Split, Croatia - a complete travel guide

SPLIT, CROATIA - PLACES TO VISIT, ACTIVITIES, ACCOMMODATION, RESTAURANTS AND OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION

Split is a city on the Adriatic Coast that enjoys sunny weather almost all year round. It boasts many fascinating historical sites, and its overall relaxing atmosphere invites you to get lost in its little streets, each with a story to discover. Being just a two-hour drive from Zadar—the city we flew into—we couldn’t miss the opportunity to visit. That’s how we ended up exploring a place we really liked.

If you've landed on this page, you're definitely considering a visit to the city of Split. In this article, you'll find both practical information—such as how to get to Split, accommodation options, places to eat, etc.—as well as details about the main tourist activities in and around Split, places to visit, and tourist attractions.

HOW DO YOU GET TO SPLIT?

There are several options for getting to Split:

1. The first and most recommended option would be by plane. The city has its own airport, but I noticed that there are operated more international flights and also at more affordable prices on Zadar Airport, so flying to this airport can be a great option.

2. Another option to get to Split is on a cruise. Usually ships that stop in this city do so for only one day;

3.. By public transport; there are connections by bus with the most important cities in Croatia;

WHERE DO YOU PARK IN SPLIT?

Most parking spaces in Split are paid, except for those near some beaches (I will detail this for each beach separately).

To visit the city, we chose the Parkiralište Bijankinijeva parking lot, located about a 10-minute walk from the Riva promenade. The price is €1.5/hour during the summer and €1/hour during the rest of the year. It can get quite crowded during the day, so I recommend getting there in the morning to have a better chance of finding a free space.

WHERE DO YOU EAT IN SPLIT?

Bokeria Kitchen & Wine - is a restaurant where we find international food, fancy cocktails, local wines and coffee.

Kantun Paulina - is a fast food restaurant, where you can find certain traditional products, such as cevapi.

Chops Grill - Steak & Seafood - is the ideal place to enjoy grilled steaks or fresh seafood. In addition to these, you will find pasta and international desserts on the menu.

ROOFTOP BARS IN SPLIT:

Cornaro Rooftop Bar - is a bar-restaurant located on the 6th floor of the Cornaro Hotel. Unlike the pool, the restaurant is open to everyone, not just to guests staying on the premises;

Roof 68 - is located in the port area and offers views of both the sea and the nearby promenade. It is open all day, so you can enjoy drinks or any of the main meals of the day.

Rooftop TIN Food & Wine - is a restaurant with a terrace, located on the 3rd floor of the Split mall. It is the ideal place to enjoy a good wine.

WHERE DO YOU ACCOMMODATE IN SPLIT?

Among the options listed on Booking, the ones that caught my attention and have good ratings are:

• Boban Luxury Suites - 4-star accommodation unit, located near the beach area. It has double rooms and suites, which can accommodate up to 4 people, is equipped with an outdoor swimming pool and parking;

• Villa Domina - 4-star accommodation unit, located in the historic center of the city. It has both one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments;

• Villa M - 3-star accommodation unit, which has double rooms and is equipped with an outdoor swimming pool, spa area and parking.

BEACHES, PLACES TO VISIT AND TRAVEL ACTIVITIES IN SPLIT:

Split Riva is a promenade along the seafront. In addition to a relaxing walk, you can also add a cocktail to your itinerary at one of the terraces in the area. If you want to enjoy the vibe of a rooftop location, there is the Roof 68 terrace in the area.

Passing the Riva Promenade, we head towards the viewpoint at Marjan Hill, to which there are a few steps to climb. The good part is that the view is superb from the first balcony, so you can either enjoy this view or climb a few dozen more steps. We stayed at the first balcony, using the excuse of the unbearable heat. There is also a terrace, where we chose to enjoy a well-deserved iced coffee.

Wine tastings can also be included in the itinerary. Both near Split and in the rest of the Dalmatian region, there are many vineyards, so wine production is very well developed. You can book an educational tour here.

Diocletian's Palace is one of the most important tourist attractions in Split, having been built since the 3rd century to serve as a residence for the Roman emperor Diocletian. Nowadays, in addition to being one of the best-preserved Roman buildings, it is also one of the few places in the world of its kind, where about 3000 people still live. The palace is not a simple building, but an entire complex, which represents most of the old city center. The location can be visited for the most part for free, except for certain areas, for which tickets can be purchased, either separately or a single ticket for all.

Also, if you get here, don't miss the Temple of Jupiter, located right in the heart of the palace. If you want to have a comprehensive experience, you can opt for a guided tour, details here.

The Cathedral of Saint Domnius is the oldest cathedral in the world, originally built as a mausoleum. You can visit both the interior, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and the tower, dedicated to Saint Dionysius. From the tower of the cathedral you can admire one of the most beautiful and impressive views of the city.

Froggyland is a kind of museum-exhibition with stuffed frogs, which offers visitors a mix of history, humor, and the macabre. It is the only museum of its kind in the world, and a visit costs €15/person.

Museum of Illusions (Muzej Iluzija) - is an interactive place that can be enjoyed by both adults and children. The location is equipped with various installations, special rooms, holograms and much more, which can change the perception of things, creating visual illusions.

The Iron Gate (also known as the Western Gate) is one of the entrances to the historic center of the city, once being one of the entrances to Diocletian's Palace.

The Game of Thrones Museum is a must-see for fans of the series of the same name. Here you can admire several objects that were part of certain sequences in the series, from clothes to weapons. You can also see some wax figures. If you are really passionate, you can book a tour of the city, where you will be presented with the most iconic locations where scenes from Game of Thrones were filmed, details here.

Moving on to beaches, the city has a few, but let's just say they don't excel. We managed to see three of them and get an idea, so I'll leave some information about each one below:

Bacvice Beach is one of the most popular beaches, being the closest to the historic center of the city. It can get extremely crowded in the summer, and parking nearby can be problematic. It has fine sand and a smooth entrance to the water.

Firule Beach is a beach with large rocks, but also pebbles and concrete instead of sand. It is quite narrow, but with clean and crystal clear water. It is not the most interesting beach, but quite crowded. You can find plenty of parking spaces, including a few free ones.

Žnjan City Beach is the beach I liked the most in Split, and for which you can find both free parking spaces and sun loungers, or places for towels. Being a little further from the city center, and being a little longer, it does not seem so crowded. It is made of pebbles, not sand, and the water is crystal clear.

PLACES TO VISIT NEAR SPLIT:

Omis - is an absolutely gorgeous town just half an hour by car from Split. Here you can visit the Mirabella Fortress, which offers a panoramic view of the city, hike to the Starigrad Fortress, enjoy a boat ride on the river, and for a little adrenaline, you can try one of the ziplines available in the city.

Kliss Fortress is just a 20-minute drive from Split and is also one of the locations where scenes from Game of Thrones were filmed. I liked the panoramic view of the region the most. The entrance costs 10 euros/person, and if you don't have a car to get to this location, you can opt for an organized tour.

Krka National Park is one of the most famous national parks in Croatia. It is located about an hour drive from Split and is a place where you can spend a whole day. You can opt for an organized tour, which also includes a wine tasting, details here, or for a tour that includes swimming, details here.

The island of Hvar is one of the most interesting islands in Croatia, which can be visited as part of a day trip by boat, details here. If you spend several days on this island, don't miss a complete tour, or a trip to Pakleni Island.

WHEN TO VISIT SPLIT?

Split is a tourist destination that can be visited at any time of the year. If I had to give my opinion, I would not (anymore) come there during the summer, when it is excessively hot, but also very crowded. I would say that the best periods are April-May and September-October, when the temperature is excellent for exploring.

If you arrive in Split in the summer, as I did, I recommend visiting the city after 5:00 PM, when the cruise ships leave the shore, it will be much freer, and the light will be perfect for photos.

CONCLUSIONS ABOUT SPLIT

Split is a city that I really liked and that I recommend you visit, either as a day trip or to use as a "base camp". I would say that one day is enough for this place, maybe two, if you want to enjoy the beach as well, and if you have more days available in the area, don't miss the day trips to nearby locations.

During this vacation, we also visited Zadar, Plitvice Lakes National Park and Omis.

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