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THE Kastela RIVIERA
The area between ancient Salona and the town of Trogir, stretching under the slopes of Kozjak Mountain and a beautiful, long bay appears by its beauty of nature, gentleness and fertility as if created according to measure of a man. Its inhabitants have cultivated it for centuries transforming it into an oasis of breathtaking beauty for all chance travellers.
The Kozjak massif stretches from Mosor Mountain for about 16 km westwards. It is divided from Mt. Mosor by the Klis Pass and its well-fortified fortress watching from its heights over the whole region.
Well- marked trails make Kozjak an attractive mountain not only for mountaineers but also for numerous
holidaymakers keen on hiking and active holidays.
Traces from all periods of the past times are present here - from the fortified mountain peaks or their slopes, where the pre-history man had built shelter and found refuge for himself, leaving behind himself grave mounds and defensive walls. In the ancient Roman times that part of the Ager Salonitanus (the field of Salona) covered by villae rusticae and ennobled by the Mediterranean vegetation: vineyards, olive groves, citrus fruits has become fatally bound to a man in this area.
In hard times of the Late Antiquity this region was devastated as were many parts of the Roman Empire.
The inhabitants suffered great losses or tried defending themselves in fortified ancient villae rusticae.
The new period in history began with the Slav colonization in 7th c and formation of the Croat State. Its seat was at the very place of Bijaci on the mountain slopes above Kastela. Croatian Princes had accepted Christianity and issued their royal documents confirming that they were the true masters of the region. The Slav settlers started building their homes on the slopes of Kozjak Mountain in the Early Middle Ages. The parish churches of these settlements have been preserved.
The region came under the rule of Venice in 1420 but fifty years later, a new danger was in sight - the Ottoman Turks destroying all the achievements of the Western European Civilization.
For the reason of the Turkish inroads, the inhabitants abandoned their mountain settlements and went to live around well fortified citadels (Kastela) built on the reefs of the Kastela Bay. These new settlements were fortified and encircled by trenches filled with the seawater and connected by drawbridges that were leading to strong, stone building complexes.
While the citadels' fronts turned to the sea were built in the style of Renaissance summer residences with broad windows and balconies and the interior filled with valuable furniture, paintings and libraries, on the other hand the citadel appeared as a fortress from the continental side, towering above the village with its turrets, towers and loop-holes.
Along some twenty citadels there were formed seven settlements: Kastel Sucurac, Kastel Gomilica, Kastel Kambelovac, Kastel Luksic, Kastel Stari, Kastel Novi and Kastel Stafilic - all of them renowned holiday resorts today.
When the Ottoman Turks withdrew from the region in 17th c, the inhabitants could start living in peace that brought prosperity. The further history coincided with the history of the wider region of Central Dalmatia and the one of Croatia itself.
Today the Seven Kastela have been integrated into the unique town of Kastela, the famous holiday resort along one of the most attractive natural bays in the vicinity of Salona (Solin) and Split, Central Dalmatia - Croatia.
It is well connected by many daily bus lines with the neighbouring towns.
Due to the favourable Mediterranean climate, hot and dry summers and mild winters, Kastela is an agreeable place to stay or spend holidays in numerous apartments, villas or house rentals close to the seaside and beautiful old stone citadels.
In Kastel Luksic there is an exuberant botanical garden nourishing numerous tropical plants from many countries of the world. It is the school botanical garden proclaimed a protected monument of horticulture as a unique school botanical garden of that kind in Croatia. With more than one thousand species, chiefly subtropical plants from all the continents, this school garden is the richest one on the Croatian Adriatic Coast. It was formed by enthusiastic teachers and pupils of the Kastel Luksic Elementary School for the purpose of educating young people. After some time it became a meeting place of numerous pupils and students from all parts of Croatia and abroad. Its importance is in function of an active ecological up breeding of young people and organizing of international ecological competitions.
Most holidaymakers that spend their holidays in Kastela don't miss visiting the Biblical Garden formed on the slopes of Kozjak at Stomorija, around an old Croatian Christian church, with all kinds of trees and plants that were growing in Palestine in Ist C AD.
The holidaymakers who choose to stay in any of the Seven Kastela holiday resorts have numerous possibilities of short one-day excursions to the neighbouring places of interest: the historical towns of Split, Salona, Trogir, the off shore islands or the towns of Sibenik and Zadar, both at a short distance.
They can attend varied cultural events, performances of opera, drama , ballet of the Split Summer, exhibitions and entertaining evenings in Kastela or the nearby places.
Many tourists will go exploring the green interior of Dalmatian Zagora with its special attractions: horseback riding, angling, rafting and canoeing on the Cetina River. They will find restaurants and wine cellars with delicious Dalmatian specialities and good wines in any of the places in the hinterland.
If you choose one of these beautiful holiday resorts that represent the Kastela Riviera, you will be excited by the beauty of nature, proximity to the sea and its position in the vicinity of the world known historical sites in Central Dalmatia - Croatia.
























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