ITINERARY: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO SPLIT, CROATIA
Split, home to Diocletian’s Palace and many film sets of the popular Game of Thrones series, is where I started my Croatian journey. From the beautiful and historic old town to the stunning viewpoints to the delicious food and the ease-of-access to tons of other destinations in Croatia, Split is a can’t-miss city on your Croatia trip. However, you’ll quickly learn that you only need a day or two to see everything on your list.
Check out my guide to Split, including what to do, where to eat, and different day trips you can take to neighboring attractions.
Looking for more inspiration for your trip? Check out these blogs:
Pictured: View of Split from the top of the Bell Tower inside Diocletian’s Palace
I booked this Airbnb that was in the perfect location only one block from the old town. It’s a lovely studio with a balcony that’s perfect for a solo traveler or a couple staying in Split – check it out!
Some other accommodations I recommend checking out are:
- Boutique hostel
- Amazing location
- Only offers private rooms
- Had one of my favorite meals in Split here
- Price Level: $$
Standard Hostel: Backpackers Fairytale Hostel
- Good location
- Social but quiet, too
- Price Level: $$
Party Hostel: Fiesta Siesta Social Hostel
- Perfect location
- Party atmosphere (usually means lots of noise!)
- Price Level: $
- Hotel
- Great location
- Price Level: $$
- The Airbnb I chose!
- Amazing location
- Cute enclosed terrace
- Price Level: $
Pictured: View of Split from the Bell Tower in Diocletian’s Palace
Pictured: View of the Bell Tower in Diocletian’s Palace in Split
- Via Plane: If you’re traveling from somewhere else in Europe, I recommend flying into Split. I personally did this and flew in from Paris for only around $150 USD!
- Via Ferry: If you’re traveling to Split from Dubrovnik or one of the Croatian islands, you can (and should) take a ferry to Split! Book your ferry here for a beautiful way to see the Croatian coastline while making your trek to the city. For reference, the ferry from Dubrovnik takes about 5 hours and costs 45€
- Via Car: If you’re coming to Split from Zagreb or a nearby European country and have rented a car for your journey, you can also fly into Split. I think this is a great option because you can stop at Plitvice Lakes National Park and Krka National Park along the way. Click below for my full guides to both of those parks as well!
Pictured: View from the Bell Tower in Diocletian’s Palace in Split
The first thing I do when I get to any new city is go on a free walking tour to get to know the area. These walking tours, hosted by Guru Walks as well as other tour companies, are based on a tipping system so they’re completely free and then you’re expected to give a tip at the end. The tour guides are locals who are extremely knowledgeable of the area and share a lot of history about the location with you. Check out more info on them below.
Free Walking Tour Details:
- What tour company do you recommend? I’ve gone with a lot of different companies but Guru Walk is a super reputable company that has tours in tons of cities worldwide, so you can always expect great service.
- How much should I tip? I would be sure to tip the equivalent of at least $10-15 USD per person for your walking tour. Remember, that’s the only salary these guides get and I can guarantee it will be worth it.
- How do I sign up? Head to Guru Walk’s website and register there. You can also join a walking tour by just showing up to the starting location at the right time, but I always choose to put my name in advance.
- What should I expect? Each walking tour has a description of what to expect on the sign-up page. Usually they’ll take you through the historic center of a city and share information about how the city formed and its history. The guides are also great resources for any other questions you have about where to eat, what activities to do, what to avoid, etc.
Pictured: View of the Bell Tower of Split from inside Diocletian’s Palace
- What is Diocletian’s Palace? Diocletian’s Palace is just that – it’s a palace built for the emperor Diocletian in the fourth century A.D. However, it’s probably not what you generally think of when you hear the word “palace” as it’s more like a fortress. Diocletian’s Palace is actually pretty much the entirety of the old city of Split, so it’s not just one massive building as you’d normally think, it’s 220 buildings that house about 3,000 citizens of Split.
- How much does it cost to get into the palace? Because the palace is actually most of the old town of Split, it’s completely free to get into the palace but different areas of it require you to purchase a ticket. The ticket prices range depending on what you want to be included. My ticket (which I bought with a student discount – bring your student I.D.!) was less than $5 USD. Those areas include:
- The Bell Tower
- Cathedral of St. Domnius
- The Substructures
- The Museum of Split
- The Temple of Jupiter
- The Mausoleum
- Where can I buy a ticket? Tickets are sold on-site in one of the buildings along the Peristyle. If you just map yourself to the Bell Tower you can easily find the ticket booth from there.
Pictured: My ticket to Diocletian’s Palace, purchased inside the Peristyle
Note: Climbing the Bell Tower isn’t for the faint of heart or those with a fear of heights. The steps going up are very tall and can be difficult to climb with small children as well, but I saw people do it so don’t be discouraged!
Pictured: View from the top of the Bell Tower in Diocletian’s Palace
The vestibule, a stunning circular room used to enter the residential parts of the palace back in the day, is another spot to check out in Diocletian’s Palace.
Pictured: The Vestibule in Diocletian’s Palace
While I thought there was just one viewpoint on Marjan Hill, there are actually two!
- The first is about halfway up the hill (although it feels a lot further) and is located next to Restoran Vidilica
- The second is at the very top which has a 360 view of the area, including the surrounding hills and islands rather than just the city like the first one
Check out all the details you need to know about climbing Marjan Hill below.
- Where is Marjan Hill? Marjan Hill is located just a couple of blocks northwest of the old city of Split.
- What is there to do on Marjan Hill? Surprisingly, there was a lot more to do on Marjan Hill than I had expected! Here are a few things you can check out besides the beautiful views:
- Grab a drink halfway up at Restoran Vidilica
- Check out the Natural History Museum at the top
- Take a picture with the Marjan Cross at the top
- See the beautiful St. Nicholas Church halfway up
- Is there an entrance fee? Accessing Marjan Hill is completely free of charge – all you need to do is walk up!
- How do I get there? The steps leading up to Marjan Hill are located just outside of the old town of Split. You can find the bottom of the stairs at Marasovića ul., 21000, Split, Croatia.
Pictured: The view halfway up Marjan Hill
Pictured: The view from the top of Marjan Hill
Pictured: A stall at the Green Market in Split
Disclaimer:
Overall, the beaches in Split at sub-par and nothing like the beaches you’ll find on the Croatian islands that are just a short ferry ride away. Later in this blog, I’ll talk about some day trips you can take from Split, including to better beaches in the surrounding area, so I recommend checking out the beaches in Split if you only have an hour or two to spare. If you have more time, check out the Day Trips section below to make a full day of it and really see what the Croatian beaches are all about.
Beach Ježinac
Ježinac is another beach located near the Old Town but further north at the base of Marjan Hill near the Riva. While I didn’t go here personally, I would recommend going here over Bacvice because it looks to be more of a natural beach (no concrete) and cleaner than what I experienced at Bacvice.
Kasjuni Beach
Kasjuni is the beach on this list that’s farthest from Split’s Old Town, which probably makes it the best beach on this list. If you have time, make your way over here for a cleaner and more untouched beach experience near the city.
Pictured: Bacvice Beach in Split
If you follow the same walkway west, away from the ferry port and toward Marjan Hill, you’ll find the beautiful view of Split below as well.
Pictured: View of Split from the Riva
- Price: $$ (standard for Split)
- Location: Northwest of the old town
- Ambiance: 10/10 (perfect for a nice evening outside)
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Pictured: Dinner at Ciri Biri Bela
This was tied with my dinner at Ciri Biri Bela for my favorite meal in all of Croatia. With unique comic-inspired decorations on the walls and delicious authentic Croatian food, it was a treat all around. I was able to walk in and only wait 10 minutes, so you shouldn’t need to make reservations in advance.
- Price: $$ (standard for Split)
- Location: Split’s Old Town
- Ambiance: 10/10 (fun & kitschy decorations)
- Meals: Dinner
Pictured: My dinner at Corto Maltese in Split’s old town
While you may only need a day or two to explore Split itself, you can spend a week in Split exploring the surrounding areas! There are tons of historic towns and beautiful landscapes only a short drive or bus ride from Split. Check out a few of them below.
In total, the park is about 300 square kilometers and contains 16 lakes and numerous waterfalls of varying sizes. The largest waterfall, Veliki Slap Waterfall (pictured below), is 78 meters high and located at the front of the park so no matter which route you take around the lakes you won’t miss it.
Plitvice Lakes is a 2.5-hour drive from Split, which you can access either via a rental car or via a guided tour bus. The guide above has details on which option is best for your group size and what you want to see and do nearby. If you’re interested in the bus tour option, book it below!
Pictured: View of the largest waterfall at Plitvice Lakes National Park
Pictured: One of the walkways at Plitvice Lakes National Park
Pictured: One of the lakes at Plitvice Lakes National Park
Krka National Park is another national park full of waterfalls that’s within driving distance from Split, but much closer than Plitvice Lakes. Located only an hour from Split, I’d recommend taking a tour bus to Krka or combining it with your day in Plitvice Lakes if you rented a car. It’s also much smaller than Plitvice Lakes so it can be seen in only an afternoon if you’re tight on time. Check out my full guide to Krka National Park below for everything you need to know!
Pictured: The main waterfall at Krka National Park
Pictured: The main waterfall at Krka National Park from above
If you’re going to choose one day trip to take from Split, let it be to Hvar Island. While I enjoyed the national parks listed above, Hvar was my favorite place I went to in all of Croatia and something you can’t miss on your trip. While this can be done as a day trip as it’s only an hour ferry ride from Split, it’s best visited for at least two full days if you have the time.
Hvar is the epitome of summer in Croatia – from the rocky coastlines and beautiful old town to amazing parties at night, it checks off every item you could want on your trip. Click here to book your ferry to Hvar and check out my full blog post on the island below!
Pictured: The view of Hvar Town from the fortress at the top of the island
