Welcome to the beautiful coastal city of Split, Croatia! A city that offers breathtaking views of the Adriatic Sea, an enchanting Old Town with Roman ruins, beautiful beaches, mouth-watering restaurants, and so much more! This city truly has something for everyone. Perfect for a family vacation, a couple’s holiday, or a weekend with friends! In this Split travel guide, I share with you everything you need to know about this charming city before your visit. I share the best beaches to visit based on what you’re looking for, some of the best restaurants to try, things to do while on holiday and more! So, let’s get started!
If you are visiting multiple cities in Croatia and Split is the first destination, you will be able to fly into the Split Airport (SPU). From the airport, the most cost-effective way to get to the city is by the shuttle bus. One-way tickets cost 30 kuna (4.00 euros) and can be purchased on the bus.
It is also possible to set up a private transfer to make your transportation from the airport to the hotel more seamless. Prices will cost you 250-350 kuna (33-46 euros) depending on the size of the vehicle. If you’d like to set up a private transfer, you can book here. Alternatively, Split also offers both Uber and Bolt, costing around 225 kuna (30 euros), depending on the demand at the time of your visit.
Recently, Split has set up a catamaran ferry from the airport to the city center, operating 10 times per day and can hold up to 145 people. The ferry runs from June 1st through September 1st, so it’s a great option during the overcrowded summer months. Tickets for the ferry cost 99 kuna (13 euros) and kids up to the age of 7 are free.
Although the summer months will be the busiest time of the year, it is the best time to visit. If you want to take advantage of the beautiful beaches and spend time out on a boat, you’ll want to visit during the summer to ensure it’s hot enough to do so. Croatia starts to get warm weather towards the end of May / early June.
Our time in Croatia was divided up by 2 nights in Dubrovnik, followed by 3 nights in Split. (Check out my Dubrovnik travel guide here). We found 3 days in Split to be a good amount of time but could have easily spent 1-2 extra days here. Our days were split up by 1 beach day, 1 boat day, and 1 day of ziplining. Each night before and after dinner gave us plenty of time to explore the Old Town. Old Town is so beautiful and lively, you’ll definitely find yourself coming here most nights! Additionally, Split is a great home base if you plan on taking day trips to neighboring towns or islands. Overall, when planning your trip to Split, I suggest 3-5 days depending on all the activities you’d like to do.
Split offers a great mix of Airbnb’s and hotels of all price ranges to meet everyone’s budget. Listed below are just a few great options that you’ll find to be in the prime location, positive reviews, and fairly priced.
I recommend finding accommodation in the city center so that you can get around on foot! It makes for a more enjoyable vacation to stay in the center and spend less time communicating back and forth. There were a couple of times that we needed public transportation (i.e. to go ziplining and visit a beach a little further out) and the buses were easy to navigate. If your accommodation is outside of the city center, your hotel or Airbnb host will be able to help you with the bus transportation and which one is closest to you! Overall, the buses can become very crowded, but they come frequently and are easy to figure out.
Split is known for its beautiful beaches, and you have several to choose from!
Bacvice Beach: This is the closest beach from the city center. It is also the only sand beach in Split. While it’s a beautiful beach and within walking distance, it is also the busiest! Head down early for a great spot or check out one of the other beaches below.
Znjan Beach: This is a great option if you’re staying in one of the many resort hotels since it is nearby. Znjan beach offers the most beach bars, cafes, etc.
Bene Beach: If you are looking for a beach that is a little more secluded, this is it! Although it is a bit more challenging to get here, you’ll find it’s a lot less crowded and more peaceful. We took an Uber to this location and the Uber will drop you off as close as they can, but we still had about a 15-minute walk from there. If you’re spending the entire day here, it is worth it. They also had a little restaurant to order food and drinks, as well as rent sunbeds.
Obojena Beach: Obojena Beach is about a 20-minute walk from the city center. While it’s nothing fancy, it’s a great option to throw a towel down for a few hours, have crystal clear waters and a beautiful view.
Kasjuni Beach: Located past Obojena Beach, Kasjuni is about a 30 – 35-minute walk from the city center, or of course hopping on a bus would be easiest. This beach offers more space and Joe’s Beach Bar, where you can rent sunbeds, food and drinks all day!
Trstenik Beach: Located near Kasjuni Beach, this beach is much calmer and relaxing than some of the others. The water here is crystal clear and beautiful!
Wander through Old Town: Old Town is one of the most precious parts of Split. It’s filled with so much history and ancient ruins. In Old Town you’ll find Diocletian Palace, which is usually filled with amazing street performers, as well as people sitting around relaxing and enjoying the music! Also, Old Town offers an incredible underground market filled with cool souvenirs, clothes, Christmas ornaments and much more.
Ziplining: If you are a thrill seeker like us, this was such a fun activity! Located just outside of the city, the destination was very easy to get to by bus. Here is the company we booked with, and we can highly recommend! Our experience was amazing.
Fortress of Klis: You may recognize this beautiful fortress from the hit TV show Game of Thrones. If you are doing a sightseeing bus tour, you will most likely be stopping here. Otherwise, Klis is a 20-minute drive outside of the city.
Krka National Park: A beautiful national park with an even better waterfall! Visiting the Krka Waterfall is one of the most popular things to do while in Split. It is a 60–90-minute drive from the city center, but if you don’t have a rental car, there are several tours that include transportation!
Brasserie 7: A delicious option for breakfast, lunch or dinner and located right on the Riva Promenade.
Brooklyn Bagel Co: If you’re looking for something quick and easy for breakfast before heading to the beach, this is a great option.
Bepa: A cute little breakfast spot located in the heart of Old Town.
Pizzeria Portas: A yummy pizzeria / Italian restaurant with a great outdoor patio, located in the heart of Old Town.
Skipper Pizzeria: A delicious pizzeria with lively outdoor patio seating and a beautiful view of the sea!
Bokamorra: Unbeatable, hand tossed and oven brick pizza in a trendy restaurant.
Mediterraneo Restaurant: A delicious Mediterraneo restaurant with beautiful outdoor seating, in the heart of Old Town.
Adriatic Sushi Split: A delicious sushi restaurant located in the heart of Old Town.
Fig Split: A great breakfast or dinner spot with international cuisine and healthy options.
Pros:
Cons:
We absolutely loved our time in Split. The city feels so young and vibrant, with so much to offer. The Old Town has amazing restaurants, cobblestone walkways, and medieval architecture. With so many beaches to choose from, boat days, island hopping, ziplining, hiking, and national parks, you won’t run out of things to do. If you’re headed to Croatia this summer, be sure to give Split at least 3 days to enjoy all of its beauty!
Are you heading anywhere else in Croatia during your vacation? We spent 2 nights in Dubrovnik, before coming to Split for 3 nights! We took a ferry from Dubrovnik to Split, which will take anywhere from 4.5 to 6 hours depending on the route. Be sure to check out my Dubrovnik travel guide next for all my recommendations on the best restaurants, things to do, accommodations, and more!
If you’re like me and need help keeping all of your travel plans and itinerary organized, be sure to check out my travel journal that I designed for just this reason! It’s how I plan every single trip and keep organized. It has everything you need from a packing list, a page for your accommodation info, travel itinerary, budgeting on your trip, journaling each day and more!
Disclosure: Some of the links on this travel blog are affiliate links. This means that, at no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission or other compensation if you click on the links and make a purchase or booking. These affiliate links help support our website and allow us to continue providing valuable content about travel experiences, gear recommendations, and accommodations. We only recommend products, services, and experiences that we genuinely believe will add value to your travels. Our recommendations are based on our own experiences and extensive research. Your trust is of utmost importance to us, and we assure you that our editorial content and opinions are not influenced by affiliate partnerships. If you have any questions about our use of affiliate links, please feel free to contact us. Thank you for supporting our travel blog and happy adventures!