the Top 7 things to do in Split, Croatia: a 2 day itinerary
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Split, Croatia is unlike any other city I’ve ever been to. It is commonly referred to as an open-air museum, which is ~exactly~ what it is! The entire city is completely built around and inside the ruins of the enormous palace of Diocletian - restaurants now occupy what use to be servants chambers, markets fill up ancient dungeons and cellars. It looks like it could be straight out of a movie scene, and I was constantly in awe that it was, in fact, real, and not just a replica. There are so many things to do in Split, Croatia, and you can fit it all in with the help of this 2 day itinerary.
That being said, Split definitely was not my favorite city we visited during our time in Croatia. The water was packed with cruise ships, the city has adapted to tourism in an extreme way, with cheesy live performances with costumes and props that sometimes make the city seem more like an amusement park than an incredible preservation of this ancient palace. Which is a shame, because like I mentioned before, I’ve never seen a city quite like Split.
When you look past the hordes of tourists and casinos and overpriced, low-quality restaurants, you can truly appreciate the work of art that is Split. Honestly, the best thing you can do is embrace it. Tourism supports the city, and you’re just another one of the tourists, so you can’t even be mad at the crowds. Despite all the craziness, a two days in Split is still well-worth your time. here are the top 7 things that redeemed Split for me. But first: Let’s get your accommodation sorted!
Where to stay in Split, Croatia
Luxury
Hotel Ambasador - located half a mile from city center, Hotel Ambasador is where you’ll want to stay if you’re looking for a room with a view. You can’t get an excellent view of old town if you’re staying in it, after all. Hotel Ambasador sits RIGHT on the water, and give off such luxe, resort vibes, with the charm of old town just outside the window. With rooms starting at $235 usd, this luxury option is actually a steal. Honestly, if I stayed here I would NEVER leave that rooftop pool deck.
Golden Gate Luxury rooms - You guys. This apartment is actually INSIDE the walls of Diocletian’s palace, which means that you have the rare opportunity to sleep within a UNESCO world heritage site. You can see your hotel window when looking up at the grand walls of the palace - talk about bragging rights! Inside is cozy and chic, and obviously you’re right by all the action. This would be my #1 pick if I were to go back again!
Cornaro Hotel - Another luxury hotel in an excellent location is the Cornaro Hotel. If you’re looking for more of a hotel vibe than the Golden Gate Luxury Rooms, the Cornaro is your best bet. Located a 2 minute walk from the old town walls while ALSO having an epic rooftop pool with views of the city and the ocean, you get the best of the first two options listed - a gorgeous, well rounded option for your two day Split itinerary.
Mid - range
Hotel Vestibul Palace and Villa - located right in the heart of the old town walls is Hotel Vestibul palace. With rooms starting at just $175, you really can’t beat the price/location combo! Guests absolutely rave about this stay as well as the service that comes along with it, and it is a perfect place to base yourself in Split.
La Porta Luxury rooms - Rooms at La Porta start at just $50 usd for the night - which is an absolute steal, considering it is right by the Silver Gate of old town Split. That cute little balcony with the view of Saint Dominus Cathedral is to die for! This is the best budget option if you’re with a significant other or friends and you don’t want to stay in a hostel.
Budget
Backpackers Fairytale - located just half a km from city center, Backpackers fairytale is perfect for a solo traveler who doesn’t have $50 to spend on a one-night’s stay. Dorms here start at just $15 usd! It’s in a good location (minus the 5 flights of stairs in the building itself!) and people say that it feels like coming home.
Hurricane Hostel - Last but not least, we have Hurricane Hostel. This hostel is just outside the old town walls, and is very much a social vibe! Allegedly, they run a boat party every week - which is perfect for the solo backpacker looking for a bit of fun! (aka me :)
Split, Croatia: a 2 Day Itinerary
Diocletian’s Palace.
The most impressive part of Split, Croatia is the part that resides directly within the walls of some of the grandest rooms of Diocletian’s palace, which easily makes the palace one of the best things to do in Split. The top left photo was taken mid-day, you can see the tourists! The photo next to it involved a 6am wake up call, getting dressed in the dark, and booking it to Peristil to try to get some photos that were relatively people-less. That is the ONLY time you’ll ever see it empty. Take note of the black onyx Sphinx in the bottom left picture! It was a gift from an Egyptian pharaoh to Diocletian, and it has been sitting there, undisturbed, for thousands of years. And it still has its nose. Take that, Egypt.
Directly across from the Golden gate (bottom right of those photos above) is an enormous, bronze statue of Gregory of Nin. I don’t know who this is or what he’s done, but I do know that if you go rub his toe, you’ll have good luck? Obviously we gave it a go.
2. Walking tour of the complex
Our first full day in Split, we decided to pay for a walking tour, as in Split free walking tours are not offered. My family LOVES a good walking tour to orient ourselves in a new city, and to give us a little bit more context to everything that’s going on around us. It took us through the tiny streets, through the dungeons and jails, and back up to the water’s edge.
I was grateful that the tour led us to parts of the palace that I would never have found by myself. Split is actually a maze. The walls tower above you, google maps doesn’t know what it’s doing, tourists are flooding through the tiny alleyways, it’s crazy. The tour I booked is linked HERE - it’s with a Split local who has a masters in history - and I’m always so happy to support a local directly!
3. Old town
Even the parts of the city outside of the ruins of the palace are stunning. The above pictures really give you a sense of how tall the buildings are and how much the city resembles a fortress. There are so many hidden corners of old town to discover; tiny restaurants in flowering courtyards, art studios tucked in back alleys, and murals where people would least expect them to be.
There’s not much to do besides browse the shops and find restaurants with good menus (I hear the Grotto was a good one, but we wanted to sit outside so we passed on that one.)
Get lost! That’s how you find the most beautiful buildings and corners.
4. Saint Domnius Cathedral
One of my favorite things we did in Split was climb the tower of Saint Domnius Cathedral. It is definitely not for the faint of heart! Let me tell you, it was a LOT of stairs, and not just any old stairs. Steep, rickety, temporary construction-type stairs. I’m sure it’s 100% safe, but it took a while to get up there and we were all pretty nervous!
Once at the top, the views are incredible. From one side, you can see the Adriatic Sea glittering with lots of ships in the harbor. From the other side, you can get a better picture of the labyrinth that is the city of Split. The first picture in this post is from the top of the tower, and is one of my favorites. We spent quite a bit of time up there just soaking in the glorious view.
5. Hvar, Mamma Mia, and blue cave tour
image from Viator!
If you’re looking for something a little more adventurous to do during your time in Split, consider going on a day trip to 5 islands including Hvar, as well as the iconic blue cave! We didn’t have time during our two days there, but if you have three, definitely add this to your list! We spoke with some people who had done this tour and only had positive things to say.
I asked for the link for you all - and you can book your day trip here! One of my biggest regrets during my 2 days in Split is not getting out on the water.
6. Riva Promenade
Now this is the part of Split that can read as tacky tourist. It’s the walkway that takes you right beside the water, and it extends throughout the entirety of the bay. There are countless gelato stands, palm trees, and street musicians.
But, it’s always listed as one of the best things to do in Split, Croatia for a reason. Regardless of how the area has adapted to tourists, the view of the water is stunning, and it is quite the scene to grab some snacks and sit on the short stone wall separating the promenade from the sea to watch the sunset. We did this every night we spent in Split and it never got old.
If you fancy it, you can also hop on a replica of a pirate ship (or a ship from the time of Diocletian? Not sure) and take a sunset boat ride in the bay. If you don’t get to spend a whole day doing the blue cave tour mentioned earlier, this is a great way to squeeze an excursion out onto the water into your 2 day Split itinerary - add it in the evening!
If you keep walking, all the way to the end of the Promenade, you will come to a set of stone stairs leading up and up. Follow these stairs and start hiking up to Marjan hill. It is QUITE the hike, so prepare yourself for some exercise.
(We also found a lovely DELICIOUS pizza place towards the end of the promenade. It’s called Pizzeria Bokamorra, and their pizza with Brie and caramelized onions spoke to my SOUL. Would recommend.
6. Marjan Hill
Once you start the hike up Marjan hill that begins at the end of the Riva Promenade, you’ll quickly realize that maybe the half-way point is good enough for you. There are ALOT of steps, and we were pretty worn down/definitely not wearing the right type of shoes/tired and ready to hit the hay. Luckily for us, however, there is a lovely stop halfway up with a beautiful view and a few park benches that let us catch our breath and gain enough energy for the walk back to the airbnb!
There’s not much to do besides admire the view but it was a good relief from the hordes of tourists that were running rampant in Diocletian’s palace, and also to work off all the pizza and gelato we’ve been consuming this entire trip.
7. Krka National Park
Last but CERTAINLY not least, no trip to Split (or Croatia in general) is complete without a day trip. The one I decided on was Krka National park - but if you keep reading, I’ll give you a few more options to choose from!
Similar to Plitvice, in the sense that they both contain impossibly blue water and gorgeous, cascading series of waterfalls, Krka boasts the ability to actually let visitors swim in the water. Although the grounds itself are not as extensive or impressive as Plitvice, the fact that we spent our day laying on rocks and swimming in crystal clear (freezing cold) water made up for it. My family is a big swimming family so we had a blast. (****2021 update, its been brought to my attention that swimming is no longer permitted, which is a bummer, but I understand wanting to preserve the natural beauty!)
If you haven’t rented a car for your time in Croatia, never fear! You can always book a tour through Viator for super cheap. This tour includes transportation, entrance to Krka, and even a stop at a winery outside of Split for just $40 bucks. A steal if you ask me - I would pay literally hundreds to see Krka National Park again.
Bonus: Day trip to Mostar
Another incredible day trip to choose from would also let you add another country to your overall count - something that if you’re anything like me, is VERY appealing. Bosnia & Herzegovina is just a hop, skip, and a jump away from Croatia, and is a super doable day trip from Split!
Since we were on a road trip, we actually left Split and stopped for a day in Mostar on our way to Dubrovnik, but a day trip from Split is just as easy. Read all about my day in Mostar here!
If I’m being honest, a day trip to Mostar may even be more appealing than a day trip to Krka National Park, as many of the tours include another gorgeous set of waterfalls in Bosnia called Kravica, that pretty closely resemble the ones at Krka, PLUS you get to spend the day in one of the most perfect, lovely cities I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting, Mostar.
Visit mosques, drink Turkish coffee, explore the middle eastern inspired markets, and watch locals jump from the 25 meter (!!!!!) bridge. Despite it not actually being in Croatia, Mostar was collectively our favorite day of our Croatia road trip.
That wraps up my list of what I think are the best things to do in Split, Croatia! We absolutely loved how central everything was, and that nothing was more than a 15 minute walk away from us Airbnb. The open-air museum vibes were unlike anything we have ever experienced, so despite the tourist trap/mild theme park tinge to the city, Split is definitely a must-see if you travel to Croatia.
Are you still keeping up with the Sturgeon family road trip? Let me know in the comments below!
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Are you looking for an epic Croatia Itinerary that includes the iconic cities of Split and Dubrovnik but also don’t want to miss out on the north of the country and the epic Plitvice Lakes? Follow along with this Croatia Road Trip Itinerary that will take you from Zagreb to Dubrovnik, and everywhere in between.