The spirit of the city and the culture of the people really comes alive, for example, when you visit the advent fair on the Riva promenade. Steaming hot sausages, mulled wine, souvenirs for sale and great local music. If you are looking for something a little quieter, Dardin park, offers classical music and this year also an ice-skating extravaganza. In the piazza you can also just chill out to various advent attractions. Sit down and enjoy some mulled wine with maybe some traditional festive season codfish and fritule, (fritule are a local kind of dumpling). If you are there at the right time, go and catch the Klapa singers outside the iron gate at Diocletian’s palace, (kapla is really a Capella choir).

Imagine leaving the door of St Luke’s hotel and breathing in the cool Mediterranean air as you look down towards the gleaming Adriatic Sea. You can smell food cooking for breakfast close by at the Riva promenade. You’ve already sampled a traditional Croatian breakfast of polenta and lard on cornbread with a mattering off paprika and some super strong coffee, but guiltily, you are already thinking about lunch.