Can we be honest? It can be difficult to travel in groups; meshing different personalities and interests while meeting everyone’s needs all without offending or neglecting anyone is a delicate matter. We decided to go to Split, Croatia with a group of my partner’s close friends (another truth: the group dynamic is at least two-fold when in a group of your partner’s friends, no?). I was excited, but admittedly very nervous.
I had read and done my research as I do before all of my trips, but this time instead of feeling prepared and reassured, I was very worried. I read information explaining that due various, mostly economic circumstances, there were very limited gluten free options. Juggling group dynamics and few dining options left me daunted by the trip ahead.
Once arrived in Split, not wanting to rock the boat, I followed along to the restaurants our friends chose, hoping for the best. I was very pleased to find that this was a very tourist friendly town that had most menus translated into English, which made deciphering gluten free from gluten containing dishes much easier. Waiters were helpful and seemed knowledgeable and accommodating thanks to their work with ever growing number of tourists that visit Croatia every year. The menus I encountered offered fresh seafood, such as tuna filets, served with grilled vegetables. I’m sorry to admit that I did not ask for confirmation that the plates I ordered were gluten free, but was lucky to have no horror stories of illness to report. The use of fresh ingredients and simple plates made Split a surprisingly gluten free friendly city. (And luckily there were no issues traveling in our group!).
Since my travels to Split, there seems to be more information available about restaurants offering gluten free options, likely because we are in the height of tourist season. I hope that my experience, as well as the availability of more resources online will help anyone considering a trip to Split.
As you plan your travel to Split, the island boat tours are not to be missed. Despite the rough seas on the day of our tour, we were lucky enough to see the blue cave, an incredible experience. I would advise anyone considering a tour to take a larger speed boat if there is any mention of choppy waves, as we were all soaked and cold in our tiny boat.
Have you been to Split or any other cities in Croatia? Tell me about your experiences in the comments below.
Diocletian's Palace in Split, Croatia
