It ’ s no secret that Split , perched on the Adriatic coast and surrounded by mountains and islands , is a gorgeous place to visit . It has been continuously occupied since 305AD when Emperor Diocletian moved in and made it his retirement home and it seems that history here is still alive . As you wander around the labyrinth of the Old Town , enclosed within his huge palace ’ s white Splitska stone walls , you can still feel that ancient pulse .
Three thousand people still live within the walls and as yet it hasn ’ t been totally sanitised into a tourist trap . Admittedly tourists are no novelty here but
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there are still a few quiet , narrow cobbled lanes with places that look like old sheds where you can stop for a coffee , a beer , rakia , the local firewater or wine . ( There are three categories of Croatian wine : Vrhunsko is best and most expensive , Kvalitetno is good quality and Stolon Vino is table wine .) There are
dozens of restaurants all over Split serving fish and seafood , herby lamb , freshly baked bread ( Kruh ) and olive oil and succulent vegetables . It ’ s a place to eat and drink well .
Split is half way along the Croatian Coast , between Rijeka ( European capital of culture in 2020 ) and walled Dubronvik . Split and Croatia generally have a furiously chequered history , squashed in between Slovenia , Bosnia & Herzegovina and Montenegro . It was once a Greek colony and at various times became Byzantine , Ottoman , Hapsburg , French and Yugoslavian . In 1991 , after the Croatian war of independence , it seceded from Yugoslavia with Zagreb as its capital .
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All these historical movements still are evident in Split , with its honey-yellow stone houses and red tiled roofs , temples , columns , fortresses , squares , museums , the amazing Cathedral of St Lawrence and the elegant Republic Square with its cafés and colonnades . Watch the day pass from the gracious Riva where boats bob on the clear-as-gin sea . It could be a Visconti film , as people stroll along the marbled Riviera . The evening , as the sun goes down , is even sweeter to behold .
Tourism is booming in Split . It has a lovely climate and is relatively inexpensive compared with Western Europe . A long weekend in Split is about as near to perfection as possible .
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It would be a shame not to visit some of the islands scattered around Split . They have crazy names , such as Hvar , Vis , Skrip , Scolta , and Korcula , and there are ferries to the entire archipelago from Split harbour . With their rugged landscapes , historic sleepy towns , beaches , transparent sea and surprisingly good food and wine , they are not yet Ibiza or Mykonos but undoubtably will be in the not |
so distant future . Their beauty and fascination can ’ t remain undimmed forever .
Foot note : There are several easy day trips up and down the coast to the beaches on the Majan peninsula , and inland . One not to miss is to Trogir , a tiny island which is a World Hertiage site . With its walled Old Town infused by a mix of Romanesque , Gothic , Renaissance and Baroque buildings , it is not to be missed . Take a bus or taxi .
Go to Split out of season , October or May , and you might even have it to yourself .
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12 THE LONDON & UK DATEBOOK |