An appreciation of the Split riva.
The Riva (waterfront) in Split in the evenings really looks like the center of the world. It is full of visitors from all over the globe. And the problems that had been spoiling its image for years are gradually disappearing. In the previous years, images of bins literally buried with garbage could be found at every step in the city center, but this year the change is more than obvious.
However, we did find one weak spot. Containers behind the Port Authority, near the berths where weekend tourist ships come, are filled with garbage, most likely from nearby restaurants and bars, and it is something that should really be changed. However, the main tourist attractions, Riva, Marmontova, Matejuška and Piazza are surprisingly clean and tidy, despite the large number of visitors.
“It is beautiful and we are delighted with your city and its cleanliness. The only downside is that the beaches are in the shade at 6 p.m., the rest is all wonderful”, said Emma Black and Louise Robinson from the UK, who obviously love the sun. The ladies arrived from London a few days ago and said they did not expect to find such a wonderful natural and cultural destination. “We were traveling in Italy, Spain, all the Mediterranean countries are special, have a rich heritage, but also quite a lot of really dirty streets. However, here it is not the case. We are really pleasantly surprised”, said Emma and Louise.
The culprit for the cleanliness is the city company “Čistoća”, which obviously listened to last year’s comments and found proper solutions. “They are doing their job, every garbage bin looks clean. They go through the streets several times an hour to see what is going on, and they wash the streets at night”, said Mate Bonačić who lives in Split.
However, young Swedes found something they did not like. They agreed Split is a real fairy tale bathed in sunshine, but they were puzzled by the fact that almost no one in the city separates waste. “Plastic bottles, together with food and other waste? That’s not good! The first two days we spent in Split we separated the waste, but then we saw that it ends up in the same truck anyway. In Sweden, something like that could never happen. However, we must admit, Croatia is beautiful, and the food is incredibly delicious and affordable”, said Elias and Axel Lindstedt.
