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Split Tours & Travel Packages 2024/2025
83 Split trips. Compare tour itineraries from 20 tour companies. 700 reviews. 4.6/5 avg rating.
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Top Split Attractions & Experiences
Top Split Experiences
- Experience the romance of walking through the narrow, twisting streets of Split’s old town
- Take a walking tour of Diocletian’s Palace, the most important Roman building in Split and all of Croatia
- Enjoy the Dalmatian Coast weather and sun on one of the many beaches around Split
- Hike through the trails and or go rock climbing in Marjan Forested Park
- Charter a boat to cruise around the Adriatic Sea visiting Croatia’s stunning islands
- Enjoy an afternoon break while enjoying gelato at the city’s central Peristil Square
- Enchant your taste buds with a wine and food tour of the old town
Split Tours & Travel Guide
Split Attractions & Landmarks Guide
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.
A Brief History of Split
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.
Touring Diocletian’s Palace and Old Town
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.
Top Activities in Split
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.
- Diocletian’s Palace - The number one attraction in Split, Diocletian’s Palace is the historical ruins of the retirement villa that was built for the Roman emperor Diocletian. Built at the beginning of the 4th century, the palace resembles more of a fortress as many of its buildings currently make up the old town of Split and are now restaurants, cafes, and shops.
- Marjan Forested Park - Located only a short walk from the old town of Split, Marjan Forested Park is a hill that makes up the peninsula just west of the city center. Visitors can hike the many canopied trails, enjoy Bene Beach, rock climb on the rocky cliffs of the park, or enjoy the scenery of the city and Adriatic from cafes on the hill.
- Peristil Square - Peristil Square is the central square of Diocletian’s Palace and the old town. Originally a place to greet and pay homage to Diocletian, the square was also used for theatre and shows. Today, you can enjoy a gelato or coffee on the steps around the square as you people watch or enjoy how the square comes alive at night with St. Domnius’ bell tower soaring above.
- Klis Fortress - Head out to explore the medieval fortress that sits above the nearby small village of Klis. The Klis Fortress is a medieval fortress that was originally used by the Dalmatia tribe before it changed hands to the Croatian kings during the Middle Ages and later the Ottoman Turks.
- Ivan Mestrovic Gallery - For those looking for an art culture activity, the Ivan Mestrovic Gallery houses works by the famous Croatian sculptor Ivan Mestrovic. The museum not only houses Mestrovic most famous works, paintings, and drawings but the museum itself is an art monument.
Best Day Trips From Split
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.
- Krka National Park - Just an hour north of Split, sits one of Croatia’s most important and beautiful national parks. Krka National Park is a preserved ecosystem featuring aquamarine pools, rivers, and waterfalls. Visitors can walk the wood bridges and paths that take you over the pools and rivers. Travelers can also enjoy a snack at the park’s cafe after an afternoon of swimming below the waterfall Skradinksi Buk.
- Salona - Once a former Roman city, Salona is today an archaeological park. The ruins transport you back to the days of Roman rule with a sprawling amphitheatre, stone walls, and public baths. It is such a short journey from Split that you can still see the city from the archaeological ruins.
- Trogir - An UNESCO World Heritage Site, Trogir sits on an islet just north of Split. Renowned for its walled city and busy promenade, Trogir is a Venetian masterpiece of red-orange tiled buildings and small alleyways. The old town may be tiny, but it is packed with culture and shops that could easily waste away your afternoon.
- Charter a boat - The sea is an integral part of Split and the Dalmatian Coast. One of the best ways to see and experience island life in Croatia is to charter a boat or yacht to visit the islands around Split. Boats can be rented by the day or for longer tours to each of the historic and quaint islands.
- Wine tour - The wine region around Split is believed to be where the wine variety of zinfandel was first created. Get out and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Split countryside or take a city wine tour to further discover the wine and food scene that makes Split so popular.
Split’s Beaches
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.
Marjan Forested Park
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.
Split Reviews & Ratings
D
Deborah
Mar 2024
Written on
Croatia Island Hopping
Fantastic first time to Croatia and an amazing introduction and itinerary with an Excellent guide -Damir .The tour started at Split and we visited the different isla...
E
Elizabeth
Oct 2023
Written on
Dalmatian Island Hopping
Lovely people, great weather, wine tastings and the different islands. Went late in the season, so quiet and things starting to shut down but didn’t affect the tour....
J
Julie
Oct 2023
Written on
Croatia Island Hopping
Great trip but not enough time in Dubrovnic. I would definitely re...
R
Rosemary
Oct 2023
Written on
Croatia Island Hopping
Hvar island. Beautiful island
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