Photo: Bengt Nyman from Vaxholm, Sweden · CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Split
A Roman emperor's palace that's still a lived-in old town by the sea.
Croatia's big coastal city, built in and around a Roman emperor's palace: people still live, shop and drink coffee inside its walls. Add a seafront promenade, a pine-covered hill to walk up, a town beach and catamarans to the islands, and it's the natural base for the Dalmatian coast.
Places to see
Diocletian's PalaceSight · A maze of white stone lanes, Roman walls, gates and courtyards, with homes, shops and…Free- The PeristyleSight · The palace's central courtyard: a sunken square ringed by granite columns and arches,…Free
Cathedral of St Domnius and bell towerChurch · An octagonal Roman building turned into a church, with carved wooden doors and a domed…≈ A$26
Marjan hill
When to go
- Jan11° / 5°Often wetQuiet
- Feb12° / 5°Some rainQuiet
- Mar14° / 7°Some rainQuiet
- Apr18° / 10°Some rainBusy
- May23° / 14°Mostly dryBusy
- Jun27° / 18°Mostly dryVery busy
- Jul30° / 21°Mostly dryVery busy
- Aug30° / 21°Mostly dryVery busy
- Sep
Staying and getting around
Good areas to stay
Old town (inside the palace). Roman lanes, the cathedral and the Riva; lively and central, with hostels in the walls, but noisy at night and dearer.
Varoš and Marjan. Stone lanes west of the centre under Marjan hill; quieter rooms and apartments a few minutes' walk from the Riva.
Bačvice. The town beach east of the port, with bars at night; handy for the bus station and ferries.
Flying in
Split Airport (SPU): Airport shuttle bus to the bus station by the port, about 35 min, ≈ A$14. City bus 37 is cheaper but slower (check).
Flewaway's estimate for the usual budget way into Split; check times and fares before you fly.
Getting around
Mostly on foot. A single ticket is ≈ A$4. The palace, the Riva, Varoš, Marjan and Bačvice are all a walk apart. City buses (about €2) reach the suburbs; the bus station, train station and ferry port sit together by the harbour (check).
Tourist tax
Split's tourist tax: usually about €1.50–2.50 a person a night, by season; under-12s don't pay and teenagers pay less. Often added at check-in (check).
