Zadar Croatia Traveler Info

Zadar is one of the oldest cities on the Adriatic. Its almost three thousand years origins are the reason why Zadar is full of historical and cultural monuments. Today Zadar is a preserved monument of different historical times and cultures that have placed their mark in the urban appearance. Full of archives, museums and libraries, it is the keeper of literary and musical treasure and it is also the city inside which is the oldest University among Croatians (1396).

Zadar and its surroundings are at the very top of the Croatian tourist offer. That tourist offer is diverse and rich with seaside and countryside sights that are worth visiting. Zadar area is made of archipelago that counts 24 bigger and about 300 smaller islets and rocks, 3 nature parks – Telašćica, Velebit and Vransko lake and 5 national parks—Paklenica, Plitvice lakes, Kornati Islands, Krka and Sjeverni Velebit.

How to get to Zadar?

Zadar is an easily reached destination by land, sea and air. It has a good road connection with all the bigger cities in Croatia and Europe. Airport in Zadar is located only 9 kilometers from the city center and the ferry port is newly built and has sufficient capacity for tourist and local needs. You can plan your route via michellin route planner.

What to see in Zadar?

First of all, you must see unforgettable sunsets over Zadar! Words can not describe this, not even photos. This is MUST SEE. I am local, living in Split, I have seen this magic sunset twice so far. Colors are spectacularly intensive and sunset is spread on the entire sky so you are looking at 180 degrees wide and all over the sky.

When in Zadar there are many things to see. Here are the ones that are definitely a must see.
Sea Organ is on the western end of Promenade. The organ looks like a series of broad steps that are leading down into the water. This site is a magnificent blend of human ideas and skills accompanied with the energy of the sea, waves, tide and flood that create pleasant notes. The sea organ never sounds the same twice because the sea is always shifting and changing. Each sound you hear is completely unique. The architect Nikola Bašić that built the sea organs got a European prize for Urban Public Space built.
The Greeting to the Sun on the end of Promenade and Zadar Peninsula show a true symbiosis of nature with modern architecture. Solar modules collect the sunlight throughout the day and make a symbolic communication with light, just like the Sea organs do with the waves.
The forum is a place where the church of Saint Donat and the Archbishop’s Palace are located. It is a municipal square from the time when Romans lived there and it was built in 1st century BC.
Church of Saint Donat is a symbol of the city of Zadar. It originates from the early Middle ages, from the 9th century and it is a best preserved monument from that time. Holy Masses and musical performances are still held in this church due to its extraordinary acoustic features.
St. Mary’s Church and Convent was constructed on 1091 and together with St. Donat church is one of the oldest preserved churches. Its most beautiful part is a bell tower built in Romanesque style. You can see in the church a permanent exhibition of the objects that date back to the 8th century and are one of the most valuables in Croatia.
Reactor’s Palace is cultural-historical complex that is renovated I 2017 and it became a new tourist attraction in Zadar. It holds a museum space, an atrium, concert hall, halls for temporary exhibitions, video gallery and spaces for creational workshops. Modernly renovated Rector´s Palace became a must-see-place in Zadar and won the annual Croatian tourist award in the category of cultural attractions in 2017.
Gold and Silver of Zadar is a permanent display located in the Benedictine Convent of St. Mary. It is set on the surface area of about 1200 square meters in modernly equipped halls. This priceless treasure has been preserved by the Benedictine nuns and holds many great works of the locally known and unknown masters of Zadar region.

To experience all beauties of Zadar, pamper yourself in one of our Zadar area villas for rent.

Why visit Split?

Split is a unique city, filled with various types of fun, explore Split gastronomy culture and heritage! It suitable for literally everyone. Split is known as a child-friendly city so families with children are very welcome. Young people who just want to have fun have a great number of night clubs to go to, and not to forget the Ultra Europe festival that is held in the first weekend of July. Seniors who are exploring and traveling the world looking for great heritage and new experiences can find everything they are looking for right here in Split. For those with a bit of adventure spirit Split and its surrounding have a rich offer of active holiday programs. And for those who want a quite holiday with just chilling and enjoying the sun and the beaches, Split has a lot to offer. Many diverse beaches, from ones that are in touch with nature like those in the Forrest park Marjan (yes, Split has it’s own Forrest park inside!) , to the ones that are like urban beaches with bars and children playgrounds on them. The common thing for both of them is that once you get there you can enjoy the peace and tranquility without even noticing that you are a few steps from the center of this big city. From all of those things that are said you can conclude that Split is much more than glorious architectural scenery and vacation destination. It is also great starting point for exploring Croatia thanks to its good connection with the inland and the islands.
The citizens of Split often say that “There is no place like Split” which we have to agree with.

Which tourist attractions to visit?
You are planning your trip and are wondering what attractions you can see in Split? Here is a list of fascinating things you can visit.

HOW OLD IS DIOCLETIAN PALACE IN SPLIT?

A walk through the ancient city can take you through time, so prepare yourselves to go to fourth century AD. The Diocletian’s palace is among the best preserved monuments of the Roman building heritage in the world. Today, after 1700 years,  the remains of the palace are part of the historic core of Split, which in 1979 was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. A thing you can’t find anywhere in the world is a fact that people still live and work inside the palace. The citizens of Split over centuries have been keeping the tradition of living the life inside the palace, adapting it a bit to modern life needs, but the outlines of the palace remained untouched. The outside architecture of the palace with its stone walls is consisted of sixteen towers projecting form every side of the palace. Inside the palace you can see the emperors apartments, living space, squares, churches, museums, shops, restaurants, etc. Do not miss out the chance to visit the Cellars of the Diocletian’s Palace, and to take a walk trough the filming locations of the Game of Thrones series.

Which SACRAL FACILITIES are in Split?

Croatians are Catolics. Country has a great heritage of sacral facilities. Therefore Split as a second largest city in modern Croatia and one of the oldest cities in Europe takes a big pride in its sacral heritage. Many of its churches and monastery’s are located in reach of the city center.

Church and Monastery of St. Francis is built in the old early Christian site located on the Western part of the Riva, just a few steps from the outside walls of the Diocletian’s palace. In the 13th century the Little brothers of St Francis inhabit the Church and have been living and serving there since then. In the Church and the Monastery are located the thumbs of prominent citizens of Split, like the father of Croatian literature Marko Marulić, and one of the greatest Croatian politicians Ante Trumbić, whose sarcophagus is the work of famous Croatian sculpturer Ivan Meštović.

Franciscan Church and Monastery of St. Anthony is built in the 11th century on the north side of the Split peninsula. A cloister with a square tower on the west side was a part of defense complex protecting the church and the monastery from the Turkish invasion. In the 18th century bell tower was added on the south side of the church. This complex is home to many valuable artworks and historic documents, among which is an image made by Venetian master Girolama de Santa Crocea in 1549 showing the city as it lays in the hands of its patron St. Domnius. Maybe an even more interesting thing is a rare description of Islamic prophet Muhammad, whose character should not be shown according to Koran.

Church of Holy Trinity is situated near the above mentioned Franciscan Church, at the proximity of Poljud stadium. This is a small but adorable church built between the 8th and 11th century. It is a six foil type of building with semicircular arches lined around an irregular circle. This church has been added into the register of the most valuable Croatian Cultural Heritage, of the highest category.

Church of St. Philip Neri A pastor of Split and a Bishop of Makarska together decided in 1672 to establish a Philippine congregation and build a church dedicated to St. Philip Neri. They decided to build it on the site of the Papalić house, which was donated by the nobleman Frane Soppe Papalić, together with another two houses bought beside it. The building of the church began in 1679 and was finished the year after. This is a modest, simple church, but very sacral and peaceful.

Church of St. Martin is in the northern part of the Diocletian Palace, within the wall over the Golden Gate. The Church today is a replica of an early Christian Church from the 6th century, with a pre-romanesque altar partition from the 11th century. This smallest and one of the oldest churches in Split is only 1.64m wide and 10m long, and is considered the most preserved sacral monument. Its location was originally used as a passageway for the guards guarding the northern entrance to the Diocletian Palace and later was converted to church.

Small Churches on the Marjan Hill
If there is anything determining Marjan, hill-symbol on the west side of the Split peninsula, just as much as its dense pine forest, countless trails and recreational facilities, is a series of Marjan small churches and chapels. Built during the time when Marjan was a spiritual haven for the citizens of Split who expressed their faith by going on a pilgrimage to their holly hill. Those sometimes miniature churches were one of the most important witnesses of the way life developed in Split. For those fond of taking nature walks, tour of this spiritual circle can be a great opportunity for sightseeing Marjan and enjoying the peace offered by this hill to the citizens of Split and their guests.

Which are famous SQUARES in Split?

Since medieval time squares have been a place where people get together, socialize and go to buy their needed groceries. That culture in Split hasn’t vanished, people still get together there, drink coffee, go shopping. Some of the most magnificent squares here are Prokurative, Pjaca and Vocni Trg (Fruits square). They are all well preserved and reflect the ancient spirit that was once there.

Prokurative is a square located west of the Riva. Name of this square comes from its neo-Renaissance buildings surrounding the square on tree sides. It is built on the idea to resemble Venice St. Marks Square. The square is only open on the south side providing a beautiful view of the harbor and the waterfront. It is a beautiful place to drink coffee, have lunch, relax and to take photos!
Pjaca or People’s Square is first mentioned in 13th century as first inhabited part of Split outside the Diocletian Palace, leaning to its western wall. On the outskirts of the Pjaca lived the noble families of Split. Already for centuries the Pjaca is the central stage of the city life. There in the Gothic building of the Old Town Hall, today an exhibition center, was the seat of the city’s authority, and is still beautiful and preserved. The city clock has been ticking for centuries on Pjaca, unique by his 24 instead of 12 digits. In the surrounding cafes, restaurants and bars the citizens of Split could always find a place to rest, meet, be seen and see others, go through the most important events of the city. Every building on Pjaca has its story, each is a witness of history and the spirit of the city.
Voćni trg (Fruit square) is maybe the most beautiful one in the city. It got its name by the colorful market where women from surrounding villages came to sell their fruit. There are several landmarks decorating this not so large square. The biggest is definitely the Venetian tower, the leftover of the former fortress built in 15th century. Surrounding facades built in Baroque style give a picturesque sense of the old times. The statue of Marko Marulić in the center of square celebrates the most important Croatian philosopher and intellectual of 15th century. Square is thriving with city life in bars, restaurants and exclusive shops.
Riva is definitely a must see, or even better said, a must experience in Split. This promenade is a heart and soul of Split. You must have heard a well known sentence “All roads lead to Rome”, well, the citizens of Split often say that all roads lead to Riva. In any hour of the day you will always find people sitting, drinking coffee, dining, relaxing. In the evening it converts to a great location for spending a night out with your friends. It is a center and a great starting point to explore city’s offer. Located on the entrance to the Diocletian Palace it is a venue for numerous cultural and entertainment events. The time when Riva and the whole city reaches all of its glory is definitely Sudamja, a celebration dedicated to St. Dominius, the patron saint of Split. It is celebrated in the beginning of May, and if you are planning your trip to Croatia in off season we recommend visiting Split at this time.

Which NATURAL BEAUTIES are in SPLIT?

Split is a city of natural beauty! If you are wondering how one urban big city can be filled with natural and well preserved surrounding, you can find an answer right here in Split.

Marjan, the hill that overlooks the city has always been the most impressive part of Split imagery. Such a harmony between natural and urban is rarely found; on one side the densely populated city in all of its glory, and on the other a peninsula of almost pristine nature, a protected Forrest park. A climb up to Marjan is easily accessible from Riva and is easy to get to. You can go by foot or by a car, but take in mind if you are going by car you can have problems finding a parking space and the road takes you only half way to the peak. If you are going on foot, it is an easy walk up the well arranged walkway among which there are few sceneries overlooking the city and the nearby islands Brač, Hvar, Šolta.
Marjan offers to its visitors peace and tranquility, recreation and entertainment with natural beaches, pathways and trim-trails among which are many sacral churches and secular architecture.
If you are looking for a place from which Split can be seen in all of its glory, but you also want to experience entirely different side of this densely populated and tourism oriented city, visit Marjan.

Sustipan, the first Split’s cemetery at that time, is located on the southwest cape of the Split harbor. Do not be frightened by the fact that it was a cemetery because in the past it was demolished and turned into a glorious park, a little green oasis in proximity of Marjan. The reefs of Sustipan meet the sea giving you a breathtaking view towards deep sea and the islands in front of Split.

Where are THE BEACHES in SPLIT?

Split as an urban city has a surprising clean sea and diverse beaches in its offer. If you are seeking quiet and natural ones try out Bene or Kašjuni beaches. Both are located on the Marjan hill, a protected Forrest park which reeks of fresh air and smell of century old pines. Get away from the city rush and enjoy the peace.
Bene is a beach very suitable for families because of its offer. It is filled with numerous additional facilities; a restaurant, tennis courts, playgrounds for children, showers, changing cabins, etc. Next to the beach is a part adapted for disabled, including a lift aiding the disabled on their way into the sea.
Kašjuni located on the west part of the Marjan hill is popular for families with children. The beach has a shallow waters, small pebble stones, a coffee shop and a changing cabins.

If you want to go to the beach that is not far from the urban part, we recommend you to try beaches Bačvice, Firule and Žnjan. Regardless to its distance to the livable part of the city, once you get there you won’t even have feeling that you are in approximate intermediate of the city.
Bačvice is a phenomenon of nature, a sandy beach at the heart of the city, in the vicinity of the city harbor. It can accommodate over ten thousand people and often it is called a Split version of Copacabana. Bačvice today represents a best known promenade for all generations, and during night it is a favorite center of nightlife.
Firule with its fine sand and natural shelter have always proven to be especially interesting for families with young children. A recreational side of Firule grew more popular as the tennis center was organized here. Many of popular Croatian tennis players like Goran Ivanišević and Mario Ančić learned their first serves here.
Žnjan became very popular among the citizens of Split with the arrival of John Paul II to Split in 1998. In that year it was well landscaped for his arrival and to this day is well maintained.
Besides being an ideal promenade and a leisure destination for the citizens of Split, it thrives with restaurants, bars, coffee shops, playgrounds, trampolines for children and other facilities.

What is GASTRONOMY offer of Split?

Split is the symbol of dalmatian cuisine combined all together. Olive oil, fresh fish dishes, prosciutto, delicious cheese and fine wine represent the core of the dalmatian cuisine. A specific thing about Dalmatia is the simple and warm hearted welcome by your host, the cheerful and noisy nature of the people and the desire to offer their guests the best of everything. Split with its fish market and green market offer daily fresh groceries which you can buy. If you don’t want to trouble yourselves with cooking, try out some of the many exquisite restaurants and taverns Split and its surrounding can offer. Keep in mind that this is a treasure which cannot be packed in a suitcase when returning home, but it will fill your soul until your next visit in the heart of Adriatic.

Marco Polo was Croatian Traveler and Explorer

born on the island of Korcula  in 1254. (in Venetian times it was part of the Venetian Republic and Korcula was called Curzola). Korcula takes big pride in being a birthplace of this worldly renowned traveler and to this day a surname Polo (another variant is De Polo) is present in Korčula. Marco’s father surname was Pilic, he was Dalmatian merchant from Korcula. Even today surname Pilic is widely spread Croatian surname. In time of Venetians ruling over Dalmatia, most of merchants and higher class people italianized their names and surnames into Italian variants, so Pilic changed his surname into Polo (in Croatian language Pilic means chicken, and also in Italian Pollo means chicken).
His birthplace house is restaurated on the remains of the Polo’s property, today turned into museum of Marco Polo and available for visitors. Despite its rather plain interior, the tower (loggia) on the house allows for a panoramic view of Korčula, stretching from east to west.  The Museum tells story about one of the first Europeans to travel the famous Silk Road trade route and many other travels of Marco Polo that are famous throughout the world. One of the most interesting stories is the one with Asian emperor Kublai Khan. He heard many stories about Marco Polo and wanted to meet him in person. Marco agreed to meet him and to tell him all the stories about his travels. Marco Polo served Kublai Khan as one of his important advisors. But after some time Marco was fed up and asked the emperor his permission to go back to his beloved Korčula and Venice. During his stay he fell in love with a young princess that was promised to the emperor, but she was in love with Marco and wanted to go with him. Marco found a way to take her with him. They sailed for three months around and he left the princess in Tabriz from where he proceeded his journey home. This was his last mission he had.

Museum of Marco Polo was opened to the public in 2011. in Chinese town of Yangzhou, where former President of Croatia Stjepan Mesic was invited to the opening ceremony and informed the world that Marco Polo was Croatian born in Korcula town in 1254.

Number of serious scientific researches confirm Marco Polo’s Croatian origin.

Analysis of Hilda Marija Foley,
North Tustin, CA 92705, US, wrote in 2007.:

Records show that Marco Polo’s father Nicolo (Croatian: Nikola) and uncle Maffeo (Croatian: Mate) Pilic were rich merchants from Sibenik in Dalmatia, then under Venetian rule, who went to Venice as established businessmen. All of the merchant and nobility class of that time used the Italian version of their names, so Pilic, which is Croatian for chicken, became Polo in Italian. The Pilic/Polo family coat of arms shows a crown and four chickens.

The medieval archives of Venice are among the best in Europe, yet there is no mention of Marco Polo’s birth, only citizen of Venice and his date of death. There is a quay in Venice near the Duke’s Palace still called Schiavoni (“Slavs”) as Croatians/Dalmatians were called at that time, where many Croatian seamen and merchants arrived from Dalmatia. The Polo family lived in this Schiavoni section of Venice were the Croatians had their churches, school and Guild Hall. Today there are still Croatian families named Polo, de Polo and Pilic in Croatia, but according to Italian sources there are no Polos in Italy.

Excerpt about Marco Polo Croatian Traveler Explorer:

Korcula, either by force or willingly, accepts the previous duke of Dubrovnik, Marsilie Zorzi, a Venetian nobleman, as its duke in 1254. In that same year Marko Polo was born.

The Polo family is much respected in Korcula; living over centuries in the town of Korcula. It produced over the years numerous shipbuilders, smiths, stone-masons, tradesmen, priests, and public notaries. Marko’s father Nikola and uncle Mate founded their trading outpost in Korcula, and the members of the Polo family were guardians of the walls around the town of Korcula. But, for the skilful tradesmen Nikola and Mate, Korcula was only the starting point of their business trade and their adventurous life. Marko’s father and uncle penetrated deeply into Asia. They erected a tower and founded their own trading outpost in the town of Sudac on the Crimea. They had their main trade centre in Constantinople, to which many Korcula businessmen and shipbuilders were travelling and for some time they were living there. Mate and Nikola Polo traded successfully with the Persians. They were cognisant with the secret ways which led through Syria and Iraq as far as the coasts of Persian Gulf. They also knew the areas where the precious pearl oysters could be found. Wherever they ventured they were made welcome as people who were “noble-minded, wise and reasonable”. They knew the routes that led to the fur traders of southern Siberia. They had trade contacts with the dignitaries of various Tartar peoples, and they reached the court of the Great Kublai Khan in China. They had started their journey before Marko Polo was born. The successful Korcula tradesmen feeling secure in their centuries-old native soil of Korcula, left their family and still unborn son Marko, as they gazed towards the Far East searching there for a realization of their dream of the rich life. Their ideas of fusing the cultural structures of the West and the East also decreed the destiny of Nikola’s son, Marko Polo, from the day of his birth.

Marko achieved the usual education of a young nobleman of his age. He learned a lot about classical writers, he understood the text of the Bible and knew the basic theology of the Roman Catholic Church. He spoke French and Italian, especially the trade vocabulary, and was skilful in keeping business books. The Church books and songs in Croatian from Marko’s time have been preserved in Korcula, and it is most probable that Marko knew the Croatian language as spoken by the inhabitants of Korcula. That knowledge was to help him very much when he traveled with his father and uncle across south Russia, then inhabited by Slavonic tribes and under Tartar reign. The European languages which Marko learned in his youth were to be the basis for the development of his polyglot talents when he came in touch, in the Far East, with Chinese; this, too, he learned successfully.

Korcula first had a bishop in 1300, which contributed a great deal to the writing and maintenance of the archives, both Church and secular, and some well-known families kept their own archives. Thus, the always rich Korcula tradition passed on by word of mouth, received also written support for the preservation of the collective communal memory, thus giving birth to capable men ready for the adventures of body and spirit in distant worlds.

The oldest written document in which the Polo family is mentioned is a deed of gift dated March 14th 1400. The then duke of Korcula, Mihajlo Musi and three Korcula judges donated to a certain Joannis a building in the town quarter on the eastern side, near the house of Bogavaz Dupolo. It is the exact location of the present “tower of Marko Polo”; from which one can see clearly all the Peljesac Channel; the route of trading vessels from Hellenic times to the present day.

A somewhat older document, from 1430, speaks about the life and work of members of the Polo family in Korcula in the 13th century, mostly featuring the centuries-old tradition of building Korcula style wooden boats, well known in the whole of the Mediterranean. That document is to be found in the private archives of the Kapor family in Korcula. In this, Mate Polo applies to the community of Korcula for a piece of land for his ship-yard, near the place where his grandfathers were building boats. That document is concrete evidence that the Polos were living in Korcula and building the boats even before Marko Polo was alive. Korcula shipyards were situated both on the eastern and western shores adjacent to the fortified medieval town. In this a way, the shipbuilders, working in the vicinity of the city walls, and living inside them, were able to defend their town in case of enemy attack. In the list mentioning ship-builders in 1594, there are 16 ship-rights from the Polo family, and in the 1810 list, 22. From a legal case of 1778, we learn that the name of the owner of a shipyard in the eastern suburb was Marko Depolo. As the skills of ship-building, as well as the ownership of the shipyards, were passing from generation to generation, from father to son, various families were for centuries using the same plots for the needs of their workshops. It is evident from the land-registry maps of the past century, and from photos exhibited in the City Museum that Mihovil Depolo, Nikola’s son, (1864-1943) was the owner of one of the bigger shipyards on the eastern side (“Borak”), and that Lovro Depolo (1853-1943) was the owner of the biggest shipyard of all on the western side of the town of Korcula (“Sv. Nikola”).

The Korculans were not only outstanding ship-builders but also experienced seamen. They excelled, too, as good warriors in many sea battles; among them, members of the Depolo family. Archive material and memorials confirm that the duke of Korcula, Andrea Zane, in 1584, entrusted, among others, Jerolim, Pavle and Nikola Polo, with finding crews for the participation of the town of Korcula in one of the sea battles. (excerpt taken from Korcula.net  where you can read in details about life of Marco Polo)

To explore this beautiful town of Korcula, stay in one of our Korcula island villas.