SUMMER 2024: WHEN THE SUN SETS IN SPLIT CITY

 Hello dear readers and fellow bloggers! In this post, I'll take you for a night stroll around Split city. Evening strolls in Summer hit different, don't they? Of course, I'll also show you what I wore, but the emphasis will be on my gorgeous home city. Lovers of history and Mediterranean architecture might especially enjoy this post. Split city is beautiful at any time, but it can feel especially magical during those warm summer nights. As I already wrote in my earlier posts, I visited Split at the start of this month. I was planning on coming back today, but stuff got in the way. I'm hoping I'll have a chance to visit Split again in August. What cities do you like to visit in Summer? 

My beautiful city, nicknamed the pearl of the sea, is a fascinating mix of the old and the new. Originally build as a summer residence for an ancient Roman emperor Diocletian, it has had an eventful and interesting history. In this very first photograph, you can see me posing on Peristyle, that is, the main square during Roman times. The main square of Roman times is located next to the cathedral that  started its long life as a mausoleum of emperor Diocletian.  That makes perfect sense, if you think about it. The purpose of the square was to be the centre of social and religious life. This is where the emperor Diocletian would appear before his folk to be celebrated as the living son of Jupiter. Emperor Diocletian is no more, but Split city lives on and I like to think that he would be proud seeing what happened to his Palace. What I love about Split the most is how full of life it feels. People are still sitting under those columns every day and night.  It's like a museum in the open. 

THE STORY OF MY OUTFIT - SUSTAINABLE FASHION FILES

As I already stated, I wore this for an evening walk in Split city. I paired my white tunics with black leggings, boromira sandals and a mini ratan bag. It was a bit windy, so I decided to style my vintage scarf as a maxi skirt. If you remember, I've bought this scarf in a second hand shop and I really love how versatile it is. All in all, this was a perfect outfit for a casual night stroll. I felt fantastic wearing this, so I might try a similar outfit formula again. 

THE WHITE OFF SHOULDER TUNICS WITH FLORAL PRINT DETAILS

Back in 2021, I published a post that I'm quite proud of and that showed 41 WAY TO WEAR A WHITE TUNIC BLOUSE! I'm so happy I managed to get so many wears out of this tunics. Since then, I continued wearing it. You can see how I styled this white tunics in Summer 2023. Should I try to get to 100 wears or should I retire it?

THE BLACK STRAIGHT CUT LEGGINGS

I mean, I don't really have a way of telling this pair of black leggings from others I have. Like stockings and tights, leggings are a basic item in my closet. I don't usually link them up, unless they have a pattern or come in a different colour so I can easily identify them. However, I did make one post specifically about layering leggings with summer dresses and tunics, so you can check it out to see more ways I've styled them.

THE MINI BEIGE (IMITIATION RATAN)  BAG

1) I wore it with wide trousers, a striped scarf and a pink top.

2/3/ 4) You can see how I styled it with a black dress and beige heels here, with a purple and lilac outfit here, and with a brown maxi skirt and a mint blazer here.

5) I wore it for the park walk in my last post, link below. 

THE BLACK SCARF WITH A FLORAL PRINT

I pair this vintage scarf here with a black vintage dress, a grey coat and black shoes. 

THE BOROMIRA SANDALS (ALSO KNOWN AS BOROSANE) 

I've had this pair from a Croatian company Borovo for years and I love them to bits. 

1) In 2016, I wore them with a yellow dress from another Croatian brand I love- Amadeus Adriatic. 

2) In 2020, I wore them with a yellow cropped top and a blue skirt for a visit to Buna. 

3) In 2024,  I styled it with a blue bohemian mix print dress with brown lace details and a statement necklace.

...and many more times. See how I styled them here, here , here, here,  here and here. 

In my last post, I shared one of my paintings inspired by Split city. That was not the first time I painted my home city. It has appeared in Travel With My Art series a couple of times. 

SEE HOW I ILLUSTRATED AND PAINTED SPLIT BEFORE

  MATEJUŠKA, SPLIT CITY (CROATIA)

  ZENTA MARINE, SPLIT CITY (CROATIA) 

ŽNJAN BEACH, SPLIT CITY (CROATIA)

  A SEAVIEW FROM A PARK (SPLIT, CROATIA)

Besides in this regular feature, Split city has appeared in my other art posts as well. Have a look and follow the links below to see how Split inspired my art.

PHOTODIARY: EN PLEIN AIR SKETCH

Back in Spring 2021, I took advantage of wonderful sunny weather to do some en plein air sketching in Split city, Croatia.  The weather was so warm that it felt like summer. The beach I sketched is called Firule and what you can se in the distance is island Čiovo. I drew this seascape with watercolour pencils, What made me choose this spot to sketch were the colours. I was fascinated by the colour of the sea and the rocks. Moreover, I really like the background. I do enjoy working outdoors and it is fortunate to  live in a warm climate so one can sketch outdoor without risking a cold. I don't have any major issues with people looking at me while I sketch or paint. I'm mostly so concentrated that I don't even notice it. It was definitely nice to be out and about in Split city again. 

OIL PASTELS VS. WATERCOLOUR PENCILS (SPLIT, FIRULE )

I completed this watercolour pencil sketch the same day I started it. There was also a version I made with oil pastels. In case anyone is wondering, I don't have these two with me anymore. I shipped some of my art to one (amateur) art gallery. The watercolour landscape I'm sharing with you today was among the paintings sent while the pastel version of this scene was sent to a friend.  Both of them were sketched on a lovely sunny day on Firule beach in Split.

Fashion & Location Illustration of the Day ( Split)

Why do location and fashion illustrating often go hand in hand? I found myself asking that question today. I love exploring all aspects of fashion illustration, because well it's something I'm passionate about, and I've pretty much always been into it. Seriously, my elementary schoolbooks are filled with fashion illustrations. Anyhow, as of late, I find myself wanting to make fashion illustrations that will be as much about the location as about the outfit. I know I'm not the only one. There are many fashion illustrators out there who do location illustrating as well. I'm not sure what is the secret connection, but location art sure gets along with fashion art. Inner design and architecture are often a part of fashion illustrations as well.  I would also add that both urban and nature landscapes seem to be match made in heaven with outfit illustrations. Interesting, isn't it? As I always say, fashion illustrating is a fascinating field. I suppose it is the same case with fashion photography. You'd hardly ever see  fashion editorials shot in front of some wall, there usually is a story and a location to match that story. Location plays an important part in fashion photography. When you think about it, clothes are never just clothes, are they? That's kind of the whole appeal of fashion. We use clothes to show emotions and to tell stories.

Split really has some really great historical sites and in that sense it is very Mediterranean. Indeed, what is fantastic about the Mediterranean area is that you  can often not only see the past with your own eyes, you can touch and smell it as well. If that's not potentially educational, I don't know what is.

MORE POSTS ABOUT SPLIT CITY

A SPLIT CITY GIRL WHO LOVES PAINTING THE SEA

In this recent 2024 post, you'll find photographs of beach Žnjan, a summer outfit and my meditations about painting the sea. Below there are more links to explore from posts shot in Split city.

SPLIT CITY GUIDE: THE PALACE  & SPLIT CITY GUIDE: CHURCH OF SAINT DOMINIC

 A SHORT VISIT TO SPLIT CITY, WHAT TO DO AND WHERE TO DINE?

HOW TO FIND PHOTO WORTHY LOCATIONS IN SPLIT CITY?

 VISITING SPLIT CITY IN WINTER TIME

 A FLORAL DRESS FOR SIGHTSEEING SPLIT CITY

RESTAURANT ASIA, SPLIT CITY 

 WHAT TO DO IN SPLIT CITY IN AUTUMN?

FEMININE STYLING & SUNSET IN SPLIT CITY

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT SPLIT CITY

IS SPRING A GOOD TIME TO VISIT SPLIT CITY?

STROLLING SPLIT 3

WHERE THE SEA IS CRYSTAL CLEAR...

 STREET STYLE PHOTOGRAPHY SPLITSUNSET IN SPLIT CITY

WHAT TO WEAR FOR SIGHTSEEING SPLIT CITY?

 IS DOMINUS CATHEDRAL TOWER WORTH THE CLIMB?

 SUMMER ISN'T OVER YET IN SPLIT CITY

WHY VISITING SPLIT IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA?

WINTER IN SPLIT CITY, CROATIA

 MUSTARD DRESS AND UNIVERSITY CAMPUS IN SPLIT

 SPLIT CITY CENTRE AND A MIDI DRESS

SPLIT CITY SPRING STYLE 2021

SPLIT CITY SUMMER 2021

SPLIT CITY RESTAURANT DALMATINO 2021

SPLIT CITY, SEPTEMBER 2021

I LOVE SPLIT CITY (TWO OUTFITS)

 PURPLE AND RED IN SPLIT CITY

 SPRING IN SPLIT CITY

THE CATHEDRAL OF SAINT DOMNIUS: THE OLDEST CATHEDRAL 'TO BE USED IN ITS ORIGINAL FORM' IN THE WORLD

 This cathedral was originally a mausoleum of Roman emperor Diocletian,  but early Christians had other ideas. That is how Split city ended up with the oldest Christian cathedral in the world. 

 The patron saint Domnius was one of the martyrs supposedly killed by Diocletian. Strictly speaking, the church is devoted to the Virgin Mary and the tower to saint Domnius, but people tend to call it 'saint Domnius'. The cathedral's tower  was build much later, but that is still worthy of a visit and a climb, that offers a magnificent panoramic view of the city.

So, I explained about Peristyle, the main square during Roman times. Today Peristyle serves the purpose of 'Piazza Del Duomo', that is the cathedral's square. Now, we're going to continue walking through the narrow street (filled with cute shops) that leads to another square "Narodni Trg Pjaza" ( I suppose we could translate it as People's Square/Piazza). Narodni Trg aka People's Square, is a lovely place to visit. 

There are some really nice restaurant and coffee places there. This city's square is quite photo worthy as well.  I should know, since it's one of my favourite places in Split city. For centuries this place has been the centre of life in Split city, so it is definitely worth a visit. Maneuvering Split's Mediterranean narrow streets can be a challenge at times, but the walking distance between these two squares is minimal, so you can be sure you won't get lost. 

SPLIT CITY IS ALWAYS MAGICAL AT NIGHT

THERE WAS A LOVELY CONCERT AT PRUKORATIVE SQUARE

I've always liked the Republic Square in Split, also known as Prokurative. There's something so timeless about it. 

Anyway, I found some information about it for you on Split Official Tourist site and I will cite it below.

Prokurative

Prokurative or as they are officially called, Republic Square resemble the Venice St. Marks Square. They are located west of the Riva and they were named after the arches found on the neo-Renaissance buildings surrounding the square on three sides. Most people to this day know it by that name. The square is only open on the south side, providing a beautiful view of the harbour and the Riva (waterfront). The building of the Prokurativa was initiated by one of the most renowned mayors in the history of the city Antonio Bajamonti in the mid 19th century. He wanted to show that Split supported Italian tradition with all its might. Hence the colonnade resembling Venetians, and reliefs above the windows evoking the ancient and Renaissance influences. Bajamonti also made his great theatre on the square, but it was destroyed by a fire.
The square has long been established as an excellent stage for cultural events, especially the pop music festival, and the local bars and restaurants made it a popular venue for the citizens of Split. The plateau on the south side has always been an integral part of Prokurative, with, ever since 1947, a neo-Classical fountain, destroyed by the communist authorities, due to its alleged connection to the Italian rule....

WE THEN WENT ON A STROLL THROUGH THE CITY AND ENJOYED A BEAUTIFUL PANORAMA !

After listening to that lovely concert, we walked past Matejuška that was as filled with people as usual, to the newly built marine. We enjoyed a beautiful panorama of Split city. As you can see in the pictures, there were a lot of people strolling as well. 

MATEJUŠKA PORT IS FOLLOWED BY NEWLY BUILD  LUXURIOUS MARINE WHERE YOU CAN HAVE DRINKS IN LOVELY BARS OR JUST CHILL AT ONE OF THE BENCHES

Matejuška has been a small port for local fishermen for centuries. This is where the fishermen from historical neighbourhoods such as Veli Varoš kept their boats. This iconic traditional oasis is also a place of socialization. That is why the city of Split has done its best to preserve Matejuška in its original form. Approximately 14 million kunas were spend in preservation of this small port that now has a small park area as well. You can still see small fishing boats with their traditional nets here. It is still the meeting place for locals (and tourists) as well. Besides being an authentic location, Matejuška also offers a nice view of Split city itself. I would definitely recommend visiting it. Why stop there, though? If you continue your stroll and pass by Matejuška, you can also walk in and see the newer port: a luxurious modern marine and the so called 'new coast' where you can enjoy drinks at trendy bars with views of yachts and Split city panorama. 

MORE ABOUT HISTORY OF SPLIT (CITED FROM https://visitsplit.com/en/398/the-history-of-split

The history of Split

The history of Split is over-flowingly rich and turbulent to fit in just a couple of sentences. Although the Split area was earlier inhabited by the Greek colonies, Emperor Diocletian should be considered its first citizen and founder, starting his lavish villa of around 300 square meters near the great city of Salona in 293 AD, only to retire from the Roman throne within its walls after building it for ten years.

Turbulent centuries that followed turned the villa into a city, conceived by the fugitive inhabitants of Salona who fled from the Avars and Slavs. Many authorities changed hands in the city which, in the years to come, grew beyond the Palace walls, from the Croatian Kings in the 10th century, through the Hungarian and Venetian administration, to the French rulers and the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. Modern age and the 20th century "moved" Split from the kingdom of Yugoslavia, through tragic, yet heroic times of the Italian and German occupation during the Second World War when Split was one of the centres of anti-fascist resistance, to the Socialist Yugoslavia and the present period of the free and independent Croatia, member of the European Union.

Tumultuous history leaves its trace in the everyday life of the city that always moved steadily forward, remaining the centre of this part of the coast to this day. In those mixtures of history layers, clumsiness was inevitable, sometimes even rashness in development, but today it is all a part of its originality. Great city beats today with the silent whisper of history, the lively spirit of youth and charm of the Mediterranean yet in every way also Croatian warmth...

Thank you for reading and visiting!