Short break to Split

Croatia has exploded on to the world tourism map. Game of Thrones (which I have never ever watched) has probably been guilty of luring fans in and adding fuel to its popularity. There are even calls to control the amount of cruise ships which descend on Dubrovnik daily. I felt like I had maybe missed the boat (no pun intended) and had left it too late to visit.

I recently got a chance to visit Croatia earlier this month, so I jumped at the chance to see for myself. It was the city of Split I visited, which sits in a natural harbour on the Dalmatian coast north of Dubrovnik. I have sold this city many times to clients often using it as a jumping on point for the ferries that link the islands along the coast, but must admit I didn’t know a great deal about the city itself.

As this was to be a short visit of only three nights, it soon became apparent that due to the very early ferry times I was not going to make it over to the islands, so I decided to concentrate on staying in Split and the surrounding area. This proved to be a good move as there proved to be plenty to do.

The old centre of Split is very compact and envelopes the harbour with its olde worlde buildings and marble paved streets. The Old Palace, which is a World Heritage Site, is the star of the show, slap bang in the middle of the waterfront, guarding the port. It provides a stunning backdrop for the numerous bars and cafes which line the harbour edge making it perfect for people watching. You can spend hours wandering around the small lanes and stop at the many courtyard cafes and restaurants within the Palace walls.

Just to the west of the city lies Marjan Hill which sits on a very pretty pine tree covered peninsula, surrounded by crystal clear water, making it an ideal escape from the city. You can walk around it to the many bays, where there even a few with beach clubs offering a quick beer or coffee break. I visited Joe’s beach club which is a lovely spot on Kasjuni Beach. The bay at Kasjuni is sheltered from the breeze and the water is calm and cordoned off, making it perfect for swimming.

If you want more of a city beach vibe, then I would recommend you head east of the city. If you head to Bacvice Beach, only a short walk for the main port area, you find a large shallow bay with numerous bars and cafes lining the shore. I can imagine this beach will get extremely busy in the high season. There is a well maintained path that leaves this beach and heads along the coast for miles allowing you to discover beach after beach.

As Split is so compact it took little time to feel I had seen most of the main sites, so I decided to jump on one of the many local buses up to Trogir for an afternoon. Trogir, just a 30 minute bus ride from Split, is a tiny island sandwiched between the mainland and the larger island of Ciovo. It is linked to both by two very small and congested bridges. Trogir, like Split, is also a World Heritage Site, with a labyrinth of tiny medieval lanes to explore. After you are finished exploring there are a good selection of restaurants along the quayside, which provides a great opportunity for more people watching.

My visit to Split was short, but sweet and I would say it has certainly whetted my appetite to return on a longer visit with a plan to give myself time to head out to the Island of Hvar, Vis and Korcula. It wasn't as crowded as I had anticipated which was a relief.

If you are interested in visiting this beautiful part of the Adriatic, then please get in touch.