The Dalmatian coast in Croatia is known for its many islands, each with its own character and special features. But if you go inland, a few hours away, you will discover other landscapes and cultures. When it is hot in the middle of summer, the hinterland can be a great alternative for an active vacation.
Discovering Split
To get to Dalmatia by plane, you obviously have to use Split airport. In 2019, the passenger terminal at Split Airport was renovated and expanded. It is located 40 minutes from the city. It is from Split and thanks to the shipping company Jadrolinja that you can travel to the nearby islands. Split is not a "museum" city compared to Dubrovnik, it is a palace city built by an emperor. Facing the sea, the palace of Diocletian remains the most extraordinary civil monument that Rome has left. Son of a freedman from Salona (a site that is also worth spending half a day in), he became a legionary, climbing through the military ranks to become emperor at 39. He shared the leadership of the Empire with Maximian. The construction of the palace lasted ten years during which thousands of slaves, stone cutters, carpenters and masons worked hard to build this monumental work. Hundreds of ships brought from Egypt slabs of granite, columns, sphinxes carved for Ramses II in the black granite of Aswan. Centuries have passed and the palace has been transformed little by little into a city. Some people live there, others work there, and there are many shops and a weekly market
Since the series Game of Thrones, "GOT" for the friends, the number of visitors has increased. Many fans want to discover the filming locations such as the underground palace or the fortress of Klis perched on a rocky outcrop about 20 minutes from Split. It is in this fortress that the city of Meereen is represented. Enjoy a full day starting with a stroll through Marjan Park which offers a splendid bird's eye view of Split, followed by a visit to the Meštrović Gallery, the greatest Croatian sculptor. A lunch by the sea near the park Sustipan, a little nap on a deckchair at the Nautical Union and you can then follow up with a visit to the underground palace in the afternoon to be cool. Then visit the peristyle and the temple of Jupiter. Get lost in the small streets, where you will probably find a nice little restaurant.
In the surroundings, natural wonders
Going south, follow the coast road, the one called the magistral. More pleasant than the highway, it will lead you first to Omiš. The town is somewhat hidden, with the Dinarides mountain to the north. The Cetina, a river that flows into the sea, has allowed pirates to surprise more than one: the great galleys of the pope, merchant ships from Dubrovnik and Kotor, the fleet of the powerful republic of Venice..
All of them had to pay taxes to sail freely or risk facing the skilled pirates who were the real masters in their natural environment. Today, Omiš is no longer a town of pirates, but a landmark for thrill-seeking sports, reserved for those who like to fill up on adrenaline: free climbing, zip lines, windsurfing, rafting or kayaking, rock climbing or paragliding. From Omiš, a one-hour drive inland, you can reach the Imotski region. It is inland, about 60 km from the sea, where you will find a more scattered habitat, less touristy and therefore less rich. Imotski is known for the manufacture of clay or wrought iron bells which will be covered with embers and will allow the cooking of good dishes. Not far from Imotski there is the Red Lake, one of the deepest in Europe. It is surrounded by a stony lace of red rocks, from which it takes its name. The cruel rocks stand as guardians of this beauty. You can't swim in the red lake or go down to it without appropriate climbing equipment. As for the Blue Lake, located below the Topana fortress, it is accessible by foot if you are in good physical condition. You will be able to swim in a lake with fifty shades of blue, with a view on the surrounding cliffs.
Let's continue further down, still via the magisterial road, towards the south to reach Makarska, a seaside resort, with beautiful hotels on the sea front, at the foot of the mountain. There are nice beaches along the coast, whether in Brela, Baška Voda or Tučepi. The peak in the Biokovo massif is called Sveti Jure (1,762 m). It is a natural park that was classified in 1981. A few privileged people from the coast still have a stone hut there and a garden where some potatoes are still grown. The karst landscapes and endemic vegetation will amaze you. Marked hiking trails will allow you to enjoy the fresh mountain air and the magnificent sunrises or sunsets. Beware of the temperature difference between sea level and the peaks of this massif which can vary by more than 20°C. Detailed hiking maps are available at the park entrance. Since 2017, it is now possible to make a stop on the Skywalk: a glass platform suspended in the void that offers a dizzying panorama, open from April to November
Boarding the islands
But let's get back to the islands. They are accessible by ferry - you can bring your car - and by catamaran from Split, which is the most important port
Depending on the season, there are of course more or less crossings. You can find information on the website of the national company Jadrolijna. Just be careful! Even if you have bought your ticket online, you will have to be present quite early before the departure of the ferry. The closest island to Split is Brač, known for its bright white stone quarries and for its white sandy beach which is located in the village of Bol. The beach is named Zlatni rat, translate as the golden horn, because this beach is on a point that has the peculiarity of changing its orientation according to the sea currents. The setting is splendid: pine forests to bask in and transparent water. Then, parallel to that of Brač, is the island of Hvar, known for its nightlife, luxury boats and the oldest communal theater in Europe
This 68 km long island was once the first supplier of lavender to French perfumeries. If you drive across the island, you will see hundreds of low retaining walls. There is a nice walk from the small village of Velo Grablje that will take you through a valley where lavender was cultivated, but also olives and vines. This 2 hour walk will lead you to an abandoned hamlet. You will still find there the old press, about twenty stone houses that the vegetation invades little by little. You will then arrive at the seaside in Milna where you will find a small pebble beach, campsites and inns.
It is often easier to reach Stari Grad than Hvar by ferry. The village of Jelsa is a good place to stay when visiting the island. It is a seaside town with many accommodations: hotels, guest houses, campsites. It is also possible to rent a bike or a scooter. Regular boat shuttles will drop you off at Bol in 5 minutes
The town of Hvar is worth visiting. The bus station is a 5 minute walk from the city center, and there is also a parking lot nearby. You will soon arrive at St. Stephen's Square, known for its well built in 1520 and its wrought iron gate from 1780. The cathedral of the same name, a three-aisled basilica with a square apse in the Baroque style, dominates the square. A little outside the center, there is the fortress that dominates the city and the Benedictine convent where the nuns present an exhibition of lace made of agave fibers. In the small harbor, you will find many water cabs that will offer you a trip to the Pakleni Islands, which are popular with naturists. They are full of small coves with clear water and a few huts where they serve delicious fish. The island produces an excellent wine from the plavac mali grape
A little further, 18 km away, the island of Vis is 8 km wide and 18 km long. Its peak is 587 meters high and there are two towns: Vis and Komiža. Ferries arrive in Vis where you can take a bus to Komiža in 30 minutes. Komiža is nestled in a beautiful bay topped by the church of St. Nicholas which protects the village. It is best to come without a car, as the island is small and you can easily get around by renting a scooter or a car
The island of Vis is one of the most remote islands of the coast. It was occupied by the Yugoslav army until 1989. During the occupation, many tunnels and military buildings such as barracks and anti-aircraft batteries were built along the coast. Now abandoned, they can be visited with a guide. The island has been open to tourism again since 1991. In those days, people lived from fishing, as the museum in Komiža so well recounts. The men would row to the island of Palagrusa in a traditional wooden boat, the falkuša, and return with their holds full of sardines. There was also the cultivation of olives and vines in sometimes very steep plots. On the island there are small corners of paradise such as the sandy beach of Stončica and its restaurant at the water's edge. The creek of Stiniva, accessible by land in 30 minutes by a rather steep path or by the sea, is very wild. In spring, the scents of rockrose, pittosporum and myrtle are an invitation to take a walk. There is more sand on the island of Vis than on the other islands, which also makes it a good place for viticulture, of which one of the oldest varieties is the white vugava. The wine produced from these grapes with a strong character has a low level of acidity and a high sugar content. The wines obtained from vugava are yellow in color, light, fresh and fragrant, their taste reminiscent of ripe fruit. As it ripens very early in the hot Dalmatian climate, its alcohol content is often high!
In Vis, a visit to the archaeological museum located in the old fortress is not to be missed. The Hellenistic necropolis and the Roman mosaics located near the Issa hotel are included in the museum visit. For diving enthusiasts, you will have the chance to visit one of the twenty shipwrecks, airplanes or old transport ships. In September 2017, many actors, including Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Dominic Cooper and Colin Firth landed in Vis to film Mamma Mia! For six weeks, the island was transformed into a film set for the pleasure of the locals who had entertainment on this island where not much happens outside July-August. From Komiža, excursions are organized when the sea is calm on the island of Biševo which shelters the Blue Cave. Through a narrow opening where the boats can hardly slip through, one enters a vast space that the sun never shines on. But it illuminates it indirectly by lighting the sea covered with white pebbles and whose reflection, passing under the waves, gives to the walls of the cave an extraordinary color where all the shades of blue succeed one another, sometimes so clear that they seem of a transparent green, sometimes dark as the deep waters without one being able to foresee the rhythm of the games. There is also a beautiful sandy beach on the island of Biševo. If you visit the Blue Cave, ask to take a break afterwards on the beach of Biševo.
Trogir, the perfect city
Not far from Split, there is another city classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site: Trogir. An island moored on the coast, so close that a narrow channel-like inlet separates it from the mainland. Trogir is on the Zadar-Split axis and it can get very, very crowded. This perfectly proportioned city, if you are a pedestrian outside of July and August, is a little paradise. Trogir, like Split, has many small streets full of art galleries, restaurants and bars. This city was a sovereign state, had its own war fleet, its shipyards already built by the Greeks and a great reputation of humanism
You can enter the city through the Renaissance gate, open on the land side and dominated by the statue of St. John, patron saint of the city. The second entrance is on the opposite side and overlooks the sea, built in 1953 and flanked by a loggia where foreigners used to wait to be admitted before entering the city. Do not miss the details of the portal of the cathedral of Trogir, which dates from 1240, as well as the tympanum carved by the master Radovan. It is also possible to climb the campanile by a small spiral staircase that offers a 360 degree view. As soon as you leave the Dalmatian coast, either by freeway or by secondary roads, you get a good view of the islands and the view is always a pleasure for the eyes. Let's go back inland to the northwest, this time to Sinj, some 36 km from Split in the hinterland, in the middle of a fertile karst field thanks to the Cetina river. Sinj has 12,000 inhabitants and very few tourists except during the celebration of the alka. For more than three hundred years, every first Sunday of August celebrates the victory of the knights of Sinj against the Ottoman Empire. Formerly a Venetian fortress, it is now dismantled because it is too large for its importance. It is the alka, the game of the rings, which reminds by its picturesque ceremonial the palio siennois. Riders, galloping and equipped with a 3-meter long spear, must unhook a kind of metal circle (called the alka) hung on a rope at 3.32 meters from the ground. The circle is divided into four parts, with the central part allowing the one who aims correctly to win the maximum number of points. Only men born in Sinj and its surroundings can participate in the tournament. The little boys of Sinj have been training from a young age to be able to play in the tournament. It is a popular tournament, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010. This event takes place in the plain at the entrance of the city.
FUTURE INFO
When is it?
Avoid the months of December, January, February and March on the islands, as many restaurants and hotels are closed and some villages are empty. Spring, from April for the flora on the islands, for kitesurfing and windsurfing on the beach of Zlatni rat, in Bol. July-August for swimming, sailing and the coolness of the hinterland. Autumn for the colors in the mountains of Central Dalmatia and to enjoy the sea that heated up in summer.
Duration
Staying eight days on an island like Hvar, Vis or Brač is possible without getting bored. Fifteen days with two pied-à-terre, one between Trogir and Split to explore and visit the hinterland. Twenty-one days to go along the coast of Trogir, passing by the islands and the interior.
Budget
The prices of accommodation and national parks vary greatly depending on the season.
In the city and on the islands, prices are always more expensive than in the hinterland.
Public
Sea lovers: swimming, sailing, sport fishing, diving
Curious gastronomes.
Mountain lovers: climbing, hiking. Architecture and culture lovers
The advantages
The diversity of landscapes.
The multitude of islands and small natural creeks.
The possibility to book your entrance tickets to the natural parks on the Internet
The rooms in the homes of local people, indicated by the word " sosbe" along the main road
The minuses
The heat and the crowd in the cities in the heart of summer
Parking in Split.
On January1, 2023, the kuna will be replaced by the euro as the official currency.
Useful
Be 4 hours before boarding the ferries in Split in summer.
Getting there
- By plane: from Paris and other French cities.
- By car: by planning a stopover in Slovenia if you arrive by Italy
- By ferry: by night from Ancona to Split in the morning.
Interesting
In the last year of the war, 1945, the Hajduk soccer club from Split played a number of other historic friendly matches during a tour to Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Malta
In May 1945, during the last match of the great war tour in Lebanon, General Humboldt, on behalf of Charles de Gaulle, awarded Hajduk the title of Honorary Club of Free France. The original 1945 charter is displayed in the trophy room of the Poljud Stadium.
Sleep
In Central Dalmatia in hotels, rooms, apartments, vacation homes, camps, farms... Unusual: in a lighthouse!
