We spent a wonderful ten days in Croatia this past September and were surprised that Rick's guidebook makes no mention of the town of Zadar, just up the coast from Split. It has a lovely Old Town on a peninsula. There are several Venetian gates in the city walls. Surrounding the Roman-era Forum is 11th-century St. Mary’s Convent, with religious art dating to the 8th century. There’s also the grand, 12th-century St. Anastasia’s Cathedral and the round, 9th-century pre-Romanesque Church of St. Donatus. Zadar is the oldest continuously inhabited city in Croatia. It was awarded European Best Destination 2016.
A recent addition to Zadar's many attractions is the Sea Organ, an experimental musical instrument which plays music by way of sea waves and tubes located underneath a set of large marble steps on the shore. It makes otherworldly but pleasing sounds.