PR TEXT - June 2, 2022 - Around 30 influencers from Croatia and Italy, Poland, Great Britain, and Brazil took part in the International Meeting of Travel Influencers, which began in Split on June 1! 

The charms of Split are well known to travel, gourmet & lifestyle bloggers around the world, which delighted the organizers of this unique event - the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board and Croatian Hot Spots magazine editor Maja Zlokić. 

Although the Amfora Hotel, with its beautiful sea views, was a story in itself, where would it start if not from the famous Diocletian's Palace? Participants enjoyed a tour of Split's truly iconic Peristyle. They took a few photos with the imperial guards, which with their authentic uniforms from ancient times and swords is an absolute must-see attraction.

Nothing less can be said about the famous view from Vidilica, another meeting place for travelers around the world, and not without reason - it is where the bustling Dalmatian metropolis meets the relaxed Mediterranean lifestyle. The group then went to a delicious lunch, which introduced them to the fantastic dinner that followed in the early evening, in an ambiance that every Game Of Thrones fan and lover of historical heritage would envy.

Dinner was held at Kliš Fortress, a stone beauty tied to centuries-old stories, like when it was the desirable key to Dalmatia to more recently Meereen from the TV series Game of Thrones. 

On this occasion, the famous building was the backdrop to an attractive dinner, so the Instagram influencers enjoyed the culinary delicacies of Masterchef finalist Gorana Milaković. Tommy provided the groceries, and Sikuli, Grabovac, and Senjković were the boutique wineries featured. 

After food and drink, the historical unit of the Kliški Uskoks enhanced the cultural content with a surprise show, and the influencers were able to try their hand at bow and arrow!

The next day of the event follows the example of the European Parliament office that recognized influencers as a critical and current channel of public opinion. Split-Dalmatia County Prefect Blaženko Boban will welcome the guests and draw their attention to socially responsible messages and projects.

All photos by Goran Jović

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

April 23, 2022 - The most important European water polo tournament will be held in Split from August 27 to September 10, and the group draw for the European Water Polo Championship will be held at the symbolic Peristil tonight in a special setting.

Summer is approaching and Split is busy preparing for the European Water Polo Championships, which will take place from August 27 to September 10. It is a big event for the town at the foot of Marjan, the biggest in the last few years, reports Slobodna Dalmacija.

In addition to the tournament, the city is also preparing for the spectacle of drawing the groups. If there is a reason to use the term ''spectacle', it is precisely because there is a lot of expectation for this event, since it will be held in nothing more and nothing less than the imposing Peristil, inside Diocletian's Palace. Especially for this occasion, the organizers made an effort to turn one of the symbols of the city into a real water polo stage.

This is how the Peristil will look for tonight's group draw for the European Water Polo Championship. (Image: Slobodna Dalmacija)

As the organizers pointed out, this symbol of history will be, this time, in the service of sports. The stage will be located at the foot of the main Protiron and the arch under which the emperor appeared in the past. Under the stone columns, there will be an auditorium for about 200 guests, and among them numerous dignitaries from sports and social life.

This new and special image of the Peristil will serve as a great advertisement for Croatia. Tourism, which has long been a cornerstone in our country, will get another boost. During the championship, as many as 28 national teams (12 women's and 16 men's) will be in Split with more than 600 athletes and support staff, along with 100 judges and representatives of the Ligue Européenne de Natation (LEN). More than 300 journalists and 600 people are expected to take part in the organization as well.

These are numbers that speak for themselves. A massive spectacle is being prepared in Split, and its first act is scheduled for tonight at 8 pm when the Water Polo Euro group draw begins on the "new" Peristil. A dynamic entertainment program has also been announced, with numerous audiovisual effects that will give a new glow to the centuries-old stone square.

Drawing groups is a great overture to everything that awaits us in the competition itself. The tournament will be accompanied by a series of entertainment events, concerts, museum exhibitions, congresses ... Guests, both domestic and foreign, will be able to enjoy the varied offer, and all together will once again see what kind of host Split always is.

The whole story about holding the European Water Polo Championship in Split started in 2018. Two pools will be temporarily set up inside the Spaladium Arena, the main one for competitions and the auxiliary one for warming up.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.

February 10, 2022 - Split city center and Diocletian's Palace will serve as main locations for the new Netflix crime film "The Weekend Away" starring actress and "Gossip Girl" star Leighton Meester. Its first trailer was released yesterday and the film will be available on the streaming platform on March 3.

''The Weekend Away'' is the new Netflix crime film and will premiere on the popular streaming platform on March 3 this year. The protagonist is none other than Leighton Meester, world-renowned for her leading role in the youth series ''Gossip Girl'', where she played Blair Waldorf.

Netflix/Screenshot

Meester began her acting career at a very young age, appearing in guest roles on well-known series such as ''Law and Order'', ''24'', ''Entourage'', or ''House'' until reaching the top of the fame in 2007 in ''Gossip Girl''. Along the way, she has also appeared in romantic movies and comedies. Now, the American actress joins a new project with a more serious facet.

Netflix/Screenshot

The movie follows two best friends, Beth and Kate, who plan a weekend getaway to Croatia to escape the problems of their everyday lives. But things take a turn for the worse when Kate ends up dead. With eyes on Beth as the prime suspect, Beth must fight to prove her innocence. But along the way, she discovers a painful truth.

Netflix/Screenshot

The film is adapted from the best-selling novel titled the same name by Sarah Alderson. Alderson wrote the script with Kim Farrant as director. Ben Pugh, Charlie Morrison, and Erica Steinberg produced the film as part of their deal with Netflix. Joining Leighton Meester in her first major role in three years, are Christina Wolfe, Luke Norris, Ziad Bakri, and Croatian actor Amar Bukvić.

You can watch the official trailer, which was released yesterday, below:

For everything you need to know about filming in Croatia, in your language, be sure to check Total Croatia's page.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

November 23, 2020 - What if remote workers could combine the world of digital nomad work, play and living in one place - a UNESCO World Heritage Site and retirement home of a Roman Emperor, perhaps? Well now you can thanks to three enterprising female entrepreneurs in Split. 

Having been brought up a Brit, it is hard to admit I have a hero who is Australian. Actually, not one, but three - all inspiring ladies from the Croatian diaspora who moved to Croatia to try their luck in the land of their ancestors. 

And all three have succeeded, despite the many obstacles thrown in their way. It has been a pleasure to cheer from the sidelines as I have charted their path to success. And now a new chapter, as my three heroes have teamed up together for the first time to offer the option of digital nomad work, play and living in one exciting concept - located in the heart of a UNESCO World Heritage Site and former retirement home of a Roman Emperor no less - Diocletian's Palace in Split. 

There is a lot of buzz and talk about digital nomads in Croatia at the moment. A combination of the initiative to make Croatia only the sixth country in the world to offer such a visa, as well as the realisation that Croatia's current accidental tourism 'strategy' needs an urgent reset, has had many tourism providers looking to cater to this new digital nomad tourism opportunity. 

Most are completely missing the point. 

It has been mildly amusing to see the number of businesses in Croatia who are suddenly advertising themselves as digital nomad friendly, as though a bed and reasonable WiFi is all that is required. While both are a prerequisite, there is a little more to it than that. Two of the major planks of a successful digital nomad tourism offer, at least in my humble opinion, are lifestyle and community. Travelling the world is a rewarding experience, but it can also be a lonely one. If you are working remotely and you can find a place to live, work and play all in one, then that is a lot more appealing.

Enter my three Australian heroes - Tanja, Maria and Korana - all of whom will be familiar to longterm readers of TCN. 

I have been spending quite a bit of time on and offline with Tanja Polegubic from Saltwater Nomads this year. Founder of a co-working space of the same name in Split, Tanja has put a lot more thought than most into the potential (and the pitfalls) of Croatia embarking on the digital nomad route (and for those interested, 10 Ways Croatia Will Be At The Forefront of Countries with a Digital Nomad Visa is a worthy read).  Tanja also organised the first Digital Nomad conference in Croatia last month, is a founder of the Digital Nomad Association, and we will shortly be announcing her latest cool event, a digital nomad boot camp to coincide with Advent in Zagreb. 

Maria and Korana are lifelong friends who came to Split as naive 22-year-olds who thought they spoke fluent Croatian almost 20 years ago. As some of the few foreigners who have been working here as long as I have, it is always fun to catch up with them and have a laugh about the good old days. Having famously flooded the main square of Diocletian's Palace on the first day of opening their first business, a fast food joint, they have gone from strength to strength with a combination of determination, vision, charm, sound decision-making and 10 lifetimes of hard work. The first legally registered hostel started the empire which then blossomed into three hostels, one of the most popular hangouts  in Diocletian's Palace (Charlie's Bar), and two excellent restaurants, Zinfandel and Brasserie on 7. Life was good for the owners of Zeven Gastronomy Group and Split Hostel Group.

And then came corona. 

Not for the first time in their Croatian odyssey, it was time for a rethink, this time over a glass of wine with Tanja. What if all the assets and components of both businesses could be realigned for the greater good? A co-working business, hostels, a bar and two restaurants. What kind of package could that be if it was all made available to customers to work, live and play?

And that is exactly what these three heroes have done. As Tanja explained:

Around mid-September, I was contacted by nomads looking for co-living options. There weren’t any in Split. We already find long-stay accommodation options, so a hostel - especially as they had been hit so hard by Covid19, was a logical option. I contacted Korana, and it started very quickly.

All this was happening while the preparations for Dubrovnik Digital Nomads was underway. Korana and Amanda - our Saltwater member who ran the bar at our Beach Office Bacvice Bacvice this summer.

In our first week of opening, our two top floor “penthouse” private offices (Bill and Ted) filled up! Couples from US/Canada and UK/USA. Since then, we’ve had quite a few people trial, and some join.

Coworking isn’t an easy business - it’s very transient. It is more about the community activity and events. Plus some good ole fashioned Dalmatian ‘pomalo’... things happen slowly here. Which is fine; we’re in this for the long haul. Especially as it’s very fun to run.

So what does the digital nomad work, play and living combination look like?

Some of the stone wall hostel rooms have been converted into shared workspaces, private offices, meeting rooms - already fitted out with showers, communal areas and kitchen. And the authentic stone walls as your Zoom background come as standard. 

One of the hostels remains as a coliving option - starting at 250 euro month to stay in the Centre of Old Town Split in Diocletian’s Palace.

And what better location for your new office. Not only in a World Heritage Site, but also above the team's Charlie's Bar, offering a steady supply of coffee, cocktails and beer on tap with a nomad discount.

Feeling peckish or looking for a change of workplace scene? Both Zinfandel and Brasserie on 7 are available with discounted prices for registered Saltwater and Split Hostels customers. And with B7's fabulous waterfront location at the centre of Split's famous riva, there are few better more beautiful locations for a temporary office. 

The sense of community is crucial to a happy experience, and all three of these fabulous ladies have long experience in producing outstanding customer service, and so it is no surprise that this new nomad offer comes with a little fun in addition to the basic services. 

The weekly Nomad Table combines food, wine, entertainment and great company.  Education of Croatian wines are already proving popular, a Zinfandel speciality, and some ice-breaking games at the events so far have helped bring people together. The first, held on the inauspicious date of Friday 13, 2020 (what could possibly go wrong?) included an icebreaker game lining up cards with guest and staff point of origin and distance to Split. The furthest away was Hamilton, NZ - although this was strongly contested by Dunedin and Taupo hometowners!

Last week, the Crljenak, Plavac Mali and Posip was washed down with COVID bingo - “68 late for your Tinder Date, 83 Gluten Free and 88 Wills and Kate”. It’s very 2020.

The next event is on Friday 27th - a wine flight and group dinner, with another icebreaker game to be decided. And every Friday and Saturday has live music.

Word of mouth seems to be moving quicker than even the most dedicated blogger. Several Zagreb nomads are heading south for a taste of a Mediterranean winter. So far there have been nomads from Paraguay, USA, UK, Canada, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Korea, and a couple from Poland who are sharing their newly adopted home with people back home on Ewa’s Let's Split blog - documenting their journey from Poland to their new home in Croatia. 

Did I mention customer service? New vegan options are being added to the menu, as three of the early members are vegans. 

Fabulous stuff, and I look forward to seeing how this initiative evolves. With the connections and creative minds of the founding mothers, the prospects are enticing indeed. 

The potential of digital nomad tourism in Croatia - with or without the visa - is immense. In order to take advantage properly, it will require a little more than a bed and a good WiFi connection. Good luck to my three heroes - I have been saying for a while that Croatia needs to move from Croatia, Full of Life (whatever that means) to Croatia, Your Safe, Authentic, Lifestyle destination. The Zeven Hospitality Group/Split Hostel Group/Saltwater partnership does exactly that. 

For more information, you can contact the team via the Saltwater website.

For the latest digital nomad news, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

October 30, 2019 - A new EU-funded project will help restore, valorize, and improve the UNESCO-protected historic center of Split and Diocletian's Palace. 

Splitski Dnevnik reports that the European Union’s Ministry of Regional Development and Funds announced a tender for proposals for the “Palace of Life, City of Changes Integrated Visitor Infrastructure Development Program of the Old Town and Diocletian's Palace”,  within the ITU Mechanism and Operational Program ”Competitiveness and Cohesion 2014-2020 ".

The project is developed by the City of Split, along with partners, including the Split Tourist Board and the Split City Museum. The project's total estimated value is HRK 23.8 million, of which HRK 18.2 million is available in EU funds.

The project is based on restoring, valorising, presenting and improving the UNESCO site and historic center of Split, with Diocletian's Palace, including individually protected immovable cultural property, the Old Town Hall, and objects within the protected historic entity - like the Split City Museum and the southeast tower of Diocletian's Palace, with the associated depots of the City Museum in the building at Lukačićeva 5 and the exit to the southern part of the eastern wall of the Palace. The project aims to integrate the sites into the function of sustainable development of the local community and present Split as a city of layered and vibrant cultural heritage.

Investments foreseen in the project include conservation, restoration, and construction works and furnishing the facilities above, as well as establishing modern installations that will present the history and development of Split. Thus, more than HRK 7 million will be invested in renovating and furnishing the Old Town Hall, more than HRK 2 million in renovating and furnishing the Split City Museum, and over HRK 5 million in the southeast tower with the associated premises at Lukačićeva 5 and part of the eastern wall of the Palace. Creating contemporary presentations is set at HRK 3 million.

The remainder of the investment is related to the project’s technical documentation, which includes a plan for sustainable visitor management, expert work supervision, training and workshops, visibility, setting up a ticket and visitor tracking system, designing authentic and creative souvenirs, wine and gastronomy products based on local and cultural heritage, and project management.

All of this will contribute to the development of new cultural and visitor infrastructure, relieve the most burdened localities of the old city center, and develop an awareness of the importance of preserving the heritage and its role in the sustainable development of the local community.

At the same time, following the call requirements and the indicators of the Operational Program for "Competitiveness and Cohesion", the project will contribute to increasing the number of local and foreign visitors to the newly renovated cultural heritage sites and consequently contribute to the development of Split as a year-round cultural and tourist city.

Split Development Agency - RaST d.o.o. will accept tenders until November 28, 2019, and preparatory activities are already underway. 

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

June 13, 2019 - The popular CBS series The Amazing Race aired a brand new episode in the United States on June 12, 2019. Namely, the 9th episode of season 31 (yes, you heard that right) titled ‘Let’s Split’ discovers Croatia, and primarily the former home of Emperor Diocletian - Split. 

“Teams take a bumpy ride in Split, Croatia and try not to get tongue-twisted reciting poetry while in motion,” writes CBS about the episode, which saw the remaining six teams travel from Brienz, Switzerland to Croatia to begin their mission at Bačvice beach (though they call it Kašjuni in the show).

The episode follows the teams from Bačvice, where they are tasked with serving drinks to groups of beachgoers (who are hiding the Travelocity gnome) at cafe bar Žbirac. From there, the mission takes them to Marjan hill and the famous church built into its cliffs. And the task? Delivering bread, of sorts. 

The next stop of the mission is Kašjuni beach, where the competitors chose between two challenges - “Poetry in Motion” and “Washed In from the Ocean”. Namely, the teams could opt for memorizing a poem while riding on a flying tube and proceeding to pronounce it correctly to pass, or snorkeling with metal detectors to find a golden goblet and five coins to get their next clue. 

From Kašjuni the team sped to Diocletian’s Palace, where the competitors had to carefully follow the quick-moving formation of 18 Roman soldiers.

To get to the finish line, the teams rowed from the Split port to Matejuška where they were greeted by a group of Dalmatian dogs.

You can see episode 9 in its entirety below. 

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

In the past year and a half, the City of Split has done a great deal to adapt the public areas in the city center for people with disabilities. If you recall, back in March, a platform lift for disabled persons was set up between Marmontova and Prokurative, and over the last few days, a vertical platform lift has been implemented south of the staircase in front of the Silver Gate at Hrvojeva street, reports Dalmacija Danas on June 12, 2019.

Vjekoslav Aljinović

This is all thanks to the 'Usefall project, UNESCO Site Experience For All', which aims to facilitate the accessibility of Diocletian's Palace and the old city center of Split. The total budget of the project amounts to 1,140,554.88 euro. The City of Split received 270,000 euro in grants for the 'Usefall' project, designed to improve access to frequented locations within Diocletian's Palace. The project should be completed in June this year.

The project covers: 

- Lifts in the Center for Culture and Lifelong Learning at Golden Gate, a lift/platform at the eastern entrance to the historic core (at the Silver Gate of Diocletian's Palace), and a platform lift and ramp on the west entrance to the historic core, with two passages from the Republic Square (Prokurative) to adjacent streets

- Creating maps with information on the accessibility of cultural facilities for persons with disabilities 

- Organizing workshops for tourist guides, representatives of associations, and cultural institutions to inform them about the maps

- Creating braille models for blind and partially sighted people 

You can see the vertical platform lift beside the staircase in front of the Silver Gate at Hrvojeva street below.

All photos by Vjekoslav Aljinović

For more information about Croatia's accessibility, check out our overview of some city guides, blog impressions, and useful numbers on Total Croatia.

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

Is a facelift in the future of Diocletian's cellars? 

A look at the opening of Nights of Diocletian through the lens of Split photographer 3 Gray Goats.

Nights of Diocletian will be held from August 25-27, 2017.