literally living in a Roman palace. In the fourth century AD the Roman Emperor Diocletian retired and built a vast residence to live out his golden years here in his native Dalmatia. Later when Rome fell, Diocletian's palace was abandoned. Eventually, a medieval town sprouted from its abandoned classical shell and his mausoleum became a cathedral. To this day, the maze of narrow alleys — once literally Diocletian's hallways — make up the core of Split. Nearby, the seaside pr...