Split is the second largest city in Croatia, located on the Dalmatian coast. It’s a city full of history and culture, with a large Greek and Roman influence. There’s plenty of things to do in Split such as walking around the historical fortress like buildings or spending the day relaxing at the beach. Split is also a great base for plenty of incredible day trips too.
How to get here
Split is a just over a 3 hour drive away from Dubrovnik or 4 hours from Zagreb. I used Flixbus to get here from Zagreb, I found travelling by bus the easiest way to get around Croatia. You could also fly into Split airport which is a 1 hour drive to the centre.
Things to do in Split
Dicoletian’s Palace
One of the most famous landmarks in Split is this palace, the structure of this building is massive with a resemblance to a fortress. There are 200 buildings within the palace boundaries. The labyrinth of streets around here are packed with people, bars, shops and restaurants. This world heritage site was built for the Roman emperor Diocletian at the turn of the fourth century.
Some of game of thrones was filmed here and they have plenty of walking tours where you can find out more about this!
Explore the Markets
If you’re after souvenirs and food head to Pazar market or for fresh fish head to Peskarija market. At pazar market you’ll find plenty of lavender gifts as Croatia is one of the largest producers of lavender. Pick up some Rajija a home made brandy that’s very popular in Croatia. The most famous ones are šljivovica (plum brandy) and travarica (herbs brandy). Wine is another great gift, the most famous ones being plavac mali. With full flavours from dark cherries, blackberries and spices. Olive oil is another classic Croatian souvenir. The Olive oil is great quality with the Olives being grown in centuries old groves.
Spend the day at Bacvice beach
The beautiful Bacvice beach is the closest to the city centre, it’s about a 15 minute walk from Diocletian’s Palace. There’s a few bars, restaurants and pastry shops nearby. As the beach is so central it can get pretty busy in the afternoon. It’s located on a shallow pebble bay so make sure you take some sea shoes with you.
Top Tip: To avoid the crowds head to Kasjuni beach, it’s a 30 minutre drive from the centre
Day trip to Krka National Park
I did a day trip with GetYourGuide, the trip started in the morning and took about 1 hour to get there in a mini bus. It’s a good idea to get to the waterfalls early as it gets very busy, making it hard to cross the bridge and this is the best area to take photos. If you go swimming pack some wet shoes as there’s lots of rocks to climb over. The national park itself is huge, there’s a lot to see and do, we went for a walk around the park and to some small museums. I’d highly recommend visiting as the waterfalls are stunning!
Plitvice Lake Day Trip
Explore the famous Plitvice lakes, spend the day walking through the largest national park in Croatia. It will take around 3 hours to get there but the lakes do look absolutely stunning.
Island Hopping
Split is a great destination for island hopping. I got a ferry from Split to Hvar and it only takes 1.5 hours. You can book tickets at the pier in Split with Jadrolinija. Some other options would be to get a ferry to Vis, Brac or Solta.
Relax with food and drink by the seafront
There’s a great selection of restaurants and the seafront is the perfect area to grab a bite to eat whilst admiring the views.
Enjoy the night life
Split has a great night life with many different bars. I went on the tower pub crawl you get to drink as much as you want for two hours. Theres also free pizza and beer pong and after the two hours drinking you get taken to a massive club. If you’re travelling solo then this is a great way to meet new people.
Game of Thrones Tour
If you’re a Game of Thrones fan you’ll love this tour, where you can wander in the footsteps of Khaleesi and explore the cellars of Diocletian’s Palace. The tour includes a traditional breakfast and lasts 2.5 hours.
Blue Lagoon Trip
Spend the day at the magical blue lagoons, where you can swim snorkel and relax. You can also grab some food at a restaurant in Stomorska on Šolta island.
Information
Language: Croatian – easy to get by with English though
Currency: Croatian kuna (10kuna = £1.21)
Tours in Split
Where to stay – Split Croatia Hotels
Apartment Roman Heritage
This beautiful brightly furnished Roman style apartment features exposed walls of the original Palace of Diocletian. The apartment comes with a dining area, kitchen and private bathroom and shower. The apartment is only an 8 minute walk to the beach.
Riva Luxury Rooms
Located a short walk from Diocletian’s Palace, the rooms come with air conditioning, a flatscreen tv and coffee maker.
Hotel Ora
The modernly furnished rooms come with air conditioning, desk, flat-screen TV, and a minibar. A buffet breakfast is served each morning. The hotel restaurant serves local, Mediterranean, and international cuisine, as well as grilled delicacies.
