Split is the second largest city of Croatia and most important Dalmatian centre; it has population of approximately 222,000 inhabitants.
City of Split is situated on a peninsula between the Split Channel and the eastern part of Gulf of Kastela with the the Marjan hill, 178m, rises in the western part of the peninsula. The cliffs of Kozjak and Mosor Mountain protect the city from the north and separate it from the hinterland.

It is the seat of Split-Dalmatia County and important transit center to the numerous surrounding Adriatic islands, and off course remarkable tourist destination.

Split is also one of the oldest cities in the region, and the beginnings of city are related to the building of Diocletian's Palace, but the city was founded much earlier as a Greek colony.
The town was dominant centre in the region during the Roman time and following the fall of the Roman Empire was destroyed by invasion of Avars and Slavs.

The arrival of the Croats in the 7th century deeply influenced the area. The hinterland and the islands were predominantly populated by the Croats, who began influencing the city itself and during the following centuries Split developed an increasingly Croatian character, which can be seen in the architecture of the city and surroundings.

During the 10th and 11th centuries Split was ruled by Croatian kings. At the beginning of the 12th century together with other Dalmatian towns was ruled by the Croatian-Hungarian kings, and since the beginning of 15th to the middle of 18th century replaced by Venetian administration.
At the 19th century, after a short period of French rule, the town fell under the Austro-Hungarian Empire. After the First World War, the role of Split as a cultural, administrative and economic center was very important, what reflected to the increase in population. Second World War has brought suffering and bombing and after it, period of peace that followed made the impact on the very dynamic development of the city.

Since 1979, the historic center of Split has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Today Split opens the door to tourists by thousand years of history and culture.

Split is a city that lives in slow motion, you'll quickly adapt to. The feeling that every day is a holiday, squares, restaurants and bars crowded with people and unforgettable promenade on  "riva", where the summer is refreshed by the Maestral wind, and in the winter when the Mediterranean sun and the palace as  coat protect from the cold, all that can be expressed in one word - feeling as at home.

What to see in Split

Diocletian's Palace
The building is one of the most famous and complete cultural and architectural features on the Croatian coast, and has been inscribed together with the part of historic city of Split built around the Palace on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979.

Cathedral & Bell Tower
Although most of inhabitants of Split would swear that their cathedral is named after St.Doimus, actually only the bell tower is named after him, the Cathedral being named after the Virgin Mary.
The bell tower was built in a narrow space between the cathedral and the Peristyle in end of 13th or beginning of 14th century. It was built in a Romanesque style, with the gothic-renaissance end on top. In the 19th century during the reconstruction the bell tower was radically transformed, and many of the original Romanesque sculptures were removed.

Old Town
Officially Brace Radic square but everyone in Split still calls this square Vocni trg or Fruit’s square. It was a busy fruit market and today is square that opens to "Riva", sea promenade. There one can see Venetian tower the only one that still stands from the Venetian castle that was built here during Venice rule of town. The castle and the tower were built in 1435 as military post that guarded the town from the sea.
On the other side of Fruit’s square is monumental Milesi Palace, built in 18th century as one of the best examples of Baroque architecture on Dalmatian coast.
In front of the palace is small statue of Marko Marulic, a 15th century poet from Split who was one of the first who used Croatian language. The statue was made by famous sculptor Ivan Mestrovic.

Grgur Ninski statue
The sculpture of the bishop that reads the Bible facing the northern walls of the Diocletian’s palace presents Grgur, the bishop of Nin, made by Ivan Mestrovic in 1929. Grgur Ninski was 10th century bishop who introduced the Croatian language in the religious services.
Tourists touch the toe of the statue for luck.

Riva and Harbor area
Promenade area best known as the Riva runs along the southern facade of the Diocletian's Palace and is lined with indoor and outdoor cafes and shops. During the day, there is plenty of people hanging out at the cafes and lounging around on the benches near the sea.

Marjan Hill
There are no real tourist sites here, but it's a great place for great views over the Old Town of Split. Follow the Riva up to Senjska Street which will take you up the hill in about ten minutes to the Vidilica cafe which has a patio that overlooks the town. You can have a drink in the Vidilica Cafe and enjoy the great views over the city center. The Café is situated in the old Jewish cemetery building. Behind the building is the old Jewish cemetery from 1573. If you continue uphill not far you will come to the small church which dates back to 1219.

Surrounding Islands
The island of Brac 13km off the coast from Split, it is a really popular destination for a day trip but is always recommended to stay a few nights.

Museums & Galleries

The City Museum of Split
Town Museum shows urban, cultural, historical, artistic and economical development of the Split through centuries. Beside collecting, preserving, and protecting its collection, museum also issues various publications.

The Museum of Croatian Archeological Monuments
The only museum in Croatia engaged in research, collection, presentation and study of material and spiritual remains of the Croats in the middle Ages and from the time of the early medieval Croatian state from the 9th - 12th century. The Museum presently keeps a collection of about 20.000 objects, with a large number of stone monuments mostly from Early Croatian churches.

The Ethnographic Museum
The museum has large inventory of ethnographic material from Dalmatia.

The Gallery of Fine Arts
The Gallery was opened in 1931 and is used as a museum of modern but equally of contemporary art.

Mestrovic Gallery
It is a special type of sculpture museum with aim to present the life and art of the sculptor Ivan Mestrovic. The display in the gallery consists of 202 works of art and includes sculptures in stone, bronze and wood, as well a paintings, drawings and sketches dating from the earliest periods of the artist's life to this final decade.