Splitting From Split

September 26, 2023

We arrived in Split, Croatia, yesterday afternoon.

After settling in our apartment, we took a ten-minute walk to the old town. As old towns go, it’s a good one. In fact, most of the old town is the site of Diocletian’s Palace.

This morning, we were ready for something different, though. We would have two more full days in Split. Why not go see something a little off the beaten path?

The priority was the Green Market, or farmers’ market. I had been hankering for some quality produce, and the tiny grocery stores on the Croatian islands we just visited lacked selection and freshness.

Visiting the markets is one of my favorite things to do in Europe. I love seeing the local produce and agricultural products. In addition to fruits and vegetables, we picked up some honey, dried fruit, sausage, and olive oil.

Speaking of olive oil…my friend Nancy and I had wanted to learn more about olive oil production. We had been looking for a tour but weren’t finding anything.

Then I found the Olive Museum in an online search. It’s located just a few miles outside Split, in Stella Croatica Experience Center. That sounded like something we needed to explore!

After a bus ride 30 minutes or so out of town, we arrived. Stella Croatica was a combination of gardens, a restaurant, a factory, a museum, and a gift shop.

It was one of those better-than-expected experiences. The whole premise of the place was to promote local agriculture. The first part of the tour was a walk through the factory where they make candied oranges, lemons, and fig cakes. This included some samples.

We were then advised to go up to the village and tavern where we could have a drink and bite to eat before the rest of the tour. I’m still not sure if the village was all or part re-creation, but it was charming and inviting. We sampled local wine, cake, and ice cream. Yum!

The tour took us past an old olive press and into the Olive Museum, where we learned some history and statistics regarding Croatian olive oil production.

The tour ended at the delightful gift shop where I could have bought one of everything. But fortunately, I’m a nomad, which makes it easy to pass.

Afterward, we wandered around the gardens until closing time.

Then we walked over to Klis Fortress, which was more extensive and interesting than expected.

Perched high on a rocky plateau, it has been a strategic location since about 3600 BC. The buildings and gates were in various phases of repair and renovation, which made for some fun exploration.

One of the most intriguing buildings was the round Church of Saint Vitus. Not to be missed!

The fortress offered stunning views of Split and the surrounding areas. It could be a fabulous spot to watch the sunset.

Be sure to add both locations to your Split itinerary!