Bačvice Beach (Bačvice)
Bačvice Beach (Bačvice) features on the Gingerguide audio walk through Split. Give it roughly ~55 min: enough to look, hear a two to three minute story on the spot, and ask the AI guide whatever the story leaves open.
- Type nature
- Suggested visit ~55 min
- Split Split guide
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About Bačvice Beach (Bačvice)
Split's shallow, sandy city beach just past the ferry port is the birthplace of picigin, the local shin-deep ball game where players keep a small ball from ever touching the water.
Bačvice is Split's best-known city beach: a shallow, sandy bay just southeast of the main ferry and passenger harbour, within easy walking distance of the old town, unusual on the Adriatic, where beaches are mostly pebble or rock. Its very gentle, sandy shelf makes it family-friendly and gave rise to picigin, a traditional Split ball game commonly dated to 1908, when students returning from Prague, unable to play water polo in the shallows, improvised a game of keeping a small ball from touching the water. Players stand in a circle in shin-deep water and use flat palms to bat the ball aloft; there are no winners, and acrobatic saves are the spectacle. Picigin is recognised as protected Croatian intangible cultural heritage. Above the sand, the multi-level Bačvice pavilion of cafés, bars and clubs makes the bay a day-and-night social hub.
Did you know? Picigin was reportedly invented on Bačvice in 1908 by Split students back from Prague: too shallow for the water polo they had learned, the bay forced them to improvise a new game instead.
How long is a visit to Bačvice Beach (Bačvice)?
Set aside roughly ~55 min for Bačvice Beach (Bačvice). That covers a good look and the narrated story, and because you set the pace you can always stay on.
Is Bačvice Beach (Bačvice) worth your time?
Bačvice Beach (Bačvice) is among the 20 narrated highlights the Gingerguide team chose for Split, so it is worth a look. Hear the story for the context, then ask the AI guide for anything more.
Nearby stops in Split
Day 1 of the Split in 2 days itinerary →
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Hear the story of Bačvice Beach (Bačvice)
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