Split travel guide

Background

According to the 10th-century Byzantine Emperor, Constantine VII, the name Split is a contraction of Spalatum, from palatium, meaning ‘Palace’. However, contemporary scholars believe that the name is more likely to have derived from the Greek name for the area, Aspalathos, after broom, the flowering shrub that colours the surrounding hills yellow in spring time.

Although this second theory suggests the Greeks may have had a settlement here, the founding of Split is generally recognized as 295, the year Roman Emperor Diocletian ordered the building of a vast palace in his native Dalmatia. He chose this site due to its undeniable splendour, and its proximity to Salona, the largest Roman settlement in Dalmatia at the time and his presumed birthplace. In 305, when the palace was completed, the emperor resigned from his position in Nikomedia (present day Izmir, in Turkey) and retired to his beloved homeland, where he lived the life of a near god – which indeed he believed himself to be – until his death in 313.

Over the following decades, various Roman rulers used the palace as a retreat, and the penultimate Western Roman Emperor, Julius Nepos, lived here after having been overthrown in 475. However, by the late sixth century the palace had been abandoned.

Life returned in 615, when refugees from Salona – which had been sacked by tribes of Avars and Slavs – found shelter within the palace walls, and divided up the vast imperial apartments and underground substructure into modest living quarters. They brought with them the bones of their saint, Duje (Domnius), the former Bishop of Salona, and ironically placed them in the late emperor’s mausoleum – Diocletian had violently opposed Christianity and had himself ordered the execution of the bishop. By the 11th century the settlement had spread beyond the ancient walls, and during the 14th century, an urban conglomeration west of the palace was fortified, thus doubling the city area.

Split came under Venice from 1420 to 1797, a period of increased trade – as a gateway to the Balkan interior Split became one of the Adriatic’s main trading ports – coupled with the ever-growing fear of an Ottoman invasion. The trade boom led to economic wellbeing and a wealth of cultural activity – local architects, notably Juraj Dalmatinac, endowed the city with beautiful Venetian-Gothic palaces, and writers, such as the poet Marko Marulic, began producing sophisticated Croatian-language literature. The Ottoman threat led the construction of an elaborate defence system – in the 17th century the entire city was surrounded by polygonal fortifications with projecting bastions. With the fall of Venice, the Hapsburgs ruled the city from 1813 to 1918, and connected it overland with Central Europe and the rest of the Austro-Hungarian Empire by the construction of the Split-Zagreb-Vienna railway line.

After the First World War, Split entered the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later renamed the Kingdom of Yugoslavia). As Zadar, formerly Dalmatia’s official capital, had been awarded to Italy, Split took over as the region’s economic and administrative centre. This period was also important creatively, with the sculptor Ivan Meštrović, painter Emanuel Vidović and poet Tin Uljevic all representing Split on the Yugoslav cultural scene.

The Second World War saw Split under occupation, first by Italy, then Germany, and the Allies caused further destruction through bombing raids aimed at ‘liberation’. German occupation ended when Partisan units entered Split in October 1944, and in 1945 Federal Yugoslavia was born. The post-war years, under Tito, saw increased industrialization, with the expansion of the shipyards and the cement factory. This brought about an influx of workers from other parts of the country, which in turn led to the building of high-rise apartment blocks in the suburbs.

During the war of independence Split was attacked only once – in 1991 the Yugoslav Navy (who had their main base here) briefly shelled the city from the sea, but there were no serious consequences. However, economically and socially the city suffered from the complete collapse of the manufacturing and tourist industries, the exodus of many educated citizens, the arrival of countless refugees and inevitable political corruption. More than a decade later, unemployment remains a major problem, though factories are gradually reopening and tourism is back on its feet.

Best time to visit

Being a busy port town, Split sees people coming and going throughout the year. The major cultural event, the Split Summer Festival, takes place from mid-July to mid-August. During this period the city becomes extremely crowded, with tourists from all over the world coming to see Split itself, and passing through on their way to the islands.

The climate remains reasonably mild through winter. Temperatures very rarely fall below freezing, and it’s quite feasible to drink morning coffee on the seafront in January, even though the surrounding mountains are often snow-covered between December and March. Having said this, Split is probably best visited in spring or autumn, when temperatures are neither too hot nor too chilly, and most tourist attractions and facilities are working.

Getting around

The historic centre, where the city’s main sights are found, is contained within the walls of Diocletian’s Palace which is closed to traffic. A pleasant 20-minute stroll along the seafront will bring you to the Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments and the Meštrović Gallery. Alternatively, bus No 12 from Sv Frane (Church of St Francis) opposite Trg Republike, at the end of the Riva, runs every 40 minutes along Šetalište Ivana Meštrovića to Bene recreation centre at the end of Marjan Peninsula, passing both the Meštrović Gallery and the Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments en route.

Transport

Air

Split Airport, Kaštela, T021-203171 (information), T021-203218 (lost and found), http://www.split-airport.hr. Airport bus service, T021-203305.

Through summer, there are regular flights to and from Amsterdam, Bari, Berlin, Bologna, Brussels, Catania, Dubrovnik, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Genoa, Gothenburg, Hamburg, Helsinki, Istanbul, Lisbon, London (Gatwick and Heathrow), Ljubljana, Lyon, Manchester, Milan, Munich, Oslo, Palermo, Paris, Prague, Pula, Rome, Sarajevo, Skopje, Turin, Warsaw, Vienna, Zagreb and Zurich. The number of destinations and the frequency of flights are reduced in winter.

Airlines offices

Adria Airways, Obala kneza Domagoja bb, T021-338445. British Airways, Split Airport, T021-203132. Croatia Airlines, Obala hrvatskog narodnog preporoda 9, T021-362997. ČSA, Dominisova 10, T021-343422. Lufthansa, Obala Lazareta 3, T021-345183, Malev, Split airport, T021- 895274.

Bus

UK via Paris (France). For all information about buses to and from Split, T060-327327, http://www.ak-split.hr. Left luggage until 2200, 30Kn per piece per day.

Local

Buses serve the city suburbs and surrounding towns of Trogir (40 mins), Salona (Solin) (30 mins), Klis (35 mins) and Omiš (40 mins), all of which make pleasant day trips from Split.

Long distance

Internal services include about 30 buses daily to Zagreb (4½-7 hrs); 14 to Zadar in North Dalmatia (3½ hrs); 12 buses daily to Rijeka in Kvarner (8 hrs); and 12 to Dubrovnik in South Dalmatia (4 hrs). There are also daily international bus lines to Ljubljana (Slovenia), Trieste (Italy) and Munich and Stuttgart (Germany). Buses depart once a week for Vienna (Austria), and for London.

Car

Budget, http://www.budget.hr, at the airport, T021-203151, and in the centre at Trubičeva Obala 2, T021-399214; Dollar Thrifty, at the airport, T021-895329, and in the centre at Trubičeva Obala 2, T021-399000; Hertz, www. hertz.hr, at the airport, T021-895230, and in the centre at Tomica stine 9, T021-360455.

Ferry

Jadrolinija run a twice-weekly overnight coastal service between Rijeka and Dubrovnik, stopping at Split, Stari Grad (island of Hvar), Korčula and Sobra (island of Mljet) en route. Jadrolinija also run daily ferry services connecting Split to the islands on Mljet, Brač, Hvar, Vis, Korčula and Lastovo the year through. Schedules vary from day to day and season to season, so you need to check times with their ticket office.

In peak season (Jul-Aug) Split Tours run a daily catamaran service connecting Split to Komiža on the island of Vis.

Jadrolinija and Blue Line both run over- night ferries to Ancona (Italy), departing from Split at 2100 and arriving in Ancona at 0700 the following day. The same vessels depart 2100 from Ancona to arrive in Split at 0700. Through summer these services operate almost every day, in winter they are reduced slightly. SNAV, an Italian company, run a daily high-speed catamaran service between Split and Ancona (Italy) from Jun to Sep. The catamaran departs from Split at 1700 and arrives in Ancona at 2130. The same vessel departs from Ancona at 1100 and arrives in Split at 1530.

Ferry companies

Jadrolinjia, T021-338 333; Blue Line T021-338292; SNAV Croatia Jet ; T021-322252; Split Tours, T021-352533.

Taxi

The 2 main taxi ranks are at either end of the Riva (Obala hrvatskog narodnog preporoda), in front of the market and in front of Hotel Bellevue. Radio taxi, T970.

Train

Split train station, T021-338535; national

train information, T060-333444, http://www.hznet.hr. Left luggage 0700-2200, 30Kn per piece per day.

5 trains daily to and from Zagreb (5½ hrs by day, 8½ hrs by night); 5 trains daily to Knin (2 hrs) and 3 trains daily to Šibenik (3½ hrs, change at Perković).

Directory

Consulates

Denmark, Supilova 10, T021- 358488; Finland, Trubičeva Obala 5, T021- 345275; Germany, Svačićeva 4, T021-409 347; Italy, Obala hrvatskog narodnog preporoda 10/II, T021-348155; Netherlands, Mažuranićevo Šetalište 1, T021-312399; Slovenia, Spinčićeva 25, T021-389224; Spain, Kavanjinova 1, T021-343377; Sweden, Gat Sv. Duje 4, T021-338234; UK, Obala hrvatskog narodnog preporoda 10/III, T021-346007.

Emergencies

Ambulance: 94. Fire: 93. Police: 92.

Internet

Cyber Club Mriža, Križićeva 3, close to the theatre, T021-321 320. Mon-Sat 0900-2200. 5Kn per 15min.

Libraries

British Consulate, Obala hrvatskog narodnog preporoda 10, T021- 346007. City Library Marko Marulić, Tolstojeva 32, T021-343913.

Medical

services

Hospital Firule, Spinčićeva 1, a 15-min walk east of the centre, T021-556 111 (24-hr casualty). Pharmacies: marked by a glowing green cross. Dobri at Gunduliceva 52, T021-348074, and Lučac at Pupačićeva 4, T021-533188, alternate as non-stop 24-hr pharmacies.

Post offices

The main post office is at Obala kneza Domogoja, near the bus station and ferry port, and is open daily 0700-2000. The central post office is at Kralja Tomislava, north of the palace walls, and is open Mon-Fri 0700-2000 and Sat 0700-1300.

Telephones

If you prefer to telephone from a peaceful phone booth, rather than calling on the street, go to one of the post offices . Otherwise, you’ll find phone kiosks on the seafront.