Croatia, Split, Things to do

10 things to see and do in Split

RiA
30 September, 2020
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Spilt is quite easy to get around and you can see quite a few things in a short space of time. If you’re already planning your itinerary for an upcoming trip or looking to visit in the future, here’s 10 things to see and do in Split, Croatia.

Contents

1. Explore Diocletian’s Palace
2. Look down from the Vestibule Terrace
3. Stop at Luka for an ice cream or cake
4. Take in the views Marjan Hill
5. Grab a bite at Toto’s Burger Bar
6. The statue of Grgur Ninski
7. Spend a day in Omiš
8. Try the Zip Line in Croatia
9. Visit Trogir
10. Go up the Belfry Tower

1. Explore Diocletian’s Palace

One of the main attractions in Split town centre is the Roman Diocletian’s Palace. Still forming the centre of the town, you can wander the maze-like narrow streets or visit the crypt, cathedral and mausoleum. There’s plenty of shops, restaurants and cafés within the walls or you can go up the Belfry Tower to see the town from below.

Diocletian’s Palace has four gates – gold, silver, bronze and iron. The iron gate is the smallest. The gates were situated at each side of the palace to create multiple escape routes if there was ever an attack.

Diocletian’s Palace was built in the 4th century and is still well preserved today. It’s also home to about 100 people who still live within its walls.

2. Look down from the Vestibule Terrace

If you’re after a view of the town from above but want to avoid queues at the Belfry Tower of St Domnius, try the Vestibul Terrace instead.

It’s not far from the tower and is a bit quieter. In fact, when I went up I was the only person there. I had the view to myself which was a bonus.

The Vestibule makes up the opening to the more residential side of Diocletian’s Palace. It’s an antechamber which has a circular centre.

When you’re at the top you can look down through the centre and see below. If you’re there at the right time you may come across a group of a capella singers!

3. Stop at Luka for an ice cream or cake

There’s a place called Luka which serves up refreshing gelato and cakes if you’re feeling a little hot or fancy a sweet treat.

Check out some of my latest reviews on things to do, accommodation and food & drink.

Try the peach sorbet, it was amazing! The are many other flavours to choose from and I’m sure they’re all just as tasty.

You’ll find Luka Ice Cream & Cakes located at UI. Petra Svačiča 2, 21000.

4. Take in the views Marjan Hill

For some of the best views over Split town and harbour, you should head to Marjan Hill. In fact, it should be one of the first places you visit once you’ve arrived in Split.

You can’t miss the hill in the distance as you approach the harbour, especially if you arrive by ferry.

You’ll find the start of the steps to Marjan Hill at the corner of Marasovića. As you start your walk, you’ll see more of the town below.

The view at all points is absolutely beautiful and once you reach the top you can admire the and life view. You could also stop and have a bite to eat at Vidilica, a bar and grill.

5. Grab a bite at Toto’s Burger Bar

If you’re looking for a quick meal that doesn’t push your budget (or you’ve had enough of seafood!), try Toto’s Burger Bar. You can grab one of their classic burgers for 76KN (just under £10). It comes as a combo meal deal with fries and a drink. The best bit…it’s pretty tasty!

If you’re eating in, the meal is brought to you and served on thick wooden chopping boards. Wrapped in brown paper, the burger is nice and chunky, while the fries are nicely seasoned with herbs.

They do have gluten free buns, but they cost an extra 5KN. Shame that you have to pay more if you have an allergy.

6. The statue of Grgur Ninski

At some point you’ll see the statue of Grgur Ninski that dominates the entrance to the Diocletian Palace. You have to get a picture of or next to this enormous statue if you get the chance – he’s pretty popular with tourists.

7. Spend a day in Omiš

Take a day out to visit the town of Omiš. It’s a beautiful little area that’s small enough to visit in a day or even less. It’s got a canyon running through it and quaint little cobbled streets.

There’s a few places you must visit while there including the Mirabella Fortress and Fortress Starigrad. Mirabella offers views over the canyon and homes below, while Fortress Starigrad offers a different view – it’s amazing. It’s a fair bit of a walk uphill with barely any shade (at least a good 45 minutes to an hour plus depending on your speed) but it’s more than worth the trek because the views are just fantastic.

If you fancy more of a relaxing experience with less hiking, you can chill out on Slavinj Beach,

To get to Omiš, you can take bus number 60 from Pazar station or Sukoisanska street straight there. It’ll cost you about 40KN return and 16KN one way.

There’s a bus line from Omiš to almost every major city in Croatia if you fancy going a bit further afield.

8. Try the Zip Line in Croatia

If you want to be a little adventurous, try zip lining.

It was an unplanned activity since I only decided to go two nights before, but it was absolutely worth the last minute decision. I’d definitely do it again!

The overall experience was perfect but of course its not for those with a fear of heights. The views into the canyon and river Cetin are just absolutely beautiful.

Zip Line Croatia is the old town of Omiš. It’s about 35-40 minutes drive from Split town centre but if you’re not driving, you can get there by bus. To do the zip line activity itself, it’ll cost approximately 400KN per person and includes transportation to and from the ZipLine offices to the first zip. It also includes access to 8-cable zip line course.

9. Visit Trogir

If you want to take a trip beyond Split, consider a day in Trogir.

It’s a 30-minute drive away but if you need public transport, you can take bus 37 from Sukoisanska street in the town. Buses with the sign heading for Šibenik and Zadar also go to Trogir. The journey is approximately 60HRK return. A one-way ticket to Trogir is about 24KN and it’ll be about 21KN on the way back.

Trogir is a beautiful little town. You can walk along its narrow, cobbled streets in the old town and visit some of the shops along the way. You could grab a coffee or lunch or see some of its attractions like the fortress and palace.

Other things to see and do in Trogir:

Fortress Kamerlengo
St Lawrence Cathedral and Bell Tower
Walk along the canals
The Market
Garagnin-Fanfogna Palace
Čipiko Palace

10. Go up the Belfry Tower

If you’re keen to go up to the Belfry Tower, you’ll have lovely views out over Split town.

Since the tower itself is narrow, they only allow 20 people maximum to climb up and the policy is one out, one in.

The queues can be quite long, so it’s best to go early in the morning. The tower opens at 8am.

There’s many other landmarks and places to visit while kin Split, but these are just a few of the things I did that will help get you started with planning your trip there. Here’s a list of other activities and things to do in Split.

Let me know if you plan to visit the Dalmatian Coast and if you need some ideas of things to do.

For more on Croatia, check out my trips to Dubrovnik and Hvar.