If you’re looking for the best Day Trips from Split Croatia, you’ve come to the right place! Split is the perfect hub for day trips to surrounding islands and Croatian National Parks.
Split is the second-largest city in Croatia and the capital of the Dalmatian Coast. It contains one of the busiest harbors in Europe and is a central hub to the rest of Croatia. This makes it perfect for taking Split day trips. Split is centered around an incredible Ancient Roman Palace, giving it an amazing historic vibe.
However, the rest of the city is mostly suburbs… meaning there’s not so much to do as one might expect in a well-known Croatian coastal city. After working as a guide in Croatia for 4 summers, I know Split (and the rest of the country) very well. I’d say all you really need is one day to explore Split itself.
However, Split is a perfect base for day trips around the southern Croatian coast. There are dozens of amazing islands, national parks, and surrounding cities that make perfect day trips from Split. I have listed the best day trips from Split below, along with my recommended tour providers, too!
DAY TRIPS FROM SPLIT CROATIA:
There are smaller islands and national parks best visited on a day trips from Split, often on an organized bus/minibus tour. I think taking day tours from Split is probably the easiest way to access different points of interest from a central Croatian city, so be sure to check out these Split day trip ideas.
But first, check out some of my other Croatia Content! I worked as a tour guide for four years sailing the southern seas, so I know the place like the back of my hand. Here are some of my other detailed guides and posts about Croatia:
- Places to Visit in Croatia: EVERYTHING you need to know!
- Top 20 Music Festivals in Croatia
- Croatia Sailing Tours: How to Choose the Best Island Sail Week (for any traveler)
- ALL you need to know about – Split – Hvar Island – Korcula Island – Mljet Island – Makarska Riviera – Dubrovnik – Vis Island – and more!
Vis Blue Caves + 5 Islands Day Trip from Split
Many tour companies offer day trips to the Blue Cave on Biševo island, just off of Vis Island. The cave is blue because there is a section of an almost entirely enclosed cave where the rock dips just a few feet below sea level, and the sunlight shines right through the crystal clear water and illuminates the whole cave in a blue glow.
It was discovered a few hundred years ago by an explorer who crawled through a small crack in the cave wall, and they have since blown a bigger (but still very tiny and only accessible via tiny boat) entrance to take tourists inside for a short period of time.
I recommend making an entire day of it and doing a popular ‘5 Islands’ day trip from Split. It visits the blue caves and 4 other islands on a full day. The tour below is my most recommended GYG original tour. It takes you to the Blue cave, Vis island, Stiniva cove, the Green Cave, and Hvar island in one day! Read more about what to expect from a blue caves tour from Split or watch the video below.
Vis Island Day Trip from Split
Some blue cave trips (like the one above) will also stop at Vis island, which is gorgeous. Check my Guide to Vis to learn more as there are two amazing towns, beautiful swimming spots, fortresses, food, Stiniva Bay, and even military tours.
It’s popular to rent scooters on Vis and zoom between little towns, mountains, and secluded coves. It’s great for a day trip from Split, or maybe one night.
The 5 Islands tour also stops on a few points of interest on Vis, so I recommend this day trip.
Krka National Park Day Trips from Split
This is one of the two famous ‘waterfall parks’ in Croatia, and this one is closer to Split. Krka is a stunning national park with cascades of waterfalls and an area that you can swim in! After swimming in the refreshing, cool water, (and making sure to take loads of photos!), there are some trails to walk around, a few restaurants and gift shops, and many places to lay out and get some sun.
Many day trips from Split to Krka will take you to other scenic areas and viewpoints in the park as stops on the tour, like the lovely town of Šibenik (below!). I did the Krka day trip from Split below and recommend it as the best way to see Krka.
Šibenik Day Trips from Split
Šibenik is a lovely coastal town a few hours north of Split and very close to Krka National Park. There’s a beautiful old town, great little restaurants, and a cathedral to explore. It’s got a beautiful old town made of white stone much like other old Croatian towns, and has a similar unique charm.
Šibenik can be done as its own day trip, or can be conveniently combined with a day trip to Krka National Park like the tour linked above. The same Day trip to Krka as above also stops in Šibenik, as most day trips from Split to Krka should.
Plitvice Lakes National Park Day Trips from Split
Perhaps the most well-known (and most overrun by tourists) of Croatia’s national parks, is Plitvice (plit-veet-zay). The massive park is loaded with acres of beautiful blue water and waterfalls all over the place. This is probably the one you’ve seen on Pinterest and in guidebooks – it’s one of those earthly places that seems like it’s out of a fairytale! The only problem is that the tourists know it, too.
You could spend all day walking from one end of this park to the other and discover hundreds of beautiful waterfalls. It is massive and has loads of areas to explore and boardwalks to peruse across the turquoise waters. Unfortunately, you can’t swim here, but you’ll be too busy trying to cover all the ground covered by the park!
The best Plitvice Lakes day trip from Split is below; it’s Get Your Guide certified and more affordable.
Omiš Day Trips from Split
Omiš is less than an hour south of Split, and is the adventure capital of Croatia’s south coast. It is here that the majestic Cetina river winds through its final stone mountain peaks and emerges into the Adriatic Sea. The mountains are very high here, and mountains + the river = some amazing adventures.
The best adventure day trip from Split in Omiš in my opinion is Zip Lining. I have been zip lining all over the world and this is by far the best I have done! You can also rock climb, go river rafting, try canyoning, and hike up to a fortress with a magical view. Read my Croatia destinations post for more info on Omiš!
Book a Zip Lining adventure in Omiš here, or check out my blog post about why this adventure is awesome.
Omis also offers canyoning adventures and river rafting experiences – Choose which adventure if best for you, or pick all three! They are all offered as day trips from Split.
Day Trips from Split to Bosnia & Herzegovina
That’s right, Bosnia & Herzegovina is right over the border from Split and offers entirely different cultured and landscapes. It’s worth seeing for sure!
Day Trip to Mostar, Kravice, and Medugorje
Bosnia & Herzegovina is an absolutely beautiful country right next door, and can also be visited as a (long) day trip from Split. Bosnia+ Herzegovina is a Muslim country, and is much more similar to Turkey than Mediterranean-esque Croatia.
This makes it especially fascinating to discover the many differences between Bosnia and Croatia, all the while also being completely gorgeous to visit. Mostar is home to the beautiful ‘old bridge,’ and Medugorje is a fascinating religious destination.
There are many other points of interest to visit as well, such as Počitelj castle, Kravice waterfalls, and Blagaj springs (pictured above). These can be done in the day tours below, or done in a few days at your own leisure! If you choose to travel there for a few days, check out my guide to Mostar, Bosnia + Herzegovina.
Hvar Island Day Trips from Split
Hvar might be the only place I most strongly recommend more than a single day trip from Split. But being it’s only a 1.5 hour catamaran from Split, it’s very doable as one. Hvar island has a main town (Hvar Town) and a few other tiny little charming towns along the coast as well.
Most tours to Hvar leave from Hvar itself, but I have linked a few multi-island tours below that stop in Hvar. Or, jump on the ferry and plan your day as you please!
If you only have one day, check out Hvar town and some of the stunning surrounding islands. Hvar is famous for its nightlife, and has lovely seaside cocktail bars and even a club on an island! To see all my recommendations of what to do in Hvar as one of many day trips from Split, read my guide to Hvar here.
The Hvar Hidden Gems tour below takes you driving around some more secluded parts of the island, and ends with a classic Dalmatian meal. It’s a half-day, so gives you time to explore the town as well.
The 5 Islands Tour (recommended above) takes you to Hvar, Vis, the Blue Caves, and More.
Or, just grab a ferry from Split and explore Hvar yourself, using my guide for recommendations!
Brač Island and Bol Day Trip
Brač is one of the largest Adriatic Islands and the closest to Split – it’s the big island you can see from everywhere in Split! It’s most well known for the white stone quarry, used not only in Croatia but around the world. Every old town you will explore in Croatia is made from Brač stone, and there are white stone souvenirs you can take home!
If you are to visit one place in Brač, go to the famous triangular beach called Bol, and the biggest town, Supetar. There are many secluded coves, vineyards, and tiny towns all over! The cruise below is the best way to see Brač and also the smaller island Solta on a leisurely day with swimming.
Šolta Island Day Trip from Split
Šolta is a smaller island almost connected to Brač, that is most known for its olive oil. It’s very secluded and seemingly remote while only a short ferry ride from Split. You can visit it on the same tour as above, on a lovely leisurely cruise day trip to Brač and Šolta.
A Day at Sea: Diving in Split
Although it’s not the most popular activity in Croatia, diving is actually amazing due to the incredibly clear water. I bet you won’t meet many people who have been diving in Croatia, but the activity is growing in popularity each year. You can’t book it as a tour anymore but you can check out Split Diving here.
Makarska Day Trip from Split
Makarska is another half hour past Omiš, and is actually one of my favorite places in the whole country. It’s a little city at the base of the tallest mountains on the Croatian coast, and has all sorts of water sports, swimming spots, cliff jumping, and great food and nightlife.
There are many regular busses from Split to Makarska; most busses heading for Dubrovnik will stop there. Check my Makarska for more info on things to do, eat, drink, and stay in Makarska!
Trogir Day Trip from Split
Trogir is just north of Split – perhaps closer to the airport than Split itself – and is another gorgeous coastal old town. There are many tours of Trogir, and many of the above tours will actually leave interchangeably from Split or Trogir! Find out what works best for you to book and plan accordingly.
Trogir is very easily accessible by bus, so you don’t necessarily need to book a day trip from Split to Trogir to go there and explore for the day. Grab a bus in advance and enjoy some awesome Trogir activities.
Dubrovnik Day Trip from Split
Okay, now I really would NOT recommend only doing Dubrovnik as a day trip from Split, because it’s worth so much more! But, in that it is possible, I am still listing it here for you! If you only have one day in Dubrovnik, it’s possible as a day trip from Split.
There’s loads to do in Dubrovnik (as you’ll see in my guide), and it’s really better to spend a few nights there.
But if you are pressed for time, you absolutely should not miss out on seeing this amazing city! Read about things to do in Dubrovnik as well as Dubrovnik nightlife (it’s a happening town) and the best day trips from Dubrovnik, to places like Montenegro and Bosnia.
Final Day Trips from Split Recommendations
If after reading all this you have deemed that day trips from Split aren’t enough for you to see everything, there are many ways to get around the Balkans.
For those on a tighter budget, taking the bus is the best way to get from place to place. Each main city has a bus terminal and it’s quite easy to book a bus ticket from there to many surrounding places. You can also check online on Busbud, Flixbus, or Bookaway (my recommended bus booking platform for Europe).
For those who want a little bit more freedom, it’s a great idea to rent a car and drive. There are many companies who’ll allow use in multiple countries.
I rented a car from Sixt in Croatia and drove it through Slovenia, Bosnia, and Montenegro without issue on my massive Balkans Road Trip. You can compare all rates on Rentalcars.com. Just make sure if you want to cross borders that the car rental company is okay with it.
Extra Notes on Split
If you’re still planning your journey to Split, here are my top recommendations for places to stay in Split. I have stayed in each (at very different stages in my tour guiding journey, ha) and recommend them!
Rentals – Apartment Sara (budget authentic room in old town stone), Luxury Apartment in Diocletian’s Palace (central for groups of up to 6)
Hostel – Outlanders Tribe Hostel (the best more chilled place) and Booze & Snooze or Fiesta Siesta (for central + party)
Hotel – Palace Judita Heritage Hotel
For what to do in Split and more info on things to do, places to visit, where to eat and drink, and more info on where to stay, – check out my article on Things to do in Split Here. Split has some amazing nightlife and is one of the foodie capitals of the country with top-notch Split restaurants too.
Have any questions about your trip to Croatia? Feel free to contact me for any trip-planning help! Remember to Pin this post to Pinterest!
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Passionate, full-time travel blogger with over 230k on social media and 150kMPV blog. Extraordinary photographer with two DSLR's + a drone with a love for capturing candid moments, epic drone shots, and magical compositions. I'm a natural-born content creator originally from California, but I've been on the road for 9 years living, working, traveling, blogging, and photographing my way around the world. I recommend the most amazingly adventurous and unique + boutique travel experiences/stays and helpful products to my audience and write comprehensive guides on my website that have helped millions of travelers so far. I love to inspire people to plan their dream trips, and many readers have given feedback as such. The reach on my platforms continues to soar, especially when combining cutting-edge social content with optimized articles on my high-authority website.