Dalmatia · Croatia
A 1,700-year-old Roman emperor's palace that never stopped being a living city, its ancient walls now filled with homes, cafés and a cathedral built from his own mausoleum.
Photo: Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 4.0
Split is built around one of the most unusual historic sites in Europe, a Roman emperor's retirement palace that never stopped being lived in for the 1,700 years since.
Diocletian's Palace's ancient walls now enclose an entire working neighbourhood — homes, shops, cafés and a cathedral converted from the emperor's own mausoleum.
Beyond the palace, Split is Croatia's second city and busiest ferry hub, with its own beaches, a green hillside park and a lively waterfront promenade.
Why visit
Split's case rests on a Roman palace that's stayed a real, living city for nearly two millennia.
A 1,700-year-old Roman palace still functioning as an actual, lived-in neighbourhood.
A working port and Dalmatia's largest city, with an authentic, year-round pulse.
Palm-lined waterfront cafés where locals and visitors alike watch the harbour.
Forested trails and viewpoints a short walk from the historic centre.
Croatia's busiest ferry port, with frequent connections to Hvar, Brač and beyond.
Main attractions
Split's essential sights are concentrated within and around the ancient walls of Diocletian's Palace.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site and a living neighbourhood at once, a Roman emperor's palace still filled with homes and shops today.
Tip Get lost in the palace's narrow side streets — the real character lives away from the main routes.
The palace's ceremonial heart, a sunken Roman courtyard still ringed by columns and a genuine Egyptian sphinx.
Tip Visit in the evening, when café tables fill the square and it feels properly alive.
One of the oldest Catholic cathedrals in the world still in its original structure — Diocletian's own mausoleum, repurposed.
Tip Climb the bell tower for the best rooftop view over the whole palace and harbour.
The city's social stage, a palm-lined seafront promenade right outside the palace's southern wall.
Tip A lovely spot for a slow evening coffee or aperitivo.
A forested peninsula park right beside the city centre, with trails, chapels and sweeping sea views.
Tip Go for sunset — the views over Split and the islands are spectacular.
The palace's grandest original entrance, guarded outside by Ivan Meštrović's towering bronze statue.
Tip Rub the statue's toe — a well-known local tradition said to bring good luck.
The city's most popular beach, a shallow sandy bay a short walk from the historic centre.
Tip Watch for a game of picigin, the local beach sport invented right here.
Things to do
Split rewards splitting time between its ancient palace streets and its very real, modern city life.
An essential experience, getting lost among the palace's Roman substructure and centuries of later additions.
Tip Visit the palace's atmospheric underground cellars, among the best-preserved Roman substructures anywhere.
A rewarding, if slightly precarious, climb, with the palace's best rooftop view waiting at the top.
Tip Not for the faint of heart — the stairs are steep and narrow in places.
A fun, low-key local tradition, joining the line of visitors polishing the statue's bronze big toe.
Tip An easy stop combined with the Golden Gate itself.
A refreshing break from the historic centre, trails winding through pine forest to several viewpoints.
Tip Bring water — shade is limited once you're above the tree line at the top.
A lively city beach scene, complete with the locally invented ball game picigin played in the shallows.
Tip A short walk from the palace — an easy way to cool off between sightseeing.
An essential evening ritual, joining locals and visitors alike for a slow walk along the palm-lined waterfront.
Tip A great spot to watch the ferries come and go while the light fades.
Local food
Split's food means classic Dalmatian cooking, with a regional pie worth seeking out beyond the seafood staples.
A highlight of dining here, fish and shellfish grilled simply at konobas throughout the palace.
Where to try it Konobas throughout Diocletian's Palace and the wider old town.
A Dalmatian classic worth trying at least once during a Split visit.
Where to try it Seafood restaurants throughout the old town.
A reliable starter, often served with local cheese and olives.
Where to try it Restaurants and konobas throughout Split.
A distinctive regional specialty from the Poljica area just outside Split, a thin pie filled with chard and baked under embers.
Where to try it Traditional bakeries and markets, especially the Split Green Market.
Worth exploring, with Dalmatian reds from nearby Pelješac and Hvar both widely available.
Where to try it Wine bars throughout the old town.
A nice sweet treat, found at bakeries and market stalls around the old town.
Where to try it Bakeries throughout Split's old town.
Accommodation
Split offers accommodation for every budget, with location inside or outside the palace walls making a real difference.
Transport
Split is Croatia's busiest transport hub after Zagreb, well connected by air, road and sea.
Split's compact old town is entirely walkable, with buses covering the wider city and Marjan Hill.
When to go
Split is busiest in July and August, with shoulder months offering a much better balance of weather and crowds.
Warm enough to swim, with noticeably thinner crowds than peak summer.
Hot and lively, the busiest season for both the city and its ferry connections.
Still warm enough for the beach, with crowds and prices both easing off.
Quiet, with a real, lived-in city atmosphere rather than a tourist-focused one.
Worth planning around: Nothing strongly, though peak July and August bring the heaviest crowds to the palace and ferry terminals alike.
Itinerary
Built around Diocletian's Palace and Marjan Hill, with time on the water.
The palace's essential sights.
A slower day of nature and the sea.
Travel tips
Practical notes that make a Split visit noticeably smoother.
FAQ
Two to three days covers the palace, Marjan Hill and the beach at a comfortable pace.
Yes — around 3,000 people still live and work within the ancient palace walls today.
Yes — it's Croatia's busiest ferry port, with frequent connections to Hvar, Brač, Korčula and beyond.
By airport shuttle bus or taxi, taking about 25 to 30 minutes.
Yes — the two offer quite different experiences, and Split's living Roman palace is unlike anywhere else.
Yes — Bačvice Beach sits a short walk from the palace, with more beaches further along Marjan Hill.
Keep exploring
Places that pair well with Split, whether you have a few spare days or are building a longer route.
Dalmatia, Croatia
Croatia's glamorous lavender island, a medieval harbour town backed by a hilltop fortress, with the pine-covered Pakleni Islands scattered just offshore.
Don't miss Watching the sun set from Fortica's ramparts, Hvar Town's terracotta rooftops and the Pakleni Islands glowing below.
Explore Destination — HvarDalmatia, Croatia
A quieter alternative to Plitvice Lakes, cascading travertine waterfalls in the Dalmatian hinterland, centred on Skradinski Buk and Visovac Island's monastery.
Don't miss Watching Skradinski Buk's wide curtain of falls from the boardwalk, a monastery just visible on a tiny island upstream.
Explore Destination — Krka National ParkDalmatia, Croatia
The Adriatic's most complete medieval walled city, home to nearly two kilometres of intact fortifications, a marble old town and Fort Lovrijenac.
Don't miss Walking the full circuit of the City Walls at sunrise, the Old Town's terracotta rooftops glowing below and the Adriatic stretching out on the other side.
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Food
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