Split
Price €27
Min age 1
Rating 4.99 / 5 [843 ratings]
Tour supplied by:
Bucket list destination:
Split, Dalmatia, Croatia
Split is a dream destination for those looking to combine cultural sightseeing with outdoor pursuits, or culinary adventures with a seaside chill-out.
Split’s main attraction is its UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town, centred on the ancient palace built by Roman Emperor Diocletian, and the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque buildings that grew up inside and around it.
Beyond the city, the Marjan Peninsula offers mellow footpaths and stunning sea views, while nearby excursions include island-hopping along the coast, rafting and canyoning in the Cetina valley, hiking on Mount Biokovo and soaking up some rays on the Makarska riviera.
Split is Croatia’s principal port for ferries to the Dalmatian islands and Italy. Based around Diocletian’s Palace (295 AD), the old town is the main attraction, with several boutique hotels and plenty of bars, restaurants and cafés.
West of here lies the picturesque village of Varoš (home to the Meštrović Gallery) and the tip of the Marjan Peninsula, with Mount Biokovo to the south east.
Our selection of the best Viator tours of this destination, plus helpful tickets and transfers
Split
Price €27
Min age 1
Rating 4.99 / 5 [843 ratings]
Tour supplied by:
Split
Price €14
Min age 7
Rating 4.85 / 5 [808 ratings]
Tour supplied by:
Split
Price €40
Min age 0
Rating 4.95 / 5 [362 ratings]
Tour supplied by:
Split
Viator
City Bike Tour of SplitPrice €45
Min age 0
Rating 4.90 / 5 [296 ratings]
Tour supplied by:
Split
Price €145
Min age 1
Rating 4.97 / 5 [287 ratings]
Tour supplied by:
High season (July-Aug) sees the old town hot and crowded, with many people passing through to take ferries to the islands; on the plus side, the Split Summer Festival creates a vibrant nightlife.
The shoulder season (May-June, September-October) is possibly the loveliest time to visit – the weather is dry and sunny, the sea warm enough to swim, and the old town busy but not packed.
During low season (November-April), Split is far quieter and the weather somewhat unreliable. However, this can also be a rewarding time to visit as the locals will have more time for you.
Split International Airport is located near Kastela, 25km west of the Old Town. The cheapest way into town is to catch the airport bus that meets all incoming flights, dropping passengers at the end of Split’s seafront promenade, directly in front of Diocletian’s Palace and just a five-minute walk from the ferry port.
Taxis are also readily available and several car-hire companies are based at the airport if you’re planning on exploring beyond Split.
If you’re staying in Split’s car-free Old Town you can explore everything on foot. The only city bus most visitors will need is the no.12, which runs west along the coast to Bene, on the tip of the Marjan peninsula, passing the Meštrović Gallery en-route.
Car rental is readily available for day trips; alternatively, frequent local and inter-regional buses run down the coast to Omis and Makarska.
Visitors coming to Split primarily to explore its cultural attractions should base themselves in the magnificent, car-free Old Town, which is home to several boutique hotels as well as plenty of bars and restaurants.
In Split’s car-free Old Town, there’s a plethora of eateries serving traditional Dalmatian cooking with an emphasis on seafood, as well as plenty of busy cafés and small romantic bars – most have outdoor tables.
Along the coast, you’ll find more modern restaurants with an international slant serving contemporary Mediterranean cuisine – some have impressive sea-view terraces. For noise reasons, Split’s half-dozen late-night clubs are also on the coast, outside the historic centre.
The Old Town is packed with small boutiques selling shoes and clothes (mainly imported from Italy, though Croatian designers are making their mark), plus foodie treats such as wine and olive oil.
For handmade jewellery and etchings of Split’s old town, head for the stalls in the podrum (underground chambers) between the Peristil and the seafront. The pazar (open-air market), selling fruit, cheese, cured meat and bread, is the place to stock up for picnics.