Split is a beautiful place to visit in Croatia. Not only are there so many amazing things to do in Split Croatia itself, but it also works as a brilliant base to explore the equally as beautiful surrounding areas. From Split Old Town to Croatian Island hopping to swimming in waterfalls, here are our favourite picks of things to do in Split (and from Split).
The Best Things To Do In Split Video
Diocletian’s Palace
One of the best things to do in Split is exploring Diocletian’s Palace. Diocletian’s Palace forms a large part of Split Old Town. It’s a UNESCO world heritage site that was built for the Roman Emperor Diocletian in early 4th Century AD. As one of the main attractions of Split, Diocletian’s Palace has magnificent buildings and history to discover. Within Diocletian’s Palace, you will find the Cathedral of Saint Domnius (otherwise known as St. Dujes) where you can get great views of Split from its bell tower, and beautiful Peristil Square (otherwise known as Peristyle Square), which is the central square of the palace.
Underneath The Palace
You can also explore underneath the palace, and that was perhaps my favourite part of all. I’m not talking about the part that is free to access and is lined with tourist stalls, even though this part still has stunning architecture. But if you go to a ‘wing’ underneath the palace, you can buy tickets to the cellar. Here you go further underneath the Palace and discover more areas and rooms. It’s slightly eerie, dark and damp, but it’s such a great experience to see all the structures and rooms.
Split Old Town
What is it about exploring beautiful old town’s little streets that is so captivating. Maybe it’s the explorer in all of us. Maybe it’s how easy it becomes to not only feel like we’re in a different country but a different time. We loved getting lost in Split Old Town, picking the most narrow road and seeing where it led. Split Old Town is also full of cafes, restaurants, bars and shops. We loved the buildings of Republic Square. One of the best free things to do in Split.
Split Riva
Just like exploring Old Town’s is captivating, walking along a seafront promenade always makes you feel like you’re on holidays. The seafront promenade in Split is called the Riva, and it’s lined with cafes and shops.
Hike Up Marjan Hill
Marjan Hill is a beautiful forest area of Split, right near the city centre. A hike up to Marjan Hill not only takes you through beautiful forest areas but you will have stunning views over Split along the way and when you reach the top. There are many religious sites along the way that you can seek out if you wish. Start your hike from the Varos neighbourhood. There are quite a few stairs but otherwise, it’s an achievable walk. There are many different trails to choose from if you’re short on time just keep heading up, but if you have the time you can explore many of the trails.
Split Green Market
Split Green Market, otherwise known as Pazar, is a great fresh fruit and vegetable market. You will also find they sell many other things here too, from tourist souvenirs and condiments, but it is the fresh fruit and vegetable section that I love. If you’re staying in an Airbnb apartment (search for your Split Croatia Airbnb apartment here), this is the place to come to get your supplies for cooking, the fresh produce is delicious. Here they will even use an old weighing method with scales and weights to price your products. If you’re here when they’re in season, you must try the figs, they are juicy and full of flavour. Split Green Market is open every day from 7 am to 2 pm. Visiting Split Green Market quickly became one of my favourite things to do in Split.
Split Fish Market
In a separate location to the Green Market is Split Fish Market. Located on Marmontova Street and open from 6.30 am each day, it’s a great place to have a look and buy some seafood to cook up for your dinner.
Relax At The Beach
Although Croatia has some of the best beaches I’ve ever seen, Split is not necessarily known for its beaches. That being said, there are still some nice beaches here. Our favourites were Bacvice Beach, Posk beach (near Firule Beach) and Jezinac Beach. Bacvice is a hub of activity and people, so if you’re after atmosphere, this a good spot. Posk beach is a little further past Bacvice beach, it’s smaller but had clear blue water when we were there. Jezinac Beach is part of the Marjan Hill beaches area. This beach is a pebbly beach and less crowded when compared to the other beaches mentioned.
Eat The Local Dishes
Split has many delicious dishes you can try, but some of our favourites were black risotto, cevapi and pasticada. Pasticada is a slow cooked beef stew with gnocchi. Black Risotto is cuttlefish and squid risotto. And Cevapi is like a skinless sausage that is served in a special type of bread (lepinja or somun) with a red pepper sauce (ajvar).
Read More: Where To Eat In Split Croatia
Explore Splits Neighbourhoods
Of course, you have Diocletian’s Palace and Split Old Town, but some other neighbourhoods worth exploring include the little cobblestone streets and stone houses of Varos, the area around Bacvice Beach and area below Marjan Hill.
Day Trip To Trogir
Trogir is a small historic walled town about 30 minutes to an hour from Split, depending on how you get here. We took a boat ride from Split harbour to Trogir, which took an hour and was such a relaxing way to arrive. Trogir is beautiful but small, so it doesn’t take too long to wander around and explore. We only needed about a half day in Trogir, but with more time you can also visit the nearby beaches on Ciovo Island like Okrug Copacabana and Kava. You can also choose to base yourself in Trogir as it’s close to Split Airport. Personally, I’d prefer to have my base in Split as there is more to see and do, but it depends on the purpose of your trip.
Day Trip To Krka National Park
A beautiful national park where you can swim in some of the most stunning waterfalls I’ve ever seen. Being only just over an hour trip from Split, this is one of the best things to do in Split. We know lot’s of people try to decide between visiting Krka National Park and Plitvice Lakes National Park, but as a day trip from Split, I think Krka is the best choice by far. The simple reason being that it’s much closer. Plitvice Lakes is absolutely stunning and one of the best places to visit in Croatia, but it’s best done as a day trip from Zagreb or staying for a night or two in the area.
Read More: Krka National Park: A Great Day Trip From Split Croatia
Croatian Island Hopping
From Split, you can easily reach some of the most stunning Croatian Islands, like Brac, Hvar, Solta and Vis. All of these can be reached within 1 to 2.5 hours from Split via boat. Solta is one of the closest islands to split, so this one, in particular, would make a great day trip. Even though Brac, Hvar and Vis would all make for a fabulous day trip from Split, if you have the time, I would highly recommend spending a few nights on each of these Islands. Some of the best things to do in Croatia are spending time on the beautiful Croatian Islands.
Read More: A Guide To Hvar Croatia
More Split Day Trips
There really are endless opportunities for amazing day trips from Split. Some other great options include the ancient Roman ruins of Salona, near Solin, and Klis fortress, a medieval fortress near the town of Klis. Omis is great for option for those looking for adventure sports. And the medieval town of Sibenik is also worth exploring.
For more information on Split see Visit Split Tourism Board.
Read More:
Our Picks For The Best Split Hotels: Split Accommodation Guide
Our Split Croatia Food Guide: Where to Eat In Split
A Day Trip To Krka National Park