The Marjan Hill is located in the west of Split and covers 340 hectares. It is the green lung of Split’s residents. They enjoy walking in the middle of the pine forest to get away from the city.
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The hill and the city of Split
The Marjan peninsula is directly accessible by foot from the city and offers a wide range of activities. In the summer, it is less hot here than in the city and locals and occasional visitors appreciate the shaded areas and the relative coolness of the place.
This area, which is 3.5 km long, has been spared from the city’s expansion due to its rocky soil, which makes construction difficult. This soil also allows the Mediterranean nature to express itself fully. This protected park is home to cypress, broom, holm oak, oleander, Aleppo pine and over 400 other species.
Etymologically, Marjan comes from “Marianus”. The place was occupied in ancient times by a farm named after the Marianus family, the iconic owners.
Visiting Marjan
There are two ways to visit the Marjan Hill:
- The first way is to walk around the hill along the seaside.
- The second is to climb to the top of Marjan Park. The Telegrin (the name of the summit) can be reached from St. Francis Church and Senjska Street. It doesn’t take that long to climb (about 30 minutes), but it is better to bring water and not to go too fast, as it is exposed to the sun. There are many paths around the peninsula to continue your walk.
Activities in the park and on Marjan Hill
The main attraction of Marjan Hill is the nature. However, there are also many churches and cultural monuments.
- Sports activities: Marjan Hill is a place dedicated to sports. It is a pleasant place for walking, climbing or cycling. There are also several tennis courts and a swimming pool. The recreation center in Bene offers about ten activities.
- Nature-related activities: The botanical garden, the Sustipan park, the gazebo and the zoo offer a wide choice of outdoor activities.
- Beaches: The beaches of Bene, Obojena svjetlost and Kasuni are among the most beautiful beaches in Split.
- Cultural activities: The archaeological museum, the oceanographic institute and the Mediterranean institute are all cultural attractions. The Meštrović villa and gallery, as well as the Dalmacija villa are exceptional places that can be appreciated from the inside and the outside.
- Churches: The hill is known as “Mons Kyrieleison” due to its high concentration of religious buildings. You can visit the church of Saint-Georges, Saint-Nicolas, Saint-Jerome, Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows, or Our Lady of Bethlehem.