Recently, I have been interviewed by the journalist from Swiss travel magazine ''SI Travel'' on the latest trends in Split tourism. The article was published in German language and it covers Dalmatian attractions, including Split.
You may read the English translation of the part of the article regarding Split here:
Swiss travel magazine ‘’SI Travel’’, December 20, 2024
TEXT BY: MANUELA ENGGIST
PHOTOS BY: VÉRONIQUE HOEGGER
‘’Split is the capital of the Adriatic coastal region. Its old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is no way around Split, simply because the port city is the starting point to the beautiful island world. The crossing to the island of Hvar by catamaran takes just one hour. The ferry is cheaper, but takes twice as long.
Split is so beautiful that you should plan a few days here too. The heart of the city is Diocletian's Palace, which is one of the best-preserved monuments of Roman architecture in the world. Something that is brimming with history and art should be discovered alongside a guide. With Sanja Jukić, for example. She grew up in Split and studied foreign languages at the local university before becoming a teacher. Step by step she developed a second mainstay with tourguideinsplit.com. Sanja offers “private walks”. That makes sense since the old town is car-free anyway. Her tours are tailored to the wishes of her customers. Ours begins at the Pazar, the popular farmers' market that starts every morning at six o'clock. At the Kuća Sira I Pršuta stand you can snack on soparnik, a type of chard flatbread. Basically a very simple dish with local ingredients: chard, garlic and olive oil between two layers of dough - extremely hearty and incredibly tasty.
Anyone who has never vacationed in Croatia has no idea what to expect here, says Sanja. "We were unknown for years. Other Mediterranean countries like Spain and Italy were ahead of us for a long time.” It was only when more and more tourists came to visit around 2010 that they saw that there are great wines, Roman monuments and beautiful beaches here too. The really big boom broke out when the fantasy television series “Game of Thrones” was filmed in many locations on the Dalmatian coast. Also in Split. Diocletian's Palace, which Sanja of course also shows on the tour, was the location for the dungeon. Daenerys had imprisoned her dragons here. The tour with Sanja ends after two hours. But her tips will continue to resonate for a while. According to Sanja, filigran is a good place to buy traditional and high-quality jewelry in Split. There is a tiny shop in the old town, and Ivan Civljak is a master of his craft. Filigree is his specialty. To do this he uses an ancient technique, in which gold and silver threads are woven into beautiful pieces of jewelry that look like lace.
The city is discovered from a different perspective by walking up to the viewpoint on Marjan Hill. Of course there are also beaches. Kašjuni Beach is definitely worth visiting. And next season the beach Žnjan will again be one of the must-sees. It is currently being repaired. Sanja predicts: “This will be the new tourist attraction in Split.”
A wonderful place to enjoy dinner is Dvor restaurant. The restaurant is a little outside of the city. Its audience: couples in love who can't keep their hands off their cell phones at sunset. The food: upscale and very fine. Especially the ceviche. If you want to spend the night in the middle of the busy old town, go to the Park hotel Split. It is located near Bačvice beach. It was built in 1921 and the interior is reminiscent of a time long past. But that's what a trip to Dalmatia is all about for many people. The proximity between tradition and modernity.’’
You may also read the entire article in German here:
Sanja - Tour Guide in Split