In around the 3rd to the 2nd century BCE, Greek colonists founded a small town on the Dalmatian coast named Aspálathos (Ἀσπάλαθος). We know the town today as Split, Croatia. Together with the nearby Roman city of Salona, the settling of this small town would shape the landscape and history of this region for millennia to come.

There is so much to say about these cities and the surrounding region, but here we will limit ourselves to a short introduction and share a selection of photos. In future articles, we will provide a short guide to Split, focus in on Diocletian's Palace and invite you to discover a couple of the most beautiful island towns of Croatia as well as Croatian food and wine. It is not surprising that wherever the Greeks (and later the Romans) went, they brought with them the cultivation of olives and grapes! We hope you enjoy this first in our series on Dalmatia.