The best way to spend 1 day in Split, Croatia
Overview
24 hours in a coastal Croatian town: seems hardly fair! We arrived late in the afternoon and departed the next afternoon but covered some important essentials. This post will show you what is possible for a short visit to Split, including an organised Split city tour.
This was my experience of Split and I’m going to show you how to maximise your 1 day in Split, Croatia!
It’s likely that you’ll have the option for a longer time here if you are beginning or ending a cruise in Split. However, if you must condense an amazing city like Split into 1 day, I am about to reveal how.
Our trip to Split was part of an epic 2 week trip to Croatia, sandwiched between a visit to Dubrovnik and moving on to Trogir, Zadar, Zagreb and Plitviče Lakes National Park. Click here for a full set of travel resources on the stunning country of Croatia.
Introducing Split…
Firstly, Split is the second largest city in Croatia, with a population of 200,000, and is the largest coastal city. It is the economic and cultural centre of the Dalmatian Coast and is a bustling hub welcoming a steady influx of islanders who work in the city, as well as farewelling an efflux of tourists to the neighbouring islands.
The Old Town of Split will have you feeling that you’ve visited the cousin of Dubrovnik: it doesn’t quite reach the same amplitude of bewildering amazement, yet it’s more relaxed style is just as enchanting. It’s a full (or half) day of walking so be sure to set out in some comfortable shoes!
Keep reading to discover how to spend the perfect 1 day in Split, Croatia!
Essentials
Arrival evening and night out at Split Marina
Diocletian’s Palace – an UNESCO Listed item of World Cultural Heritage
> Peristyle
> Jupiter’s Temple
> Campanile & Cathedral of St Domnius
Prokurative (Republic) Square
Narrowest Street in Europe (“Let Me Pass” Street; Pusti me da prodjem)
Laneway lunch
Game of Thrones Museum
Split Marina
Market Place
Further Afield
Adriatic Coast / Neretva River Delta
Arrival Afternoon / Evening Out
Dump and run. We dropped our bags at our hotel and got tizzed up, ready for a night out. Given it was our only night in Split, we also took our cameras with full charge, in order to capture some of the magic of the night lights and marina. I am not going to lie, I am often on an extreme high if I know that I have but one night in a city. I’m prepared for anything and everything, not wanting to miss a beat. We stayed at Hotel President, which was very close to the Old Town and thus suitable for a one night stay. I’d highly recommend staying somewhere close to the action.
Take a friend. There’s a lot to be discovered in the Marina and Old Town so you’ll want company! If you don’t know anyone, summon the extrovert within yourself and make a friend along the way!
Split Marina
The Marina is magnificent at night and you’ll not forget the row upon row of waterfront restaurants and bars in their neon lights, all linked to each other by streetside canopies and bar staff who wander in and amongst their associated pylons to deliver your colourful cocktails beneath the palm trees.
Find a lively foreshore bar
We found our way to Olive Tree, which was (in my opinion) the most on trend, exciting bar of them all. This vivacious dining and lounge bar was replete with modern decorative features, glass cabinets displaying unusual items such as alluring high heeled shoes and old-school spirit bottles. In addition, this was all set beneath a slick array of festoon and neon lights.
After relocating a few tables into the overhead canopy to avoid the rain, and after a little conversation with some other tourists, we were faced with our next challenge: the roof collapsing. The canvas canopy had collapsed under the weight of the collected rainfall. Fortunately none of us were harmed and we sauntered on inside to the tunes of live music and found ourselves a table upstairs. Honestly, we had tried multiple times to leave and return to the hotel yet the rain was persistent. What to do? A nightcap of course.
It must have been another hour before we took off our shoes and threw caution to the wind. We laughed as we ran the entire way back to our hotel! (Well at least I did).
Split City Tour
Take some time to admire the intricately decorated buildings in Split. An occasional glance upwards and you’ll be treated to a plethora of carvings, monuments and colours! A city tour is an essential part of any 1 day trip to Split, Croatia. We went on an organised tour but you could easily obtain a city map and walk around the important sites shown below.
Diocletian’s Palace
This large structure consists about half of current day Old Town, Split, and refers to the retirement residence built for Roman Emperor Diocletian in the 4th century AD. It was listed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. The floorplan is an irregular rectangle of approximately 215 metres by 182 metres.
The Peristyle is a monumental court that gives access to the imperial apartments, as well as to Diocletian’s mausoleum (aka the Cathedral of Saint Domnius) and to three temples (two of which are now lost and the last being the Temple of Jupiter). There is also a recently restored temple west of the Peristylum called The Temple of Aesculapis.
Row 2: The Peristyle; the Mausoleum of Diocletian and stone carvings
Row 3: A panorama of the buildings surrounding The Peristyle & Diocletian’s Memorial
Originally the Palace was adorned with multiple granite sphinxes from the site of Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmose III. It is believed there were at least eleven. Over time, only three have survived, with the most detailed and preserved black granite sphinx on the Peristyle, another (now headless) sitting in front of Jupiter’s temple, and the last being housed in the Split City Museum.
If you’re a fan of Game of Thrones, the basement cellars of the Diocletian’s Palace is where Danaerys kept her dragons!
Prokurative / Republic Square
This large square, called Prokurative by the locals but more accurately Trg Republike, is a large open square with glorious views of the ocean. It was built in the 19th century in neo-Renaissance style, similar to that of San Marco Square in Venice.
“Let Me Pass” Street
Pusti me da prodjem is the narrowest street in Europe and one of the narrowest in the world. Allowing only one full grown adult to pass at a time, it’s an interesting place to people watch and observe etiquette.
Laneway Lunch
I’ve soon learned to appreciate that Old Town Croatian lanes equal fine foods and great wine bars. Be sure to find one to relax and replenish your energy for the day ahead! This is a great inclusion to any 1 day trip to Split, Croatia, and is perfect for people watching.
We stumbled across a tiny little courtyard with a few restaurants and chose to eat at Mosquito Grille & Wine House, adjacent Kinoteka. I capitalised on some more fresh Adriatic squids with grilled zucchini, tomatoes and red peppers marinated in Mediterranean herbs. Again paired with an ice cold glass of white wine. Set under a canvas canopy amongst the high stone buildings and seated on cushioned chairs, we enjoyed a welcomed break from the Croatian midday sun.
Game of Thrones Museum
This somewhat difficult to find Museum has become a relative icon in Split. With original costumes, framed quotes and linealogy of each family from the famous HBO series, this is good value for your €14 entry ticket. The museum is not huge however and guests will view a few rooms of paraphernalia, authentic set props, real size figures, weapons, and city dioramas. There are also some comical t-shirts for sale showcasing some famous lines from the show.
Split Marina
This long breakwater affords protection from the Adriatic sea and its southerly winds. It’s also not unusual to see mega yachts up to 60 metres long! The city’s beautiful seafront promenade begins in the marina and is the gateway to the city of Split: to its beaches, sights and to the Diocletian’s Palace which is visible from the water. Any stay in this city is incomplete without a leisurely stroll along the promenade for an icecream in a multitude of unique different flavours, or for a sit down meal, watching the waves lap in the foreground and the seagulls fight for food. It’s a busy vibrant locale and there is also the option of a lunch time or early afternoon cruise out to sea.
Market Place
Market places are popular in Split. After strolling past the Croatian National Theatre with its impressive yellow facade, on Trg Gaje Bulata, which was actually the old market place square, we found ourselves heading down towards a distinctly strong odoured zone: the Fish Market. All freshly caught and prepared, this appeared to be a huge hit with locals and I’d suggest checking it out if you are staying in an AirBnB with cooking facilities! You won’t be disappointed with the selection. Another popular market is the Green Market, a bustling platform for fresh vegetable sales.
And there you have it! All of the essential items to include in your 1 day trip to Split, Croatia!
Below is a little teaser of what we discovered as we departed Split and moved on to Trogir, in our epic 2 week trip of Croatia …
Adriatic Coast between Split & Dubrovnik: Neretva River Delta
There are some stunning sites (and delicious rakija spots) to stop along the way between Split and Dubrovnik. One of the most picturesque is Neretva River Delta, a viewpoint across an expansive hilled valley, as can be seen below. Here we had the luxury of sampling all kinds of the local Croatian spirit (rakija), including cherry, mandarin and rosemary infused flavours.
