Split Green-market – 5 reasons you should visit!
Split Green-Market is an open-air market is a place to come to stock up on vegetables, fruits and cut flowers. Busy in the morning, silent in the afternoon. This is the core of Mediterranean aromas, smells and tastes, a place from where you probably won’t leave with empty hands. Visiting the green market, situated between the Diocletian palace and the main bus station for city buses, is a special experience, and since the Split green market is an old and good supplied market, we will simply give you 5 reasons you should visit it!
- Split green market presents Dalmatian cuisine
Ok, the main reason anyone comes to this place is to buy groceries for cooking or fruits for family. Vegetables are overall of the season, but you should know that on the top of the market, at the beginning, prices are a bit higher than downhill. The Split Green-market is open from 6.30 every day, and let’s say around 2 pm you won’t find anybody.
(spring offer)
The best offer is on Saturday mornings when most of the Split housewives do shopping for the whole week. If you have your eye on what people buy, you will actually see what Dalmatians eat, it’s simple as that! In the first line – always a lot of green vegetables!
Leafy greens, zucchini, broccoli, potatoes, salads, eggs, french beans, radishes, garlic, onions, shallots, spring onions, tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, cucumbers, gherkins, courgettes, melons, pumpkins, watermelons, lamb’s lettuce, lettuce, escarole, rocket, leaves and sprouts of brassica, witloof, chervil, chives, celery leaves, parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, basil, bay leaves, tarragon, beans….and more and more..depending on season, summer or winter.
- You will find domestic, local products
Whether we talk about vegetables and fruits or dry meat and cheese, honey or dry figs, be sure that you can always find domestic products. Of course, there will always be greengrocers who provide imported food, but you are old enough to distinguish what is picked up yesterday on the hinterland and what ten days ago in Spain or Italy. Usually, little nannies with just a few products bring to market domestic products. Youngers at the top of the market, are probably dealers. But, one thing you should be considering, is a season. So, good advice would be – buy tomatoes, zucchini and strawberries during summer, and for example pomegranate, broccoli and lemons during winter.
On Split Green market you can find more than one butcher’s, as well as bakeries and fresh young cheese salesman. You can find domestic dry olives and aromatic herbs, and goat/cow cheese in oil, or even still-warm pie of chard (traditional meal – soparnik) or apple ( strudel). Grappas and wines are not so common for the Split green market, but still available to buy.
- Cheaper than supermarkets
Maybe at first sight, the prices on green market may look higher but in the end, the truth is you could do better with Split green market than supermarket.
- More than just a food
Not only the freshest fruit, vegetables, olive oil and local brandies (though it appears being well-equipped with all the above): Split Market´s vast offer of stalls present clothing items, accessories, knickknacks and anything else you can think of. Browse at the colourful products and get ready to use all your haggling skills. For example, locals know that the cheapest pyjamas and home shoes are there, at the market, down the parallel street eastern of the green market. Then, if they want some good quality underwear of cotton, they will find it at the top of the street, near the secondary school. Honey products are located on the west side stands, and domestic barrels full of sauerkraut immediately below.
There are stone stands with paintings, books, decorated graphical works, sculptures, drawings, enamels, manuscripts, jewelry, watches and clocks, glassware, carpets, porcelain, ceramics, playthings, photographs, non-electric fans for personal use, textiles, weapons, numismatics, philately and works of art of all kinds whether antique or modern, collectibles and other goods.
- You will feel the true ‘Split emotion’
Well, hands down, Split Green market t is one of the central places of life in Split. After the fish market, though. By the growth of tourism, it’s becoming also a popular destination for tourists eager to feel the local spirit. The Split green market used to be on today’s Fruit Square (with Marko Marulić statue) but due to the rapid city development, it moved to today’s location. At the same time it is the place where you can still feel the spirit of Dalmatia and the Mediterranean, the colours, flavours and aromas of fresh fruits and vegetables, but also the sounds, the yelling and bargaining, all of the above will without a doubt be a clear clue to where you are at that moment.
Of course, all that you can buy on the open market can also be bought in any supermarket, but nothing can replace the local atmosphere, right? Whether you decide just to walk around or buy something for eating, this spot should be your ‘place to see’ while in Split. Market still offers propinquity – the vendors will call you My, dear/son, honey, baby..They’ll try to charm you into buying their products in any way possible. And yes, you can haggle about the price, but keep in mind these people on the other side of the market stall, do that for a living.
(Culinary tour, restaurant’s chef is taking food to prepare it for the guests)
So, now when you have basic acknowledge about the Split green market and its offer, take some bags (canvas bags are a great choice due to eco-friendly shopping) and go ahead! Immerse yourself into this mixture of colours and smells, sounds and true Mediterranean atmosphere! If you need some guidance for this, we have a solution! Our very popular Food Tour may be the best choice for you!
(Culinary tour on Green market)
More info you will find on the web site, www.splitculinary.com, and you can book it right now for the season.