Split
Croatia's Dalmatian coast capital — Diocletian's Roman palace, Adriatic islands and Hvar ferries.
Overview
Things To Do
Deals
Travel Guide
Split is Croatia's second-largest city and the capital of the Dalmatian coast, located on the eastern Adriatic just over two and a half hours from the UK. Built around the magnificent 4th-century AD Diocletian's Palace — the UNESCO-listed Roman emperor's retirement residence — Split combines living ancient history, Adriatic beaches, lively waterfront cafés and a strategic position as the gateway to Croatia's stunning offshore islands. Visitors can wander the maze of Roman walls and medieval streets within Diocletian's Palace, climb the cathedral bell tower for panoramic views, relax on the central Bačvice sandy beach and stroll the palm-lined Riva promenade. The city is also the main ferry hub for day trips to Hvar, Brač, Vis and Korčula, plus full-day Blue Cave tours to Biševo island. With direct UK flights, English widely spoken and a unique living-museum atmosphere, Split is ideal for city breaks, couples holidays, family holidays and Adriatic island-hopping escapes. Johnson Holidays offers ATOL-protected Split holidays and Croatian package holidays from multiple UK airports.
✨ Why Visit Split
- Diocletian's Palace UNESCO World Heritage Site — the 4th-century Roman retirement palace forms the entire Split Old Town, with 3,000+ residents still living within the walls.
- The Dalmatian island ferry hub — Split is the main port for Hvar (1 hour), Brač (50 minutes), Vis (2 hours) and Korčula (2hr 45min) day trips and overnight stays.
- The Riva palm-lined waterfront promenade — the 400m seafront strip is Split's social heart, with cafés, bars and ferry views.
- The medieval St Domnius Cathedral bell tower — at 57m, it offers the best 360° panorama of Split, the harbour and the Marjan peninsula.
- The Blue Cave and Krka waterfalls — two of Croatia's most famous natural sites, both reachable on day trips from Split.
- Direct UK flights from over 15 airports — easyJet, Jet2, TUI, Ryanair, British Airways and Wizz Air into Split Airport (SPU), 2hr 40min from London Gatwick.
? What Makes Split Special
Unlike Dubrovnik further south, Split runs as a working living city of 160,000 residents rather than a tourism museum — the Roman palace walls house cafés, apartments, churches and bars where locals genuinely live and work, giving the Old Town an authenticity that the Pearl of the Adriatic can't quite match. Unlike the Italian coast across the Adriatic, Croatia delivers comparable Mediterranean climate and historic depth at notably lower prices — pints from £3, three-course dinners from £25pp and Hvar ferry tickets from £10pp. And unlike anywhere else in Europe, Split pairs a 1,700-year-old Roman imperial palace with direct ferry access to Hvar, Brač, Vis and the Blue Cave — making it the strongest single base for combining culture, beaches and island-hopping. The combination of UNESCO heritage, Dalmatian islands and short-flight access makes Split Croatia's most rounded coastal city-break destination.
? Key Areas to Explore
- Diocletian's Palace (Stari Grad) — The UNESCO-listed Roman palace forming Split's entire Old Town, with the Peristyle, Vestibule, Iron Gate and Silver Gate.
- The Peristyle (Peristil) — The central courtyard of Diocletian's Palace, with the Cathedral of St Domnius and the Egyptian sphinx.
- Riva Waterfront Promenade — The 400m palm-lined seafront strip, Split's social heart and ferry-watching spot.
- Bačvice Beach — Split's main central sandy beach, 10 minutes' walk from the Old Town, famous for the local picigin sport.
- Marjan Forest Park — The 3.5km² forested peninsula west of the Old Town, with hiking trails, the 178m summit viewpoint and Bene Beach.
- Varoš — Split's historic working-class quarter, with narrow stone-paved lanes climbing west from the Old Town.
- Matejuška — The old fishing harbour at the western end of the Riva, with the famous Matejuška sundowners.
- Salona (Solin) — The 4th-century Roman city ruins 5km north of Split (Diocletian's birthplace).
- Trogir (28km west) — The UNESCO-listed medieval island town with the Romanesque Cathedral of St Lawrence.
- Hvar Island (1-hour ferry) — The famous lavender-and-lavish-resort island with Hvar Town and the Pakleni Islands.
A Dalmatian coast city that pairs UNESCO Roman ruins with direct Adriatic island ferries, waterfront cafés and the gateway to Hvar and the Blue Cave — broken down by category below.
?️ Nature & Outdoor Activities
- Walk the 3.5km² Marjan Forest Park peninsula
- Boat trip to the Biševo Blue Cave (90 minutes by speedboat)
- Day trip to Krka National Park waterfalls (90km north)
- Kayak the Adriatic coast around Marjan Peninsula
- Sailing day-charter through the Pakleni Islands (Hvar)
?️ Beaches
- Bačvice — Split's central sandy beach with the famous picigin ball game
- Kasjuni — pebble beach at the western tip of Marjan Peninsula
- Bene Beach (Marjan) — quieter pine-fringed pebble cove
- Žnjan — long pebble beach east of the Old Town with promenade
?️ Food & Drink
- Order pašticada (Dalmatian slow-braised beef in plum sauce) at Konoba Marjan in the Old Town
- Try crni rižot (Dalmatian black squid-ink risotto) at Konoba Matejuška
- Sample fresh Adriatic oysters at Bota Šare on the Riva waterfront
- Order grilled Dalmatian sea bass at Restaurant Dvor (Marjan slopes)
- Wine flight at Bokeria Kitchen & Wine Bar (the Old Town's headline wine list of Dalmatian Plavac Mali)
? Nightlife & Entertainment
- Sunset cocktails at Vidilica viewpoint (above the Old Town)
- Live music at Fabrique Pub (Old Town, summer)
- Late drinks at the Matejuška harbour-front bars
- Bačvice nightclub strip — Split's busiest nightlife area
- Ultra Europe Music Festival (mid-July, Park Mladeži) — one of Europe's biggest electronic music events
? Instagram-Worthy Spots
- The 4th-century Egyptian sphinx in Diocletian's Palace Peristyle
- The view from the Cathedral of St Domnius bell tower (57m)
- The sunset over Marjan Peninsula from the Riva waterfront
- The Pakleni Islands' turquoise water from a sailing boat
- The Skradinski Buk waterfalls at Krka National Park
Best Value Deals
? All-Inclusive Holidays
Split's all-inclusive market is small — the city runs primarily on B&B Old Town boutique hotels, half-board harbourfront properties and self-catering apartments rather than mass-market AI. Le Méridien Lav (10km south of Split at Podstrana, the closest beachfront resort), Hotel Atrium Split and Radisson Blu Resort Split lead the polished half-board options. Shoulder-season weeks with UK flights typically open from £349pp in May or October, climbing to £899pp at August half-term and the Ultra Europe Festival peak (mid-July).
???? Family Holidays
Split works for families wanting Croatian coastal culture with day-trip island variety. The central Bačvice Beach has gradually shelving sand and lifeguards in summer, the Old Town's Roman palace and historical museums add genuine educational interest, and the daily Hvar and Brač ferries cover island day trips. Le Méridien Lav (Podstrana family resort with the Mediterranean Adventure Park), Radisson Blu Resort Split and Hotel Marvie Split lead the family inventory. Pair with the Krka National Park waterfalls day trip for natural variety.
? Luxury Holidays
Split holds Dalmatia's strongest boutique-luxury inventory. Hotel Park Split (1921 art-nouveau heritage, Forbes recognition), Heritage Hotel Cardo (a boutique conversion inside Diocletian's Palace) and Marmont Heritage Hotel anchor the Old Town luxury scene. Le Méridien Lav (Podstrana) is the regional five-star resort. Briig Boutique Hotel and Hotel Cornaro add the contemporary alternatives. For deeper Dalmatian luxury, the Anantara Maslinica Hvar Islands Resort (35 minutes by boat) and the Boutique Hotel Adriana, hvar yacht hotel & spa (Hvar Town) deliver the headline private-island and Hvar luxury options.
⏰ Last-Minute Deals
Split carries solid late-availability stock outside the August peak and Ultra Europe Festival week. The strongest discounts surface in mid-May to early June and from mid-September into mid-October — discounts of 25–30% inside three weeks of departure are realistic on Hotel Atrium, Radisson Blu and Hotel Marvie properties. Most Adriatic beach hotels close from November to April; the Old Town's small core of boutique hotels and restaurants stays open year-round for off-season city-break weekends.
Why book with us:
? Low deposits from £49pp
? Flexible payment plans with balance due 6 weeks before travel
?️ ATOL Protected — your money and flights are safeguarded
✅ Free amendment window on selected packages
? UK-based customer support, 8am–11pm every day
? Best Time to Visit Split
Split runs three distinct seasons. Mid-June to mid-September is the peak beach-and-island window, with daytime highs of 28–32°C, sea temperatures of 23–25°C and the Old Town, Hvar ferries and Krka waterfalls at full capacity. Mid-July hosts the Ultra Europe Festival drawing 150,000 visitors — book hotels 6 months ahead. Late May, early June and September are the value-strong shoulder months at 23–28°C with cheaper hotel rates and the Old Town and island day trips at their best. April and October still deliver 19–23°C — pleasant for sightseeing and walking but cool for swimming. November to March holds at 13–16°C with limited beach activity; the Old Town stays atmospheric and quiet for cultural breaks.
? Where to Stay
- Families: Le Méridien Lav (Podstrana), Hotel Atrium Split, Radisson Blu Resort Split
- Couples: Heritage Hotel Cardo (inside Diocletian's Palace), Hotel Park Split (1921 heritage), Marmont Heritage Hotel
- Luxury travellers: Le Méridien Lav, Hotel Park Split, Briig Boutique Hotel, Anantara Maslinica Hvar Islands Resort
- Budget travellers: Hotel Globo, Hotel Bellevue, self-catering apartments in the Bačvice area
- City-break first-timers & culture lovers: Heritage Hotel Cardo, Hotel Vestibul Palace (inside the Palace itself), Hotel Cornaro
? Getting Around
Split is best explored on foot — the Old Town, Riva and Marjan Peninsula cover under 2 km². Promet Split runs the city's buses for HRK 11 / €1.50 single, useful for reaching Bačvice, Žnjan and Marjan trailheads. The 25km transfer from Split Airport (SPU) takes 30 minutes by shuttle bus to Split central station (€8.50) or 30 minutes by taxi (€35–45). Jadrolinija runs daily catamaran ferries from Split harbour to Hvar (1 hour, €11), Brač (50 minutes, €5), Vis (2 hours, €13) and Korčula (2hr 45min, €20) — book online ahead in peak summer. Krilo Shipping Company runs additional fast catamarans. Hertz, Sixt and Europcar rent cars from SPU at €30 a day. For day trips, package excursion boats to the Blue Cave and Krka National Park run from Split harbour. Driving inside Diocletian's Palace is impossible — leave hire cars at the central Sukoišan car park.
? Travel Tips
- Croatia runs Central European Time — one hour ahead of the UK year-round.
- The currency is the Euro (€) — Croatia adopted the euro on 1 January 2023.
- Croatia's standard VAT (PDV) is 25%, included in displayed prices; reduced 13% on hotel accommodation.
- Plug type is European Type C/F at 230V — bring a universal European adapter.
- Tap water is excellent quality across Split and Dalmatia.
- English is widely spoken across Split and the Dalmatian coast.
- Croatia joined the Schengen Area on 1 January 2023 — UK travellers should note that time spent in Croatia now counts towards the 90/180 Schengen day limit.
- Tipping is appreciated but not expected — round up the bill or add 10% in restaurants.
- The Jadrolinija and Krilo ferry tickets sell out 24–48 hours ahead in August — book through the official Jadrolinija website or app.
- Diocletian's Palace is free to enter — only the substructures (cellars), Cathedral bell tower and Mausoleum require tickets (€15 combined ticket).
- The Ultra Europe Festival (mid-July) draws 150,000 visitors — book hotels 6 months ahead, or avoid those dates if not attending.
- Pickpockets work the busy Old Town streets during peak summer — use front pockets and secure bags.
- The Krka National Park summer entry fee (€35 in July-August) is much higher than spring/autumn (€12) — visit shoulder season for value.
- Bačvice Beach is famous for the local picigin ball game — a Split tradition where players keep a small ball in the air using bare hands in shallow water.
Map Of Split
Top Experiences
Walk through Diocletian's Palace
The 4th-century Roman emperor's UNESCO-listed retirement palace forms the entire Split Old Town; free to wander, with €15 entry to the underground substructures.
Ferry day trip to Hvar Island
The 1-hour Jadrolinija catamaran reaches Hvar Town for €11 single, with the medieval Spanjola Fortress, lavender fields and Pakleni Islands snorkelling.
Climb Marjan Hill viewpoint
The 178m forested peninsula above Split's Old Town gives the city's best 360° panorama; free to walk, with the climb taking 30 minutes from Riva promenade.
Boat trip to the Blue Cave on Biševo
The famous blue-light limestone cave glows electric blue at midday; €80pp for full-day five-island tours including Vis, the Blue Cave and Hvar's Pakleni Islands.
Walk Split's Riva waterfront promenade
The 400m palm-lined seafront promenade is Split's social heart, with cafés, bars and the daily ferry arrivals from Hvar and Brač islands.
Day trip to Krka National Park waterfalls
The seven-tiered Skradinski Buk waterfalls and the Roški Slap cascades sit in pristine forest; €35 entry June-August, €12 in shoulder season.
Travel Information
Everything You Need To Know Before You Jet Off To Split.