Ivica Profaca

Ivica Profaca is a journalist with decades of experience, and strong connection with Split, city where he was born, and where and with which he still lives. With this series of blogs he shows Split as he see it, and as he would like you to see it. Contact writer via: iprofaca@gmail.com
  • Photo New Year!

    Recently I wrote about favourite holiday seasons customs in Split, most of them are connected with Christmas. However, there is another tradition which I like very much, and is strictly associated with a New Year's Eve. If I wanted to be more ambitious, I would say that for Split, opening of one particular exhibition is the same like descending New Year's ball at New York's Times Square. I'm exaggerating? Well, probably, but meet me at midnight in Fotoklub Split on the opening of New Year's ... More

  • Top 5 Holidays Traditions In Split

    Holidays season is approaching, this part of a year is special everywhere in Christian world, and it's also special in Split and Dalmatia. Recently, it's marked with events like Advent in Split which starts this weekend when the first advent candle will be lit at Riva. However, there are so many beautiful, sometimes ancient holiday traditions. Let's try to put up a top 5 list, as a guide to enjoy Christmas season as a local. 1 Afternoon Midnight Mass It sounds like an oximoron, but anything ... More

  • A 200 Years Old Post Box (or Boite Aux Lettres)

    I really love to reveal Split's hidden gems to non-locals (and some locals, too). It might be pretty obvious to this blog's readers, with several already published here with this topic, the most recent one about Sigmund Freud's brief visit to town. One of those is probably the oldest postal box in Split, barely visible on a little square next to the main city Piazza. It's not in use anymore, and is partly hidden with tables of a nearby bar, but I remember how excited some French people were ... More

  • Split - a city of UNESCO

    You know that we who live here like to consider Split as one of the world's most beautiful cities, almost the centre of the world. Well, exactly 37 years ago, on October 26 1979, UNESCO gave us one of the strongest evidences in favour of this claim. The 4th century Diocletian's Palace and city's historical centre were listed on that day on the World Heritage List maintained by the United Nation's agency for education, science and culture. It happened just a year after this list was created, ... More

  • Analyse This: Sigmund Freud's Vacation in Split

    There are some hidden points around Split not even many locals know about, and there are those which puzzle anyone who sees them. For example, whenever I'm guiding a tour around the historical city centre, there is a plaque almost everyone will stop and ask "What does it mean?" It's not very visible, placed on a facade of a strange looking, oriental style building in the passage connecting a square locally known as the Fruit Square and Riva. Next to a relief showing widely ... More

  • Split Theatre's Winter

    It is strange these days in Split to watch arrival of events and different other things usually connected with colder days. That especially goes with a fact that I'm still (as well as many others) maintaining almost daily beach routine. To be honest, right now one of the biggest problems in Split is that beach towels dry slower. However, autumn will come eventually, and then even winter. What to do? How about theatre? Croatian National Theatre Split starts its new season in just a few days, ... More

  • European Fame and Forbidden Love of Marko Marulić

    When visiting some city, its monuments can tell you a story about it, or about some of its people, no matter of why they were merited with having a public monument. In Split, there are several of historical figures who deserved to be remembered with public statues. Although most visitors will stop at the Gregory of Nin statue near the Diocletian's Palace's northern gate, at least to touch its "lucky toe", there are some others worth of paying attention. One of them is the one showing ... More

  • Split on a Palm

    Split is undeniably beautiful no matter of angle or perspective from where you are looking at it. If you try to convince some local patriot that it's not true, you might find yourself in a serious trouble. However, what if you want to see this city like it's lying on your palm? Where and how to go to get a million dolar panoramic view? There are few options, one better than another. One of the most obvious is the bell tower of Saint Domnio Cathedral. It's in the very heart of the city, and ... More

  • Tips: How to Get Rid of Trash in Split?

    There is a confession to be made; Split and most of Croatia are far from being perfect in garbage collecting. Locals are dealing with that as they can, but all those in touch with tourists at least once heard a million dollar question; where and how to take separately collected glass, paper, plastic, etc. I must say that during this season several visitors asked me how to separate trash, and where to take it. Unfortunately, in most cases it comes to simple and not very progressive rule: ... More

  • Split, City of Olympic Winners

    There are only few days remained to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, but everything we will witness there might also affect look of one part of Split. If prognosis come true, and tradition continues, popular promenade at Western Riva (locally Zapadna obala) might see changes of plates with names of Olympic medal winners who were born in Split, or were members of different clubs in Split. There are no less than 73 names on this Olympic Walk of Fame, and that makes Split true capital of ... More