11 Unmissable Things To Do In Split Croatia (2025)

Are you looking for a list of all of the best things to do in Split? You’ve landed on the right article. 

Split is Croatia’s second largest city, sitting along the Dalmatian coast, with beautiful beaches and the famous ancient ruins of Diocletian’s Palace. With it being in the center of the country, it’s one of the best places to stay if you want to be near everything. 

This article will cover all of the best things to do in Split, from wandering Old Town, to island-hopping, exploring ancient cities nearby, and much more. 

Here are 11 amazing things in Split that you won’t want to miss. 

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See Diocletian’s Palace

Once you arrive in Split, check out the famous Diocletian’s Palace. This is an ancient Roman palace built for the Roman emperor Diocletian in the 3rd and 4th centuries, and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It’s one of the largest and most well-preserved ancient Roman ruins, and it only takes around a half hour to visit. If you love history, I recommend joining a free walking tour to locate the different structures and their significance in the palace. 

Wander Around Old Town

Beyond Diocletian’s Palace, Split’s Old Town is surrounded by historic sites, from medieval churches to museums and monuments.

You can easily spend a few hours wandering around the town’s charming cobblestone streets, and checking out the different sites. 

There’s also a small farmers market held daily by the cathedral, where you can shop for everything from fresh fruit to cheese, and souvenirs. 

Tip: The old town is relatively small, and you can cover most of it in just a few hours. If you have a full day, I recommend adding one of the many awesome day trips to your itinerary. 

Stroll the Riva Promenade

After wandering around Old Town, stroll the Riva promenade with gelato while enjoying views of the Adriatic sea. Split has a lively seafront promenade lined with restaurants, gelato shops, jewelry stores, and souvenir vendors.

This is a nice place to stroll after dinner, and it has benches to sit and relax on by the water. 

Watch The Sunset From Forest Park Marjan

For the best sunset view in town, hike around Forest Park Marjan. This is a forested nature park located high up on a hill, with a spectacular view of the coast and nearby islands.

There’s no public transportation available to get to the park, but it’s around a 45 min-1hr walk from the Riva promenade. You can hire a taxi/Uber to get to the entrance, and hike up to Telegrin Peak for a breathtaking view of the city at sunset.

I hiked the southern portion of the park near Kasjuni beach, and it was a nice place to escape in nature. 

Climb Up St Domnius Cathedral’s Bell Tower

Built upon the ruins of Diocletian’s mausoleum, the St Domnius Cathedral is considered the oldest cathedral in the world.

It’s located right beside Diocletian’s palace, and its bell tower is one of the most iconic landmarks in town. For a small fee, you can tour the inside of the cathedral, and climb up the bell tower to enjoy a sweeping view of the city. 

Note: Visitors are told to wear modest attire, and they may provide you with a shawl if wearing shorts/tank tops. 

Visit the Klis Fortress 

The Klis fortress is a fascinating medieval fortress perched above the village Klis, less than a 30 minute drive from Split.

This fortress was a filming location for the Game of Thrones, and has a tower with an incredible view of the coastline and surrounding mountains! To get to it, you can hop on the Route 22 bus from Split, hire a taxi/Uber, or join a group tour. 

Go On A Day Trip To Krka National Park

Krka National Park is a stunning national park with turquoise blue waterfalls, and easy nature trails along the Krka river.

It’s less than an hour’s drive from Split, and easily accessible by bus and group tours. To get there by bus, you’ll book a Flixbus from Split to Skradin, which is where the park’s main ticket office is located.

I spent a few hours at the park, and enjoyed checking out the nearby attractions in Skradin. For details on what to do in the park, check out our complete Split to Krka National Park day trip itinerary!

Relax On The Beach

If you want to relax on a beach, head to Kasjuni Beach on the southwestern tip of Split’s peninsula. This is a pebbly beach with crystal clear waters surrounded by pine forests, and a lively beach bar.

I discovered this beach on accident while hiking Forest Park Marjan, and it was around a 45 minute walk from the Riva promenade (less than 15 min drive). 

Go Island-Hopping

If you want to enjoy some of the country’s best beaches, hop on a ferry to Hvar island. Hvar is known as the party island, and has idyllic turquoise blue beaches, and a promenade lined with seafood restaurants and lively beach bars.

There are multiple ferries between Split and Hvar, and it’s only a 1-2 hour ride each way. Check out out Split to Hvar guide for details on booking ferry tickets.

But if you want the full European island-hopping experience, go on a full day tour from Split. On a tour, you’ll get to visit multiple islands in a day, and spend the day snorkeling at hidden beaches! Here are some of the best options. 

• 5 Island Speedboat Tour: Full day speedboat tour to five islands including Hvar, the Blue Cave, and Pakleni Islands, with free use of snorkel equipment
• Luxury Catamaran cruise: Relaxed cruise to Hvar and the Pakleni islands with food and free drinks 

Visit Old Town Trogir

Trogir is one of the most well-preserved medieval cities, and best day trip opportunities from Split. It’s less than a 30 minute drive, and there are regular buses connecting the cities.

The Old Town is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, and has medieval churches, fortresses, and charming cobblestone streets and stone buildings. This is the perfect place to wander around, and stop at a cozy cafe tucked in a narrow alleyway. 

Go On A Day Trip To Plitvice Lakes National Park

Once you run out of fun things to do in Split, go on a day trip to the gorgeous Plitvice Lakes National Park.

This is Croatia’s largest and most famous national park, that has beautiful turquoise blue lakes, waterfalls, and amazing hiking trails. It’s around a 3-3.5 hour drive from Split, and it’s well-connected by Flixbus, as well as group tours.

For the complete details, check out our Split to Plitvice Lakes day trip guide. 

Split Attractions Map

Summary

Split is an amazing place to stay in Croatia, whether you want to go island-hopping, explore ancient cities, or see the nearby national parks.

I spent over half of my weeklong trip in Split, and used it at a base for all of the day trips. If you have limited time, I recommend going on a free walking tour in the old town, island-hopping, and visiting Plitvice Lakes National Park.

And for more help planning your upcoming trip, check out our 7 day Croatia itinerary!