WELCOME ΤΟSplit

If it's your first time in Split, you'll be excused for thinking that there are no beaches here. The port harbor isn't exactly the most inviting place to swim. However, just around the corner are two very beautiful beaches. The first and most famous is Bacvice Beach, just a 15-minute walk from Split's Old Town. The shores are lined with a concrete boardwalk, and the beach itself is a thin strip of small pebbles leading into pristine waters.

One of the most interesting attractions in the Diocletian Palace is its underground network of cellars and tunnels. To explore these underground wonders, walk to Peristil Square and look for the stone staircase leading beneath the Ethnographic Museum. The Diocletian Cellars are a great place to escape the heat, as the temperatures are always much cooler! Additionally, you'll find many small market stalls in the cellars, offering everything from hand-made souvenirs to local delicacies.

By far, the most famous and main attraction in Split, Croatia is the Diocletian Palace. This historic roman era palace forms the old town city center and was built for the famous Roman emperor Diocletian during the fourth century AD. What makes this site so famous is that it is one of the best-preserved Roman architectural monuments in the world! However, the palace today varies greatly from its original structure due to city inhabitants modifying and repurposing its buildings for the past several hundred years. Yet, you'll still find original stoneworks scattered throughout the Old Town in ruined form. Therefore, when you are walking through the Old Town of Split, you are actually walking through the palace itself!

The city’s cathedral is one of Dubrovnik’s large ensemble of baroque architecture. Among the many reasons to pay this seat of the diocese a visit is to see the interior’s artworks. On the main altar there’s a triptych of the Ascension of Mary by the renaissance painter Titian from 1550. On the church’s side altars are several other impressive works by Croatian and Italian artists from the same era. In the treasury is a wealth of precious liturgical items dating from the 1000s to the 1700s, including the gold-plated bones of St. Blaise.

As you arrive in the old town through the Pile Gate, the main entrance and ticket office to the City Walls is right there. You can set your own pace, take an hour or an afternoon. Audio-guides in English are sold at the main entrance but most visitors are perfectly content with random vistas of red-tiled roofs or, better still, the panoramic blue of the Adriatic, interspersed with pristine white stones jutting into it down below from varying angles.

Lovers of history will definitely want to visit The Fortress of Klis, a medieval hill fortress found just behind Split's modern city. This remarkable fortification boasts a near 2000-year old history, from its origins as an Illyrian stronghold to a royal castle held by many Croatian kings. At just 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) from the ceter of Split, visiting the fortress is easy for travelers with a car.

This complex is from the 1300s,having been moved inside the city walls after an earlier monastery had been constructed and then decomissioned beyond them. The famous 17th-century earthquake claimed the church, which was rebuilt in the baroque style, while the rest of the monastery is Romanesque and gothic. One of the must-sees is the monastery’s pharmacy, dating to 1317 making it one of the oldest still-operating pharmacies in the world. The library is also magnificent, with 20,000 books, among which are some 1200 priceless manuscripts.

During a visit to the Golden Gate, it's difficult to miss the prominent brass structure called the Grgur Ninski statue. Gregory of Nin was a bishop famous for introducing the Croatian language to religious Christian services after the 926 Great Assembly. Before then, services were only held in Latin. While the pope strongly opposed Grgur Ninski, he persevered, which ultimately strengthened the Christian Religion throughout the country by making the scriptures accessible to all.

The Temple of Jupiter is one of the oldest and most significant structures in Split's Old City. Although quite a small building, historian circles regard the Jupiter Temple as one of the most well-preserved 4th-century buildings. Historians believe that the Romans built this temple between 295 and 305 AD. This was to honor the god Jupiter, the ancient god of the sky and thunder and king of the gods. You'll find this spectacularly preserved temple near the palace courtyard, just a short walk from the cathedral.

Not only the popular destinations but also this old city on the peninsula is definitely worth a trip. Korçula is a beautiful little town where Marco Polo is from. Rightly called the second most beautiful city, after Dubrovnik, of Dalmatia. Not nearly as crowded and not as hyped as Dubrovnik but of course also touristy. Small alleys, a nice promenade to linger and nice people. A lovely little old town with nice cafes and restaurants, spend a lovely day in this old city!

The waterfalls of Krka National Park simply have to be seen to be believed. This incredible karst river system contains hundreds of beautiful freshwater cascades set in green forest surrounds. Luckily, Split is one of the closest major cities to Krka, making it an ideal place to visit on a day trip. The journey from Split takes just over an hour, meaning you'll get plenty of time to hike and marvel at these magnificent waterfalls.

Marjan Hill is a small, forested hill located on the western side of Split's Old Town. Officially known as the Marjan Forest Park, this protected slice of nature is the perfect place to go to escape the busy city crowds. Climbing to the stone-paved observation deck at the top of Marjan HIll takes less than half an hour from the Riva, and offers travelers great views of the city and harbor below.

At the eastern end of Placa, right in front of the Church of St. Blaise is this stone column and flagpole that dates to the 1400s, and is a meeting point at the heart of the old town . The medieval knight depicted on the column is Orlando, who its claimed helped defend the Republic of Ragusa during a 15 month-long Saracen siege in the 800s, allowing Dubovnik to retain its status as a free trade city state. Naturally, the column is now an emblem for Dubrovnik’s freedom and during the city’s festival the mast will fly the Libertas flag.

It’s a great place not to be missed if you are in the area, clean and very beautiful sea. The island is easily reachable with less than an hour of navigation by a taxi boat that leaves from the nearby Vela Luka. Once you arrive on the island, you will enter a very beautiful pine forest inside which there are various signs that indicate the path to get to the 4 beaches. Bringing your own lunch is also recommended since there’s only one restaurant in the area.

A beautiful pebble beach with crystal clear sea. Compared to other beaches, it is also possible to go there without shoes. Snorkeling is an awesome activity you can do here.

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you'll know that I include adventure activities in every destination guide! If you're itching for a touch of nature with a healthy dose of adrenaline, make sure to include a Cetina River Rafting trip to your Split itinerary! This 3-hour rafting journey begins upstream of the Cetina River, one of the longest in Dalmatia, and the most water-rich in Croatia. Your professional rafting guides will lead you down grade 3 rapids in one of the country's most beautiful regions.

The St. Domnius Cathedral is a 7th-century church that is regarded as the oldest Catholic cathedral in the world that is still in use in its original form. If you're strolling through Split Old Town, it's hard to miss it, as its tower rises higher than all of the other buildings. Perhaps one of the most iconic activities in Split, a climb to the top of the bell tower on the Cathedral of Saint Domnius also offers some of the best panoramic views of the city!

Old Town Split has changed considerably since the days of Diocletian. While its ruins and iconic buildings are the main sites, you'll also find some of the best restaurants, bars, and cafes in this area. That's because Split is one of the only ancient Roman fort cities that is still being used as a residential area!

This rectangular palace with a handsome loggia is from the early-1500s and has served as a secular public building since it was built. The atrium within the building’s gate was a place of business for merchants and traders right up to the 20th century, and there’s even an inscription in the arch warning them not to rip each other off. Sponza Palace was also one of the few renaissance buildings to survive the catastrophic earthquake in 1667 unscathed. These days the palace serves as the city archives, holding some 100,000 documents that date from the 10th century.

Just 27 kilometers (16 miles) from Split is the tiny, historic island city of Trogir. Famous for its UNESCO World Heritage-listed Venitian architecture, visiting this beautiful walled city is a great way to spend a morning or afternoon in Split. The easiest way to get to Trogir is to visit as part of a Blue Lagoon and 3 Islands trip. However, it's also possible to get here via the local bus number 37. Just keep in mind that this bus leaves from the Sukoisanska bus terminal, which is not the main near the harbor and requires a 1.5 kilometer walk from the city center.

This lovely park on a hillside next to the sea is from the 1400s, making it one of the region’s oldest arboretums. Dubrovnik’s role as a centre of trade furnished the arboretum with tree species from around the world. Take the imperious pair of oriental plane trees here, half a millennium old and unique within Europe. The arboretum is part of an estate from the same period, and is a memorable place for a walk thanks to its sculptures and fountains, and the aqueduct designed to irrigate the park. This was also the shooting location for the Red Keep gardens for (you guessed it!) Game of Thrones in the third and fourth seasons.

A tower near the beach on the north side of Korcula Island. It has a bar with a very good view, and when you go up the old tower, you would see the view of the sea and the city.

The small coastal town of Omiš, located less than an hour from Split, is one of the best adventure destinations in Europe! Here, you'll find the amazing Cetina Canyon, which is a perfect place for climbing, hiking, kayaking, rafting, paragliding, and pretty much everything else you can think of. I highly recommend that all adventure travelers spend a few nights here.