The crowds are too big, there are too many cars, and the prices are too high; this trilogy roughly coincides with the dissatisfaction of tourists on a summer holiday in Split.
Though we should mention immediately that this research was found ONLY by seeking criticism of the Dalmatian hotspot, and all in all, tourists in Split do seem to be quite satisfied.
But because we’ve heard about our beautiful beaches, wonderful people, and incredible lifestyle time and time again, what happens when you look for everything wrong with Split?
Slobodna Dalmacija gets into the nitty-gritty of Split tourism on August 23, 2018.
The Neville family from Melbourne, for example, have said they are dissatisfied with the flavors of Dalmatian cuisine. They find that it is not seasoned enough, without flavor, though it is “probably healthy”.
“Put more Vegeta in the food,” said Ben Neville, who has heard of the legendary, retro Croatian-made spice. They also objected to the congestion of cars in the city center.
An interesting remark, however, comes from India’s Gora Bhattachary, a construction engineer, who resides in Dubai with family.
“I think that it isn’t right that the public toilets in Split are four kuna. In Dubrovnik and Zagreb, they are three kuna – and careful – in Dubai, they are free everywhere,” said Gora with curiosity, further adding to the theory that Split is too expensive.
“I firmly believe that life in Split is more expensive than in Dubai, but also in most other international cities; I know firsthand because I’ve traveled all over the world for business. So, Split is expensive in everything – food in restaurants, a cup of tea which is 10 kuna here, and in Dubai eight, accommodation which we paid around 390 euro for two nights in a skyscraper near the center. However, we have a wonderful view,” Mr. Gora says to smoothe the sharpness of his criticism. Nevertheless, he was impressed with the fact that a town in the area is named after him. PodGORA, namely.
“Before Split we were in Dubrovnik and Plitvice. Everything is beautiful, enchanting! And not only because of all the water at Plitvice. You know, those of us who live in Dubai also enjoy countless waterfalls, but they’re artificial. And we have no greenery, just sand,” Gora’s wife Barnali Bhattachary, a teacher, points out as the comparative advantage of Croatia to the Middle East. However, the Indian family is keen to return to Croatia because, in this beauty, you can only fall in love.
On the Riva, a group of Italians from Potenza, a city halfway between Naples and Bari, shared a few of their thoughts.
“There are fifteen of us, and we are all in Podstrana where it is perfect and very cheap. For example, two sun loungers and a beach umbrella on the beach costs just 150 kuna, while we have to allocate just as much money at Kašjuni in Split for one lounger without an umbrella.”
“For that money, we at least expected the beach to be clean… But we were not lucky. Well, maybe the problem is the configuration of the cove, where the sea currents naturally carry more grass and the like,” notes Francesca Vasco with the consent of Pasquale Colangel.
Brooke Little (27) from Pensylvania is also surprised at the overcrowded beaches. Little came with her friend from America to Croatia, to, first of all, to swim and sunbathe. The problem of the overcrowded beaches, however, can be compensated for another small detail…
“The guys are amazing. Gorgeous!” says Brooke.
Harun Jama from Somalia and Turki Ameer from Sudan are 25 and a half years old, and both work as football coaches in Qatar.
“I was already in Croatia, my wife is from Baranja. Turki has not been, and it is his first time here,” explains Harun.
Harun has a series of objections about Split: uneven prices, food prices too high in the center, overworked waiters who do not have the time to talk to the guests individually and are instead like robots who serve people and say “thank you” and “goodbye”, and the quality of service.
But one funny comment from the pair?
“The girls in Split are too tall! Well, we are married so it does not mean anything to us, but we noticed that it could be difficult to be with them.”
