Best things to do in Split, Croatia

Planning a trip to Split, Croatia? Find out in this article the best things to visit in Split. Think of it like your must-see list.

Split is Croatia’s second-largest city and should be included in your itinerary.

Paint this picture: a maze of narrow streets, colorful buildings, historic landmarks, cobblestoned lanes and a beautiful promenade with palm trees, sounds pretty amazing, right?!

Split has a lot to offer and if you choose to stay at least two to three days, I assure you this city will not disappoint you. While exploring all of its gems, all you have to do is wear comfortable shoes (this is a walkable city, for sure) and bring your camera to have some unforgivable photoshoots. There a lot of things to do in Split, before we get into more details, check out the table of contents and use it to make your list faster.

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Are you planning a trip to Croatia?

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Here is the list of the best things to do in Split:

Trip map created with Wanderlog, a trip planner on iOS and Android

Visit Diocletian’s Palace

For Game of Thrones fans out there, you might recognize some of these views, as this is where some of the scenes from Game of Thrones were filmed.

I’m not an expert in history (I wasn’t that passionate about history in school) but while doing my research, I found some interesting facts. The Diocletian’s Palace is the place where the city was born, and it’s been a UNESCO Heritage since 1979 (pretty impressive, right?!).

Diocletian, the Roman emperor, built this amazing place near his birthplace and spared no expense. The Diocletian Palace includes temples, streets, a bathhouse, large substructures, and gardens. Basically, it’s a complex city built inside of a bigger one. These days, in those large substructures you will find souvenir shops and, if you are a souvenir seeker, you will spend hours roaming these streets. Visiting this place is one of the best things to do in Split.

Explore Split's Old Town

Remember those narrow streets I mentioned at the beginning of this article? This is one of the best things to do in Split. Well this is where you can find them. You can spend half a day, or even an entire day just strolling the old town streets, taking photos, reading about the history and enjoying a lovely meal at a cute restaurant.

Admire Cathedral of St Domnius

This is the oldest Catholic cathedral in the world and it’s one of the most important places to visit in Split.

This construction is so impressive that you actually can see it from afar, so don’t worry, you are not going to miss it. If you want to experience a spectacular view of the city, climb the 200 steps of the bell tower.

This is something that we missed because we were too tired that day.

Visit Gregory of Nin Statue

Gregory of Nin was considered the defender of language and culture in Croatia.

This statue is an imposing one, being approx. 9 meters high and was sculpted by the famous Ivan Mestrovic in 1929.

There is also a funny story around this statue, where it said that if you rub his big toe it will bring you good fortune and luck.

The Gregory of Nin statue is located at the Golden Gate and it’s a very interesting landmark that you should definitely put on your list. You will observe that his big toe is smooth and has a golden shade from all the rubbing by tourists and locals.

Let me know if your wishes have been fulfilled.

Stroll Riva Promenade

This list with the best amazing things to do in Split isn’t complete without a walk along Riva Promenada. This place is the harbor of Split and I can describe it as a picturesque promenade with alleys framed by palm trees and colorful buildings. If you are tired or want to enjoy a snack, have a seat on a bench facing the Adriatic Sea and enjoy the view.

During our stay in Split, we visited Riva Promenada every day and one night we were surprised to witness a mini-concert. The night view of the sea was really welcoming and while the music played in the background, everything felt intense in a way that I could feel myself being really present in that moment.

I appreciate and look forward to these moments because during my travels I’m usually set on visiting, checking my list and taking photos. I forget to slow down, take my time, breathe the air and focus on the present time. In Split, that special night was one of those moments that gave me this much-wanted feeling which I took home with me.

Also, don’t forget to bring your camera and put on a cute outfit. One of the best things to do in Split is to take advantage of all the picturesque landscapes.

Visit Republic Square

Want to enjoy a good coffee with an incredible view? Search for Republic Square, where cultural events are hosted. Even if you don’t have a map, this place is very easy to find. Just walk near Riva Promenade and you will know when you arrived at your destination when you see colorful and vibrant buildings.

Hike in Split (Marjan Hill)

Every great panoramic shot usually comes after a lot of stair-climbing or hiking to the top of a cliff or something, right?

It became a habit of mine to search for the best scenic overlook in every single place I visit. I like to stay active during my travels as much as I can and I usually plan hikes or choose to explore cities on foot rather than by car. This way, I can experience everything up close and be sure I don’t miss any beautiful details.

Hint: this “method” will also unravel hidden gems or underrated beauties most of the time.

Marjan Hill is 123 m high and it is also called the “lungs of the city” because it’s covered with Mediterranean flora and dense pine forest. Marjan Hill can be found on Google Maps as “Prva Vidilica Na Marjanu” and you can find it by strolling up Sperun Ulica, which starts west of the Riva Promenade.

The landscape is breathtaking, but there are A LOT of stairs, so be prepared with proper shoes and water! That being said, I assure you, you won’t regret the effort it took to get to the top.

Take a one day trip from Split to Plitvice Lakes

If you have Croatia on your bucket list, I’m sure that you already know of Plitvice Lakes, or as I like to call it, the waterfall wonderland. If you are a waterfall lover and chaser, then this place will be heaven for you. Plitvice Lakes has over 90 waterfalls and approx. 16 cascading lakes.

Plitvice Lakes can be explored in one day and if you are visiting Split, then make sure you put the beautiful natural park on your itinerary. From Split you can book a guided tour that will take you to Plitvice Lakes.

If you are looking for the perfect tour, then I suggest you check out the ones below. With the first tour you will have an English-speaking guide, entry ticket to Plitvice Lakes, transportation, panoramic boat trip and insurance. And the second is perfect if you want to explore the park by yourself. Keep in mind that in the second tour the guide and the tickets aren’t included.

Explore Split's surroundings: Kliss Fortress

Klis Fortress was the filming location for the famous City of Meereen, from the epic show Game of Thrones. Yes, I’m a fan of this series, even after the ending. I loved this show, not because it was hyped and thus you had to see it. Nope, it was the unexpected twists and turns and the way the characters had evolved throughout the story that made it really interesting and captivating to me. And let’s not forget about dragons and the white walkers! So, if you’re into this kind of stuff, I bet you loved this show just as much as I did, despite its let-downs towards the end.

Now, back to Klis Fortress. I have to say that this old landmark is very impressive. I’ve seen a lot of fortresses in my travels, and this one is definitely at the top of my list.

Klis Fortress is one of the most imposing buildings in Central Dalmatia and represents one of Croatia’s oldest strongholds. And of course, is one of the best things to see in Split.

The fortress gained more popularity because of the famous HBO show, but did you know that this place has a history of more than 2000 years?

From the Illyrian tribe known as Dalmatae who lived there from the very start to the Romans, Mongols and Ottomans that besieged the fortress over time, to finally, the Venetians that ruled this place until 1797.

We can say that the history of this place is fascinating and diverse.

Even if you are not passionate about history, I recommend visiting this place, as it is a beautiful fortress, with a perfect combination of stones, stunning flowers, and trees.

What you need to know before you plan to visit this landmark:

It’s located approx. 12 km from the center of Split
You can book a guided tour to get to it or just take a local bus from Split
The price for one ticket is approx. 5.27 euro or 5.8 dollars
Visiting this majestic fortress can take up to 2-3 hours and there are lots of beautiful spots for taking photos.
From the fortress, you can see Split and the view is marvelous

Visit Split's beautiful beaches

If you don’t have time to visit one of the famous beaches located near Split, and you want to bathe in the sun for a day and enjoy a great beach vibe, research some private ones in Split.

Also, I’m not a beach kind of girl (you know me, I have the mountains rooted in my heart), but I wanted to spend at least one day enjoying a relaxing day swinging in the sea (what I do, can’t be called swimming😂 ).

The beach we found was small but had everything we wanted: free parking, gorgeous views, sunbeds at an affordable price, cocktails and a restaurant with delicious food.

For the exact location, you have the map below.

It was a perfect day for us.

Book a boat trip to famous islands like Hvar, Brac or Vis

Hvar, Brac and Vis are three of the most known islands recommended to explore if you visit Split.

If you want to book a boat trip keep in mind that first you should see the ferryboats program and get an appointment.

Also, if you are traveling by car and you take it with you on the islands, you need to arrive in the port earlier, to occupy your spot in the ferryboat, because if you don’t find any available spots, you will have to wait for the next tour and that means wasting precious hours.

Or if you prefer an organized tour (which is my preferred option) you can book a guided tour and see several islands surrounding Split in just one day. If you are interested, you can check this one out, here. This tour includes 5 islands, a visit to the Blue Cave and other perks like snorkeling gear, windproof jackets and others.

I hope you find this article with the best things to do in Split, useful when you make plans for your trip to Croatia. Hit me up if you have more questions, I would be more than happy to help you.

Happy traveling 😄!

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