By Owen Lipsett
An area of incredible natural beauty and historical significance, the leafy Marjan Peninsula provides a welcome counterpoint Split’s bustling Old Town.
Consequently, its numerous trails are extremely popular among Splićani, providing both challenging climbs and outstanding views of Split and its vicinity. It’s also home to a museum devoted to the work of the modernist sculptor Ivan Meštrović, as well as the nearby Kaštelet (closed at the time of writing), which displays a cycle of his religious works.
The Marjan’s most challenging trail begins at its eastern edge (itself a tough uphill walk from the Old Town along Senjska ulica).
There’s a small café to catch your breath here, which (along with a free lookout) offers the Peninsula’s best view of the Old Town. Beyond this point, the trail bifurcates.
The path to the left offers more attractive views but is completely exposed to the sun (making it unpleasant, even in mid-March!), while the path to the right (which cuts across the spine of the rugged peninsula) is cooler but less scenic and steeper. Personally, I’d recommend walking along the left path as far as the 13th-century St. Nicholas’ Church, beyond which is the last point at which you can cross between the two before heading uphill.
The reward for this climb is the panoramic view from the 175m-high Telegrin, encompassing Split and several offshore islands. The gigantic Croatian flag atop it hints at its historical significance. Despite its status as the highest point near Split, the city’s Venetian rulers left it undefended at their own peril in 1657, allowing the Ottoman Turks to take it and threaten the city itself (hastily improvised reinforcements from nearby islands saved Split.)
As if to emphasize Catholic Venice’s victory over the Muslim Turks, continuing farther along either path (the two join about a kilometer beyond Telegrin) presents you with the ramshackle medieval St. Hieronymus’ Chapel, as well as several amazingly well-preserved hermit caves along the sheer rock face. Ironically, the recreation area at Bene Bay, which contains a beach, picnic tables, and some enjoyable woodland trails, is the primary draw for most people passing these ascetic abodes! This area is also served by local bus no. 12, which runs along the road that circles the island close to sea.
The bus passes the Meštrović Gallery en route. Although not well-known abroad, Meštrović (1883-1962) was regarded both during his life (and posthumously) as his country’s greatest sculptor. Whether you’re interested in his works or not, it has a wonderful sculpture garden and a balcony that offers stunning views over the Adriatic.
© Owen Lipsett 2005 All Rights Reserved
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