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The central city of the Dalmatian Coast, Split is a busy hub for cruises up and down the coastline and visitors looking to get introduced to Croatian life. With a past dating back to before Roman times, Split is steeped in history, culture, and adventure. Travelers to Split can visit beaches, historical ruins, and a rich food scene all in one city.
Split is unique to the rest of the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia. While many of the cities near Split were heavily influenced by Venice and the Greeks, Split came to power under Roman rule. Split’s occupation history created architectural and cultural layers of ruins, churches, cobblestone alleyways, and museums.
Split is the ideal location for travelers looking to get a taste of Croatian life and history while using the city as a base point to island hop through the Dalmatian archipelago, visit nearby national parks, or take a tour of the wine region surrounding the city.
Early inhabited by Greek colonizers, the area that would one day become Split didn’t rise to prominence until the arrival of Diocletian. Diocletian was a Roman emperor during the 3rd and 4th century who built a villa in the area.
Due to wars in nearby Salona, refugees flocked to the fortress which outgrew its original walls and expanded to form the city. The city of Split changed hands over the course of history from Croatian kings to Venetians and to Austro-Hungarian rule. Each of these cultures had an important impact on the city and can be seen in the makeup and architecture of Split.
Diocletian’s Palace and the rest of the old town is the main attraction in Split. Situated right between the waterfront and modern Split, the old town consists of cafes, gelatorias, little squares, and passageways.
Diocletian’s Palace originally was built around the 4th century and was planned as Diocletian’s retirement villa. In addition to the living quarters, guard houses and servant’s quarters were included in the walls. Over the years, the city expanded outside of the walls. As such, the original palace takes up more than half of what is considered the old town today.
Visitors don’t need a ticket to visit most of the locations in the palace since the palace makes up most of the everyday streets and buildings of the old town. However, you can buy a ticket to go inside the church and bell tower of St. Domnius, the main church at the center of the old town and palace. You can also buy a combination ticket to see St. Domnius and the Temple of Jupiter. The Temple of Jupiter was once a shrine dedicated to the head of the Roman gods, but is now used today as a baptistery.
There are multiple walking tour companies to choose from if you wish for a guided tour of Diocletian’s Palace. Many of the tours are around 1.5 hours and range in price. Double check the credentials and reviews for each tour company or guide, so you do not get scammed by a false tour guide.
Activities in Split range from the historical, to the environmental, to the artistic. There are a wide variety of attractions catering to families, solo travelers, and all age groups. It simply just depends on what you are interested in seeing.
Since Split is centrally located in Croatia, it is the perfect place base for an amazing day trip and to see more of the Croatian landscape. Visitors can take trips to nearby historic cities, national parks, islands, and partake in a very traditional Croatian activity, wine tasting.
Split has a moderate, Mediterranean climate which means you can be on and in the water for most of the year. Visitors can swim in almost every access point to the water in Split, except the harbor and port.
The beaches surrounding split vary in type and texture. There are beaches that are sandy and relaxing, ones that have bars and are targeted to the 18-30 age group, others have a relaxed and slower atmosphere for families, and even rocky beaches for the adventurers.
A few of the most popular beaches are Trstenik, Bacvice, and Bene. Trstenik Beach is a pebble beach that is perfect for families and those looking for a quieter beach. The beach at Bacvice is sunbather central and the busiest beach. Only a short walk from the old town, Bacvice is a sandy beach with restaurants, bars, and cafes. Bene, one of the oldest beaches in Split, sits at the base of Marjan Hill. Known for its rocky beach and teal water, Bene is ideal for water sports and swimming.
One of the main symbols of Split, Marjan Forested Park is a hotspot for locals and visitors alike. Situated a little to the west on a peninsula, the hill is a forested natural preserve. Dotting the hill are pice and cactus and stunning views of Split and the Adriatic Sea.
You can spend the day hiking the countless trails through the forest, swim at Bene Beach, or rock climb on the designated climbing routes.
Besides the outdoor activities, the park is one of the cultural centers of the city. Located near the hill is the old Jewish cemetery where the Jewish community began in the 1500s. Also near the hill are the Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments and the Ivan Mestrovic Gallery.
Figuring out how to exactly how to get to some of the sites on Marjan Forested Park can be a bit tricky. The best way to begin your adventures in the park is to climb the steps from the Veli Varos neighborhood to the Vidilica Cafe where you can head out to explore more areas of the hill.
Kerry
Oct 2024
I believe the accommodation could be more central. T...
Trusted Customer
Oct 2024
The itinerary and accommodation were all very good however, the choices of restaurants was poor. A shared fish platter one night between three people was poor. I lef...
Trusted Customer
Jul 2024
This was v enjoyable. Tour leader Iva was attentive, relaxed, engaged and his pride of heritage shone through. It ran smoothly, with appropriate adjustment due to a...
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