Split is the second largest city in Croatia and the center of the coastal region of Dalmatia. It’s a city where the traditional and the urban clash to form a city where the tourists can enjoy the Mediterranean to the fullest. It is visited by dozens of thousands every year and we provide you with a guide to make sure you’ll enjoy your trip to Split and experience the city in its full glory.

The most famous site in the city is the Diocletian’s Palace, built by the Roman emperor Diocletian in 3rd century AD. The historical core of the city developed around the Palace whose walls stands preserved to this day, and the Palace found its place on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Other great monuments of culture are the Cathedral of St. Domnius, patron saint of the city, the statue of Gregory of Nin, a medieval Croatian bishop, plus many museums and galleries exhibiting pieces from the city’s long history. Even if you’re not so interested in visiting museums, we suggest visiting the Maritime Museum and the Gallery of Fine Arts as they provide the best overview of Split and Croatian culture.

The beaches of Split are very popular among locals and tourists, as the Adriatic is warm and clean and the beaches are surrounded by parks and pine trees. The Marjan Park is a perfect place for a relaxing afternoon stroll and the most popular beach is Bačvice, where the locals engage in a water game called ‘picigin’, similar to handball. Ask them if you can join and enjoy the game yourself, since the locals are usually open to foreign visitors. And when you get tired, have a cup of coffee or a beer at one of the bars at the Promenade. Drinking your coffee for a long time and just enjoying the sun is also a vital part of Split culture!

Nightlife in Split is rich and diverse; there are many late-night coffee shops, bars, nightclubs and beach bars. Rock and music lovers will want to check out the Kocka or the O’Hara, where you can hear local indie & underground bands, those who like electro music will want to visit Hemingway Split and the Bačvice Bar, hosting both domestic and international DJs. During the summer there are some large music events as well – the biggest being the Ultra Music Festival, attracting more than 30 000 people from all over the world.

Split is also a city of sports; the football club of Hajduk is one of the city’s most recognizable symbols, with a vast army of supporters throughout Croatia. You can try out cycling, tennis, golf and various water sports, such as waterskiing and diving.

As in any major tourist center in Croatia, there are plenty of fast food diners and shops in the city, but it would be a shame if you didn’t try the Dalmatian cuisine and at least some of Split specialties. The traditional cuisine is based on fish, herbs, olive oil and boiled vegetables; some famous dishes include grilled sardines, squids, octopus salad, cuttlefish risotto, tuna and shrimps, accompanied by domestic wines or beers. These can be found in virtually all taverns and restaurants in split, just search for a sign stating ‘konoba’ (a type of tavern/restaurant) and enjoy your food!

We also encourage you to visit islands and towns in the vicinity of Split as they’ll give you a better picture of how beautiful Dalmatia is; start with the islands of Brač and Hvar, the nearby towns of Omiš and Trogir and you could even visit Biokovo and Krka National Parks. But even if you prefer to stay in Split, the city provides such a wide range of attractions that you’ll have your hands full just enjoying them

Tenerife is the largest of the seven Canary Islands; it has an area of roughly two thousand kilometers and about nine hundred thousand inhabitants, making it Spain’s most populous island. It’s also a renowned tourist destination, with millions of tourists visiting each year; people love its beaches, attractions and natural beauties.

Most of Tenerife’s accommodation is located in the south. Resorts like Costa Adeye, Los Cristianos and Playa de las Americas host the large majority of those who visit. Each of the resorts has a somewhat different reputation: Los Cristianos is for those who prefer a quiet holiday, mostly older visitors. Playa de la Americas, on the other hand, is the center of Tenerife nightlife; the party never ends in its numerous night clubs and beach bars. Costa Adeye is a new resort, known for artificial beaches, luxurious hotels and prestige restaurants.

Tenerife also hosts the second largest festival in the world, the Carnival of Santa Cruz. That’s when the streets of Santa Cruz, the island’s capital, brim with people dancing and partying all day and night until Ash Wednesday, when the ritual of the “burial of the sardine” marks the end of the festival. But the partying starts all over again next weekend, known as the weekend of the piñata.

There are also many natural attractions. A visit to the highest mountain in Spain, the majestic Mount Teide is a must; take the cable car and enjoy the panoramic view of the island. Teide is actually an active volcano; the last eruption happened in 1909. Its lava flows produced the mineral-rich soils which support a great number of plant species; 33 of them endemic. The volcano’s unique environmental conditions and geological features earned it the status of a National Park and it was named an UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of the towns in the vicinity of Teide is Garachico, a tourist favorite, known for its beautiful plaza and lava-hewn rock pools.

Many come to Tenerife for its hiking possibilities; Macizo de Anaga, a mountain range in the northeast of the island, is the most popular hiking destination. Its humid laurel forests and archeological sites made it a source of many local legends. The clear and warm waters around the island are suitable for diving; places like Las Galletas and Puerto de la Cruz will amaze you with their underwater volcanic column and the richness and diversity of underwater life. Almost thirty species of whales and dolphins often feed in these waters and sightseeing tours are frequent, especially from Los Cristianos and Los Gigantes.

The peak of the tourist season in Tenerife is from mid-January to Easter, although, due to the island’s subtropical climate, the island is worthy of a visit the entire year; some rain is possible during March and November, but only in the island’s northeast. One thing is certain; whatever your preferences on how you want to spend your holiday, Tenerife has it all – interesting events, plenty of exciting urban centers, cultural landmarks, the warm sea and unique natural attractions – what more can you possibly ask for?

Where is Socotra?

Socotra, also spelled Soqotra, is a small archipelago of four islands in the Indian Ocean. The largest island, Socotra, is about 95% of the landmass of the archipelago. Socotra lies some 240 kilometres east of the Horn of Africa and 380 kilometres south of the Arabian Peninsula.

Socotra is considered the jewel of biodiversity in the Arabian Sea. In the 1990s, a team of United Nations biologists conducted a survey of the archipelago’s flora and fauna. They counted nearly 700 endemic species, found nowhere else on earth; only Hawaii and the Galapagos Islands have more impressive numbers. One of the most striking of Socotra’s plants is the dragon’s blood tree (Dracaena cinnabari), which is a strange-looking, umbrella-shaped tree. Because of this biodiversity the island was recognised by UNESCO as a world natural heritage site in July 2008.

Yemen: Jewel of Arabia

Map

TravelTipsPlus Google Map of Socotra

One Great Reason to Visit Socotra

One great reason to visit this travel destination is to the magnificent dragon’s blood tree.

Socotra, Yemen

For More Information

• Wikipedia
• Yemen Tourism Site

 

Travel Photo of the Week: Briancon, France

Briancon is a UNESCO listed, medieval town located in the Alps region of south-eastern France and just happens to be the highest town in the EU at an altitude of 1,326 metres. Briancon is a strongly fortified town sitting high on a plateau. This photo captures from a nearby laneway, one of the two towers of the parish church which was built from 1703 – 1726.

Photo courtesy of Travel Tips Plus reader Lavinia.