Split
The city of Split is the second largest city in Croatia. This urban center of Dalmatia is the starting point for all the beautiful island of central and southern Dalmatia. The daily ferry lines from the Split harbor are connecting the mainland with Hvar, Brač, Vis, Lastovo and other smaller beauties. The 200.000 inhabitants are aware of their metropolitan role in the Adriatic region. A walk along the promenade by the Sea resembles with being in Italy. The residents are always highly aware of the latest fashion trends and love to enjoy their daily cappuccino in the posh bars along “Riva”. Riva is a local name for seafront. The many similarities with Italy do not surprise, as Dalmatia is historically strongly connected with the across-Adriatic neighbors. In fact, the Italian version of the name Split, Spalato, has been in use until the late 19th century. The name Spalato bears a resemblance to the palace, which is not a coincidence, as the core of the city forms the famous palace. Diocletian’s Palace was built for the Roman Emperor Diocletian at the turn of the fourth century. It is one of the best-preserved testimonials of Roman architecture. The monument represents around half of the old town of Split. The massive structure, which reminds of the fortress, is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Just above the north entrance to the Diocletian Palace, a beautiful city garden is placed. The so-called Gjardin is a popular place for relaxation. It is also a home of the 28 feet tall statue of Gregory of Nin. Gregory of Nin was a medieval bishop who strongly opposed the Pope and the rest of the official Church circles. He achieved replacing the Latin language, which was not understandable to the majority of the population, with the Croatian language in the religious services in 926. The author of the statue is Ivan Meštrović, the most prominent sculptor of Croatian modern sculpture. The west side of the city is naturally protected by the 178-meter-tall city hill. Marjan hill is covered in a dense pine forest and offer a view of the entire city and the surrounding islands. At the foot of Marjan hill, the modernly equipped charter marina is placed. On the east side of the city, the sandy beach Bačvice is positioned. Bačvice is popular for picigin players. Picigin is a traditional local sport, played in angle deep waters. A small ball alike tennis ball circulates between five players. The aim of the game is the ball not to fall in the water.