No matter if you’re visiting for 1 day or 1 month, find out some of the best things to do in Split, Croatia.
Split, Croatia is one of those amazing cities that has become increasingly popular since the explosion of the Game of Thrones series. It’s no wonder Croatia’s coast was chosen for the show. The weather, the water, the people, and the Roman ruins. It’s picturesque!
If you find yourself exploring the coast of this beautiful country, here are some of the best things you can do in Split, Croatia.
Get Lost in Diocletian’s Palace
We loved just wondering around the narrow alleys and discovering amazing restaurants, shops, sights, and sounds. One of the best things about exploring Split, Croatia is Diocletian’s Palace. It’s interesting to be wondering around history. Unlike a lot of locations with historical Roman ruins, Split’s Diocletian’s Palace is still a living entity. The “ruins” are still lived in. It definitely puts you in the feel of stepping back into history.
One of the Best Things to do in Split is to Take a Walking Tour
Taking a free walking tour is perhaps one of the best ways to explore any city. You get information about the city and its history from a local. We used GuruWalk.
Hike Marjan Hill in Split, Croatia
For an incredible view of Split and surrounding area, hike to the Marjan Hill viewpoint. On the way up, you can stop at Restoran Vidilica for a coffee or other beverage (though they are a bit pricey). The hike itself is fairly easy. Mildly steep and must be able to use stairs as there are over 300 to get to the viewpoint.
Enjoy the Crystal Clear Waters of Split, Croatia
The waters of the Adriatic Sea are some of the most beautiful. Split has some wonderful beaches. Take advantage of the weather and spend a day relaxing and swimming. Two of our favorite beaches were Plaža Ježinac and Plaža Bačvice.
Get Out on the Sea
Take a boat tour, ferry to a neighboring island, kayak, rent jet skis. Whatever you do, try to get out on the water. We took the 5 Island Speedboat Tour. This tour includes the island of Hvar and the blue cave. Warning: The blue cave can be difficult to reach depending on the time of year and may get cut out from the trip if the tide is too unpredictable. We, unfortunately, did not get to see the blue cave, but still enjoyed out trip either way. We booked through Viator and they refunded us a portion of our money since we were unable to see the blue cave.
Visit Trogir and Omis near Split, Croatia
Trogir’s old town is certainly beautiful. Less busy than both Split and Dubrovnik and only takes a day to explore. Don’t miss Kamerlengo Castle for only 10 Kuna (at the time of our visit they had not yet switched to Euros).
Omis is another stunning location to visit if you’re already in Split, Croatia. You can enjoy the beautiful beach, take a boat ride down the river, get your adrenaline going with a zipline, or hike to Starigrad Fortress. We recommend the hike as you get breathtaking views of Omis from the top. There is an entrance fee (again at the time it was 25 kuna). The “easy” route can take around 1 hour and has very little shade. It is also a rocky trail so wear good shoes. This one of the hardest hikes we have done in a long time.
Both Trogir and Omis can be reached from Split via bus. Hop on bus 60 for Omis and bus 37 for Trogir. The buses are run by Promet Split and are very clean and efficient. You can even pay with cash, card, or buy tickets through the Promet Split app.
Take the Bus to Solin and Fortress Klis
Solin was built on the ancient city of Salona, which was the capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia and the birthplace of Emperor Diocletian. Solin houses some amazing Roman ruins, including an amphitheater.
Fortress of Klis is a medieval fortress with stunning views of Split and surrounding area. It was also used as a filming location for Game of Thrones as the city of Meereen. As of 2022, the price to visit Klis was 75 kuna for adults and 20 kuna for children.
Again, you can take the bus to both Solin and Fortress Klis. Bus 1 takes you to Solin, while the 22 takes you to Fortress Klis.
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is probably the most popular coastal town in Croatia due to it being a prime filming location for Game of Thrones. It can be crowded and expensive but beautiful and worth seeing nonetheless. We only spent one day there, having come on a small tour from Split.
Walking the walls of Dubrovnik is very popular and gives you spectacular views of the old town and the sea. It can be pricey at 250 kuna per adult but we felt it was worth it. The tickets for the wall also include Lovrjenac fortress.
Other activities you might want to consider while in Dubrovnik is taking the cable car up the mountain or renting a kayak to go out on the Adriatic Sea.
Island Hop
Visit the nearby islands of Hvar, Brac, and Vis. Hvar is known as being the party island, so if that of interest to you, peak summer season is the time for you. For wonderful views of the island of Hvar, walk up to the Spanish Fortress. You can easily take the local ferries to and from the islands. They run fairly frequently, especially during peak season.
Get Out in Nature and Visit the National Parks
From Split, you can easily visit both Krka National Park and Plitvice Lakes, depending on how much time you’re spending there. We visited Plitvice while in Zagreb, you can read more about that here. But for our trip to Split, we ended up visiting Krka as well.
We booked a tour that involved transportation to the park as well as a wine and cheese tasting at a local winery. Krka is a fairly small park but definitely worth the visit.
Foods to Enjoy
Bepa! For delicious, fresh Mediterranean cuisine and refreshing drinks set right in Diocletian’s Palace. One of the best Caesar salads we’ve ever had (and we we’ve to the restaurant of the original Caesar salad in Tijunana, Mexico).
Adriatic Sushi & Oyster Bar. Great, amazingly fresh sushi to satisfy those sushi cravings.
MakaMaka Acai & Poke. Delicious acai bowls in the morning and incredible poke bowls for lunch or dinner.
Ciri Biri Bela. Hands down best place for breakfast/brunch. Delicious and so many options. We went back twice and would have gone more but they closed down for the off season.
Portofino Steak. Delicious food! A must try if you’re looking for a good night and willing to spend a bit.
Brooklyn Bagel. For no other reason than if you’re craving a bagel (like we usually are). They’re good, but really just the only option.
Pizzeria Gušt. Really delicious pizza in an unassuming location.
Basta. Also delicious pizza but with a great view of the water.
D16 Coffee. Great coffee and a good space to work (if you can find a seat).
The Daltonist. If you’re looking for great drinks, then this is the place for you.
Uje Oil Bar. Fresh local cheeses and olive oil.
Best Gelato: This is a 3 way tie between Pumparela, aRoma Gelato Boutique, and Emiliana
For more information on the Game of Thrones filming locations, check out this amazing blog on Display Geek’s website. Leave us comments on your favorite things to do in Split, Croatia!
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