- 25.0Kshares
- Share now
- Tweet this
- Pin for later
Split is a city which is rich in history and culture. Although it has become a popular destination with holidaymakers, it still retains its laid-back charm and stunning architectural sights. Split is located in the Croatian region of Dalmatia on the Eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea.
Here are just a few ideas for things to do in Split.
10 things to do in Split, Croatia
1. Wander through Diocletian’s Palace
Diocletian’s Palace is one of the main attractions of Split and, in fact, the whole city centers around it. This sprawling network of cobbled streets and beautiful buildings is contained within the high palace walls. The palace was originally built by the Roman emperor Diocletian in the 4th century AD. If you’re a history buff, taking a guided tour of the palace is a great way to learn more about its history.
The palace is also packed with boutique shops, restaurants and bars and really is the hub of the city. You could spend all day just getting lost in the narrow streets and taking in the bustling atmosphere. Don’t forget to check out Gregory of Nin, an enormous statue (which looks very much like a wizard!). Rub the statue’s giant toe and it will bring you good luck!
2. Visit Krka National Park
You can book an excursion to Krka National Park from any of the main booking offices in the city or in advance online. Here’s a list with popular Krka National Park day trip options. It’s definitely worth booking your trip as an excursion to save you the hassle of getting there by yourself. Make sure you take some sturdy shoes and your swimming costume!
Krka National Park is a stunning area of natural beauty. Following the trail around the park takes about 45 minutes and allows you to take in the wonderful views and crystal blue waterfalls. The most striking waterfalls come at the end, as they cascade into a bright blue pool which is perfect for swimming.
3. Experience a Split party boat
Boat parties are huge in Split. How much you’ll love the Split party boat depends on how much of a party-goer you are. Again, this experience can be booked through the excursion office and the ticket includes a 4-hour boat trip and all-inclusive drinks on board the catamaran. In reality, if you take the daytime boat, it really isn’t as wild as you might expect and it’s quite relaxing to just chill out with a drink or two as you take in the views.
4. Go on the famous pub crawl in Split
For something a little wilder, you should definitely join up to the nightly pub crawl in Split. If you’re staying in a hostel then it’s likely they will recommend it to you. The pub crawl leaves from the main courtyard inside Diocletian’s Palace and sees a massive turnout, especially on a Friday and Saturday night. It can be a great way to meet new people and truly experience the nightlife which Split has to offer.
The Tower Pub Crawl and PUb Crawl Ziggy Star both get great reviews on TripAdvisor. Read about them here and here.
5. Head to the beach
Bačvice is Split’s most popular beach. Although the sand is slightly more pebbly than the typical beach there are lots of sun loungers for you to relax on. The water is very shallow on this beach so occasionally you might see people playing a game called “pincigin” which involves a few people in a circle trying to keep a small ball in the air for as long as possible!
6. Visit the market
Source: Flickr – TeppoTK
If you love fresh produce the head to Split’s market where you’ll be spoiled for choice with all the colorful fruit and vegetables. There are also a few souvenir stalls and some great food stands. If you want to know more about Croatian cuisine, check out this a food tour which includes market visits and lunch.
7. Meštrović Art Gallery
Source: Flickr – Monika Kostera (urbanlegend)
Ivan Meštrović is Croatia’s most famous modern sculptor who built the gallery as his private home from 1931 to 1939. Nowadays the gallery is home to his creations and the permanent collection displays everything from sculpture and drawings to furniture and architecture. Check out the latest reviews here.
8. Try the ice cream
Source: Flickr – illustir
Split is renowned for its delicious ice cream and you’ll find plenty of places to buy it – give it a try!
9. Take a boat trip to Hvar
There is a regular ferry boat which will take you across to nearby Hvar (which is generally considered to be a bit of a party island). The ferry takes about 90 minutes and from Hvar you can take boats out to various other islands, many of which hold beach parties.
Even if you are just into history and culture, Hvar is worth a visit, but if you enjoy good food, drink, nightlife and sunbathing then this is really one of the things to do in Split.
Check out this list of excursions on and from Hvar.
10. Sample Split’s seafood
Being right on the coast means that Split’s fresh seafood is definitely worth a try. For authentic seafood meals head to Noštromo restaurant which is located right by the fish market.
Emma is a 22 year old travel blogger at Inspiring Travel where she shares her travel tips and experiences. She hopes to inspire people to get out there and see the world and show that anyone can travel no matter what their budget, age or work commitments! You can also follow her on Twitter.
Guides on Split, Croatia
Looking for more information on Split? Check out these handy guides:
Accommodation in Split, Croatia
Are you looking for a place to stay in Split, Croatia? Check Booking.com for an extensive list of options for all budgets and needs.
If you’re looking for an apartment rather than a hotel, I would recommend checking airbnb. Sign up through my link and get a discount on your first booking!
And for more Split accommodation options, check out this post by Chasing the Donkey.
Getting to Split, Croatia
Split has its own international airport, making it very easy to get there. Click here to compare the best flight prices.
You might also like:
Things to do on your first day in Barcelona
Things to do in New York City
Things to do in Cardiff
Things do to in Luxembourg City
Things to do in Amsterdam
Things to do in Copenhagen
Things to do in Las Vegas
Some of the links above are affiliate links. That means that if you buy something through them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. If you’d like to support Wonderful Wanderings, using these links would be a kick-ass way to do so. Thanks!
- 25.0Kshares
- Share now
- Tweet this
- Pin for later
You had me at Diocletian’s Palace! 🙂 I’ve always wanted to visit Croatia and in particularly, Split. I love reading posts like this; someday soon I will visit. Great list of things to do!
Split was one of the highlights of my travels in 2013. Especially enjoyed the ice cream.
I will definitely bookmark this! Croatia is at the top of my travel list. I’ll be in Europe this summer visiting friends and I’m hoping to squeeze it in. Fingers crossed! Thanks for sharing.
Happy travels 🙂
Keeping my fingers crossed for you:)
We attended a classical music concert one evening in a lovely old church in Split. There’s an annual music festival held each summer – and we were able to buy tickets in the day for that evening’s performance. Memorable…
I love the acoustic in churches. Often gives me chills.
They do love their music over there. Inside Diocletian’s Palace there’s always some sort of music going on – really nice atmosphere
The national park looks amazing! And can never turn down a booze cruise 🙂
Haha Anna:-)
Great tips Emma! I am really keen to get to Croatia in the next few years. It really looks like my kind of place. I will hanging onto these tips when I eventually plan my trip, thanks.
Thanks! Croatia is a beautiful part of the world. If you have some time you should try and get to Pula and Dubrovnic as well.
Wow..great tips. The hubby and I are heading to Croatia next week with some friends and we’ll definitely be trying some of this out. Thanks.
Hope you have a great time! Feel free to come back and tell us all about it afterwards:)
I am kind of a lil bit obsessed with Croatia, to be honest. I’ve always wanted to visit there. Definitely not a fan of party boats or pub crawls — I was when I first started traveling but after a few years that got old and now I focus more on culture and of course food as well 😉 Visiting Diocletian’s Palace and then wandering the nearby alleys afterward or visiting the market are definitely more of my thing.
I’m not into bar crawls either. Maybe that has something to do with the fact that I rarely drink:)
This list has moved Croatia up on my list of places to visit though. Everyone is so positive about it.
Recently I’ve been thinking about Croatia and wondering what the scuba diving is like there. Did you try any?
Also the seafood looks delicious – was it?
I didn’t get chance to try out scuba diving unfortunately – maybe next time. But the seafood is amazing!
Just stumbled across your post on things to do in Split. Great tips! Split really changed a lot in the last years, and now it’s one of the most popular tourist spots. The old town is gorgeous and vibrant, There are loads of great restaurants, and lots of activities going on all day long. For us, the only draw back is that during the summer the town is overcrowded (not as bad as Dubrovnik, but catching up on the crowds). Thanks for sharing!
I recommend Diocletian’s Palace Hostel highly!!! As hostels go, it’s not the best one I’ve stayed at, but location wise, nothing can beat it!! It’s actually IN the palace!!
This place looks very cool and the seafood seems very interesting. I have been several times to Croatia but never been to Split. Next time it would probably be on my mind.
Let us know how you like it!:)
Great article! Picigin is such a fun game and I believe it started from there. Later the game spread all over Croatia. There are few tournaments during summer.
As well there are few tournaments in Meduliin (Istria)
Thank you for sharing!
Glad you liked the post!
I’d add one two more definite things to the list . When visiting the Krka falls visit the Town of Sibenik which has one of Croatia’s UNESCO heritage sites. One of my favorite towns and locations in Croatia. Also half an hour from Split you have another UNESCO town called Trogir. One of the best preserved Gothic towns in Europe. Both these places are hidden gems. On the way to Trogir you can also stop and see Game of throne site the Klis fortress and also the archeological remains of the town of Solin. On the way to Sibenik if you travel by coastal road which is highly recommended is the coastal town of Primosten which has one of the biggest Virgin Mary shrines in the world in Mosaic.
Thanks so much for the tips Dan!
Do you have any info on how to book a party boat? I’ve looked online and can’t seem to find anything like what you have described where it’s 4 hours and all drinks are included. Thanks!
Hey Sam,
Sorry, not really. This was a guest post so I haven’t done this myself. I’m guessing you might have to book them when you’re there.