We took a bus from Mostar to Split - four hours of scenic coastline, hugging mountains on high and low roads above a sparkling blue sea. The tiniest sweeps of sand along this coastline attract settlement and, I imagine, a great influx of visitors in the summertime. We arrived in Split as the sun was going down, so we quickly checked in to our new digs and headed out to join the locals for a drink on the gorgeous waterfront of the old town.

The Riva, Split's seafront promenade, runs the length of the old town, with views across the harbour to the islands beyond. Families were out strolling the broad, tree-lined, white-paved promenade, couples were sipping beer and wine in the many outdoor cafes, teenagers were sitting in lines along the seafront wall silhouetted against the dying sun - all were relaxed and mellow, and we were thankful once again to be somewhere so lovely.

The Roman Emperor Diocletian chose this spot in Croatia to build his lavish retirement palace in AD295. The palace today is a unique mix of architecture in a maze of narrow streets. In fact, one is so narrow it is named “Let Me Pass Street”. We stayed inside Diocletian’s Palace walls - a Unesco World Heritage site and one of the world’s most impressive Roman monuments. Although the beginnings of Split are traditionally associated with the construction of Diocletian's Palace, the city was founded several centuries earlier as the Greek colony, but it has also been under Venetian, Austrian, French, Italian, and Yugoslav control.

We explored these old, narrow streets and alleyways, finding our way to the heart of the palace where there is the monumental courtyard known as the Perystile. The Emperor used to entertain visitors in this lavish courtyard. Stairs from here take you to an elaborate network of underground vaults which were used as prisons and torture chambers for Christians. Today they are merely torture chambers for tourists, selling a selection of local crafts. The Perystile also leads up to the Cathedral of St. Dominus, which stands over what was originally built as Diocletian’s tomb. I guess the Christians he persecuted have had the last laugh.

Now, on our last night here, we are off to find a restaurant that serves a traditional local dish that has been a major reason for Reg agreeing to visit these parts - black risotto, which gets its colour thanks to ink from the cuttlefish which is added to the dish just before it is served. What can I say? We travel on our stomachs.