My first week in Croatia was spent in beautiful Split and what a week it was.
Set in the Roman ruins of Diocletian’s Palace, Split appeals to both culture-lovers and party-lovers alike. Personally I enjoy a bit of both so I wasn’t stuck for things to see and do.
If you’ve only got a week or less to spend in Split, here’s my guide on how to spend it
Best Time to Visit
I visited in September which turned out to be a good time of the year to visit as the weather and the crowds weren’t too excessive but it was still lovely and hot! June, July and August are peak season, expect intense heat and higher prices. April, May, September and October are recommended for fewer tourists and the weather is still warm.
Where to Stay
I would recommend staying in Split old town (near Diocletian’s Palace) and this is where most hotels are based. The Veli Varos neighbourhood is really popular with tourists jut outside the old town. If you are on a budget consider Dobri, Manus, and Lucac where lots of hostels and budget accommodation are located. Find the best deals on hotels on Booking.com.
Essential Things to Do in Split
Split isn’t a massive city and
Diocletian’s Palace
This is definitely not difficult to miss as the town of Split centers around the Palace. As it’s the living heart of the city with its labyrinth of cobbled streets and courtyards, you’ll probably find this is where you spend most of your time.
Walking Tour
The best way to explore the city and discover more about it’s history is to take a walking tour.
You’re likely to find many walking tour guides in the central courtyard of the Palace however most of these charge. A free walking tour operates at 11 o’clock and 5 o’clock every day meeting at the steel map at the end of the promenade. Free tours are generally just as good but it’s customary to give a tip at the end if you feel your guide has done a good job.
It’s a good idea to make a walking tour one of the first things you do as it helps you to get your bearings. There are loads of nice restaurants and boutique shops within the Palace which you might want to go back to later.
Try the Local Cuisine
After a long day of exploring Split it’s definitely worth sampling some of the local restaurants.
Split is great for fresh seafood and most meals are reasonably priced. Bistro Toc is where I ate the most. I loved the seafood pasta which came with prawns, mussels and clams for only 55KN. Expect to pay more if you’re eating in the Palace or in one of the main seafront restaurants.
During the day you should definitely grab an icecream from one of the local stalls. The outdoor market is also great for picking up fresh fruit and veg.
Sample Split’s Nightlife
A great way to do this is by joining the nightly bar crawl. If you’re staying in a hostel the staff will probably recommend this to you anyway but if not, the meeting point is at 20.45 under the green umbrella in the main square.
Tickets are 15EUR and this includes a t-shirt, free entry to all the clubs and unlimited free drinks for the first 90 mins. It’s also a great way to meet new people.
If you fancy exploring on your own, check out Imperium, Split’s superclub right on the waterfront. There are also lots of cool bars including Ghetto Bar (which apparently means ‘a safe place’ to Croatians) and Gaga Bar.
You might want to book yourself onto an excursion called Summer Blues. Tickets for this are sold at most of the main excursion offices but it’s basically a catamaran which takes you around the nearby islands. There’s music, sun and unlimited drinks! Tickets are priced at around 48EUR.
Split has so much to offer that a week probably won’t be long enough to explore it all. There’s lots of islands you can take boat trips to or you might want to head to Dubrovnik or Zadar which are only a few hours away by bus or ferry.