Tourist in Split
Split’s story starts around the year 290 when the Roman emperor Diocletian built a palace where he could retire in his old days. Over the years, Split has been under Turkish, Italian (Venice), French and Austrian rule.
In 2007, Split had grown to a city of 220,000 residents and is Croatia’s second largest after the capital Zagreb. Split is located on a peninsula that juts out into the Adriatic.
The city’s supreme attraction is the Old Town, which in most city guides is referred to as the Diocletian’s Palace. This was Emperor Diocletian’s private district with his palaces and temples. All surrounded by high walls with a few entrances. Diocletian was known for his atrocities against early Christians, so it is a fate’s irony that his mausoleum was later transformed into what is today known as the world’s oldest cathedral.
Old Town of Split
The narrow streets of the old town constitute a maze so that at times you will want you to follow a thread to find your way out. But this is half the charm of the district, and all the streets lead somewhere. If you get completely lost you can just hang out with one of the locals.
The entire old town is on UNESCO’s World Heritage list, with its car-free stone streets and old low-rise buildings, and in the market halls under the main gate, it seems as if time has stood still for centuries. In front of Diocletan’s Palace lies the harbor promenade with numerous outdoor restaurants
Split harbor promenade and tourist port
Just outside Split, easily accessible by boat from Split’s splendid harbor promenade, are the beautiful islands of Hvar, Solta and Brac. Here you will find beautiful pebbles, beautiful scenery and picturesque little villages where the main industry is still fishing, wine and olive oil production, and increasingly tourism.
You can also take a boat from Split along the coast to other Croatian cities such as Dubrovnik, Rijeka, or across the Adriatic to Ancona or Pescara in Italy.
Most of the city’s residents are fanatical supporters of its football team, Hajduk Split, which has been one of Croatia’s two best teams of all years and was the mainstay of the national team that took the World Cup bronze in 1998.
Split does not have many hotels, and in the period from May to August it can be difficult to find a room at a reasonable price if you have not booked in advance. On the other hand, it is easy to find a private room, as there are almost always elderly women at the city’s bus / train / ferry stations and offers you a room with a bathroom for a few hundred kroner. This may be a bargain, but you never know what you’re getting, so be sure to take a closer look at the room before you make an appointment. Few people speak good English.