Overview
The pretty city of Split has a rich history. Since
ancient times, it has served in various guises as the economic and
administrative centre of the beautiful Croatian Adriatic coastal
region, today called Dalmatia.
The city sits mainly on a peninsula on the eastern
part of the island of Ciovo, although it has nowadays spread onto
the mainland and encompasses the mouth of the River Cetina. From
the 5th to the 2nd century BC Greek colonists settled the mainland
and adjacent islands.
Later came the Romans, in particular the Emperor
Diocletian. Being of Dalmatian origin, he elected to build a huge
palace at a spot then called Salona in the year 303. A town grew up
around the palace and eventually, by the Middle Ages, the city of
Split had begun to develop.
Diocletian's Palace still stands in the very heart of
the old part of Split, which charms visitors with its cobbled
streets and classical architecture. The greater region is
characterised by its lush vegetation and green areas, particularly
Marjan Hill on the west of the peninsula with its ancient
indigenous forest.
The city makes an ideal base from which to explore
the islands, beautiful locations, and historic villages in central
Dalmatia. Split is also world renowned among seafarers for the
quality and quantity of its marinas. There are about 44 of them in
the city area altogether, drawing yachts and catamarans from all
over Europe and making it a great cruising destination in the
Adriatic.