Driving the scenic backroads of rolling farmland and far, limestone peaks we head for the northern Dalmation coast. Croatia has used its EU money on excellent infrastructure projects. The long tunnel through the mountains comes out on a dry, scrubby hinterland with the glistening Adriatic contrasting in the background. A necklace of long thin islands are strung along the coast in both directions, linked to the towns/cities on the mainland by tenuous fronds of ferry routes.

The peninsula town of Zadar is the ancient capital of Dalmatia. It is known for the Romanesque and Venetian ruins of its Old Town. Wide shopping streets lined with supermarkets, sandwich bars, cafes and all the trimmings of functional 70s family shopping, mix it up with ancient churches, truncated columns and dusty piazzas.

First port of call is the port (see what I did there :-)?) Where a Virgin monstrosity of a cruise ship is moored up to offload paddle-led groups of to visit Zadar’s ancient sights. On the seafront is an installation called the Sea Organ, a unique experimental music system driven by wind & waves, and the Sun Salutation, a multi-coloured sun-powered light display.

Construction of the round Church of St Donatus began in the 9th century and is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.

The old city is laid out on a kind of grid system with ancient blocks dotted around more modern sectors. Strike into the back streets and one will inevitably lead to a church or a shaded square.