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Split, the second-largest city in Croatia, is a stylish cosmopolitan city located in central Dalmatia, along the Adriatic coast. It continues to change and adapt which is not surprising considering it has been incorporating foreign ideas and ways of life since the Romans arrived . Here, you’ll find sophisticated hotels and increased access to archaeological sites which imbue the city with an international flare you won’t find in other Croatian cities.
It’s an incredible mix of modern and ancient; a sought-after destination for yachting enthusiasts, beach loungers, history buffs and even those who want to bump and grind at the disco until the sun comes up. Sound like your kind of destination? If so, keep reading for an overview of some of the top sights and sites to uncover while on holiday in Split.
Diocletian Palace Complex
The bustling port city of Split is teeming with history – from ancient ruins to heritage sites. When visiting, make like a Roman emperor and explore the Palace of Diocletian in ancient Split. This timeless wonder is the largest and most well-preserved example of Roman palatial architecture in the world. The Palace endures as a symbol of the city’s Venetian and Roman past and even today the architecture is striking.
The palace and its surrounding walls and structures is known as the Diocletian Palace Complex, and it remains the heart of Split to this day. In fact, the entire complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built by the Roman emperor Diocletian, as his retirement home, it took ten years to build Diocletian Palace. Construction was finished in 305 AD. Miraculously, over the years, the sturdy limestone palace and surrounding structures were never destroyed which means visitors have a unique chance to get lost among these ancient Roman ruins in Split’s Old Town.
Things to do at the Diocletian Palace Complex
Enter the complex by way of the Golden Gate, which served as the main entrance to the Palace or the Silver Gate, the palace’s eastern entrance and a smaller version of the Golden Gate and imagine walking in the figurative steps of a Roman emperor.
Climb to the top of the bell tower of the Cathedral of St. Domnius for impressive rooftop and sea views. You need to purchase a ticket in advance to climb the bell tower. Bell tower only tickets are available or you can combine with other sites in the complex, like the Crypt of St. Lucy, for a better deal.
Check out the Split City Museum, located in the Diocletian complex. Here you will find 12th to 18th century artifacts, books and artwork. You’ll find lots of Venetian influences here because the Venetians conquered Dalmatia in the Middle Ages and under their rule the arts flourished in Split and the city’s walls were built then too.
Walk around the People’s Square which was once the center of commerce in Split circa the 15th century. Now it is lined with cute, open-air cafes, top-notch shopping, bars and restaurants.
You’ll also find the third oldest, still operating synagogue in Europe built within the western walls of Diocletian Palace. It is on Zidovski prolav or the Jewish passage.
City Market
Split’s City Market also called the “Green Market” or “Pazar” by locals is a frenetic place filled with a wide sampling of seasonal fruit and vegetables, honey, cheeses, and meats making it an excellent place to stop if you’re planning a picnic or beach day. It’s an outdoor market like a farmer’s market in the United States and conveniently located just outside the Old City / Diocletian Palace close by the church of St. Dominic. Fruit and produce used to dominate this market but vendors have diversified their products especially with the influx of tourists to the market. Fish products, however, cannot be found here. Instead, the fish market is separated from this green market and can be found closer to the port.
This City Market is free to visit and it’s a lot of fun to peruse the stalls. Also, the market remains an excellent place to observe more authentic life in Split. You’re likely to hear some yelling and bargaining going on and the prices are typically cheaper here than in the supermarkets.
Typically, this market is open daily from 6 a.m. to about lunchtime which is around 2pm in Croatia. Obviously for the best selection plan to arrive earlier in the day.
Split Riviera
Antiquity is linked to modernity in Split and nowhere does that ring truer than the juxtaposition of the ancient ruins of the palace complex flanked by the lavish and bustling Split Riviera. Running between the grand façade of the palace and the Adriatic Sea near the ferry port, is where you will find the Split Riviera or “Riva”. This grand, palm-fringed walkway is for pedestrians only and ladened with outdoor cafes and a vibrant restaurant scene. It’s THE spot to go for a dose of seaside luxury at its finest and an ideal spot not only for watching the sun set over the port but for people watching too. Bonus! You might just even catch a glimpse of mega yachts headed into the harbor.
After taking a leisurely stroll on the polished limestone, sneak off to meander the city’s labyrinth of nearby streets. Here you’ll find shaded cobble city piazzas and countless restaurants tucked away in unique spots like secret gardens, enormous rooftop terraces or patios shaded with pine trees. There is also a tremendous street art scene just waiting to be enjoyed. Some of the street murals are accompanied by informational plaques which not only teach you a bit about the artist and work of art but about some Croatian history too.
The Split Riviera experience extends beyond the pedestrianized walkway and cafes to provide amazing experiences out at sea! Consider grabbing a spot on a this full-day catamaran cruise to Hvar and Pakleni Islands or taking this private boat tour where you can create your own itinerary!
Kasjuni Beach
If sun, sand and drink in hand are your idea of a good time then you should check out Kasjuni Beach. This beachfront retreat is located a few short miles from the bars and boutiques of the swanky Split Riviera. While you can walk from the Old City to Kasjuni (we did it!) it’s not a walk we recommend. The walk felt long – especially because we got lost a few times – and we arrived tired. If you can make plans to take local transportation to the beach, do it!
Once you arrive at Kasjuni Beach, all thoughts of urban life will melt away. The beach is nestled among breathtaking nature and sure to be your happy place. Enjoy floating in the clear, refreshing water while your eyes are drawn to the soaring cliffs above and forest flanking the sea. With a sun-kissed coastline this magnificent, your beach day in Split is bound to be unforgettable!
Kasjuni beach is best enjoyed with your squad and while this beach is a well-heeled summer spot, it doesn’t get terribly overcrowded. Post up with your towel on the rocky beach or cement walkway. Or, for a daily fee, you can rent a couple of chairs with an umbrella which offers the perfect place to sit and enjoy the ever-changing Balkan light.
Things to know before you swim at Kasjuni Beach
Be sure to slather on the sunscreen – especially if you opt out of purchasing chairs under a shaded umbrella. If the sun is out the direct sunlight will be no joke. Fun fact about Split – it enjoys the sunniest weather in Croatia with more than 200 days of sunshine each year!
We also highly recommend you wear water shoes here. Not only will you need water shoes to walk across this pebble beach safely and comfortably, but poisonous sea urchins are also known to call these waters home. Yikes! Justin unknowingly stepped on a sea urchin while we were out in the water up to about our shoulders. After he felt the sharp stick of the needles we quickly looked down and clearly saw a small black blob moving across the sea floor. When we inspected his foot, we found a few small black dots on the pads of his foot. These black dots were the sea urchin needles embedded in his skin. We showed a staff member the dots and they reassured us that it was ok (meaning not to the point where we needed to go to the hospital for medical attention). For the next few days his foot was sore. He soaked his foot daily, and we worked a few of the spikes out with tweezers. All in all, we never had to go to the hospital/doctor for this but it did make walking around uncomfortable for a few days. Plus, it was a scary experience that could have been avoided if Justin had worn water shoes.
Hike at Marjan Hill
Away from the bustle of the city, is where you can find Marjan Hill. This is an excellent spot for active travelers to take a hike or go for a jog while diving into a bit of Split’s natural side. Marjan Hill is a protected park in Split and the main peak called Telegrin is the highest point in the park. To reach the top take the 314 steps and be prepared to enjoy some seriously sweeping city views. There are a ton of benches on the walk up to the peak. You’ll also want to make sure to see St. Jerome Church which sits on the cliffs overlooking the idyllic Kasjuni Bay. If you’re looking to hike, the trail here is moderate and takes about 2 hours to complete. You can also enjoy the trail via bike.
Hajduk Split – Football Club
Splicanis (locals of Split) are passionate fans of their Split-based soccer team, Hrvatski nogometni klub Hajduk Split (simply known as Hajduk Split). Think about the football Fans in Ted Lasso on steroids.
If you have an opportunity to catch a Hajduk Split football game live especially against their main rival, Dinamo Zagreb, at Stadion Poljud…GO! You won’t regret it. Even if you can catch a Hajduk Split game on TV at a local pizzeria that too is an experience not to be missed. We watched quite a few football games while chowing down on incredible, Roman-style pizza while visiting several different Croatian cities. In Split, this these football watching experiences were a super affordable and memorable way for us to get in on Split’s distinctive football culture. You can also pick up Hajduk Split fan gear like the mega-popular football scarves or kits at Cro Fan Shops located in Split or Fan shop Poljud located next to the football stadium.
Traveling to Split
By Ferry from Dubrovnik
The route from Dubrovnik to Split unspools along the blue waves of the Adriatic making travel via ferry very enjoyable. We traveled to Split from Dubrovnik by ferry which was a decision that awarded us with constant views of the stunningly bright blue sea. Starting in Dubrovnik, Split was the final stop along the route which took about 4.5 hours from start to finish. It was an easy, leisurely journey. Every so often when arriving at a port, people would gather at the bow of the ferry to watch the next island or white marble stone rise up in front of us.
The Ferry company we used was Krilo. It was affordable, easy and convenient. We would travel with them again.
By Car from Zadar
Split is easily accessible via the Adriatic Highway (Jadranska Magistrala) which runs from Rijeka in the north all the way down the coast to Montenegro. It is also a part of the European route E65 which is an interconnected chain of highways from Sweden to Greece running approximately 2400 miles (3,800 kilometers). This is a great route for those traveling to Split via car from Zadar. After departing Zadar, you will travel along the sea’s edge and through Krka National Park and Skradin – two spots you should definitely plan to check out as your travels allow.
Split as Homebase
Experience the city of Split for all it has to offer and also use it as a base to access some of Croatia’s most dramatic and awe-inspiring national parks and island destinations – some of which might even outshine the city itself. (We’ll let you be the judge of that).
In terms of nature, you can reach Plitvice Lakes National Park in about 2.5 hours by car or bus from Split.
If you have interest in visiting some of Croatia’s islands, Split makes for an excellent hub for further travel to these islands:
- Hvar – home to the Sveti Nikola mountain range, historic towns and lovely lavender fields, this is one of the most enticing islands in Croatia. It can get quite crowded during peak tourist season.
- Vis– while not as aesthetically striking as Hvar, Vis is unique and offers visitors some of the best scuba diving in all of Croatia and excellent vineyards known for their Plavac wines.
- Korcula – a medieval town with a walkable main city center, Korcula is known as “the island of wines”. The best wine varieties to try here are Plavac, Grk, Rukatac and Posip. Also, some believe that Marco Polo was born here!
Is Split worth visiting?
Overall, we think a visit to Split depends on how much time you have, and the type of travel experience you seek. For us, and the travel route we followed while in Croatia, stopping in Split for a few days was a no-brainer. It was a convenient stop between Dubrovnik and Zadar that granted us the chance to experience Croatian city life and provided us with a very relaxing beach day. We enjoyed taking in the city’s monuments and millennia-old ruins that capture the nostalgic spirit of Split and how it prompted us to stand still and reflect on the past. We also loved the thriving food scene in Split especially the Italian dishes we tried. You’ll be hard pressed to find more traditional, Croatian fare among the sea of falafel stands, sushi restaurants and wood-fired pizza places which is all the more reason to explore the city of Split more deeply and venture further afield. In total, we spent 2 full days in Split, and we felt that was long enough to see the sights we wanted to see. If you are more into the nightlife scene, Split is absolutely worth a visit. The city flips at night into a thriving, vibrant place with a thumping club/disco scene that is unmatched in Croatia and perhaps most of Europe.
We hope this blog post featuring the vibrant urban playground of Split will inspire you to hop on your next flight to Croatia to see these sights and make memories that will last a lifetime.
~ Justin + Alyssa
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We spent three weeks in Croatia earlier this year and absolutely loved it. Thanks for sharing and bringing back some nice memories.
Aw, I love this! Happy you were able to relive some of your Croatian adventures via this post 🙂
Split is a beautiful city, great post
Thanks for giving the post a read! So happy to hear you too think Split is an amazing place to visit!
Cosmic clarity