Split
Stay inside a Roman emperor's palace in Split's Diocletian's Palace old town, then take a 1-hour ferry to Hvar for lavender and nightlife.
Split is Croatia's second-largest city and the transport hub of central Dalmatia. Its old town is built inside the palace of the Roman emperor Diocletian and has been a World Heritage site since 1979; from here, ferries reach islands such as Hvar, Brač and Vis in about an hour, making it the base camp for island hopping. Main areas: ① Split Old Town, the Riva waterfront promenade, Marjan Hill and the city beaches; ② Day trips nearby: the old town of Trogir, Klis Fortress, the Salona ruins, Omiš and the Cetina Gorge, Krka National Park, and Makarska and the Biokovo Skywalk; ③ The islands: Hvar Town and the Pakleni Islands, the Stari Grad Plain, Zlatni Rat beach on Brač, and Vis Island with the Blue Cave on Biševo. The climate is Mediterranean, with sunny, hot, dry weather in Jun–Sep, the peak season for swimming and island hopping, when Jul–Aug accommodation is pricey and crowded; in May and Sep–Oct the water is still warm enough for swimming and prices are lower; in winter most facilities on the islands close. Getting there: Split Airport is about 25 km from the city (about 30 minutes by airport bus); Zagreb is about 4.5–5 hours by road and Dubrovnik about 4 hours; island ferries are run mainly by Jadrolinija and Krilo, and in peak season you should book ahead. The currency is the euro. Suggested stay: 3–5 days: 1 day for Split Old Town, 1–2 days for each island, plus 1–2 mainland day trips. In peak season the palace old town and Hvar Town are noisy at night, so families can stay in a quiet town on an island.
Top sights
- Diocletian's Palace, Split – A palace built for Roman Emperor Diocletian after his abdication in AD 305. Around 3,000 people still live within its walls, and its colonn…
- Trogir Old Town – A medieval stone old town on a small island, with the Romanesque St. Lawrence Cathedral and Kamerlengo Fortress. It is a World Heritage Sit…
- Krka National Park – A series of 17 travertine cascades and wooden boardwalks on the Krka River. Skradinski Buk is the most spectacular, making this one of Spli…
- Riva Promenade, Split – A palm-lined promenade hugging the south wall of Diocletian's Palace, with cafés lined up along it, serving as Split's living room for stro…
- Marjan Hill – A pine-clad peninsula hill west of the Old Town; climb the steps to viewpoints overlooking the old town and islands, with clear beaches suc…
- Bačvice Beach – A sandy shallow beach ten minutes' walk from the Old Town, where locals play picigin, a ball game in waist-deep water, making it Split's ci…
- Split Green Market (Pazar) & Fish Market – An open-air market outside the Silver Gate of the Palace and a century-old fish market outside the west gate, offering a taste of everyday…
- Meštrović Gallery – The seaside villa of Ivan Meštrović, Croatia's most celebrated sculptor, displaying his marble, bronze and wood masterpieces.
- Klis Fortress – A thousand-year-old fortress guarding the mountain pass behind Split, which withstood Ottoman forces and served as the filming location for…
- Salona Archaeological Park – The ruins of the Roman provincial capital of Dalmatia, where an amphitheatre, city walls and an early Christian cathedral are scattered amo…
- Omiš & Cetina River Canyon – A pirate town where the Cetina River cuts through a canyon to the sea, offering rafting, zip-lining and Mirabella Fortress, about 25 km fro…
- Blue Cave, Biševo – A sea cave where sunlight entering through an underwater opening lights the interior a fluorescent blue, often combined with Vis and Hvar i…
- Stiniva Cove – A hidden pebble cove on Vis's south coast, enclosed by towering cliffs with an entrance only a few metres wide, once named Europe's most be…
- Zlatni Rat Beach – A pebble spit jutting into the sea whose tip shifts with the wind and currents, Croatia's most iconic beach.
- Vidova Gora – The highest point of the Adriatic islands at 778 m, with views from the summit down to the tip of Zlatni Rat beach and across to Hvar.
- Makarska Riviera – A roughly 60 km pebble coastline at the foot of Mount Biokovo; the harbour of Makarska town and its pine-lined beaches are top choices for…
- Biokovo Nature Park & Skywalk – A limestone mountain range rising straight from the sea, with a glass Skywalk overlooking the Makarska coast; drive up to Sveti Jure at 1,7…
- Blue Lagoon (Krknjaši), Drvenik Veli – A shallow lagoon between Drvenik Veli and Drvenik Mali with glassy turquoise water, a popular boat-trip stop from Trogir and Split.
- Primošten – A stone village built on a peninsula, with Babić vineyards climbing the hillside in a grid of stone walls and spectacular sea views.
- Šibenik Cathedral of St. James & Old Town – A UNESCO-listed cathedral built entirely of stone with no wooden structure, its exterior adorned with 71 carved heads, set in a maze of med…
- Blaca Hermitage – A 16th-century hermitage in a cliffside gorge on the south coast of Brač, now a museum. It is reached on foot or by boat and offers a drama…
Where to eat
- Konoba Fetivi – A family-run seafood tavern in the historic Varoš neighborhood, recommended by the Michelin Guide, where the fresh catc…
- Villa Spiza – A tiny 15-seat tavern in a narrow alley of the Old Town, featuring a daily changing handwritten menu, no reservations…
- Konoba Kod Joze – A family-run tavern just outside the Old Town walls, highly rated for its beef stew with handmade gnocchi and black ris…
- Šug – A Michelin-recommended stone-house tavern with a casual vibe, serving hearty Dalmatian dishes combining land and sea in…
- Krug – Split's first one-Michelin-starred restaurant, featuring a 12-seat open kitchen counter where Chef Karlo Kaleb presents…
Itineraries
- Classic Croatia: Zagreb to Dubrovnik – A classic first-time route from the capital via Plitvice Lakes, Zadar, and Split to Hvar and Dubrovnik.
- Dalmatian Island Hopping: Split to Dubrovnik – No driving required. Take catamarans to connect Hvar, Korčula, and Mljet, heading south all the way to Dubrovnik.
- Northern Dalmatia: Zadar to Split – Use Zadar as a base to sail the Kornati Islands, then head south via Šibenik and Krka to Trogir.
- Slovenia & Croatia Grand Tour – From Lake Bled to Dubrovnik, this route connects the Alps, Karst landscapes, Istria, lakes, and Adriatic islands.
- Split, Mostar & Bay of Kotor: 3-Country – Travel from Split into Bosnia and Herzegovina to Mostar, head south to Dubrovnik, and continue to Montenegro's Bay of K…