I got some interesting responses to my "unfriendliest cities" poll - Montreal, Prague, Memphis, Seattle. The last two surprised me, being located in the lands of "Southern hospitality" and crunchy eco-geeks. But it's always fun to puncture stereotypes.

Prague didn't surprise me - I was there shortly after the Berlin Wall came down and found the place a little glum. But Eastern Europe's tricky that way; you get no sense of the true nature of the people by walking the streets - or shopping in the markets (where years of Communism did nothing to instill a culture of customer service). You need to be invited home.

Which brings me to my unfriendliest city - Split, Croatia. I visited five years after the war with Serbia, and found a definite post-war malaise. Even the woman in the tourist office made me feel unwelcome. I hope things have improved in the last eight years.

A small street in Split. Photo credit: Stephen Crowley, New York Times