Split Destination Guide
The Diocletian Palace occupies pride of place in Split. The cathedral stands tall in the centre of the city and within the palace walls and is surrounded by a confusing network of marble streets lined with businesses and shops of every kind. A huge forested park covers the western part of the city and offers adventure opportunities. The park has beaches below it and walking trails above it. The harbour area has been renovated into a lovely promenade that is bordered by cafés and is the perfect place for a delightful stroll.
The largest Croatian city on the Adriatic coast and also the regions main transport hub, most visitors to the Croatian coast spend some time in Split.
Use our Split Destination Guide below to choose what you wish to see and do during your stay in Split. You should also take a look at our Split tours, which offer insight into the impressive history of the city, as well as providing some more adventurous exploration options. If you would like general information for your holiday in Croatia, visit our Croatia Country Guide.
Things to See & Do in Split
Follow the links below or scroll further down the page for details on some of the many interesting tourist attractions in Split:
Diocletian Palace (UNESCO Heritage Site)
The historic centre is built around the remnants of the palace and it will give you a feel of the old town. One spot that is worth a visit is the excavated remains of the palace basement. The cardo or the north-south oriented street, and the decumanus or the east-west oriented street of the palace are well preserved even today. The cardo and decamanus were two features that were distinct symbols of Roman town planning. Some Renaissance as well as gothic buildings have been preserved too. The four majestic gates of the palace are Porta Aenea (Mjedena vrata or bronze gate) in the south, Porta Argentea (Srebrna vrata or silver gate) in the east, Porta Aurea (Zlatna vrata or golden gate) in the north and Porta Ferrea (Željezna vrata or iron gate) in the west. The Diocletian Palace is the best preserved Roman palace in the world.
Diocletian Palace Tour
The historic centre of Split along with Diocletian’s Palace was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979. It was one of the first urban complexes to be thus listed. It is believed that the palace was built between 298 AD and 305 AD. Diocletian’s Palace is one the most well preserved palaces of the time and is considered as the most notable original structure of the late ancient period.
The city of Split developed around the walls of the palace and each year, larger parts of this unique structure are opened to the public. The cellars or basement halls of the palace are a world by themselves. A number of interesting and fascinating artefacts are on display here and visitors can take guided tours of the basement halls.
Tour times: May to October – 10 am, 12 noon, 7 pm. November to April – 11 am.
Duration of tour: 90 minutes. Language: English. The tours start from outside the tourist information centre and visitors should report at least 15 minutes before the tour.
St. Duje's Cathedral
Peristil Square (Peristylium)
Jupiter's Temple
Two Original Egyptian Sphinxes
Riva
Marjan
Varoš
Galerija Meštrović
Archaeological Museum
Salona
Hvar Island
An alternative route to Hvar is to take the boat to Brac, the other side of Hvar. Boats to Brac leave ten times a day and the trip to Supetar in Brac takes about an hour. The last ferry to Split leaves Brac at 10:45 pm. Bikes or scooters can be rented to explore the island. Just remember that rental services close early so if you intend to return the bike or scooter late, inform the owners who are quite flexible like most of the locals.
Things to Do
A number of charter agencies operate in Split and a motor or sailing yacht can be easily chartered. Most of the boats leave from ACI marina, Zenta marina or Spinut marina. Marina Kastela is near Split and many boats leave from Kastela too. Before the yacht trip, a yacht check-in must be done. It is best to carry some provisions for the charter vacation since any trip on the sea, however short, is unpredictable.
Gajeta Falkusa Comeza Lisboa
This is one of the very few still-surviving traditional boats seen at the Riva waterfront. A traditional wooden fishing boat, it can be hired for a day trip to the Brac Island. A sunset cruise is also offered. For those on a short trip to Split, the cruise is a great way to explore and discover the area.
Sunbathe on the Beach at Bačvice
Walk on the waterfront and cross the railway line to reach this beach. Although not one of the best beaches of Croatia, the Bačvice Beach has a very Croatian feel as most of the visitors are from Split. The beach is extremely crowded throughout summer. Cafés and ice cream shops are spread all across the beach.
Northern Split has less crowded beaches but the city’s industrial zone faces the beaches and that takes away some of the beauty. Beautiful pine trees surround these beaches. Marjan Hill is a 30-minute walk from the north side beaches.
Hiking/Climbing
The bell tower near the palace mausoleum is a popular climb. Entry costs just 10 kunas and the view from the top is stunning. The stairs are along the inside wall of the tower and at certain points, big open windows break the monotony of the climb. Not recommended for anyone with vertigo!
Meet your local whl.travel connection Katarina of the Katarina Line Travel Agency. At Katarina Line, we feel strongly about sustainable tourism as if we do not look after the beauty that we have it will soon all be destroyed. At Katarina Line we want to be a part of the preservation of the Adriatic Sea, Croatian Riviera, and Croatia's abundance of natural beauty!
