The centruy-old traditions of yesteryear have been carefully and thoughtfully preserved in this city - being able to witness and take part in them ensures that your Croatian experience very special for certain. Dolac (C-2), an open-air market in the centre of town, is where you can go to get after such visuals in a hurry. There you'll see grannies displaying their wares, grandfathers ingesting rakija and watching the grannies, haggling, screaming and various other and general mayhem. Much of the architecture evokes strong feelings of dominant cultures past - that's because it was erected in the past by the dominant cultures of the time. The food - both the offering and the way it is eaten - will strike you as scrumptious and extremely unique. A strong communal sense comes through here, perhaps a direct result of the strong family and friendship ties so elemental to the socialist-communism past not so long behind us. Craftwork, artwork, clothing and all kinds of souvenirs punch the point home. There are many ways the richness of the Croatian tradition can be felt - get out there and get groping for yourself!