# Split

Croatia's second city lives in and around the palace that Diocletian built around the year 300, a World Heritage site since 1979. It is also the port from which the ferries leave for Brač, Hvar and Vis.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/croacia/dalmatia/split · Revisado: 2026-11-12

## How do you get to the islands?

From Split port, on the east side of the old town. Jadrolinija has car ferries to Supetar (Brač), Stari Grad (Hvar) and Vis, and passenger-only catamarans to Hvar and other islands. The ticket is bought on its website or at the port ticket offices and shown on your phone when boarding. On the Stari Grad and Vis lines you can reserve the car for a specific departure: in August, do so. The bus and railway stations are right next to the quay.

## Can you enter by car?

Into the old town, no: it is pedestrian. Street parking is paid by zones from Monday to Saturday; zone I, the most expensive, costs €1.20 an hour from May to September. If you sleep inside the palace, leave the car at the hotel or in a garage and get around on foot. To arrive from Spain by road there is a tolled motorway from Zagreb to Split.

## What do you pay for at Diocletian's Palace?

Walking through the palace costs nothing: the Peristyle, the Vestibule and the streets inside the walls are open city at any hour. You pay to enter the Substructures (€10), the cathedral, bell tower and baptistery, and the walk along the north wall (€6). Croatia has used the euro since 1 January 2023 and is in Schengen: from Spain there is no passport control or currency exchange, but carry your ID card.

## Dónde está
- Zonas: Dalmatian Coast, Eastern Adriatic Coast, Game of Thrones Locations
- Cerca: Hvar (a 47.2 km)

## Qué hacer
- **Substructures of Diocletian's Palace** (45 min · All ages · €10 · students €8 · families €18 · under-7s free): What it is
The substructures (Podrumi) are the great vaulted halls that support the southern half of Diocletian's Palace. The emperor had it built between 295 and 305 as a fortified and luxurious residence: the northern half was for the troops and servants, and the southern for his apartments and temples. As the ground fell away in rock towards the sea, the architects built beneath it a level of halls to level it, support the imperial rooms and protect them from damp.
Above, centuries of building erased Diocletian's apartments: the city of Split grew over them. Below, by contrast, the halls repeat the exact plan of the rooms that stood above. That is why they are visited: it is the most faithful way to see what the emperor's house was like. From the Middle Ages they gradually filled with rubbish and rubble; the western halls were opened to the public in 1959 and the eastern ones, after a long restoration, in 1996. The palace has been a World Heritage site since 1979.
What you see
You enter by the Bronze Gate, the palace's south gate, which opened directly onto the sea and today opens onto the Riva. The central passage, which leads in a straight line to the stairs of the Peristyle, is free to walk and full of craft stalls. The paid visit is the side halls, to the left and right: great naves of stone and brick, with pillars and vaults. The plan of each hall coincides with that of the room above, so as you walk through them you walk through the layout of the imperial dwelling.
Hours
The Split City Museum, which runs the substructures, opens on winter hours, from 1 November 2026 to 28 March 2027, every day from 9:00 to 17:00. It closes on 18 November, 25 and 26 December, 1 and 6 January and 28 March. The last entry is half an hour before closing. In summer the hours are longer: check the museum website (mgs.hr) before going.
Price

General admission: €10.
Students and Split Tourist Card holders: €8.
Families (parents with children under 15): €18.
Under-7s: free.

Outside opening hours and on holidays, special visits cost more. For groups there is a 45-minute guided visit for €50.
How long
30 to 45 minutes for the halls. If you leave by the central passage to the Peristyle, you go straight on to the cathedral and bell tower.
Getting there
They are in the old town: the entrance is by the Bronze Gate, in the middle of the Riva (Obala Hrvatskog narodnog preporoda 1). The centre is pedestrian; if you come by car, see where to park outside the centre.
With children
Older children like it for the size of the halls and the coolness inside in summer. The floor is ancient stone: closed shoes are better than flip-flops. Under-7s do not pay, and the family ticket is worthwhile from two children.
When to go
First thing or last thing. Mid-morning the cruise groups and the palace's guided tours coincide. In summer it is a good refuge from the midday heat.
Where Daenerys kept her dragons
According to the Croatian tourist office, these halls stood in for the inside of Meereen in Game of Thrones: here Daenerys locked up and trained her dragons. The vaults are the same ones you visit with the ticket; nothing of the filming remains. Come first thing if you want the hall empty for the photo.
- **St Domnius Cathedral and the Bell Tower Climb** (1 h · No vertigo for the bell tower · Combined ticket at the Peristyle): What it is
The cathedral of St Domnius (Katedrala Svetog Duje) occupies the mausoleum that Diocletian had built inside his palace around the year 305. It is the seat of the Archdiocese of Split-Makarska and is considered the oldest Catholic cathedral in the world still in use in its original structure. The irony is well known: the emperor who persecuted Christians ended up with his tomb turned into a church, and dedicated in part to a martyr he had executed. Domnius (Duje) was bishop of Salona and was beheaded there in 304.
When Avars and Slavs destroyed Salona in the 7th century, some of its inhabitants took refuge in the abandoned palace. They turned the mausoleum into a church, destroyed the emperor's sarcophagus and brought from the Salona basilicas the relics of St Domnius and St Anastasius. Formally, the church is dedicated to the Virgin and the bell tower to St Domnius; together they form the cathedral.
What you see inside
From outside the building is octagonal; it was surrounded by a portico of 24 columns. Inside, the space is circular, with four semicircular niches and four rectangular ones. Above rise eight Corinthian columns of red granite and, on them, another ring of eight smaller columns. Notice the frieze that runs round the hall: cupids hunting, theatre masks and heads, and two medallions that tradition identifies with Diocletian and his wife Prisca. The dome is brick and was once covered in mosaics, like that of the palace Vestibule.
Besides the church, the complex includes the treasury and other spaces visited with the same ticket depending on the combination you choose.
The bell tower
The Romanesque bell tower was begun in the 12th century and is the tallest thing in the old town. The climb is by narrow stone stairs inside the tower and the last stretch is an open metal staircase, with the void in view: it is not for anyone with vertigo. At the top you see the whole palace from above, the harbour, the Riva, Marjan and the islands of Brač and Šolta.
Tickets and hours
Tickets are sold next to the Peristyle, the colonnaded square in front of the cathedral. There are separate and combined tickets for the cathedral, the bell tower and the other spaces in the complex. The price and hours change with the season, and the church may close to visits during Mass: check the ticket office information or ask at the Split tourist office before going. As it is a church in use, enter with shoulders and knees covered.
How long
About 20 minutes for the church and another 20 or 30 to go up and down the bell tower, depending on how many people are on the stairs.
Getting there
The cathedral is in the centre of the palace, above the Peristyle. From the Riva you reach it in two minutes along the central passage of the palace substructures, which comes out right at the foot of the stairs. The old town is pedestrian.
With children
The church is seen quickly and children usually notice the columns and the frieze. The bell tower is not for small children or anyone who does not do well with heights: the last steps are open-work metal.
When to go
First thing, before the guided groups reach the Peristyle, or at the end of the afternoon, when the light comes in from the side onto the square. In high summer, better to climb the bell tower before midday.
- **Climbing Marjan via Vidilica to Telegrin** (2 h · From age 6, with stairs · Independently · free): What it is
Marjan is the pine-covered hill that occupies the western end of the Split peninsula, right next to the old town. It is about 3.5 km long and 1.5 wide, some 340 hectares, half covered in pine. Locals have used it as a park since Antiquity, and in the 1950s it was replanted entirely and filled with paths. Its highest point, Telegrin, is at 178 m: from there you see the whole city, the islands of Brač, Šolta and Čiovo and, behind, the Kozjak and Mosor mountains. The name may come from an old optical telegraph of Napoleon's time, or from the Latin peregrinus, pilgrim.
The route, step by step

Varoš. You leave the Varoš district, west of the old town, and climb the stone stairs that scale the slope to the first high point.
Vidilica. The viewpoint at the end of the stairs, with the city and harbour in front. On the east slope, right above the city, is the old Jewish cemetery, founded in 1573, with more than 700 tombs. It is the point where many turn back.
Towards Telegrin. Continue along the forest paths, among pines, to the summit, at 178 m, with the great cross (hence it is also called Veli križ). At the top there is a 360-degree view.
Return. By the same path or going down the south side to the track that runs round the hill beside the sea.

Out and back from Varoš it is about two hours at an easy pace and 178 m of ascent, almost all in the first climb of stairs.
Variants

With small children: climb as far as Vidilica and stay there, or continue along the park track to the church of St Nicholas, a small church of the early 13th century dedicated to the patron saint of fishermen.
Longer: continue along the south-edge path another 2.5 km to the church of St Jerome, of the 15th century, with an altar by Andrija Aleši and hermit caves dug into the cliff just above.
With a swim: at the foot of Marjan, on the south side, are the beaches of Kašjuni and Bene.

Difficulty
Easy, although the stairs at the start are noticeable. Higher up the paths are earth and stone, with the odd steep stretch. Wear closed shoes.
Water, shade and heat
The pine wood gives shade on much of the route, but the Varoš stairs are in the sun. In summer avoid midday: go up first thing or in the last hour of light, when the view from Telegrin is clearest. Bring water: do not count on fountains on the paths.
Signposting
The park is full of crossing paths. Carry a map on your phone: the hill is small and surrounded by city and sea, so it is hard to get completely lost, but easy to take the wrong way down.
With a dog
It is a common walk with a dog. Keep it on a lead on the stairs and at the viewpoints, where there are people.
Afterwards
On the way down, in Varoš you have Buffet Fife, a simple dining room of homely Dalmatian cooking on Trumbićeva obala. For a swim on sand, cross the city to Bačvice beach.
- **Bačvice Beach and Picigin** (3 h · Small children · Independently · free): What it is
Bačvice is Split's urban beach, in the bay of the same name, east of the port and about ten minutes' walk from Diocletian's Palace. The bay is about 600 m long: 180 m is sand and the rest a concrete promenade for lying out and diving in. What makes it unique is the seabed: the sand continues under the water for many metres with little depth, so you can walk far from the shore with the water at your knees. That is why it is the beach for small children and the birthplace of picigin.
A little history
Before it was a beach, the bay was called Špalacijun and was surrounded by vineyards and fields. The first bathing establishment opened in 1891, with a wooden jetty on piles and huts on the shore; in 1901 the beach was divided with a fence between men and women. A storm destroyed it in 1915 and in 1919 the modern bathing establishment was inaugurated, whose buildings are today bars, restaurants and nightclubs.
Picigin
Picigin is a Split game: several players in a circle, with the water at their ankles, pass a small ball by hitting it with the palm of the hand, without catching it, so that it does not touch the water. There are no points or winner; what counts is keeping it in the air with spectacular leaps and stretches. It was invented in 1908 on this beach by students returning from Prague who could not play water polo in such shallow water. The traditional ball, the balun, is a tennis ball without felt, smoother and lighter.
At Bačvice it is played all year, and in summer at night too. Since 2005 the beach has hosted the Picigin World Championship every year. If you want to try, watch how they play first and ask before joining a circle.
Getting there
On foot from the Riva: follow the promenade east, past the bus station, the railway station and the ferry port, and you arrive in about ten minutes. If you come by car, the centre has little parking: see where to park outside the centre. The Hotel Park Split is next to the beach.
When to go
From June to September for swimming. In July and August, arrive before ten: at midday the sand fills up and there is not room for another towel. In the afternoon is when you will see the most picigin circles. At night, the bars of the bay have music and the beach changes atmosphere.
Services
Being in the middle of the city, you have bars, restaurants and shops on the bay's promenade. There is hardly any natural shade: bring a parasol or find a spot near the terraces.
With children
It is Split's most comfortable beach for small children: sand and water that stays shallow for many metres. Watch them all the same, because in summer there are lots of people in the water and the picigin circles leap without looking.
Swimming safely
With a south wind some swell enters the bay. In summer, bear in mind the crowd in the water and the boat traffic outside the swimming area.
- **Trogir by Scheduled Boat or on Bus 37** (4 h · All ages · Boat €10 (children aged 4 to 10, €5) · city bus): What it is
Trogir is a walled medieval town west of Split, at the head of the Kaštela bay, on an islet between the coast and the island of Čiovo, joined to the mainland by a stone bridge. It was founded by Greek settlers from Vis in the 3rd century BC and is considered one of the best-preserved Romanesque-Gothic complexes in Central Europe; its old town is a World Heritage site. The best known thing is the cathedral, with the west portal by Master Radovan, and the fortress and tower that close off the islet. It is toured on foot in a morning, along narrow stone lanes.
From Split you go in two ways: on the Bura Line scheduled boat, which is the most pleasant option from May to October, or on Promet Split bus 37, which runs all year.
By boat with Bura Line
Bura Line links Split and Trogir by sea, with a stop at Slatine (Čiovo).

Departure in Split: Obala Lazareta 1, next to the Riva.
Arrival in Trogir: Obala kralja Zvonimira, the promenade in front of the old town.
Duration: about 60 minutes from Split to Trogir.
Price: €10 for adults and €5 for children aged 4 to 10, one way. A bike pays as an adult.
Tickets: only on board, before departure. No reservations or return tickets.
Dogs: on a lead. Luggage is no problem.

In autumn 2026 (28 September to 31 October) the boat left Split at 9:45, 12:45 and 16:30, and Trogir at 8:30, 11:15 and 15:15. In summer there are more departures. 29 October 2026 was the last day of the season; next year's season and its timetable are published on the Bura Line website. Be at the quay 10 or 15 minutes beforehand.
If the boat is full, the company says it puts on another or an extra departure; if that doesn't suit, you have bus 37.
On bus 37
Promet Split line 37 goes from Split to Trogir via the airport, all year. According to Bura Line, it runs every 20 minutes. Check the timetable, departure stop and price on the Promet Split website and in the listing for bus 37.
What to see in Trogir

The cathedral of St Lawrence, the city's main monument, with the west portal by Master Radovan.
The old town's streets, with Romanesque and Gothic palaces, small churches and the cathedral square.
The fortress and tower at the end of the islet, next to the seafront promenade.
The promenade in front of the old town, Obala kralja Zvonimira, where Bura Line docks.

The hours and prices of the cathedral and monuments change with the season: check them at the Trogir tourist office on arrival.
How long
Half a day covers the old town, with the return trip by boat. If you want to go into the cathedral, climb the tower and have an unhurried lunch, allow the day.
With children
The boat is a good plan with children: an hour watching the coast, with no traffic jams. The old town is pedestrian and flat, although the streets are narrow and cobbled; with a pushchair it can be done, but slowly.
When to go
From May to September, by boat. In July and August the old town fills up mid-morning: take the first boat and return after lunch. In winter, go by bus: the town is quiet.
Qarth, on the Split coast
The Croatian tourist office says Trogir stood in for Qarth, the merchants' city of Game of Thrones, the same one that in Dubrovnik was filmed in the Lokrum gardens. There is no marked route or set: you recognise the medieval stone old town you walk on.
- **Klis Fortress** (1 h 30 · All ages, with care on the walls · €12 · children up to age 15 €4): What it is
The Klis fortress rises on a bare crag 12 km from Split, in the pass between the Kozjak and Mosor mountains that links the coast with the interior. Whoever held Klis controlled the road to Split, and that is why it changed hands so many times: it was the seat of the Croatian princes, a stronghold of the Uskoks, fell to the Ottomans in 1537 and then passed to Venice and Austria. What you see today is mostly Venetian and Austrian, over much older remains.
What you see
The fortress occupies the whole ridge of the rock and is divided into two parts. The western one is lower, dominated to the north by Mount Greben. The eastern one is higher and is crowned by the round Oprah tower, the main medieval bastion. The only access was on the west side, and today you enter by crossing three walled enclosures, each with its own gate:

The first gate, built by the Austrians in the 1820s over a Venetian one.
The second, the old medieval entrance, badly damaged in the siege of 1648 and rebuilt by Venice and then by Austria.
The third, also medieval, remodelled by the Venetians until 1763.

Inside remain the house of the Venetian proveditor, from the mid-17th century, built on the foundations of the Croatian princes' buildings, and the church of St Vitus, which the Ottomans built as a mosque after taking Klis in 1537. From the walls you have below you Split, Marjan, the Kaštela bay and the islands.
What the ticket includes
The fortress ticket includes the interpretation centre at Mejdan square, in the village, the fortress, the Stella Croatica ethno-agricultural park and the Olive Museum. If you want to see it all, allow half a day.
Hours and price
It is open every day from 9:00 to 19:00, according to the official website. Entry costs €12 for adults and €4 for children up to age 15. On some special nights, such as the Night of the Fortresses in May, entry is free: check its website for news.
Getting there

By bus: Promet Split line 22 goes up from Split to Klis. Check the timetable on the Promet Split website and see the listing for bus 37 and other lines.
By car: about 20 minutes from the centre of Split on the road towards Sinj.

How long
An hour and a half for the fortress at an easy pace. With the interpretation centre and Stella Croatica, half a day.
With children
Children like it: towers, cannons, walls and an enormous view. But the rock is rugged and in some stretches the walls are low: hold their hand in the high areas. It is not accessible by wheelchair or with a pushchair.
When to go
In summer, first thing or late in the afternoon: the rock has no shade and reflects the heat. With the bura, the north wind, it blows hard up there; wrap up in winter. In good visibility, late afternoon gives the best light over the coast.
Meereen from above
The Croatian tourist office places the surroundings of Meereen in Game of Thrones at Klis, and says that from the top you have the same view as the Mother of Dragons. There is nothing from the series inside: what you recognise are the walls on the rock and the pass between the mountains.
- **Rafting down the Cetina Canyon from Omiš** (3 h 30 · 10 km · From age 6, no experience): What it is
A raft descent of about 10 km through the canyon of the Cetina river, inland from Omiš, with a guide. The Cetina alternates calm stretches with short rapids, class 2 to 3, so it suits families with children from age 6 and anyone who has never rafted before. You paddle between rock walls, forest and old terraces overgrown with scrub.
The canyon
The Cetina canyon has been protected as a landscape of special value since December 2016, and its lower course since 1963. It is managed by the public body More i krš. It extends from the Prančevići dam to the river mouth at Omiš: in some stretches the slopes open out and walls of old fields can be seen, and in others the canyon narrows between vertical walls. Its best-known waterfalls are the Velika and Mala Gubavica. The river has several endemic fish species and, on the walls, cliff birds. The body itself warns that intensive tourism, with rafting, kayaking, climbing or canyoning, must be controlled so as not to damage the canyon: follow the guide's instructions and leave nothing on the banks.
Who runs it
Active Holidays, an Omiš company with an office at Knezova Kačića 2, which also does canyoning, kayaking and zip lining on the Cetina.

Duration: 3 to 4 hours, between preparation and the descent.
Departures: two a day, at 9:30 and 14:00.
Minimum age: 6.
Includes: guide, life jacket, helmet and paddle, insurance and transfer to the starting point and back. A photographer accompanies the group; photos are paid for separately.
Price: the website does not publish it; ask when booking.

Before boarding the guide gives the safety instructions and goes with the group for the whole descent.
What to bring
T-shirt, swimming costume and dry clothes for afterwards, a towel, footwear with a rubber sole that can get wet (no flip-flops), water and sun cream. Valuables are best left in the car or at your accommodation.
Getting to Omiš
Omiš is about 25 km south-east of Split along the coast road. Without a car, ask at the Split bus station about the coastal buses that stop at Omiš. Confirm with the company where the meeting point is and whether the transfer leaves from its office.
Season
It runs from spring to autumn. The river's flow changes with the season and the rain, so ask the company what the river is like on the date you are interested in.
With children
The minimum age is 6 and the company presents it as an activity for the whole family. For small children choose the morning departure, with less heat. Everyone wears a helmet and life jacket.
If the weather changes
With storms or floods, the company may change the time or cancel the departure. Ask when booking how they let you know and what happens with payment.
To round off the day
In the same canyon is the Cetina zip line, also from Omiš. With rafting departures at 9:30 and 14:00, you can combine the two on the same day. If you get back to Split hungry, the Pazar market is next to the palace.
- **Zip Line over the Cetina Canyon** (2 h 30 · From age 7 and 30 kg · From €80 per person): What it is
A zip line of eight cables that crosses the canyon of the Cetina river from side to side, about 3 km from Omiš. In total there are about 2,100 m of cable; the longest measures 700 m and in some stretches you travel 150 m above the ground. Between cables there are platforms from which you see the canyon, the river and, in the distance, Omiš and the sea. No special fitness or experience is needed: just no fear of hanging over a void.
Who runs it
Two Omiš companies sell it:

Zipline Croatia, with an office at Josipa Pupačića 4, Omiš. It costs €80 per person and lasts about 2 hours 30. It includes transport and equipment, a safety briefing and two qualified guides. Open all year.
Active Holidays, with an office at Knezova Kačića 2, Omiš. Departures roughly every hour from 9:00 to 16:00, lasting 3 to 3.5 hours between preparation and zip line. It includes return transfer, equipment, insurance and guide. The price does not appear on its website; ask when booking.

Both describe the same circuit of eight cables and 2,100 m. As there is more than one company in Omiš, when booking confirm which one you are going with and where the meeting point is.
What it is like

Meet at the office in Omiš and transfer by vehicle to the start.
Equipment and briefing. You are given a harness and helmet, and the guides explain how it works and how to position yourself on the cable.
The climb. Up to the first cable you walk uphill on uneven terrain: it is the part that tires most.
The eight cables. You go down from platform to platform, with short walks between some. The guides hook you on and release you at each.
Return to Omiš in the vehicle.

Requirements

Minimum age: 7.
Weight: at least 30 kg and at most 140 kg.
Health: check with the company if you are pregnant or have back or heart problems.

What to bring
Active Holidays asks for comfortable mountain clothing, sports shoes, water and sun cream. No flip-flops or open sandals because of the climb. Handbags and big rucksacks are best left in the car: you have to carry them on you.
Season and times
Zipline Croatia operates all year. In summer, choose first thing or the last afternoon departure to avoid the heat on the walk up. Ask when booking what happens if the weather is bad and how they let you know.
Getting to Omiš
Omiš is about 25 km south-east of Split along the coast road. Without a car, ask at the Split bus station about the coastal buses that stop at Omiš. The transfer to the cables leaves from each company's office.
With children
From age 7 and 30 kg they can go. Zipline Croatia presents it as suitable for beginners and families. Bear in mind the initial walk up and the height: if your child is unsure, talk about it before booking.
To round off the day
The same canyon is descended by raft: see rafting on the Cetina, which also leaves from Omiš. With rafting departures at 9:30 and 14:00, you can combine the two on the same day.
- **Blue Cave of Biševo by Speedboat from Split** (10 h · Not recommended for under-3s · Desde 125 € per person): What it is
The Blue Cave (Modra špilja) is on the island of Biševo, next to Vis: it is the farthest point of the excursion from Split. When the sun enters the cave, the light bounces off the water and the white floor and tints everything an intense blue. From Split you go by speedboat on a full-day excursion that adds other swimming stops at Vis, in the Pakleni islands and in Hvar town. It is a long day, with a lot of time on the boat in open sea.
Who runs it
Sugaman Tours, a Split agency with an office at Obala Lazareta 3, next to the Riva, near the Terminal F restaurant. It operates every day from April to October by speedboat and in a small group.

Price: from €125 per person.
Duration: about 10 hours.
Departure: at 7:30 from 16 June to 31 August, and at 8:00 from 1 April to 15 June and from 1 September to 31 October. You meet a quarter of an hour earlier at the office.
Includes: insurance, skipper and guide, and snorkelling goggles.
Does not include: entry to the Blue Cave, lunch (can be booked or paid for there) and tips.
Pick-up: only at some hotels (Le Méridien Lav and Radisson Blu), on request.

The day, stop by stop
This is the mid-season timetable; in July and August everything moves forward half an hour.

8:00, departure from the Riva. About 90 minutes by speedboat to Biševo.
9:45, Blue Cave. From the little port of Biševo a wooden boat, the only one that fits through the mouth, takes you into the cave. You make a slow circuit of about 15 minutes. You can take photos without flash; you cannot swim inside.
Monk Seal Cave. South of Biševo, the longest cave on the island, 160 m, which owes its name to the Mediterranean monk seal.
10:30, Stiniva. A stop to swim in the Vis cove enclosed between cliffs.
11:15, Budikovac. Swimming and snorkelling in the turquoise lagoon of this islet.
12:30, Pakleni islands. Free time in one of their bays.
14:45, Hvar town. A walk round the old town and the harbour.
18:00, arrival in Split.

The cave ticket
The ticket is not included: the agency buys it at Biševo for the whole group and charges you at its office when you register, in euros and with the exact amount. According to Sugaman, it costs €12 per adult from 1 April to 19 June and from 11 September to 31 October, and €18 from 20 June to 10 September; children aged 6 to 12 pay half. Other companies leaving from Hvar publish higher prices (€18 and €24): confirm the figure when booking.
If the sea does not cooperate
The excursion depends on the weather. In bad seas the agency may cancel it or change the route, and the times of each stop vary with the weather and the crowds. If it is cancelled, they offer you another date or refund your money.
Who should not go
Sugaman does not recommend it to pregnant women, anyone with back or neck injuries, or babies of 2 years or under, and it is not wheelchair accessible. For children under 3 it advises against the speedboat. If you get seasick, the agency suggests taking a travel-sickness tablet half an hour before setting off.
What to bring
Swimming costume, towel, sun cream, hat, sunglasses with a strap, a jacket for the early start and cash for the cave ticket and lunch. Have breakfast first: you set off very early.
From Hvar
If you sleep in Hvar, the same cave is visited on a shorter day from Hvar town: see the excursion from Hvar.

## Dónde comer
- **Buffet Fife** (Restaurant, Split, €€). Qué pedir: pašticada, fish brodet or fried fish.
- **Konoba Fetivi** (Restaurant, Split, €€). Qué pedir: the fish of the day: they show it to you on a tray and grill it.
- **ZOI** (Restaurant, Split, €€€€). Qué pedir: the tasting menu, or the vegetarian one, of Mediterranean and Dalmatian cooking.
- **Pazar Market** (Market, Split, €). Qué pedir: seasonal fruit, figs and cheese for the excursion.

## Car-free: The natural way to see Split
The airport, bus station, railway station and port are ten minutes' walk from the palace. Trogir, Klis and the islands are done by bus or boat.
Presupuesto orientativo: 90–150 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir without a car
- **Hotel Vestibul Palace** (Small hotel): A boutique hotel set into the palace walls, next to the Vestibule. You step out of the door and you are on the Peristyle.
- **Hotel Park Split** (Spa hotel): A classic hotel open since 1921, next to Bačvice beach and ten minutes' walk from the centre. It saves you driving into the old town.
- **Heritage Hotel Slavija** (Small hotel): Inside the old town, a few steps from the Peristyle, and ten minutes' walk from the port with a suitcase.
- **Split Hostel Fiesta Siesta** (Hostel): A hostel for meeting people, in the middle of the centre and on a street of bars. It is not for anyone who wants to sleep early.
### Servicios
- **Jadrolinija Ferry Port**: Brač, Hvar, Vis and Ancona · car reservations to Stari Grad and Vis
- **Split Bus Station**: Next to the port · the airport shuttle arrives
- **Split Railway Station**: Next to the bus station · trains to Zagreb
- **Airport Shuttle**: Platanus · €10 one way · €15 return · 30 min to the station
- **Bus 37 to the Airport and Trogir**: Promet Split · Split – airport – Trogir · the 22 goes up to Klis

## Backpacking: A cheap base for island-hopping
Split is Dalmatia's transport hub: you arrive by bus or plane and leave by ferry. A lot is free: the palace, Marjan and Bačvice.
Presupuesto orientativo: 40–70 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir if you're backpacking
- **Hostel Dvor** (Hostel): A small hostel with dormitories of four and six beds, a walk from the palace and the station.
- **Split Hostel Fiesta Siesta** (Hostel): A hostel for meeting people, in the middle of the centre and on a street of bars. It is not for anyone who wants to sleep early.
### Servicios
- **Jadrolinija Ferry Port**: Brač, Hvar, Vis and Ancona · car reservations to Stari Grad and Vis
- **Split Bus Station**: Next to the port · the airport shuttle arrives
- **Split Railway Station**: Next to the bus station · trains to Zagreb
- **Airport Shuttle**: Platanus · €10 one way · €15 return · 30 min to the station
- **Bus 37 to the Airport and Trogir**: Promet Split · Split – airport – Trogir · the 22 goes up to Klis

## Luxury: Sleeping inside a Roman palace
There are few luxury hotels, but they are in unique places: inside Diocletian's walls or next to the beach. The rest is provided by the private boat to the islands.
Presupuesto orientativo: 300–600 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir in style
- **Hotel Vestibul Palace** (Small hotel): A boutique hotel set into the palace walls, next to the Vestibule. You step out of the door and you are on the Peristyle.
- **Hotel Park Split** (Spa hotel): A classic hotel open since 1921, next to Bačvice beach and ten minutes' walk from the centre. It saves you driving into the old town.
### Servicios
- **Jadrolinija Ferry Port**: Brač, Hvar, Vis and Ancona · car reservations to Stari Grad and Vis
- **Airport Shuttle**: Platanus · €10 one way · €15 return · 30 min to the station
- **Private Airport Transfer**: 20 km to the centre · taxis at the terminal exit

## By car: Useful for continuing the trip, a hindrance in the centre
The car is useful for arriving and for leaving towards Plitvice, Omiš or Dubrovnik. In Split, leave it still: the old town is pedestrian and parking in zone I is expensive.
Presupuesto orientativo: 80–130 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir if you're driving
- **Hotel Park Split** (Spa hotel): A classic hotel open since 1921, next to Bačvice beach and ten minutes' walk from the centre. It saves you driving into the old town.
- **Camping Stobreč Split** (Campsite): Split's campsite, by the sea at Stobreč and open all twelve months. Useful if you arrive by car and don't want to pay for a garage in the centre.
### Servicios
- **Jadrolinija Ferry Port**: Brač, Hvar, Vis and Ancona · car reservations to Stari Grad and Vis
- **Parking Outside the Centre**: Zone III, €0.80/h and €9.60 a day from May to September · Sundays free

## By plane: Flight to Split and Shuttle to the Port
Split has direct flights from Spain in season, with Iberia from Madrid and Vueling from Barcelona; outside summer there are fewer and sometimes a stopover is needed. The airport is about 20 km away, next to Trogir, and the shuttle drops you at the bus station, next to the ferry port, in about half an hour. The city is done on foot; a car is only worthwhile if you continue to Plitvice, the interior or Dubrovnik.
### Dónde dormir if you're flying
- **Hotel Vestibul Palace** (Small hotel): A boutique hotel set into the palace walls, next to the Vestibule. You step out of the door and you are on the Peristyle.
- **Hotel Park Split** (Spa hotel): A classic hotel open since 1921, next to Bačvice beach and ten minutes' walk from the centre. It saves you driving into the old town.
- **Heritage Hotel Slavija** (Small hotel): Inside the old town, a few steps from the Peristyle, and ten minutes' walk from the port with a suitcase.
- **Hostel Dvor** (Hostel): A small hostel with dormitories of four and six beds, a walk from the palace and the station.
- **Split Hostel Fiesta Siesta** (Hostel): A hostel for meeting people, in the middle of the centre and on a street of bars. It is not for anyone who wants to sleep early.
### Servicios
- **Airport Shuttle**: Platanus · €10 one way · €15 return · 30 min to the station
- **Bus 37 to the Airport and Trogir**: Promet Split · Split – airport – Trogir · the 22 goes up to Klis
- **Private Airport Transfer**: 20 km to the centre · taxis at the terminal exit

## As a family: A city toured on foot that ends at the beach

With children of different ages Split works well: distances are short, Bačvice has sand and the palace is explored like a labyrinth. Save the long excursions for those who can manage the day.

### What works best
Bačvice, with shallow water and the game of picigin

The palace Substructures, €18 family ticket

Rafting on the Cetina, from age 6

The Klis fortress, with a child's ticket at €4

### Where to sleep
Hotel Park, next to the beach

Camping Stobreč, if you travel by car

### Where to eat
Buffet Fife, large portions with no fuss

Pazar market for a picnic on the boat

### Keep in mind
In July and August, mornings for sightseeing and afternoons for the beach

Marjan has many stairs: better along the park track

The Klis walls do not have a railing everywhere

### Qué hacer as a family
- Substructures of Diocletian's Palace
- Climbing Marjan via Vidilica to Telegrin
- Bačvice Beach and Picigin
- Trogir by Scheduled Boat or on Bus 37
- Klis Fortress
- Rafting down the Cetina Canyon from Omiš

## With teenagers: Adventure half an hour from the city

In the city they get bored fast; in the Cetina canyon, not. Combine a day of palace and beach with a morning on the river or zip line at Omiš.

### What works best
The Cetina zip line, eight cables and one of 700 m

10 km rafting through the canyon

Climbing the bell tower and Telegrin, with the city at your feet

The speedboat to the Blue Cave, if they can handle a day at sea

### Where to sleep
Hotel Park, two steps from Bačvice

Heritage Hotel Slavija, to get around the old town on their own

### Where to eat
Market and bakeries for the excursion day

Varoš taverns with large dishes

### Keep in mind
The zip line requires age 7 and at least 30 kg; canyoning, age 10

The last stretch of the bell tower is an open staircase

Wear rubber-soled footwear for the river

### Qué hacer with teenagers
- Substructures of Diocletian's Palace
- St Domnius Cathedral and the Bell Tower Climb
- Climbing Marjan via Vidilica to Telegrin
- Bačvice Beach and Picigin
- Klis Fortress
- Rafting down the Cetina Canyon from Omiš
- Zip Line over the Cetina Canyon
- Blue Cave of Biševo by Speedboat from Split

## With young children: Sand, short boat rides and walks without slopes

For under-sixes, Split has what is needed: a sand beach with shallow water and a one-hour boat to Trogir. The long speedboats are not for them.

### What works best
Bačvice, on foot from the centre

The boat to Trogir, an hour watching the coast

Marjan along the park track, with a pushchair

### Where to sleep
Camping Stobreč, with the sea alongside

Hotels near Bačvice to go back for a siesta

### Where to eat
Pazar market: fruit and bread at any hour

Taverns with a table on the street, without waiting

### Keep in mind
The speedboat to the Blue Cave is not recommended for under-3s

Inside the palace there are stairs and polished stone floors: better a baby carrier

In August the midday sun is merciless: beach first thing

### Qué hacer with young children
- Climbing Marjan via Vidilica to Telegrin
- Bačvice Beach and Picigin
- Trogir by Scheduled Boat or on Bus 37

## With friends: Split with Friends: Caves, Rafting and a Picigin Beach

Split is the Dalmatian city where a group finds the most to do without leaving the coast: rafting and ziplining in the Cetina canyon, a day by speedboat to the Blue Cave and an urban sandy beach. Diocletian's Palace sits in the centre and the bars are all around it. It is best to book the excursions with a few days' margin.

### What works best
Biševo Blue Cave by speedboat: about 10 hours from €125 plus the entrance fee, with Stiniva, Budikovac, the Pakleni islands and Hvar; from 1 April to 31 October.

Rafting on the Cetina: 10 km by raft through the canyon, class 2 to 3 rapids, 3 to 4 hours and from age 6.

Ziplining over the Cetina: eight cables and 2,100 m, up to 150 m above the ground, from €80 and age 7.

Bačvice Beach: sand ten minutes from the palace and the birthplace of picigin, June to September and free.

Marjan and the Telegrin: two hours there and back, free, with views from Vidilica.

Klis Fortress: €12, 12 km from Split, open from 9:00 to 19:00.

Palace Substructures: €10, for an hour in the shade.

### Where to sleep
Split Hostel Fiesta Siesta: a hostel for meeting people, right in the centre and on a street of bars; not for anyone who wants an early night.

Hostel Dvor: small hostel with four- and six-bed dormitories, a short walk from the palace and the station.

### Where to eat
Konoba Fetivi: grilled fish of the day in Varoš; closed on Sundays and booking advised in July and August.

Pazar Market: in the mornings, until 14:00; fruit and cheese to take on the boat.

### Keep in mind
Rafting and ziplining have minimum ages of 6 and 7: check beforehand if there are young people in the group.

The Blue Cave depends on the sea: ask the company what happens if they cancel.

Fiesta Siesta is on a street of bars: it is not the place if anyone wants an early night.

### Qué hacer with friends
- Substructures of Diocletian's Palace
- Climbing Marjan via Vidilica to Telegrin
- Bačvice Beach and Picigin
- Klis Fortress
- Rafting down the Cetina Canyon from Omiš
- Zip Line over the Cetina Canyon
- Blue Cave of Biševo by Speedboat from Split

## Consejos

### Enter the palace early
Before nine or at dusk, when the cruise groups leave.

### Buy the ferry before the day
In July and August cars queue for hours on the quay. With a reserved departure you board without waiting.

### Use the airport shuttle
It leaves about 30 minutes after each arrival and drops you by the port for €10.

### Go up Marjan last thing
There is pine shade and the sun sets over the islands.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How many days do you need?
Two days are enough for the city and Marjan. With a third you make an excursion: Trogir, the Cetina or the Blue Cave.

### Do you pay in euros?
Yes. Croatia adopted the euro on 1 January 2023. Cards are accepted almost everywhere, but some small taverns only take cash.

### Do you need a car?
Not for the city. City buses reach the airport, Trogir and Klis. A car is only worthwhile if you continue to Plitvice, the interior or Dubrovnik.

### Can you swim in the centre?
Yes. Bačvice is a fine-sand beach ten minutes' walk from the palace, with shallow water. On Marjan there are stony coves with fewer people.

### Do you need to book the ferry to Hvar?
If you go on foot by catamaran, buy the ticket a few days ahead in summer. If you take a car to Stari Grad, reserve the departure time: it is one of the lines that allow it.

### Is it worth it in winter?
For the city, yes: there are fewer people and the Substructures museum opens daily from 9:00 to 17:00. The Blue Cave speedboats and the Trogir boat stop running at the end of October.