Croatia Ahead 😎
Ferry Ancona (Italy) to Split (Croatia).
It was early morning 8 am start from our Mediterranean base to the ferry port of Ancona on Italy’s Adriatic Coast. We reached our destination at 3 pm in plenty of time for our 5.30 pm boarding.
I laughed nervously when the loading officer asks me to reverse onboard with the caravan. Fortunately, he took control, and with his hand through the window, a firm grip on the steering wheel, with my foot on the throttle, we managed as a team to load safely. PHEW!
After all the excitement we settled down to a picnic dinner of roast pork (from the supermarket) melon and bubbles on the aft deck and then some shut-eye in our bunk bed cabin. We docked in Split (Croatia) the following morning at 8 am and headed through customs to our Camping site only a 15-minute drive outside the town, luckily we’d booked. They were turning people away.
Camping Stoberc Split, Croatia.
Our first trip to Croatia by ferry from Ancona (Italy) finds us at Camping Stobrec Split only 15 minutes from the ferry terminal and what a lovely surprise. We just loved it, came for a week, and stayed for two.
Cost 20 euros per night in the low season with ACSI and I think they have winter specials for longer stays too. There are about 300 touring pitches (70-110m2) and all water, power, and drainage. Visiting mid to late Sept and they are still very busy so book ahead.
Friendly staff and clean tidy facilities. A great little restaurant is open all day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and lovely white pebble beaches surround the site they have a small grocery shop on site and others are within walking distance.
I took an easy bike ride along the coast into Split (only a couple of hills) and by car… 15 mins. We found parking close to the city for 1 euro an hour. And the campsite is open all year.
Split Croatia
The people are so friendly and generous. Running short of gas and refill required we head to what we thought was the local depot. When the proprietor came out to meet us he told us he only swaps bottles. To our surprise, we were handed a juicy bag of grapes by the lady of the house as compensation.
The beaches are so clean with white pebbles and the water is clear and ever-changing shades of blue.
Whether it is a hike, bike ride, a swim, exploring the old town, or just lying in the sun, Split has it all. We hope to come back and cruise around the many islands off the coast. Most of the inter-island ferries start here, and there are also many small cruise boats in the harbour. If Split isn’t on your list I’d recommend adding it.
Split – Diocletian’s Palace, A Cabbage Story.
Well, quite intrigued by the Story of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. He built this palace at the turn of the fourth century AD.
Today it forms about half the old town of Split. Diocletian wanted to grow cabbages in his retirement so he needed some to live right!! After his retirement in 307 AD, his people begged him to return to the throne in order to resolve the conflicts that had arisen through Constantine’s rise to power and Maxentius’ usurpation.
Diocletian famously replied:
“If you could show the cabbage that I planted with my own hands to your emperor, he definitely wouldn’t dare suggest that I replace the peace and happiness of this place with the storms of a never-satisfied greed” 
This was a reference to the Emperor retiring to his palace to grow cabbages. 
Post Thought
“You can talk with someone for years, every day, and still, it won’t mean as much as what you can have when you sit in front of someone, not saying a word, yet you feel that person with your heart, you feel like you have known the person for forever…. connections are made with the heart, not the tongue.”
C. JoyBell
Camping Pod Maslinom (http://www.orasac.com/)
We chose this campsite for our base while we visited the Croatian city of Dubrovnik, why? It’s a terraced site with great views over the Adriatic sea.
The bus stop is at the gate and only a 2 euro bus ride into the old town. For those who want to keep the body in shape a steep run down to the quietest beach, but coming back up is what gets the heart pumping.
Great big pitches that ticked all the boxes for us, and a nearby mini-mart with fresh veg and vino. Added bonus-Great Sunsets.
Dubrovnik (Old Town)
Croatia fought for its independence during the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991 gaining recognition from the EU later that year. The old town was severely damaged during that campaign, but you wouldn’t have known during our visit.
It was a pleasure to walk around this historical and well-preserved town, or should I say well-restored, not sure… it has been around for a loooong time and withstood attempted invasions from a lot of other people too.
We had to be careful we didn’t get bowled over by the cruise ship tour groups that waddle through the town completely oblivious to anyone else and looking so bored. If you haven’t been definitely put it on your bucket list.
Check-Out Spaceship Motorhome Rentals Here, See ya on the Road
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Some of our favorite pages: Touring Campania Italy, The Italian Riviera
