April 12, 2019 – If we had a lipa for every time a tourist asked us where Diocletian’s Palace is while standing in the middle of it, we’d probably be one of Emporer Diocletian’s dinner guests back in the 4th century. To feed the curious minds of tourists while offering them local insight, tips to use around the town, and some good, old-fashioned info that might just come in handy on your travels in the Dalmatian capital, a different kind of Split map was created – meet MyMap.
“MyMap is a map made by a small group of volunteers. While cultural heritage is not neglected, MyMap places greater emphasis on showing Split from the point of view of locals. On it, you can find places to go out, and curiosities about the town, its people and local customs. The map also shows information about which places serve gluten-free food, which is vege-friendly, which pet-friendly, and which ones are accessible for people with disabilities.
And it does all that while keeping the charm and sense of humor that Split is known for. To make it short – it’s a different kind of map.”
Set to launch this month, TCN sat down with MyMap project leader Andela Prnjak to find out more.
Tell us a bit about MyMap?
MyMap is a map created by the locals of Split for tourists. In it, we reveal places that locals love and ignore the “tourist trap” kind of places. This map is ideal for tourists who would like to experience the real Split.
Who are the creative forces behind MyMap?
Initially, 13 volunteers worked on the map, of which six were more active, with me as the project leader. Goran and Ivana from Info Zona always came up with useful tips. We were delighted to work with the graphic design duo Komenda and Kazinoti. We were extremely fortunate with the entire team that worked on the map, and I even have to thank our printer Cvirn who made sure our maps are made of the best quality and are printed on time.
How did you come together and come up with the idea for MyMap?
Goran Biličić, the president of the association Info Zona, came up with the idea of a creating a different kind of map of Split. He suggested that I take the role of the project leader and I accepted. With a public call, we gathered 13 volunteers who helped us develop the map. We started working in mid-January, and the first promotion of the map will be on Saturday, April 14.
Ivana Perković
How did you choose the items that should be included on MyMap?
The cafes, clubs, and restaurants were chosen by the Split citizens who answered a questionnaire on Info Zona.
The rest of what’s on the map was very well thought out; we wanted to make a contemporary map, not something boring and dull. When we started creating the map, I encouraged the volunteers to think outside the box.
Marking the areas in Split for people with disabilities was crucial. To be honest, it was pretty unbelievable that we were the first Split map to include those tags. Although I did not know much about it at first, a group of volunteers and I brought light to this problem. And we have to thank Ives Cikatić, who is a guide for people with disabilities.
We are also aware that many tourists have special diets, so we have helped them by identifying restaurants where they can eat gluten-free or vegetarian food.
We also thought it was vital to include emergency numbers, such as the police, night ambulances, tow away services, and others.
What sets MyMap apart from the other maps and guides in Split?
MyMap is more than a map; it’s more like a traveler’s best friend. It is made as a memoir of all the beautiful moments you experienced in Split that you can take home and show your friends. It is interactive; tourists can write their names on it, mark the tours they want to visit and in which order.
We have identified areas for people with disabilities, added gluten-free and vegetarian options, objects that sometimes have live music, and pet-friendly places all to help tourists decide what they want to visit.
It also contains some important “Dont’s”. For example; do not walk through the Marjan tunnel or do not walk in a swimsuit down the Riva.
We humorously approached the Split mentality. For example, the part about Split’s sports history we named “All we do is win.”
What is your goal with MyMap? Will it evolve each year with new content as Split develops?
Next year you can expect a new map of Split. We have learned a lot about this project so we will try to make MyMap even better and more creative, and as the slogan says – “Not just another map of Split.” Who knows, maybe next year we will be creating MyMap Šibenik or Zagreb.
And to conclude, what are some of the most important things you think tourists coming to Split should know from a local’s perspective?
There are a lot of things, and it is difficult to determine the most important ones. It took us four months to make a guide of the essential elements in Split. Maybe check out our map to find out.
You can follow the latest about MyMap on their official Facebook page.
To read more about travel in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.
