When in Split
The Dalmatian city of Split is a real treasure and is a place to return to time and again for its picturesque streets, gorgeous Adriatic coastline and friendly people.
The city has its origins in the late Roman period, when emperors began using the area as a retirement home. The Byzantines ruled the region for a period before a short passage of autonomy between the 12th and 14th centuries was disrupted by the Venetians in 1420, followed by the Austrians in 1797, who remained in charge until the end of World War I. Yugoslavia was formed in 1929 and Split was captured by both the Italians and Germans in World War II. The city was spared much of the violence that afflicted Dubrovnik following Croatian independence in 1991 and has slowly emerged out of the shadows to become a major tourism centre, with the city's rich industrial past now largely a sideline.
The most imposing structure in the city is Diocletian's Palace, which was the retirement home of the 4th century Roman emperor. It has the added advantage of being far from a ruin today, with the 200 buildings that make up the complex home to around 3000 people. To allow the place to remain habitable some modifications have taken place, mostly in the middle ages. Its setting overlooking the harbour was made for postcards.
The archaeological museum, based to the north of the city centre on Zrinsko-Frankopanska, houses a good range of treasures. Many of the artifacts are based from the Roman and early Christian periods and many of the exhibits are taken from excavations from nearby Salona. Frescoes, jewellery, coins and ceramics abound.
The Mestrovic Gallery on Spomenika Setaliste Ivana Mestrovica is a must for anyone interested in the work of one of the country's best sculptors. The place was built in the 1930s as Mestrovic's own residence before he emigrated to the US after World War II. It now houses a superb collection of his work.
Visitors can arrive in Split by plane, train, boat or bus. There are summer flights to the city's small airport from the UK and Italy, while there are also domestic links with the far larger airport at Zagreb and a flight a day to and from Dubrovnik. The 37 bus will get you in to town.
There are three fast train services a day between the city and Zagreb, with a similar number of overnight services, while there is also a good service to Sibenik.
Buses leave from the harbourside terminal to a huge number of destinations in the country and the bus station is conveniently close to the ferry terminals, which offer a number of daily services to Ancona in Italy and along the coast. The passenger services depart from Obala Lazareta, while car ferries leave from Sv Petra.
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Introduction
