If you are looking for things to do in Split Croatia, you have come to the right place! This post encompasses everything I have learned about this city + surrounding areas in my six summers working as a tour guide on the Croatian coast, and recommends them to you.
Split, Croatia is the second-largest city in the country (after the capital, Zagreb) and the capital of the Dalmatian Coast. But the truth about things to do in Split? You can do most of the important activities in a day… and the rest are just day trips. I always say that although it’s a massive city, Split is mostly suburbs and does not have quite as much to do as some of its nearby counterparts, unless all you want to do is eat!
Split definitely has amazing restaurants and food, and there’s also pretty good nightlife in Split. But, as far as daytime activities and attractions go, all you really need is a day or two. If you are just starting to plan, check out my article on things to know when planning a trip to Croatia.
Quick Overview of Split
Absolutely! Split is the capital of the coast and is centered around an Ancient Roman Palace from the year 305AD. It has an interesting history, some great beaches outside the city, and great food. But the best reason to stay a few days in Split is that it’s a PERFECT hub for some amazing day trips from Split to National Parks, caves, surrounding islands, and more.
You don’t need much more than one full day to explore the city center, walk up the hill, lay on the beach, and try some food. But you should stay 2-4 days if you want to take some amazing day trips from Split, which is a central hub to a lot of places worth visiting.
Split, Croatia is known for being built from Diocletian’s Palace – an ancient Roman palace from the year 305AD. You can still see a lot of the original parts of the square and underground cellars. Split is also known for being the largest coastal city in Croatia, a port city, and a hub for day trips.
You should: walk around the old town, visit the beach (the ones south of Bacvice are the best), check out the view from Marjan Hill, try some local restaurants or craft food, watch a beautiful sunset, climb the bell tower, do a SUP tour, or check out the Split nightlife! Oh, and make sure to stay for some day trips.
How to Get to Split
Flying Into Split
There are cheap flights to Split from all over Europe! It’s the biggest airport on the coast.
Getting here from the Airport:
There is an airport bus that takes you directly to the bus station (which is at the end of the port – walking distance to town) for the most affordable way to get to town. A taxi would be a bit more pricey, around 30-40 euros.
Getting to Split from Anywhere Else:
Ferries: You can take a ferry to Split from Hvar, Brac, Korcula, and more. Book in advance here.
Bus/Car: You can get a bus to/from Split from all over Croatia and neighboring countries like Montenegro and Bosnia & Herzegovina. Check routes on Bookaway.
You can compare the best prices for rental cars on rentalcars.com, or I have found the best prices in Split in the past on Sixt.
Things to Do in Split City Center
Explore Diocletian’s Palace and Surrounds
The city of Split is built in and around an ancient Roman palace. A Roman Emperor named Diocletian actually took himself off the throne in 305AD to build himself a retirement palace on the coast of Split. When you get here, you’ll understand why!
Over the centuries the palace has changed, morphed, rebuilt, and added a lot, but the basic square shape and form is still the same.
The palace is now mostly lots of little shops, restaurants, alleyway cafe’s and little gelaterias which are some of the most important things to explore in Split. But if you look at some big posters that are put up outside of town near the water, you can see a picture of what they speculate the palace to have looked like all those hundreds of years ago.
Check out the places to see in Split below. If you want to learn more about the ancient AND recent history, book a walking tour. Or, read up about it here.
Things to See in Diocletian’s Palace, Split
Peristyle
This is the main square of town where the Emperor used to address his people. This is the site of some of the best preserved ancient roman ruins in the world, and they have live music pretty much every night during the summer.
There’s a restaurant along the steps, or this is a great place to grab some takeaway drinks and sit (it’s fine to drink in public here) before a night out.
Vestibule
Right above the peristyle is the beautiful vestibule, a circular, high-ceilinged, open-topped stone room with amazing acoustics. There’s often an a cappella group singing in here, and their voices echo through the chamber incredibly well. Those Ancient Romans knew that they were doing!
Cellars
The cellars underneath Diocletian’s palace were only discovered in the last century, and actually mirror what it used to look like above ground. This gave them huge insights as to what the palace used to look like all those hundreds of years ago. You can visit the cellars for about 30kn, which doubles as a bit of a museum.
The rest of the cellars are a path from the waterfront to the peristyle and have lots of little markets and souvenir shops.
Climb the Bell Tower
The bell tower is one of the most prominent Split attractions, and rises up above the rest of the palace in the city center. It was constructed in the 1700’s, so is basically new compared to a lot of Split!
You can climb up to the top for a few euros and the views are top-notch. See if you can time it for sunset in the shoulder season – it usually closes at 7:30pm.
Get Lost Roaming around the Alleys of Old Town
This is a must in any Croatian destination! The streets of old town are narrow, random, and constantly interesting. You can always find a new nook or tucked-away cafe. Spend some time exploring old town with no plan in mind, and you will get to know Split in the process!
Walk Up Marijan Hill for a Great View
You can walk up the hill overlooking Split, Marijan hill, and get a pretty nice view of the city, and get a bit of exercise in as well! This is one of the best things to do in Split for sunset, or after eating way too much at a meal (which is entirely likely).
You can view the city from a platform up the hill, or keep hiking for a while to reach a view on the other side too. If you want to learn even more about this area and do a proper hike, take the “Secret Marjan Tour’ in the morning or for sunset!
Take a Game of Thrones Tour
Game of Thrones was filmed in a few locations in both Split and Dubrovnik, and this GoT Tour here will show you all the filming locations in Split. There’s also an amazing GoT souvenir shop in Split Old Town if you can find it!
I might recommend doing a Game of Thrones tour in Dubrovnik over Split, but if you are a die-hard fan, you can do both!
Take a Stroll down the Riva
“The Riva” is the main ‘drag’ of Split that runs between the old palace walls and the water in the port. There are dozens of bustling restaurants on one side and a tiny park on the other that is usually full of vendors selling things from their mobile stalls.
This is a very lively part of Split (maybe too lively in peak season) and a wonderful place to grab a meal or sit with a drink in the park watching the ferries come in.
Things to do in Split Involving Swimming + Beaches
Surprisingly enough, Split is a bit tougher to swim in than many parts of Croatia. There’s no swimming allowed in the port, and the port is massive (you don’t want to swim in it though… it’s smelly). So, you have to walk a little while from the town center to get to some good swimming spots.
It’s definitely worth it, however, as once you have walked about 20-30 minutes in either direction from Split, you will find yourself on some secluded pebble beaches or rocky alcoves. The water is lovely and clear – everywhere except in the port!
Visit Bačvice Beach – Split’s Main Beach
On the south side of the port (and the closest beach to walk to, about 10 minutes) you have Bačvice beach (Bach-veet-zay), which is more of a bar/clubbing beach. There are lots of bars and even some clubs along this beach, and it gets crowded when the sun goes down.
It’s definitely not the most beautiful water you’ve ever seen, but you can definitely swim and get some drinks here, listen to some bumping music, or go out at night.
Discover Less Crowded Beaches Past Bačvice
If you keep walking past Bačvice, the crowds slowly lessen and the water gets more and more beautiful. You can walk past a harbor or two and some nicer, white-pebble beaches that will be more secluded and ideal for swimming. If you want to lay out, this is one of the best things to do in Split.
Adventure to Kasjuni Beach on the North Coast Peninsula
If you walk about 20-30 minutes north (the other way) along the coast from the port, there are loads of little rocky swimming spots along a massive peninsula (pictured above). The most famous of these beaches is called Kasjuni Beach, but pick any spot that looks nice to you!
Once you pass the port, you’ll see lots of locals lying out and enjoying some time in the sun along the waterline. You can even walk in a big loop all the way around the peninsula and see some great spots to chill outside the city and even a pebbly beach or two.
Other Things to Do in Split
Catch a Beautiful Sunset from the Water’s Edge
It wouldn’t be me if I didn’t add a sunset guide to my list of things to do in Split! There are some beautiful spots to watch the sun go down in this city, and I have listed them below:
Watch Sunset from the South Side of the Port
If you walk around the south/east side of the port, you can get a better view of the sunset behind Marjan Hill, just like the fisherman above.
Catch the Sunset from Marjan Park
This is the big peninsula to the west of the city, and anywhere in this park or the coastline surrounding should give you a great sunset view.
Book a Sunset Kayak Tour
There is a sunset kayak tour in Split that would be a lovely way to watch the sun set over the distant islands of the Adriatic Sea – and quite the adventure as well!
Spend Some time Eating Delicious Food!
Split is definitely the biggest foodie heaven out of the rest of Croatia. What it lacks in things to do, it makes up for in ALL KINDS of culinary experiences. You can have it all here – from cheap and authentic Croatian food to delicious craft burgers and sushi.
Where to Eat in Split
So below are some top recommendations, but check out my Split food guide for more in-depth food info.
Fast/Takeaway Food
Mama Burger – Fab, delish central takeaway spot with wraps (what I prefer) and burgers.
Good Food – Fabulous and crafty burgers at a casual, order-at-the-counter takeaway spot.
Relaxed Sit-Down Meals
Fife – COPIOUS amounts of CHEAP, AUTHENTIC Croatian Food. Busy.
Uje Oil Bar – Home made olive oil, meats, cheeses, spreads, and wine. Need I say more?
Zinfandel – wine tasting and great breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Adriatic Sushi + Oyster Bar – Actually very decent sushi in Split.
Fancy Sit-Down Meals
Bokeria – one of the best spots in town for an upscale dinner with Croatian classics with a twist
Brasserie on 7 – delicious creative food breakfast to dinner
Dvor – Michelin star restaurant in an outdoor patio down the coast.
Or, Try it All in a Food and Wine Tour
First I recommend trying it all at once with a Food Tour of Split. Sample local food at a market, learn some history walking through Diocletian’s Palace, sample local pasta, olive oil, and wines, and finish with some pastries and desserts at a third venue.
Where to Stay in Split
During my time there, I have stayed in everything from hostels to extremely spacious airbnb’s, to everything in between. Here are my recommendations for places to stay in Split:
Apartment Rentals in Split
When I rent an apartment/airbnb in Split, I absolutely love to get places that seem embedded into the old town walls with soft white stone bordering the walls. I also consider it important to stay somewhere central, especially when you don’t have much time. Below are my favorite two that fit all the criteria – for budget and for groups!
Budget – City Center Room – I really enjoyed this little room when I stayed here. It’s affordable, has a really cute space, and couldn’t be more central while still being a bit tucked away from too much noise.
Groups – Luxury Apartment in Diocletian’s Palace – this apartment for groups in Split takes Croatian authenticity and adds a touch of luxury. Add in an outdoor patio and we’ve got a winner!
Split Hostels
Split is a backpackers’ paradise! There are hostels for every type of backpacker.
Relaxed Hostel – Outlanders Tribe Hostel – this is a more relaxed hostel that still has plenty of activities. and is close to everything!
Party Hostels – Booze & Snooze or Fiesta Siesta These hostels are RIGHT in the middle of old town and one of them is attached to the most fun backpacker bar in town – Charlie’s! If you are looking to be social, meet people, and try some of their deadly blue AMF drinks, book here.
Split Hotels – Unique + Boutique
Central + Authentic – Palace Judita Heritage Hotel – this hotel is just the cutest. It has the old stone Croatian walls that I talked about and puts a modern twist on what I would call almost a Victorian-esque design with the furniture and details.
Boutique/More Budget Hotel By the Beach – Marvie Hotel + Health – this hotel is a bit farther from the city center… but VERY close to some of the nice beaches! I love it specifically for the amazing rooftop pool views and wellness amenities. Depending on your dates it can range in price but tends to be more affordable.
Day Trips from Split
Since there isn’t a TON of unusual things to do in Split besides get lost in the little alleyways of old town, I think it’s a great place to base yourself for some day trips if you have spare time in town. Read my day trips from Split post below to find more info and booking links on Split day trips, or check out some of the main ones below.
Hvar + 5 Islands Day Trips from Split: If you don’t have time to visit any islands, DO THIS DAY TOUR!! Trust me.
Krka National Park Day Trip from Split: Many people want to visit Krka National Park from split – a park with waterfalls you can swim in. It’s worth it.
Visit Omis and Go Rafting: Omis is an adventurous place to visit about an hour south of Split. You can go river rafting adventures there and also do some amazing ziplines too.
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