Dinkwads Abroad

As the second largest city in Croatia, Split has all the amenities and hotspots of a modern city, tucked away into the ancient structure of a 1700 year old Roman palace. You step from the aged cobblestone streets into a new century in the chic bars and restaurants that line the narrow alleys. You round a corner and you’re in the rounded vestibule with an acapella group singing Croatian classics, just before stepping out into the People’s Square to see a screen set up for the city’s outdoor summer movies. The whole city is an exciting contradiction of itself, and the juxtaposition will have you seeing the best of both worlds between a buzzing city and a classic old town.

If you’re going to Croatia, Split is likely already on your list. So use this as your ultimate guide to decide where to stay, what to eat, and what to do when you’re there. And you can read details on everywhere we stayed/ate/drank here, or details on what we did here if you’d like all the detailed logistics on how to work it into your trip and to read my thoughts on the city!

And if you’d like to see how to fit Split into your full itinerary, you can check out my perfect two(ish) week itinerary here!

Where To Stay

We stayed at the Palace View Apartments. And while the check-in process was a little bumpy (read my full review here), the location was perfect, with great views of old town and a nice clean, basic room.

When choosing a place to stay in Split, my recommendation is to stay in or near Diocletian’s Palace as that’s likely where you’ll spend most of your time exploring the city! These are places I would stay based on what I know about the area and based on research.

Budget

Right in the heart of old town at a good price!

Mid-Range

Palace Tower View Apartments

Ul. Ivana Lukacica 5, 21000, Split, Croatia
Check Availability Here

This is where we stayed and I would definitely stay again! I would just reach out about checking in beforehand! Read my full review for what I liked and didn’t like about it.

Marmont Heritage Hotel

Zadarska ul. 13, 21000, Split, Croatia
Check Availability Here

The rooms look clean and modern, right in the old quarter! The rooftop terrace and hot tub are a huge plus!

Hotel Slavija

Dosud 1, 21000, Split, Croatia
Check Availability Here

Modern rooms right in the heart of Diocletian’s Palace and what look like stunning views from the rooms. The best of both worlds for this one!

High End

For those who want to splurge a little bit!

Villa Split Heritage Hotel

Bajamontijeva ul. 5, 21000, Split, Croatia
Check Availability Here

The stone walls with the wood rafters just scream vintage luxury, and I’m here for it!

Villa Nepos Hotel

Ul. Julija Nepota 1, 21000, Split, Croatia
Check Availability Here

The heavy drapes, the chandeliers, the tufted headboards – everything gives the feeling of staying in a castle!

What To Do

Split has so much to do, we ran out of time to do it all in our two days there! Read my full breakdown, costs, reviews, links, and helpful logistics for each of these in my full post here! And to see how we structured these into our day, see the full day by day itinerary.

Day trip to Krka National Park

Although Split offers so many things to do within the city itself, I HIGHLY recommend taking a day trip out to Krka National Park. You can either rent a car and drive yourself or book a tour like we did!

Take a Free Walking Tour

Learn about the history behind Split, particularly Diocletian’s Palace, while also getting some insight into the local culture! Book a tour here.

Climb St. Dominus Belltower

See the city from above at the top of the belltower in the center of town! On a clear day, you can also see the many islands just off the coast.

Laugh Hysterically at Froggyland

See the most absurd museum of taxidermied frogs and enjoy the whimsy of it all at Froggyland!

Explore Fortress Klis

Take a bus or rent a car to drive up and see the 2000 year old fortress and enjoy the panoramic views.

Hop from island to island

Get on a ferry and travel out to the Blue Lagoon, Hvar, or any of the many islands just off the coast near Split.

Take a Game of Thrones Tour

Just like Dubrovnik, there are many filming locations for the famous Game of Thrones series in Split. So you can take a tour to see all the filming locations in the city!

Where To Eat

Read my full reviews of the places we ate and specifics on what we ordered, how much it cost, and whether or not you need cash or a reservation! But these are the places you should add to your must try list!

Buffet Fife

Trumbiceva obala 11, 21000, Split, Croatia

One of the very best meals we had in Croatia! Don’t skip the sea bass – it was delicious!

Tradicija Bakery

Bosanska ul. 2, 21000, Split, Croatia

Get some pastries, whether for breakfast or dessert! They have so many to choose from and they’re delicious!

Fish Mama Seafood & Steak

Trg Republike 2, 21000, Split, Croatia

It’s supposed to have really great, affordable seafood!

Ba!Ce

Krizeva ul. 1, 21000, Split, Croatia

Barbecue restaurant, which in Croatia means grilled meat, like cevapi style.

St Burek

Domaldova ul. 13, 21000, Split, Croatia

Stop by for burek, the classic Croatian fast food!

Where To Drink

Whether you’re here for the caffeine or craft beer, we’ve got you covered! If you want to see everywhere we drank in Korcula and read my reviews, read my full post here.

Coffee

D16

Dominisova ul. 16, 21000, Split, Croatia

Great coffee that you can smell all the way down the street, with a taste just as bold as the smell!

Craft Beer & Cocktails

Leopold Craft Beer Bar

Dominisova ul. 16, 21000, Split, Croatia

A great craft beer list in a cool spot! And the bartender was so nice – if nothing else, just go to say hi to him! Cash only!

The Daltonist

Hrvojeva 10, 21000, Split, Croatia

Small, but decent local craft beer options, along with some fantastic cocktails. Have some of their small bites from the kitchen as well!

Craft Pub

Ul. kralja Zvonimira 32, 21000, Split, Croatia

About a 15 minute walk from city center, but it appears to have a good craft beer list!

Screws and Beers

KVukovarska ul. 49, 21000, Split, Croatia

It bothers me that the name isn’t Screws and Brews, but I’ll let it go for what seems to be good options for craft beer! This is another one that’s about a 15 minute walk from city center

Cool Garden

Ul. Domovinskog rata 21, 21000, Split, Croatia

We almost went here one night, despite not having a good idea of what’s on the menu, just because the space looked great! It is aptly named Cool Garden, and is also about 15 minutes walk from old town.

FAQs And General Tips

How long do I need in Split?

We had 2 nights in Split. I think that could be enough to hit the highlights if you don’t do a day trip. Since we did spend a whole day at Krka, we would have loved an extra day to just explore the city fully, because it offered so much right there in old town. So if you’re planning for a day trip somewhere, whether Krka or an island hopping trip, maybe plan an extra night in Split for a total of 3 nights, depending on what time you arrive in the city your first day. If you get there early in the day, you may be okay with just two nights.

Do I need to make dinner reservations?

We didn’t make reservations in Split and were just fine. However, I could see it getting quite busy during peak season. If you’re there during summer months, it may be worth making reservations if there’s somewhere you know you want to go. If you’d like to see where we ate and where I recommend, check out my blog about where we ate!

Will I be able to get around easily speaking English?

Like the rest of Croatia, you won’t have any issue communicating in English!

Will I need a lot of cash?

The only place that we went to that was cash only was Leopold’s Craft Beer Bar. Other than that, it was very credit card friendly!

How to get around in Split?

We just walked everywhere in old town as everything is quite close. The one time we needed to use transportation, we opted for an Uber because we had our bags. However, if you wanted to use the public transit system, they do have a bus system. You can pay at ticket booths near the gates, but the easiest option is to download the Promet Split app, buy a ticket, and then scan the QR code with the app when boarding to validate your ticket. We did this in Zagreb and it was very easy and convenient!

Where else should I go in Croatia?

Great question! We fell in love with different places all over Croatia, and you probably will too! While we visited Dubrovnik, Korcula, Split, Rovinj, and Zagreb, other popular places to visit are Hvar, Trogir, and Zadar. To see my perfect itinerary based on where we went and what we learned, check out my ideal itinerary here with all the details of where to go and how to get there!