My dear viewer, have you ever had an experience of visiting a place in another country or part of the world, and to see such a resemblance with another place, that you forget where exactly you are? Welcome to Omiš. ^__^

Originally established by the early Illyrians and recorded by the Greeks, the town grew swiftly under Roman rule before coming under Byzantine influence in the early Dark Ages. As the great powers vied for rule of the Balkans over the Dinara mountain range, Omiš enjoyed a period of relative autonomy, eventually become the hub town for the 'Corsairs of Almissa', elite pirates who plundered trade on the Adriatic, and grew very rich off the back of it. By the 1400s, Omiš had come fully under Venetian rule, and led to a period of peace and prosperity, with seaborne trade investing in proud constructions on land, including a hilltop fortress, and the church of St. Michael (seen in the picture). The city escaped Ottoman rule, but came under Austro-Hungarian rule as their forces moved into the rest of Croatia in the 17th century. They remained in charge until the end of the First World War, when the town was brought into the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, and remained as such until Croatia's independence in 1991.

Like history? The Balkans has enough to bore you to tears, and more! As a result of this history, Omiš has a nice mix of several cultures within a confined area, with Venetian architecture, newer buildings built under Yugoslavia, and cuisine taking from Austrian, Illyrian, and Italian sources. The ice cream, especially, draws from the Italian influence. Yum!

Hope you enjoy!