Welcome to Split City

Split is a lively city with a rich history, set on a peninsula surrounded by mountains. It is Croatia’s main coastal city and airport, and the gateway to the Dalmatian islands, but Split itself should not be overlooked as a great place to explore. 

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  Diocletian Palace 

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  Roman Amphitheatre

History

Split is more than 1700 years old and has been inhabited by ancient Greeks, Illyrians and Romans. The Diocletian Palace was built by Roman Emperor Diocletian in the 3rd century, and is still in use to this day, with a lot of invested to keep it going. Wander through the twisting narrow streets of the palace to see pretty squares, cute shops and cafes. To see the town from above, climb the restored bell tower of the Cathedral of St Domnius - built onto the palace in the 12th century. But the city has evolved a lot since then, and there is a variety of architecture outside the palace including old churches and a 19th century theatre. In medieval times Split was fought over by the Venetians, the Kingdom of Croatia and the Kingdom of Hungary. In the 19th century it became part of Austria. After World War I, Split became part of Yugoslavia, then during World War I it was heavily bombed and hundreds of people died. Split remained part of Yugoslavia until Croatia declared independence in 1991.

Culture and Nightlife

Split is the cultural centre of Dalmatia, with a great range of museums, galleries, events and festivals. Visit the medieval quarter and Diocletians Palace to find interesting museums and galleries, and the palace itself is like a museum with marble and stone artwork. Most Saturdays there is an art market, where local artists show and sell their works. Visit any time of year and you’re likely to be in time for an event. There’s a city carnival in February, a food festival in March, the Split Music Festival in July, a film festival in September - the list goes on. The best places for nightlife are the Diocletian Palace, with a selection of laid back and upbeat bars, and the Bacvice area. A few kilometres east of Split, Bacvice has some brilliant nightclubs right next to the beach, where you can dance the night away in style.

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  Music Festival

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  Bacvice beach festival

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  Seaside Promenade Riva

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  People playing Picigin

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  View of Split from Marjan Hill

Activities

Take a walk around seaside promenade Riva. It is a nicely landscaped area (with free wifi) where people meet, stroll or relax at one of the many cafes with a great view. Make sure you catch the fantastic daily Pazar Market. Held in the shadow of the Diocletian Palace walls, you can find fresh food, clothing, flowers and souvenirs. For active tourists, you can bike around the coast, or hike up the densely forested Marjan Hill. There are great panoramic views, as well as 13th and 15th century churches to see. To cool off after a day of sightseeing, head to Bacvice beach - a sandy spot great for families where you can learn the local ball game Picigin. With a major ferry terminal, you can easily get to the Dalmatian Islands from Split, although you need more than a day trip to see them.

Food and wine

Split has a great selection of restaurants, bars, pizzerias, konobas (local taverns) and a lot of traditional Croatian cuisine and seafood. There are also some lovely little wine bars and wine tasting shops where you can sample the local wine. You can take a tour of local wineries, and see how Croatian wine is made. If you fancy a picnic, pick up some cheese, bread and fresh fruit from the Pazar Market.

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  Local Konoba

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  Local market in Split

Beaches

Bacvice Beach (Blue Flag), Marjan hill park beaches. Visit Hvar Island for some of the best beaches in Croatia.