23 things to do in Split - your guide in Croatia

Updated 2023 - What to do in Split? After many travels in Croatia and several visits to Split, we have accumulated a lot of experience. We share with you tips on what to do in Split during your holiday.

Split in Croatia

The coastal city of Split is the second largest city in Croatia, built by the Roman Emperor Diocletian in 200 AD. The city is filled with Roman palaces, ruins, beautiful squares and cobbled alleys with outdoor seating.

Split is located on a peninsula in the Adriatic Sea, in central Dalmatia.

What to do in Split?

So, what is there to see and do in Split? Split is almost perfectly located and is a hub for exploring some of the best parts of Croatia. Here are our 23 top tips!

1. Admire the Palace of Diocletian

Diocletian's Palace in Split was built in the 2nd century, and within the walls of this enormous building are the historic parts of Split. Covering 30,000 square metres, this palace is one of the best-preserved Roman palaces in the world. When it was built, it was the residence of the emperor when he retired from power in 305 AD.

In the 6th century, neighbouring areas were attacked by Slavs and Avars (an Asian nomadic people) and the city's population moved into the palace for protection.

Inside the palace grounds there are many interesting sights. Peristylene is the central square of the palace, and was once the northern entrance to the emperor's private quarters. Other sites worth seeing include St John's baptistery (formerly the Temple of Jupiter), Cathedral of St Domnius and the basement of the palace.

At one time, four gates led into the palace. The most important of these was the one called The Golden Gateor the Golden Gate. The others were called Silver gate, Iron gate and Sea sports.

2. See the Roman changing of the guard

For tourists, once a day in the high season, at 12 noon, you can watch the Roman guard change in Diocletian's Palace. You can also watch the Emperor and Empress greet the people.

According to our guide in the old days it was similar, but then the people had to lie flat on the ground with their arms outwards to honour the Emperor (and not to be able to assassinate him). We didn't have to do this, and instead we were welcomed with a small drink with a taste of honey or cherry. Definitely more pleasant!

3. go on a guided tour

What else can you do in Split? It's great to wander around Split on your own, but with a guide, history comes alive in a different way.

Our guide told us all sorts of interesting things. For example, we learnt that the rich Romans (who ate lots of sweets and regularly vomited them up to make room for more) lost all their teeth, while the paupers (who could neither afford sugar nor vomit) kept their teeth. "You can't have it all", as the guide put it.

4. Touching Gregory of Nin's toe

Gregory of Nin was a 10th-century Croatian bishop who is famous for opposing the Pope and advocating the use of Croatian in the church instead of Latin. Gregory's statue stands just outside the Golden Gate and touching his big toe is believed to bring good luck.

5. Check out Split's museums

In Split you will find several interesting museums. Some of the most interesting ones are the Split City Museum, the Split Ethnographic Museum and the Game of Thrones Museum.

If you want a different experience in Split you can visit the Frog Museum Froggyland. Here you can see hundreds of stuffed little frogs, which are around a hundred years old, performing activities usually carried out by humans, such as playing tennis, going to school, conducting trials, cradling babies or strolling out of the pub in the small hours. Really entertaining!

• Archaeological Museum has a large collection of ancient monuments, including from the old city of Salona (Ul. Zrinsko Frankopanska).
• Froggyland is a special place with stuffed frogs. (Ul. kralja Tomislava 5)
• Game of Thrones museum is for everyone who loves the popular fantasy series (Bosanska ul. 9).
• Split City Museum talks about the history and cultural heritage of the city (Papalićeva ul. 1).
• Split Ethnographic Museum showcases traditional folk costumes (Ul. Iza Vestibula 4).

6. Experience Diocletian's Dream

If you want to experience Split's fascinating Roman history in a more interactive and vivid way, try "Diocletian's Dream". This Virtual Reality experience takes you to the Roman era in a whole new way. A different and fun thing to do in Split!

7. Check out filming locations from Game of Thrones

Do you like the TV series "Game of Thrones"? Many scenes in the series were filmed in Croatia, especially in Dubrovnik, but also in Split. Here are some of the filming locations you can check out in and around Split:

• The basement of Diocletian's palace - This is where Daenerys goes to train her dragons.
• Alley at Papalićeva in Diocletian's Palace - Here the slaves rebel and write "Kill the Masters" on the wall.
• Village of Zrnovnica - You can see Daenerys' handmaiden Missandei bathing here in season four.
• Klis Fortress - Here Daenerys takes the city of Meereen and punishes the rulers by nailing them to crosses.

8. Stroll along the Riva seafront

Along the waterfront in Split is a palm-fringed and grandiose harbour promenade called Riva. It's a great place to stroll, look out over the boats in the harbour and soak up the holiday atmosphere with the Adriatic Sea nearby.

There are several open-air restaurants with perfect views of the crowds, but for the best dining experiences, you might want to head a little further up the city.

When you have reached the end of the Riva promenade to the west, you'll find Republic Square, which is both powerful and very beautiful.

9. Walk in Marjan Park

Marjan Park is a large green area on a hill just next to the centre of Split. Here, after a long uphill walk, you'll be greeted by long, beautiful footpaths and fantastic viewpoints. You can also check out the church of St Nicholas and a Jewish cemetery built in 1573.

10. Shopping in Split

Split is the second largest city in Croatia, yet only 200,000 people live here. This makes it a fairly "manageable" city to get around in. For those who want to shop, there are both indoor centres and small shops in the Old Town.

• Marmontova Ulica is a shopping street with many clothes shops.
• Joker shopping centre is a multi-storey shopping centre (Put Brodarice 6).
• Mall of Split is another major shopping centre (Ul Josipa Jovica 93).

There are also long rows of market stalls selling clothes, bags, jewellery, sunglasses and ... lavender. Lavender is a famous natural product in Croatia and everywhere you can find these purple stands with bags of dried lavender and essence in small bags ...

11. go to the market

The market in Split is an interesting experience! It's a bustling place where you can find everything from sewing supplies and flowers to fruit, vegetables and nuts from Croatia. Right next to the market on the west side of the palace there are small shops where you meet the baker, butcher and egg seller. Cosy and busy!

12. Enjoying an outdoor terrace

After a few intense hours of history or shopping, a lunch in the sun may be in order. Split is full of cosy outdoor restaurants, most of which offer similar menus of meat, fish, pasta, risotto or even burgers. Of course, you can also find a so-called 'konoba', a traditional tavern, and try local dishes such as pašticada. or pointing.

13. Follow the promenade towards Žnjan beach.

If you fancy a long walk along the coast, you can start in Split and walk all the way east towards Žnjan beach. Almost the entire promenade, which is around 5 kilometres long, runs beautifully along the waterfront. As well as beautiful views, there are a number of restaurants, bars and cafés along the way.

14. Sunbathing and swimming

One thing you won't want to miss doing in Split, if you come here during the summer months, is sunbathing and swimming. There is a wide range of beaches in and around Split, such as:

• Žnjan - the largest beach in Split, is located east of the centre.
• Firule - beach on the road between the centre and Žnjan
• Ježinac - a rocky beach located on the Riviera Split
• Kaštelet - beach which is located just beyond Ježinac

15. Relax at the spa

All year round, you can enjoy spa and wellness in Split. For example, you can stay at the Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, which is located by the sea about 3 kilometres from the city centre. Here you can relax in the swimming pool, whirlpools, sauna and relaxation room. There is also a wide range of treatments to choose from, such as traditional massage, Asian treatments and facials.

16. Visit the ancient Salona in Solin

Salona was the capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia. It was home to 40,000 people, who were watered by the Jadro River. Today you can find this archaeological park in Solin just outside Split. Here are the ruins of walls with towers and gates, temples, Roman baths and an amphitheatre.

17. Take an excursion to Trogir

The car-free small town of Trogir is located on its own small island, about 45 minutes north of Split. Here you will find high city walls, narrow medieval quarters and cosy restaurants. The old town is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its architecture.

18. Take an excursion to the island of Šolta

Šolta is a beautiful island with modest tourism compared to its more famous neighbours. That's why it's a bit more exciting to travel here. You can get to the Rogač harbour on the island with Jadrolinija or KSC (Krilo Shipping Company).

19. Take a trip to the island of Hvar.

The island of Hvar offers great opportunities for sunbathing, swimming and boat trips. You can also discover the interesting historical towns of Hvar and Stari Grad. You can easily reach the island from Split with one of the three shipping companies operating on the route (Kapetan Luka, Jadrolinija and Krilo Shipping Company).

20. Take an excursion to the island of Brač

Brač is a beautiful island, where you can visit Supetar or Bol, rent a boat or discover the island by car. It's also home to the white limestone used to build white houses. Or why not visit the famous Zlatni Rat beach, repeatedly voted the most beautiful beach in Croatia? You can easily travel from Split to Supetar with Jadrolinija, a trip that takes about 50 minutes.

21. Take an excursion to Omiš.

Omiš is a special town with its wide river and high mountains. Enjoy the views at the Mirabella Fort or take a boat trip on the Cetina River. Embark on a cool zip line across the Cetina River. You can get to Omiš by car or bus from Split, which takes about 40-50 minutes.

22. Make an excursion to Makarska

The tourist resort of Makarska is located on the Makarska Riviera and offers, among other things, nice beaches, pleasant outdoor cafes and a long lovely promenade. by car from Split it takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes to drive. Follow the coast for beautiful views along the way.

23. Take an excursion to Krka National Park

Krka National Park is one of Croatia's biggest tourist attractions. This stunningly beautiful national park offers cascading waterfalls, footbridges over rushing waters and great boat trips. You can either get here by car or by bus to Skradin station, which takes just over an hour.

More to see and do in Split

There is, of course, even more to see and do in Split if you feel you haven't had your fill yet. Here are some more tips.

• Diocletian's aqueduct is a 9-kilometre-long ancient Roman aqueduct, built in the 2nd and 3rd centuries, leading from the river Jadro to Diocletian's Palace in Split. 
• Kayak you can paddle in and around Split. There are many different tours to choose from.
• Cruises and boat trips there is a wide range to choose from.
• Split National Theatre is one of six national theatres in Croatia, this one completed in May 1893 (Trg Gaje Bulata 1).

Things to do in Split - on film

Here you can also watch a short film, with inspiration for things to see and do in Split.

Where to stay in Split?

Where to stay in Split? If you want to stay in a central location and with a pool, we can recommend nice Hotel Park, which is within walking distance of the city centre.

If you want to stay even more central, with a great breakfast and a really awesome view from the roof, you can stay at the... Cornaro Hotel.

If you want to be able to sunbathe and swim at a nice beach or enjoy a spa... we can recommend Radisson Blu Resort & Spa which is located on the lovely Znjan beach. Here you can also enjoy wellness and various treatments.

If you are travelling by motorhome or want to camp in another way, we can recommend Camping Stobrec, which is a very nice campsite just outside Split. From here you can easily get to Split by local bus.

More tips for things to do in Split?

Have you visited Split? How was your experience? Do you have any other tips on what to see and do in Split?

Facts about Split

• Region: Dalmatia
• County: Split-Dalmatia County
• Location: On the Split Peninsula in central Dalmatia, on the Adriatic Sea.
• Residents: About 180,000 (Croatia's second largest city)
• The name: In Italian Spalato. The origin of the name is not known, but one theory is that it is derived from the plant Spanish gin.

About the city of Split

• Industries: An important port and tourist centre. The second most important educational centre after Zagreb.
• Religion: Catholicism
• City Day: 7 May, when the patron saint of St Domnius is celebrated.
• Significant persons: Emanuel Vidović (Croatian painter and graphic artist) and Marko Marulić (poet known as the father of Croatian literature).

Good to know

• Language: Croatian (many also speak English) 
• Currency: Euro from 1 January 2023 (previously Kuna)
• Price mode: Cheaper than Sweden, but more expensive than neighbouring countries
• Time difference: None
• Emergency number: 112
• El: Like Sweden
• Warmest month: August (crika 30 degrees)
• Coldest month: January (about 5 degrees)

Travelling to Split

• Flight: There are several flights to choose from. SAS will operate a direct flight from Stockholm to Split from 2023 onwards. Other options include a stopover in Frankfurt or Munich, for example.
• Transport from the airport: Kastela Airport in Split is about 20 kilometres northwest of the city. From here you can get there by bus, taxi or, for example, Bolt or Uber.
• Car/caravan: It takes about 17 hours to drive from Rostock in Germany to Split, counting pure driving time.