Split

1700-year-old Split is the largest city on the Croatian Adriatic. Grown out of Diocletian's palace, a unique living monument protected by UNESCO, Split has carefully nurtured its walls with layers of history. You are invited to explore them, passing under the sixteenth-century clock tower near the Iron Gate and the tall bronze statue of Gregory of Nin near the Golden Gate. Be sure to rub Gregory's shiny thumb if you want your wishes to come true.

Split hides its historical sights in the shade of Marjan hill. Its woody sides are picture-perfect for long walks by the sea, in search of that elusive, ideal bathing spot.

Split - a slice of living history

No matter what side of the world you are coming from, Split awaits you with monumental stone gates, whose names reflect their traditional use - the Golden, the Silver, the Bronze and the Iron. The labyrinthine alleys of Split inevitably lead to the central square, the Peristyle, where you will be adressed at noon of every summer day by embodied Diocletian, attended by his imperial guard.

A magnificent view of Split opens up from the top of the sixty-meter bell tower of Saint Dominus. The cathedral gates with their thirteenth-century woodcarvings depicting scenes from the life of Christ are a mere introduction to the wealth that awaits in the treasury inside.

Split will tickle your imagination with their 3500 year old Egyptian sphinxes, temples surviving from antiquity, Baroque palaces, stone ramparts and fortresses.

Split awash in artful sounds

The statue of Gregory of Nin foreshadows the works of Croatia's greatest modern sculptor, Ivan Meštrović, held in the gallery that bears his name. The gallery building is a monument to itself, as is the Croatian National Theater, well worth a visit for the architecture alone.

Split will take you on a journey through time to Ancient Rome during Diocletian's Days, when the promenade is busy with the passage of chariots, and the substructure of the Palace hosts toga dinner parties. The Split summer is a festival of opera, drama, dance and music. The Split festival is more of an easy listening event, while lovers of contemporary club sounds will flock to the performances of globally famous DJs on the recently refurbished promenade.