A palace that became a town
Around the turn of the fourth century, the Roman emperor Diocletian built a vast fortified residence on the Adriatic coast for his retirement. Centuries later, people fleeing nearby Salona sheltered inside its walls, and over time they built homes, churches and shops into the structure itself. The result is extraordinary: a living town woven into a Roman palace, where laundry hangs between ancient columns and cafés spill out beside two-thousand-year-old stones.
The palace is the heart of a World Heritage Site, but it is not a museum. Thousands of people still live and work within its walls, which is exactly what makes it so special.
The Peristyle and cathedral
The Peristyle, the palace's ceremonial courtyard, is the place to start. Granite columns and arches frame the square, and steps around the edge make natural seating, especially in the evening when the stone glows. Next to it, the emperor's mausoleum was converted into the Cathedral of St Domnius, one of the oldest cathedral buildings still in use in the world.
Climb the bell tower if you have a head for heights. The steps get narrow towards the top, but the view over the terracotta roofs, the harbour and the islands is unforgettable.
Down into the cellars
Beneath the palace lie the substructures, a series of vaulted halls that once supported the emperor's apartments above. Because they were filled with rubble for centuries, they survived remarkably intact and now give the clearest picture of the original palace layout.
The central hall leads from the waterfront to the Peristyle and is lined with souvenir stalls, but the side halls, accessed with a ticket, are much quieter and feel genuinely ancient. They are also cool on a hot afternoon.
Beyond the walls
Leave by the northern Golden Gate and you will meet a huge bronze statue of Gregory of Nin, a medieval bishop. Rubbing his big toe is said to bring luck, which is why it shines bright gold. West of the palace, the medieval quarter around the People's Square has elegant Venetian-era buildings and a busy café scene.
Finish on the Riva, the palm-lined waterfront promenade, where the whole city seems to gather for coffee in the morning and a stroll at sunset.
Staying inside the walls
A number of small hotels and apartments are set within the palace walls. Staying here means stepping out into history each morning and having the lanes almost to yourself early and late. Noise from bars can be an issue in summer, so ask about the location of your room, and bear in mind that cars cannot reach most addresses, so you may need to wheel your luggage over the stones.
Good to know
- Visit the Peristyle early in the morning to see it nearly empty.
- Wear sturdy shoes; the polished stones can be slippery.
- Carry water in summer, as the stone walls trap heat in the narrow lanes.