Update 8: Zadar, Croatia, a mix of historical gems and innovation

For many passengers, one of the most memorable features of an Ocean cruise is the culinary adventure. Viking Sky is one of dozens of Viking cruises all offering the same high quality foods in three main dining rooms and several casual eating places.

Two of the dining options need reservation and dress codes and the one main large restaurant with a wide ranging menu is called The Restaurant. One dining room featuring italian cuisine is Manfredis and the other is Chef's Table offering wine pairings and a set menu that changes every three days. The large buffet style restaurant is World Cafe with an amazing selection of just about every international foods. Aquavit TErrace offers specialty meals, Mamsens offers Norwegian pastries and treats, Pool Cafe is a barbecue and wings bar poolside.

For a relatively small ship, these culinary options are more than enough and make our home away from home quite enjoyabke and memorable.

The hosiptslity on the ship just adds to the excitement of visiting new places and learning about cultures with rich history.

Today we visited Zadar, a captivating coastal city on Croatia’s Dalmatian coast, known for its unique blend of ancient Roman heritage, medieval churches, and groundbreaking modern art installations. Unlike some of its more crowded neighbors, Zadar offers a more relaxed atmosphere where historical ruins sit right next to vibrant cafe-filled squares.

One of the unique and innovative attractions is the city’s Sea Organ. This “organ” plays music by way of sea waves and tubes located underneath a set of large marble steps. It creates a haunting, harmonic melody that changes based on the size and speed of the waves. It’s like the sound of whales.

Next to the organ is another innovative device called Greeting to the Sun. This is a large circular monument consisting of 300 multi-layered glass plates that collect solar energy during the day.

After sunset, the installation produces a spectacular light show meant to represent the solar system. The energy gathered during the day is also used to power the entire waterfront's lighting system.

A walk through the former capital of Dalmatia reveals several Churches, monasteries and convents. by foot, visiting two of its most revered churches. There is one straight, long Main Street that leads you to the Cathedral of St. Anastasia, completed in the 13th century and Zadar’s finest example of Romanesque architecture.

We entered the St. Anastasia’s stone sarcophagus and to the Church of St. Donatus, built on Roman foundations in the 9th century and St. Mary’s Church with its Romanesque campanile from 1105.

The Viking Sky was conveniently docked close to the sea organ and the circular solar installation and steps away from the city square and ruins of the Roman forum.

Our next tour is to Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. Please come back for our final excursion.

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