Split Travel Guide: Sun, Stone and Sea – Your Easy City Playbook
Split is incredible, and if you like your city breaks salty and social, Split will do nicely. The whole place lives outdoors, from slow coffees on the Riva to swims before breakfast. There’s a living Roman palace in the middle of town, pine forest viewpoints on Marjan, and ferries to Hvar, Brač, Korcula, and Vis. It’s an easy base too, with a busy port, an airport close enough for painless transfers, and simple day trips to lakes and waterfalls. This Split Travel Guide keeps it clear and practical, with small tables you can copy, real-world tips, and ideas you can actually use. Ready for a golden few days by the Adriatic? ☀️
Split Travel Guide: At a glance
Split is a working port with an ancient heart. Emperor Diocletian built his palace here, and today his walls hold cafés, homes and tiny chapels. The waterfront promenade, the Riva, is the city’s living room. When you want green, Marjan Hill wraps the peninsula in pine, steps and sea coves. Transport is simple, the food is hearty Dalmatian, and islands are a ferry hop away. You can do a lot in a short time, without rushing.
Quick Facts
| Thing | Need-to-know |
|---|---|
| Country | Croatia |
| Language | Croatian, English widely understood |
| Currency | Euro (€) |
| Historic core | Diocletian’s Palace and old town |
| Airport | Split (SPU), ~30–40 mins to centre |
| Ferries | Hvar, Brač, Vis and more from the main port |
Quick Q&As for Split, Croatia
Is Split worth a weekend? Yes. Two days cover the palace, Riva, Marjan views, plus a beach or island hop.
What is Split famous for? A Roman palace that became the old town, plus easy ferry links.
Is Split walkable? Very. The palace and Riva are compact and flat, Marjan adds steps and trails.
Which island is easiest? Brač or Hvar for first-timers, thanks to frequent boats.
How far is the airport? Roughly 30–40 minutes by shuttle or local bus.
🔹 Tinker’s Tip: The palace area is mostly pedestrian, so wear flat shoes and plan to walk.
🔥 My Recommended Tour to get you started: Split Old Town and Palace
Getting there without faff ✈️🚌
Flying into SPU is the simplest route, especially spring to autumn when routes ramp up. Once you land, jump on the airport shuttle to the waterfront bus terminal, or use the local bus if timings suit. Expect 30–40 minutes into town on a normal day, a little more in peak traffic.
Already in Croatia? Coaches and trains connect Split with Zagreb and coastal spots. The coach is quicker, the train is more scenic, both arrive near the ferry port which keeps transfers easy.
👉 Good to know: Arriving late, sit on the left side of the shuttle for harbour views as you roll into the lights.
📍 Official Website: Welcome to Split
🗺️ For a closer look at Zadar: Discover Zadar, Croatia: A Traveller’s Guide
Getting around like a local 👟
Most of your exploring is on foot, because old Split is compact and car-free in parts. For longer hops, city buses are reliable and inexpensive, and ride-hailing is handy for early ferries or late evenings. If you’ve hired a car for day trips, avoid driving into the palace streets. Park by the marina or port, then stroll. Cyclists will enjoy the loop around Marjan, and beach days are as simple as walking or busing to Bačvice or Kašjuni with a tote and flip-flops.
👉Good to know: Taxis and ride hails can’t enter the palace streets. Ask for drop-off on the Riva or at one of the gates, then walk the last few minutes. 🚖
🗺️ Croatia Guide: Dubrovnik Travel Guide: Your Ultimate Companion
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Money & costs: at a glance 💶
Split can be as breezy or as bougie as you make it. Stay central and walk most places, mix bakeries with sit-down meals, and you’ll keep daily spend tidy. Add boat days, seafood feasts and taxis, and it rises fast. The ranges below are realistic, not rock-bottom. They assume a couple of coffees, one nice meal, and some local transport. Planning island hops or private boats? Budget a little extra and book peak dates early. 😊
| Budget style | Per day (EUR) | Per day (GBP) | Per day (USD) | What that covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Backpacker | €60–80 | £51–68 | $65–86 | Hostel bed, bakery lunches, buses, casual dinner |
| Mid-range | €120–180 | £102–153 | $130–194 | Central apartment, sit-down lunch and dinner, coffees, a ferry day |
| Upscale | €250–400+ | £212–340+ | $270–432+ | Boutique hotel, seafood dinners, taxis, private boat or guide |
🔹Tinker’s Tip: Prices on the Riva trend higher. Slip a block or two inland for better value without losing the vibe.
🗺️ Fancy Plitvice and Krka:
Diocletian’s Palace: the living Roman heart 🏛️
This isn’t a fenced-off ruin, it’s a lived-in district. Built in the 4th century for Emperor Diocletian, the palace grid still shapes today’s lanes and courtyards. You’ll wander from sunlit squares into cool stone alleys in seconds, then back out to arches and columns where buskers tune up at dusk. Do the cellars and cathedral early, pause at the Peristyle at golden hour, then return after dinner when the stones glow and the music starts. It’s history you can touch, not tiptoe around.
💡 Fact: The palace layers Roman, medieval and later styles in a tight footprint, which is why the old town feels both ancient and lived-in.
🗺️ Recommended Read: Discovering Korčula: The Jewel of the Adriatic
Recommended Tours from GetYourGuide
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Riva life: coffees, strolls and people-watching ☕🌴
The Riva is Split’s front porch. Palm trees, polished paving, boat masts, and a long run of café terraces made for lingering. This is where the city wakes up slowly, where families gather for a stroll, and where festivals spill into the night. Order a macchiato, watch ferries drift in and out, then dart inland for shaded alleys, markets and wine bars. Swing back for sunset light on the façades and a breezy gelato walk.
🔹Tinker’s Tip: Same coffee, calmer bill. Slip a block inland for quieter tables and friendlier prices.
Marjan Hill: pine trails and big views 🌲🌊
When the stones heat up, go green. Marjan wraps the city in a forest of Aleppo pines, tiny chapels and coves where the sea laps at rock. Climb the steps from Varoš to the main lookout for the postcard view, then meander down to Bene or Kašjuni for a swim. It’s the easiest reset without leaving town. Take water, wear decent shoes, and plan a loop that ends with a cold drink back on the Riva.
👉 Good to know: Shade is generous on the lower paths, but the stairs to viewpoints are exposed. Aim early or late on hot days.
🥾 Recommended Trails: All Trails Split
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Beaches you’ll actually use ☀️🏖️
Split isn’t wall-to-wall sand, yet it has easy, likeable options. Bačvice is sandy and shallow, perfect for paddling and picigin. Kašjuni sits wilder under Marjan’s cliffs, with deeper water and city views. Bene is a shaded cove where pines reach the shore, while Žnjan offers long promenades and beach clubs. Go early or late in summer and bring water shoes if pebbles make you wince. If it’s a full beach day, rent a lounger and lean into it.
🔹 Tinker’s Tip: Bus or ride-hail to Kašjuni in the morning, swim, climb a short Marjan section for breeze and views, then roll back for lunch.
Food and drink: what to order 🍋🐟
Dalmatian cooking is about good olive oil, the grill, and time-honoured slow dishes. Look for brudet, pašticada with gnocchi, grilled squid, and anything finished with local oil, capers or rosemary. Meat lovers should try inland lamb, seafood fans will see sea bream, scorpionfish and dentex. For quick lunches, bakeries sell warm burek and sweet pastries. Coffee culture is strong, so sit down, sip slowly and people-watch like a local.
👉 Good to know: House wine by the carafe is often excellent value. Many konobas will pour a taste before you commit.
Where to stay: the best bases 🛏️
Inside the palace walls puts you in a time capsule, with bells as your alarm clock. Varoš is a tangle of old fishermen’s houses climbing towards Marjan, quiet at night yet central. Bačvice suits beach-first travellers who still want to stroll to the centre, and Meje is leafy and residential if morning swims are non-negotiable. Choose by vibe and footsteps. If you’re hauling luggage, places near the south gates are easiest for arrivals. We just used airbnb for our stay but I’ve listed some options below:
🏨 Recommended Hotels:
🛌 Recommended Hostels: Hostelworld Split
🔹 Tinker’s Tip: Noise-sensitive, avoid rooms right on the Riva or busy alleys in July and August.
🗺️ More guides to this beautiful country: Croatia’s Beaches: The Ultimate Traveller’s Guide
Island hopping 101 🚢
Split flips to island mode in minutes. From the ferry port, fast catamarans zip to Hvar Town, Supetar on Brač, or Komiža and Vis, with classic car ferries for road-trippers. In high season, book ahead, arrive early, and keep plans flexible if winds pick up. Most routes hub through Split, so you’ll often return to swap islands. The best part, ferries land you in walkable harbours, so you can be at a café within minutes of docking.
⛴️ Ferry tickets: Book Ferries Split
Day trips: waterfalls, caves and old towns 💦🛶
Got an extra day, go inland to boardwalks and milky-green cascades at Krka. It pairs nicely with a late lunch in a riverside town. Prefer the sea, hop to Vis for slow island vibes, then boat to a cave on a calm sunny morning if conditions behave. Hvar and Brač are easy day hops with vineyards, pebble coves and viewpoints. Fancy the mainland coast, there are fort towns and quiet beaches less than an hour’s drive away.
Two perfect days in Split 🗓️
Day 1
- Dawn wander through the Peristyle and cellars.
- Coffee on the Riva, then cathedral and viewpoints.
- Lunch in Varoš.
- Afternoon swim at Kašjuni or Bačvice.
- Blue hour in the palace, dinner with house wine, slow gelato walk.
Day 2
- Morning ferry to Hvar Town or Supetar.
- Long lunch and a coastal stroll.
- Back to Split for Marjan steps at sunset.
- Nightcap in a tucked-away courtyard bar.
When to visit and what’s on 📅
Split works almost year-round, but each season has its own rhythm. I went in June and it was lovely! Here’s how it feels at street level so you can match your trip to your pace. 🙂
Spring (Apr–May) 🌼
Mild 15–22°C, blossom on Marjan, longer days, ferries ramping up, lighter crowds.Early summer (June) ☀️
Warm 24–28°C, sea warming to ~20–23°C, long golden evenings, still manageable in the old town.Peak summer (July–August) 🥵
Hottest 28–34°C, buzzy nights, busy beaches and queues at midday. Book stays early and plan an early/late sightseeing rhythm.Shoulder (September–October) 🍇
Sweet spot: warm sea (early Sep ~22–24°C, easing later), softer light, fewer lines, island services still frequent.Winter (Nov–Mar) ❄️
Quiet, atmospheric Riva, lower room rates, some reduced hours and slimmer ferry timetables. Great for slow strolls and cosy meals.Events 🎶
Summer brings open-air concerts and citywide happenings along the Riva and around major venues. If you prefer calm, avoid big-event weekends. Split Events Calendar
Practicalities: money, safety, water, sims 💳💧
- Payments: Cards and contactless are widely accepted. Keep a little cash for small purchases.
- Water: Tap water is safe and tasty. Refill bottles to save money and plastic.
- Pharmacies: Easy to find across the centre. Staff are helpful with minor issues.
- ATMs: Use bank-attached machines for fairer fees and clearer prompts.
- Mobile data: eSIMs are convenient. Local shops also sell physical SIMs with good short-term bundles.
- Safety: Low petty crime, but use standard smarts at night and around stations.
- Late nights: Stick to lit streets near the Riva and main squares.
Souvenirs and small-shop finds 🫒🎁
Skip plastic trinkets and go for olive oil, fig jam, lavender pouches, ceramics, or a bottle of Pošip or Plavac Mali. The outdoor market near the palace is ideal for fresh fruit and picnic bits. In the alleys you’ll find tiny boutiques selling locally made jewellery and textiles. Flying with carry-on only, think solid perfume, soaps and mini bottles within limits. Pack fragile buys in the middle of your case, cushioned by rolled tees.
Rain plan and hot-day swaps 🌧️🔥
Rainy day, head for the palace cellars, cathedral and small museums, then book a long lunch in a konoba. On hot days, plan breezy routes, shaded alleys first, Riva in the evening, an afternoon nap if you can swing it. Early-morning swims are magic when the sea is glassy and the city is quiet. A lightweight scarf doubles as sun cover on steps and a quick shoulder cover in churches.
Easy onward travel 🚉🚌
Split makes a neat hub. Ferries run to island chains south and north, coaches fan out along the coast, and trains link inland. The airport shuttle is a simple roll for flights, with taxis and ride-hails for early departures. Road-tripping, aim for early exits to beat coastal traffic, then stop for swims at lay-bys that look too good to ignore. Keep your last night in Split if you’ve got a morning flight, it saves stress.
FAQs
How many days do I need in Split?
Two full days are perfect for the city, add a third for an island or an inland day trip.
Is tipping expected?
Not required, but rounding up or adding 5–10% for good service is appreciated.
Can I drink the tap water?
Yes, it is safe and tastes good.
What’s the easiest island for a first-timer?
Brač or Hvar, thanks to frequent and fast links.
Is the airport transfer simple?
Very. Shuttle and local buses connect SPU to the centre in roughly 30–40 minutes.
Now, over to you…
That’s your Split Travel Guide in plain English. Got a favourite courtyard bar, a Marjan sunset story, or a ferry tip we should add, drop it in the comments. Your lived experience helps other travellers, and it keeps this guide honest. 👇🗣️
If you loved this, keep an eye on The Travel Tinker for more Croatia ideas that pair with Krka, like a Zadar coast day or a Gorski Kotar forest loop.
Adventure on,
The Travel Tinker Crew 🌍✨
Similar Articles:
- Top 10 Places to Visit in Croatia for First-Time Travellers
- THE 10 BEST Things to Do in Split, Croatia
- Experience Zagreb: Croatia’s Vibrant Capital City
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Nick Harvey
Hi, I am Nick! Thank you for reading! I created The Travel Tinker as a resource designed to help you navigate the beauty of travel, allowing you to tinker your own travels! Let's explore!
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