Split is the second largest city in Croatia, so it’s a busy place, but I loved its lively vibe and mix of ancient and modern culture. Split is also unique in that it grew out of a palace built by the Roman Emperor Diocletian. The palace’s remains are at the heart of the old town, which is a rabbit warren of the narrow streets, buildings and churches that replaced it. But there’s also a wide waterfront promenade, beaches and a vibrant port where ferries, yachts and cruise ships jostle for space. Here’s how to make the most of two days in this vibrant Croatian city.
DAY ONE
Breakfast with a view of Split Port
There are plenty of accommodation options in Split, but my friend and I like a view, so we opted for an apartment in the port area. Apinelo Port Rooms fitted the bill very well. The entrance is off a cobbled street with a mix of houses, bars and restaurants and as well as a large room and small kitchen area, we had a small balcony. Perfect for breakfast and a view of the constant activity at the port.
Browse the Green Market
We were only a five-minute walk to the old town, and our route took us through the Green Market. This is a popular farmers’ market selling a host of appealing fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as delis and lots of butchers’ shops. Both being vegetarians, this didn’t hold any appeal for us, but based on how busy they were, I think the meat offerings were very good.
Explore the Diocletian’s Palace
The construction of Diocletian’s Palace started in 295 AD to provide a retirement home for the Roman Emperor who originated from the area, and it took 10 years to build. For a retirement pad, it was elaborate and huge, with palatial apartments and four towers. It was later used by other local rulers but was disused by the 6th century. Then, in 612, refugees from the ancient city of Salona made it their home, effectively creating a very fancy squat. Split city and port developed around it.
As a result, the palace isn’t an architectural site in the traditional sense. Some buildings are still in place, such as the Emperor’s mausoleum, which is now the cathedral and the Temple of Jupiter, now a baptistry. But, inside the original palace walls is primarily an old town area that’s a rabbit warren of shops, cafes and apartments. There are a number of entrances to the old town, but we always went in through the Eastern (Silver) Gate as it was the quickest route from our apartment.
Once inside, the cathedral tower is on the left and then you’re quickly at the Peristyle, which was the central courtyard of the palace complex. It’s still a busy, often crowded square with tour groups vying for space. But it’s an impressive site surrounded by arches which we got a better view of later that day when it was set up for a concert. Steps at the end lead up to a chamber that was once the palace’s vestibule. Within it is the entrance to the Ethnographic Museum, where you can see a colourful range of folk costumes and furniture.
Down a narrow alley on one side of the Peristyle is the Baptistry with its coffered ceiling and figures of Hercules and Apollo. The baptismal font has a relief that shows a Croatian ruler with a man prostrate at his feet. Outside, there’s a black granite sphinx imported from Egypt that dates to 1500 BC.
Enjoy city views from the cathedral tower
On the opposite side of the Peristyle is the Cathedral of St Dominus, converted from the Diocletian’s mausoleum, where his body lay for almost 200 years before disappearing. Inside, the cathedral dome is ringed by columns dating from the 1st century BC, while the high altar features gilded angels and behind it are beautifully carved wooden choirstalls. The cathedral’s tower is six storeys high, but well worth the climb up for the fabulous views of Split.
Eat lunch at a ‘hole in the wall’ bar
There are myriad places to eat in Split, but as we were in sightseeing mode we wanted quick and cheap, so Bosso was the perfect spot. It looks like a large hole in the wall with a bar inside and seating outside. We were unclear where the kitchen was, but it obviously existed, and the food was great!
Explore Split’s green space on Marjan peninsula
After lunch, we were ready for a walk and some green space, so we headed for the Marjan peninsula, a lovely wooded area. From the old town, you just need to walk up Senjska for about 10 minutes to get to the Teraca Vidilica. A path to the right of it climbs to a higher viewpoint, and you can go up further again to the highest point, Telegrin, to get a bigger panorama along the coast. Left of Teraca Vidilica is a path around the south side of the hill where you’ll find the 13th-century St Nicholas’s Chapel. After exploring, we decided it was cocktail hour, and I’m happy to say Teraca Vidilica serves up excellent ones along with a great view.
Ramble along the Riva
Heading back down the hill, you can turn towards the sea to reach a part of Split that is very different to the old town, the palm tree-lined Riva. This is Split’s seafront and is packed with restaurants and cafes. A 2007 facelift resulted in marble flagstones being laid and unpopular new awnings for the cafes that are not unlike massive hockey sticks!
Have dinner at a traditional Croatian restaurant
After a rest on our balcony, we headed out for dinner. There are plenty of places to eat in the main old town area, but if you go just to the edge of it, you’ll find Konoba Varos. This traditional restaurant serves up a varied menu, including some delicious fish and the service was great too.
Finish with cocktails at a cool Croatian bar
As is apparent by the name of my blog, I do like a cocktail. So after dinner, we tracked down the Daltonist. Sitting just outside the city walls, it’s a very cool bar with a good vibe that serves excellent cocktails as well as all the usual drinks. It’s also known for a great brunch menu. I liked their drinks coasters so much I bought some as a gift for a relative who’s still a lover of music on vinyl.
DAY TWO
Breakfast and shopping in the old town
Our second day in Split started quite rainy, so we headed for an indoor breakfast at Bokeria. It’s in the heart of the old town and somewhere we’d considered for dinner. So, when we saw they open at 8am every day for breakfast, we decided to visit then instead. We were very glad we did as the omelettes were perfect. The surrounding streets are packed with both eateries and shops. So after breakfast, we browsed the stores and particularly liked Soho. A great store for casual clothes, rucksacks and gifts.
Visit the People’s Square
Not far from here is Narodni trg, the People’s Square. It’s at the heart of the medieval city and replaced the Peristyle as Split’s main square in the 14th century. Walking into it feels spacious after squeezing through the narrow streets and passageways leading to it.
Take a boat trip to Trogir
As the rain had eased off, we decided to take a boat ride to visit Trogir, a small island sitting between Split and the island of Ciovo. You can travel there by bus, but we chose the Bura Line boat to get the views of Split and Trogir from the water. Plus we saw views of Ciovo, which also looked very pretty.
You get off the boat onto Trogir’s own Riva seafront, which is also lined with cafes and restaurants. There’s a gate into the old town and then you’re in a maze of alleys and streets to rival Split’s old town. We chose to have lunch at a traditional restaurant, Tri Volta. Both the pasta and gnocchi were delicious and great value.
St Lawrence’s Cathedral dominates the main square in Trogir and is considered one of the best in the area. It dates back to 1213 but took three hundred years to finish. The west portal (doorway) is the highlight, carved by master mason Radovan. There’s so much to see that you can spend a while looking at it. Intricate carvings depict mythical figures alongside everyday folk going about their daily tasks like cooking and pruning vines.
The main interior has pillars with paintings depicting the life of St John of Trogir. At the end of the nave are an octagonal pulpit, high altar and beautifully carved choir stalls. The St John of Trogir Chapel is also pretty spectacular. A huge statue of God and a hundred angels look down from the ceiling, where life-size statues of saints watch over the central tomb.
Opposite the cathedral is the Town Loggia, which has a lovely clock tower and a series of columns. Also in the square is the Town Hall, which is housed in the impressive Duke’s Palace, recognisable by its pretty Juliette balconies and flags.
At the other end of the island (less than a 10-minute walk) is the atmospheric 15th-century Kamerlengo Fortress with battlements and an octagonal tower. Not far away is St Mark’s Tower, which was built at the same time as the fortress. Also at this end of the island is Marmont’s Gloriette, a gazebo covered in graffiti built as a tribute to Marshal Marmont, who was considered to be the best and fairest of the region’s colonial rulers.
Enjoy people watching with fizz
We crossed a bridge to the mainland from Trogir to jump on a bus to Split so we could head to a quirky old town bar we’d spotted while sightseeing. We liked the look of its series of small tables and seats on stone steps. When we ordered, we realised it was actually part of the nearby Restoran Para di Soto. It’s an excellent spot for people-watching while drinking some very nice Italian prosecco.
Have dinner and drinks in the port area
Later that evening, after a busy day, we decided to stay closer to home as there are plenty of restaurants to choose from outside the old town. We opted to eat at Bistro Toc, a laid-back place with an outside terrace that serves very good Mexican food. Not far away is Bar Aktuell, which has lots of indoor and outdoor seating.
Both places were in the direction of where we parked our hire car, opposite Bacvice Beach. Driving and parking in central Split is not easy, but we found Šetalište Petra Preradovića was a gem with space available and no charges for most of the weekend. Though this was mid-September, and parking by the beach might not be as easy in the height of summer! That said, driving and parking were the only issues we encountered in Split and as you’ll have read above, there are plenty of good reasons to spend a couple of days in this unique and vibrant Croatian city.
For more posts about my road trip around Croatia and Bosnia, check the Europe section of my blog.