(Photo by Sinj Tourist Board)

An American couple recently posted on the Expats in Split Facebook page asking for recommendations for a day trip from Split, including a visit to a restaurant for a good meal. Having just returned from a fabulous day out with the Sinj Tourist Board, I recommended they check out the historic town about 30 minutes north of Split by car, stopping in for lunch at Ispod Ure in the centre. There were other great suggestions for days out, and I thought nothing more of it. A couple of days later, I received the following email:

Dear Paul

I hope you are well today! I actually went with your recommendation to drop into Sinj today. We rented our a car for our apartment move, so we wanted to take advantage of the wheels and check out something great outside Split. Sinj was just as charming as you said, and we loved Ispod Ure. Had the whole place to ourselves. The meat was FABULOUS, as was the stuffed cabbage. Thank you again for the recommendation. 

The fact is, Sinj IS fabulous, and almost totally undiscovered. Here are five great reasons why you should check out Sinj on your next visit to Split.

1. Alka

Sinj's most famous event is the annual knights' tournament, the Alka, which takes place every August. It is a legacy of the commemoration of the famous victory over the vastly superior Ottomoan forces in 1715, and is one of the more colourful and individual cultural events in Europe. Check out the video above for a short overview of the event itself. 

Lesser known - and certainly lesser attended - are the preparations for the main Alka event, and the very helpful Sinj Tourist Board (more about them in a moment) provided the following information about the 2013 Alka:

For this year the dates are:

Bara  02.08.2013. at 17.00
Čoja  03.08.2013. at 17.00
Alka  04.08.2013. at 16.30

They are practicing from the middle of the July at the Alka course every day, except Saturday and Sunday. 

(Photo by Branko Čović)

Seats during practice in July are not so busy.
Regarding people who attend Bara & Čoja, mainly local people, so there is plenty of opportunity to experience the tradition apart from the main event, where it is very difficult to find tickets.
Entrance for Bara and Čoja are free of charge, to catch a seat it is necessary to come 30 minutes before the start.

2. Heritage

I have written a couple of articles in the last couple of days about Sinj - one for the official blog for the Central Dalmatia Tourist Board and one for Google News. This town is very rich in heritage, from its fortresses and 1715 legacy, to its Franciscan monastery and the infamous Madonna, to its claim to be the region which is the birthplace of football in Europe. With the right information, there is so much to discover in Sinj.

3. The food

(Photo by Secret Dalmatia)

On my visit to Sinj, we went for lunch at Ispod Ure, where we were treated to a fabulous selection of local specialities, including some outstanding local prsut, Sinj's signature arambasic (stuffed cabbage with three types of chopped meat) and some of the best meat and potatoes I have had in Dalmatia. As if the food were not enough,the setting - in the back room of Ispod Ure restaurant - is absolutely stunning. Dripping in Dalmatian tradition and Alka culture, it is worth coming to Sinj for a glass of wine here alone. 

4. Activies, activities and... yes, you guessed it, activities.

Photo by Sinj Tourist Board

Imagine a town with almost no tourists, just a short drive from the city of Split, with its own historic culture, fabulous architecture and endless activities. Feeling adventurous? Why not take advantage of the Sinj airfield for a little paragliding? A horse lover? From the famous hippodrome to the organised riding holidays, there is plenty of choice. Ready to take on the mighty Cetina river? Canoe safaris and white water rafting are just some of your options. An Olympic-size swimming pool, tennis, hiking and climbing - Sinj has a staggering amount of outdoor potential, as is the perfect base for an active family holiday. 

5. The Sinj Tourist Board - they are fantastic

How do I know all this? This is perhaps one of the best reasons to visit Sinj at all. It has one of the most progressive, dynamic and forward-thining tourist boards I have seen in Croatia. Great website, active Facebook page, superb guide booklet to the town, helpful signs recently erected around town. Start your Sinj tour in their office to get the best out of your trip.

To reach Sinj, take the road to the motorway and simply keep going. There are regular buses, and you can find times here (you are strongly advised to check with the bus website in the article to check the latest times). Or visit the helpful Sinj Tourist Board for any questions. 

The Tourist Board of Sinj in the heart of Central Dalmatia is one of the most progressive tourist boards in the region. Director Jelena Bilic has been in the job about 2 years and has embraced social media and other forms of modern communication to entice tourists away from the beach, just half an hour north of Split. Total Split went to meet her.

1. Central Dalmatia. Sun, beach and the pristine Adriatic. Why should tourists head inland to visit Sinj?

Tourists should visit Sinj because of its rich cultural heritage: it possesses real historical jewels - the clock tower Kamičak, Old Town Fortress, the magnificent Church of the Miraculous Madonna of Sinj, the greatest Marian shrine in southern Croatia; a tombstone Gaius Laberius built into the front wall of a house, the Sinj boy holding a ball, proof that the Cetinska Krajina Region is the cradle of the second most important thing in the world and the place where football was first played; The Archaeological Collection of the Franciscan Monastery; the Museum of the Cetinska Krajina Region, the central place of research and exhibition of its rich cultural and historical heritage; the Alka Knights Court, the former barracks (Kvartiri), today a splendid complex and the home of the Sinjska Alka, in which the Alka Museum is waiting to be opened to the public in 2015; untouched nature clear and cold waters and mysterious mountains, gastronomy, there are countless opportunities for active holidays – from hiking, horse riding, cycling, canoe safari on the river Cetina, hunting, fishing, parachuting and paragliding.

(photo by Filip Ratkovic)

2. The region north of Split is virtually unknown. What does it possess for the curious tourist?

All info about Town of Sinj curious tourists can find on www.visitsinj.com and social network: Facebook Sinj Tourist Board, Twitter Visit Sinj, Pinterest Visit Sinj and Youtube channel Visit Sinj. Mobile app Sinj Guide will be also finished before summer 2014. All info about the region north of Split tourists can also find on the brand new portal Total Inland Dalmatia with interesting blogs about events and interesting places for visiting in Knin, Drniš, Vrlika, Trilj, Imotski, Vrgorac and Sinj.

3. How do you see the profile of tourism changing in Dalmatia in recent years?

In the last 2-3 years in Dalmatia there have been many individual tourists who are booking accommodation by themselves and finding info about destinations online, mainly through Tripadvisor. The sea, sun and sand is not enough for them, they want to experience something traditional, want to be active. They are visiting islands or national parks and they do not have enough info about Inland Dalmatia which is still undiscovered. But, Inland Dalmatia also has its pioneers in tourism operating like Mustang Ranch (Horse Trails), Adventure Zagora (kayaking, paragliding, paintball); Dalmatia Explorer (Photo Jeep Safari and Cycling Tours through Dinaridic springs ) and Tourist Agency Potissimus is organizing ATV-Quad Adventure in Vrdovo.

4. Next year sees the 300th anniversary of one of Croatia's most important events - the Alka in Sinj. Tell us more, and what plans are there to mark this specialevent and what is new for 2014?

Next year Town of Sinj is celebrating 300 years of Alka Tournament of Sinj which is under the protection of UNESCO as world intangible heritage. We are expecting the promotion of EU funded project Medpaths, cycling paths whose primary objective is the protection and revitalization of local heritage (cultural and natural) along the Adriatic coast. Another EU funded project is in progress „Our Lady of Sinj Route“ which has been approved according Programme IPA Croatia-BiH and its implementation started in 2013. The project will last for 24 months. The aim of the project is to enhance joint tourist offers based on common cultural identity in the Croatian-BiH space in order to improve competitiveness of the local tourism economy.

The pilgrimage trail The Our Lady of Sinj Route will connect Rama (BiH) to Sinj and Solin. The Town of Sinj has the support of the Ministry of Tourism for the renovation of the - clock tower Kamičak and Sinj Tourist Board is finalizing the project of installation info plates and tourist signalization supported by Croatian National Board. We will organize lots of events throughout the year, and the biggest tourist attraction will be opening of the Alka Museum.

5. It must be frustrating to be director of such a fascinating tourist region that few tourists visit? What efforts are you making to attract more people to the region?

I am are aware that the growth of the tourist arrivals should increase slowly because tourist infrastructure should also follow up, last year overnights increased 30%. We are producing promo videos, organizing events like the Rural Products Fair, The 1715 Siege of Sinj - history revival, hosting foreign journalist and bloggers, promoting the destination through social networks, distributing promotional materials through info points in Split and Trogir,developing new projects like free climbing.

(photo by Ilija Veselica)

Thanks Jelena. Sinj is a fantastic place, so do check it out - more info on www.visitsinj.com 

If you are looking for an example of the best tourism promotion in Croatia this summer, look no further than the 300th Alka Knights Tournament in Sinj. 

The historic tri-centinary event, marking the anniversary of the pivotal 1715 Siege of Sinj, attracts a visit of various dignitaries every year, including the Croatian President, and is broadcast live on national television. But 300 is 300, and there have already been Alka parades in Brussels and Zagreb, while the energetic Sinj Tourist Board toured Chicago and New York earlier this summer promoting the event and the tradition.

And now it is the turn of Split... 

For the first time ever, there will be an Alka parade in the Dalmatian capital, as 120 Alkar knights and their entourage, accompanied by 25 Alka horses will parade form on Monday, July 6 at 1900, along West Coast Riva to the main riva. 

It will no doubt be a spectacular event, and a reminder of the importance of the siege in the region's history. 

There will be two Sinj Tourist Board information points on the riva, so you can learn more about Alka and the town of Sinj. Check out the UNESCO-pretoected event in the official video below, and follow the Sinj Tourist Board on Facebook. 

After TCN's article on the unique heritage of Imotski, the focus moves west on March 28, 2016 to the town of Sinj, a true champion of inland Dalmatia with its rich heritage and numerous traditions.

Top Croatian scientists gather at the Alka Knights Court to popularize science

A visit to the new Sinj Alka museum, a month after opening.

Central celebration was held in Sinj

The historic 300th Sinj Alka tournament is won by Frano Ivkovic.