SPU:
Gladiator Graffiti Comes Alive in Salona's Moonlight

The amphitheater stones are still warm from the day's sun as archaeologist Petra Horvat sweeps her flashlight across freshly uncovered graffiti. "This one says 'Marcus was here' in Latin - the Roman version of tagging," she laughs. But then the beam catches something more chilling: crude drawings of gladiators mid-battle, scratched into the walls by spectators 1,800 years ago.

Salona's new night tours reveal what daylight hides:

• UV lights expose bloodstains in the sand (actually iron oxide, but the effect is eerie)
• Holographic projections recreate fights based on the graffiti movements
• The "Whispering Walls" acoustic trick where a voice at the emperor's box can be heard everywhere

The climax comes in the underground chambers where gladiators waited to die. As your eyes adjust, you'll see the actual grooves from where they sharpened their swords. New this year: actors perform monologues based on real graffiti messages ("Tomorrow I fight Secundus. If you read this, I lost.")

Pro Tip: Bring a handkerchief - the tunnel where doomed prisoners were held still smells faintly of sweat and fear.

Step Into History First-Class
PrestigeFly books business class on Lufthansa's evening Munich-Split flights for perfect next-day touring. Our "Moonlight Special" includes a post-tour seafood feast at a secret vineyard inside the ruins.