Jul i Split - att spendera julen i Kroatien

This year it was Christmas in Split for us. We love this amazing Croatian city and have been here several times, but this was the first time we visited the city in winter. It was a cosy and slightly different Christmas.

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Christmas in Split - with a nice climate

One of the reasons for celebrating Christmas in Split was to experience a milder climate and a little more sunlight. Croatia is located in southern Europe and Split offered around 15 degrees during the day and sun mixed with clouds. Really nice!

Many restaurants keep their outdoor seating open in winter, and it looks cosy, doesn't it? Some have heat lamps around the tables, which also makes it warm and cosy.

In general, it's great that people are hanging out so much outdoors, which is easier when the climate is a bit milder. It also turned out that many people were really dressed up during Christmas, so it was fun to just stand and watch people. A bit like a fashion show!

READ MORE: Weekend in Split - cosy even in winter
READ MORE: Restaurants in Split - our top restaurant tips

A city decorated for Christmas

Split also turned out to be a very well-decorated city. Everywhere you see Christmas trees, garlands, gnomes and various decorations that are lit up in the evening. Nice!

Christmas in Split - with market and events

Along the entire promenade we found a Christmas market with stalls, where you can buy things like crafts, delicacies and the popular pastry "fritule", which resembles doughnuts.

There was also a skating rink in one part of town, which was very popular, especially with families with children.

Next to it was an area with tables and food tents, where you could buy everything from sushi to grilled food.

This place was also open in the evening and even on Christmas Day evening, when many other restaurants were closed. On Christmas Eve, many Croatians go out on the town, but on Christmas Day they are often at home with their families.

A Christmas shop

We also found a wonderfully charming shop, selling handcrafted Christmas decorations made in Croatia. The shop, which just seems to be called the "Christmas shop" is open all year round, although of course it was high season at this time.

The city's shops were open on Christmas Eve, but were closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Croatian Christmas food - and respite from Christmas food

What about the food? Well, as a tourist you mostly eat what is usually on the menus - meat, fish, pasta, risotto, hamburgers - but we actually got to try a Croatian Christmas dish as well. It was not really planned, but when we visited the traditional restaurant Konoba Varos on Christmas Eve, they told us that they had prepared a Christmas dish for the day. Did we want to try it? Yes, we did!

The dish "bakalar" is very similar to what is called "bacalhau" in Portugal. This is salted and dried cod, which we had in a kind of stew. This will not be our favourite dish, but so interesting to try. In addition, the restaurant was incredibly cosy, the wine very good and the atmosphere great.

Otherwise, we ate anything but traditional Christmas food. As an example, we can show a fantastic tray that we were served at the restaurant of the hotel where we stayed, that is, Radisson Blu Resort & Spa. Croatians really know how to use air-dried ham and good cheeses!

Christmas in Split - more than just Christmas

In a way, we can say that we celebrated Christmas in Split, but at the same time we perhaps travelled to Croatia more for a change of scenery and travel experiences than to celebrate Christmas. Split is a fantastically beautiful and historically interesting city, and it is incredibly cosy just to stroll in all the old charming quarters.

Among other things, we went on a guided tour inside the city centre, and discovered several nice walking paths around it.

We also spent some time at the hotel, Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, which is nicely located by the sea and has a lovely spa, among other things. We will tell you more about this soon!

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

Split has a fantastic location in Croatia. First of all, you can experience the city itself Split. In the neighbourhood, you can make excursions to fantastic places such as the wonderful Island of Brac, the beautiful national park Krka or special locations such as the pirate city Omiš or the city of knights Sinj.

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bmlarstravellingblog says:

What a different and lovely Christmas you had, even some warmth and light. We did most of the places we wanted to visit when we went with the campervan in Croatia but for some reason we never stopped in Split when we came by ferry from Brac, which we regretted afterwards. It seems to be a city to our taste....

27 December 2022 - 10:19

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Yes, a nice break!!! I am sure you would like Split! It is probably even our favourite city in Croatia. But there are many nice places in Croatia!
  
  27 December 2022 - 16:19
  
JoY says:

Doesn't look too bad to celebrate Christmas in Croatia. We have not visited Split but understand that it is a nice place. Wish you still nice days.

27 December 2022 - 11:16

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  It was not stupid at all! And yes, Split is an amazing city! Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
  
  27 December 2022 - 16:21
  
Ditte says:

Nice to have a change of clothes and to make a trip where you decide what you want to see and do. And not to be guided by others or others. Will be something completely different.
And Split is a really nice city - Have been here in September and May and it was really nice. Often travelling becomes that.
Wishing you all the best for the future

27 December 2022 - 12:25

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Of course it's nice to travel on your own! We often do that with the motorhome iofs, but then it happens that we travel on press trips with others as well. Great that you have been here, and also several times! Split is a fantastic city! Wishing good continuation of Christmas!
  
  27 December 2022 - 16:23
  
BP says:

Lovely pictures from a Christmassy Split. It is not so easy to get into the Christmas spirit when you are in Southern Europe over Christmas, where it is warm and sunny. That they don't celebrate Christmas Eve like we do either... Neither do Spaniards. They have Christmas Eve on 5 January, Christmas Day on Epiphany.
Fun with the fish soup as a speciality. It looked very good. Almost like you could "experiment" with (leftover) lutefisk. Is really hungry;-)
Have been in Split on a training camp many years ago. I remember that I loved the city even then:-)

27 December 2022 - 18:21

Yossu says:

What a lovely Christmas. Split is the kind of city I would love to visit several times. It is such a tangle of cosy streets that there is always something new to discover.

27 December 2022 - 18:55

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Merry Christmas! - a Christmas card from Croatia | FREEDOMtravel

Christmas in Split - spending Christmas in Croatia

Christmas in Split - with a nice climate

A city decorated for Christmas

Christmas in Split - with market and events

A Christmas shop

Croatian Christmas food - and respite from Christmas food

Christmas in Split - more than just Christmas

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

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8 Comments

bmlarstravellingblog says:

Helena says:

JoY says:

Helena says:

Ditte says:

Helena says:

BP says:

Yossu says:

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