May 29, 2020 - Croatia fully opened its borders to Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia, and Germany - though tourists from these countries haven't made it to the beaches in Split just yet.

Dalmacija Danas writes that we are at the very end of May and only a few days separate us from the first month of the 'climatological summer'. Under normal circumstances, during this part of the year, beaches across the Adriatic would already be abounding in swimmers, and a good part of them would be foreign tourists. However, this year, in the corona era, our beaches are looking quite the opposite. 

Why there are no tourists on the beaches is well known, but why there are no local bathers, or at least not many of them, has nothing to do with the corona crisis. 

Namely, unlike in the previous few years when the sea in May would reach 20+ degrees, this year, the spring warming of the sea is extremely slow.

The surface layer of the sea has even cooled down a bit in the previous days, so now its temperatures are mostly from 17 to 18° C, which is not enough for a comfortable swim - especially when we are talking about Split locals. The bura also contributed to the cooling of the sea, and the day before yesterday, only 14° C was measured in the sea near Šibenik in one term!

Fewer people on the beaches, fewer swimmers, less sea traffic - and what is the result? A sparkling Split sea.

You can check out the scenes from Firule in Split, thanks to photographer Marin Lukas. 

All photos by Marin Lukas

There is no better time to visit Croatia. 

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March 17, 2020 - Hajduk fan group Torcida Split steps up to fight the coronavirus crisis.

It was announced earlier this week that all the institutes, clinics and departments from Split’s Križine Hospital will make its first-ever move to Firule Hospital, as Križine prepares to accommodate those with respiratory problems caused by the coronavirus.

Hajduk fan group Torcida Split has thus stepped up in this time of need. 

After announcing a call on Monday, Torcida members showed up to Križine Hospital in numbers on Tuesday to get the job done as soon as possible, moving the equipment necessary for a seamless move. They even took protective measures in the process and wore masks and gloves.

About 60 Torcida members were at the scene on Tuesday morning, and were said to be joined by members of KK Split who made available all their first-team players and coaches of all categories. Torcida was welcomed by the Head of the Internal Medicine Clinic, Dr. Daniela Marasović Krstulović and Head Nurse of the Clinic, Dolores Poljak.

This isn't the first time Torcida stepped up to help those in need. Recall, when the wildfires broke out in Dalmatia in 2017, Hajduk’s biggest fans were on the front line.

The hospital complex on Križine will thus be intended for the needs of patients with the coronavirus who, fortunately, are not yet present in Split or Split-Dalmatia County. Firule Hospital will only receive emergency and acute cases.

“Their Clinical Department of Hemodialysis Nephrology can be hermetically sealed so they have absolutely no contact with the outside world. There would be guards at the entrance to the ward to control who was entering. There are also hematologic patients at Križine who are staying at the Clinical Department of Hematology and who need complete isolation. Fortunately, we do not have severe hematologic patients now. If necessary, hematologic patients will be sent home and more difficult cases transferred to Firule, and there is a possibility of transporting them to Zagreb,” reported Slobodna Dalmacija. 

Follow the latest coronavirus updates on the dedicated TCN section.

August 26, 2019 - Foreign camper vans have finally found the best location to ‘camp out’ in Split this summer - and they don’t even have to reach into their wallets. 

Interestingly, the location is known and accessible to everyone in Split, and if you live in the city or, hell, even got hit with an injury or illness on your Croatian holiday, chances are, you’ve been here too. 

Namely, Slobodna Dalmacija writes that tourist campers have found a home in the southern parking lot of the Clinical Hospital Center in Firule (KBC Split), right in front of the main medical building that houses the Psychiatry Clinic. For countless days and nights, camper vans have found comfort in spending their summer holidays in this popular Split parking lot. There are sometimes five to eight vehicles, most often with Italian and Spanish license plates, though some citizens recall seeing Czech plates, too. 

Hospital staff, as well as patients and visitors of the hospital, aren't taking a liking to the campers because parking at KBC Split is already a battle, and always a headache. 

The campers can be found across the hospital parking lot, but you can also find them on the nearby dirt area, along the entire southern side of the KBC Firule complex.

“We know about this problem and we have already reported it to the Communal Police. We, as a hospital, do not have the mechanisms to remove these camper vans. But the problem is that they, as tourists, do not in practice violate the law, but are just parking in a parking lot. The Communal Police Department said they could not do anything to them either, because the campers do not occupy more than one parking space,” says Dr. Anton Marović, Assistant Director of the largest Dalmatian healthcare institution.

There have been cases in recent years where their owners would bring out tables, chairs, and even umbrellas to dine beneath the hospital windows and balconies. 

Slobodna Dalmacija also spoke to Damir Ordulj, the head of the City of Split municipal department.

“Legally, we can't do anything to them because they only take up one spot in the parking lot to accommodate the vehicle. In addition, they have not set up tables outside their campers. But we will definitely send a traffic officer right away to see what he can do in this regard,” said Ordulj on Saturday. 

KBC Split also said that they still have not been able to reach someone from the Tourist Inspectorate, which is the only one authorized to sanction campers outside the campgrounds. For reference, the closest campsite to Split is in Stobreč.

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Because everyone loves a good dolphin story.

Nova restaurant, ex. restaurant Euphoria and ex. Šumica, is located on Put Firula in Split, just steps away from Bačvice beach. Nova, the successor, has hopes to prepare traditional Dalmatian dishes with a modern twist.

The good deed of donating blood never goes unnoticed, especially when supplies are running low. KBC Split has urged those that can and want to donate blood to help replenish their supplies this week.

Firule is one of Split's most delightful arears, and if you are looking for a property there, our friends at Trgotan have a nicely located option, recently reduced. In their own words:

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