Split

This Month in Split:

Shopping: The locals absolutely love their ice cream and competition is fierce as to who makes the best sladoled. Kuca Sladoleda Ivona at 25 Riva might just be the winner and it is right on the Riva, too. They have some fairly unusual flavours!

Key areas: Marjan, a forested hill to the west of the city centre, is easy to spot with a hulking Croatian flag billowing from its summit. Walk the trails, enjoy the breeze and take in the epic views.

Split News & Gossip

Split Property

Visitors to Split will find a treasure chest of ancient Roman buildings and grand Venetian architecture. But, rather than looking back, the city has retained its character and is looking to the future.

Locals shop at the market near the cathedral, as they have since Roman times, cafés set up tables along the ancient pavements in the palace Emperor Diocletian built in 295AD, and the beautifully revamped Riva on the waterfront is the place to watch ships leaving for Italy and the nearby islands.

Until recently, visitors passed Split by. It wasn't as famous or cool as Dubrovnik and most people headed straight to the ferry port. Two years ago there were few decent restaurants or good hotels, but now both local businesses and tourists are realising what the city has to offer.

According to local agent Spiro Trgo (www.trgostan.hr), more and more overseas buyers are showing interest in owning property in the city and on its islands. He claims that, after a relatively flat start to the year, enquiries have risen by 40% this summer.

Most buyers want to be in the city centre, with its stone townhouses and ancient palaces that either need renovation or have been converted into apartments. Also popular are the coastal suburbs of Bačvice and Meje, 20 minutes from town, and the beautiful islands of Brac and Hvar, which are an hour's ferry ride.

Spiro claims buyers can find centrally located property at far lower prices than similar homes in popular but expensive Dubrovnik. "A nice, one-bedroom apartment in the centre of Split costs from around €130,000 and two-bed apartments start from €180,000. A small, renovated stone house in the centre would be around €135,000," he says.

The rise in visitor numbers hasn't yet been matched by the level of quality rental accommodation and Spiro thinks this is a good opportunity for buy-to-let investors. He claims average yields are currently around six-to-10% per annum, with high season bringing in rents of €70 to €90 per night.

One couple taking advantage of the demand for quality accommodation, as well as the Croatian lifestyle, is Nina Burns and Robert Srzentic, both 55. They relocated to the island of Brac from hectic California in 2005 and haven't looked back.

"We were looking for a change of lifestyle," says Robert, "and liked the beauty of Brac. It's a very natural place but it also has good ferry connections to the mainland. Split is only an hour away."

It was something of a homecoming for Robert, who was born in Croatia but moved to the States as a child. Both he and Nina had run successful businesses in America: Nina as a management consultant and Robert as a media professional.

Now the couple have built an enviable life on Brac: Robert freelances in photography, while Nina offers marketing services to property owners. They also rent out the villa they built on the edge of the beautiful bay at Duboka, one of Brac's many pretty harbours. "We fell in love with the location the first time we saw it," says Robert.

With its cream walls, pale green shutters and views of the sea from every floor, the five-bedroom villa is bright and airy and its interiors are understated yet stylish. "We wanted to use natural colours and materials," Nina says. "We incorporated a lot of natural stone and wood into the décor, and furnishings are luxurious but not flashy."

Many of the pieces in the villa were brought from the couple's home in the States, a good thing as Nina admits the choice of furniture in Split isn't extensive. "We went to a design company in Zagreb called Alto Trade," she says, "and they created bespoke sofas and furnishings for us."

They were also lucky enough to find good local craftspeople, including a "brilliant" stonemason and a talented carpenter, who made all the internal wood fixtures, including the attractive cabinetry for the kitchen. The entire property is both eco-friendly and self-sufficient, with energy created by solar panels.

Nina explains that their aim was to create a space that really captured the spirit of its Mediterranean surroundings. "We thought about how people would use the house and realised that it was about making the most of the outdoor lifestyle."

To this end, Robert has designed a garden that works as a seamless extension of the main house. Natural stone flags lead out to a large patio with pool. The terrace is secluded and planted with lavender bushes, olive and citrus trees and a wooden, fabric-draped pergola, again designed by Robert, which offers a lovely seating area. The enticing waters of Duboka Bay are steps away.

It's clear the couple have put their heart and soul into their venture and, though the property is new, it has plenty of character. The villa rents well and is booked out each summer. "There's plenty to do on Brac or in Split," says Robert. "But lots of people arrive and don't leave the house for their entire stay."

There's an even glossier, higher side to the city, too. "The most expensive properties are garden villas in the southern part of town," says Spiro. "Luxury homes sell for six figures because they're scarce. Even when prices declined last year, the most attractive real estate increased 10%."

Tennis superstar Goran Ivanišević, who was born and bred in Split, recently put his chic seafront home in Meje up for sale at €4.8m through Savills. Designed in contemporary style, the ultra-luxurious, four-bedroom property has retractable glass walls, extensive leisure and fitness facilities and large terraces with amazing views out to the sea. An ace purchase by anyone's standards.

Split Trivia

• May: During the Homeland War in the 1990s, Split was completely cut off from Zagreb and the city was briefly shelled.

• April: Now that the mercury is rising again, picigin season is here. This simple local sport involves a frolic of men thrashing about in the sea in an effort to impress local ladies.

• October: Bummer - local tennis hero Goran Ivansevic apparently returned home after his Wimbledon triumph in, er, style, by mooning the assembled thousands in celebration!

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