Croatia's second largest city, Split is appropriately named in the eyes of the modern visitor. In one area you have the beautifully preserved old town with the Palace of Diocletian and in another area you have heavy industry, shipyards and some less reputable neighborhoods. Although Split was originally not well set up for visitors, this is now
changing with a growing selection of good hotels and dining options appearing.
Many visitors now choose Split as a convenient base to explore the surrounding attractions. The ancient city of Salona is located nearby as are five beautiful beaches including Zlatini Rat, Brela, Pakleni Island, Solta and Milna.
Split has been continuously inhabited for thousands of years starting with the Romans, followed by the Byzantines, Croats, Venetians, and finally the Austrians who finally left in 1918.
Split's main tourist center is just east of the waterfront promenade: Obala hrvatskog narodnog preporoda. Here the visitor will find the best dining, entertainment, and the large hotels. Some of the key sights to see when visiting Split are Diocletian's Palace, the Archeological Museum, and what many consider to be Split's best art museum, the Mestrovic Gallery.