Two ancient archeological treasures were in route. Salona, just a bit north of Split, was a tribal center of the Illyrians and was seized by the Romans under Augustus about 100 years CE and became the administrative headquarters for the Dalmatian province. Diocletian was attracted to area for his retirement in part because of this link. When the area was leveled by invading Slavs in the 6th century all of Salona fled to Split and found refuge inside the walls of the abandoned Diocletian Palace. Today Salona is an active archeological site and the main attractions are the forum and the amphitheater.
Trogir was the second destination enroute. A small medieval town set within walls but along a wide seaside promenade and unique for its collection Venetian and Romanesque architecture. When Venice bought Dalmatia in 1409 Trogir refused to submit and the Venetians bombarded the town into submission. The Venetian influence is still very evident today. Particularly in the cathedral and the bell tower which took 200 years to complete and is straightforward Gothic at the bottom level, Venetian Gothic in the middle and Renaissance at the top.
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