Dalmatia
Split
Split lives inside Diocletian's Palace and ferries to the islands leave from a port on its doorstep, so plan a Dalmatian week around boats out and lanes in.
Best length
2-3 nights, plus island time
Airport
Split Airport (SPU), ~24km west near Trogir
Airport to centre
Shuttle bus ~30-40 min; Promet bus 37 cheaper but slower
Best base
Inside the palace or Veli Varos; Bacvice for the beach
In short
Split at a glance
Split works best as a 2- or 3-night base for central Dalmatia rather than a week-long city break: sleep inside or just outside Diocletian's Palace, walk the Old Town and Marjan, then use the ferry port on the Riva for day or overnight trips to Hvar and Brac. The palace itself is a living quarter of the city, not a roped-off ruin, which is the whole point of coming.
The short version
- Stay inside Diocletian's Palace or in Veli Varos for the easiest first trip; Bacvice if you want the nearest beach and nightlife.
- The ferry port, bus station and train station all sit together on the Riva, so island day trips start a five-minute walk from the Old Town.
- Book Krilo and Jadrolinija catamarans to Hvar ahead in July and August: foot-passenger fast boats sell out and you cannot just turn up.
- Take the airport shuttle or Promet bus 37 into town rather than a taxi; both end at the central bus station beside the port.
- Two or three nights is enough for the palace, Marjan and one island; build the rest of the week around the ferries, not Split itself.
Split is unusual because its Old Town is literally Diocletian’s Palace: the fourth-century walls, vaulted cellars and the emperor’s mausoleum (now the cathedral) are stitched into a living quarter of bars, flats and shops. You don’t queue to enter a ruin here — you wander into it for free, then pay only for the cathedral, the bell tower and the cellars. That changes how you plan: the headline sight is also your route to dinner, so the real skill is timing your wanders around the cruise-ship crowds that pour off the Riva by mid-morning in summer.
The other thing that defines Split is the port on its doorstep. The ferry terminal, intercity bus station and train station sit together at the eastern end of the waterfront, a five-minute walk from the palace, which makes the city the natural hub for central Dalmatia. Most UK travellers get the balance wrong by trying to fill four or five nights in Split itself; two or three is plenty for the palace, Marjan Hill and the beaches, after which the city earns its keep as a launchpad for Hvar, Brac and beyond.
Below, the structured planning — where to stay inside or just outside the walls, the catamaran times and fares to the islands, how to get in from the airport near Trogir, and a realistic budget in euros — picks up from here.
Plan your Split trip
Keep a first trip focused: book the big timed sights, then leave room for neighbourhoods and food.
Top things to do in Split
Cathedral of St Domnius bell tower
The Romanesque bell tower of St Domnius Cathedral rises out of Diocletian's Palace and gives the best view over Split's old-town roofs and harbour. The climb is a steep, narrow, partly open stairwell, so it is not for the nervous or the wobbly-kneed. It is usually included in a combined cathedral ticket from about €10; go early before the cruise crowds and the heat.
Diocletian's Palace
Most of Diocletian's Palace is free — it's not a fenced ruin but the lived-in heart of Split's Old Town, open day and night, so you can wander the Peristyle, the gates and the alleys without a ticket. Pay only for the corners that earn it: the underground Substructures (the Cellars, ~€8), the Cathedral of St Domnius and its bell-tower climb. Walk it before 09:00 or after the day-trippers and cruise crowds thin in the evening, and allow 2–3 hours.
Where to stay first
The areas that make a first visit easier — not an exhaustive directory.
Inside Diocletian's Palace / Old Town
££ mid-rangeSleeping within the Roman walls puts you in the heart of the action with everything on foot, but expect stone stairs, no lifts, church bells and bar noise late into the night. Best for atmosphere over sleep.
Best for: First-timers, short stays, atmosphere
Veli Varos
£ valueThe oldest residential quarter, just behind the western end of the Riva below Marjan. Crumbly stone houses with green shutters, a genuine local feel and quieter nights, all a five-minute walk from the palace.
Best for: Value, couples, quieter evenings
Bacvice
££ mid-rangeThe nearest beach to the Old Town with a shallow sandy bay and a lively summer bar scene. Handy for the ferry, bus and train station too, but it gets loud at night and is busy in peak season.
Best for: Beach-first stays, nightlife, transport access
Bol / Manus (east of the centre)
£ valueResidential streets just east of the bus station with bigger apartments and better parking if you arrive by car. Less charm than the Old Town, but useful value for families and longer stays.
Best for: Families, car arrivals, longer stays
Airport to city centre
| Option | Time | Cost | Book ahead? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airport shuttle bus to the bus station | ~30-40 min | about €8-€10 single | Departs about 20 min after flights land; every 30 min in summer |
| Promet city bus 37 to Split bus station | ~50 min | about €3 (around €1.50 in the Promet app) | Cheapest, but a slower stopping service from the main road |
| Taxi or pre-booked transfer | ~25-30 min | usually €35-€45 | Worth it for late flights or with luggage |
When to go
Sweet spot: Late May, June, September and early October are the sweet spot: sea warm enough to swim, comfortable temperatures for climbing the bell tower and Marjan, and fewer cruise-day crowds than July and August.
July and August are hot, packed with cruise arrivals and the priciest time for ferries and rooms; book island catamarans and accommodation well ahead. Winter is quiet and cheap but most island services drop to a couple of sailings a day and the beach season is over.
What it costs
UK return flights to Split (SPU) run roughly £50-£140 outside the school holidays when booked ahead with Jet2 or easyJet; direct from Manchester or Gatwick is about 2h 55m. Peak July and August weekends and late bookings push fares well above that.
Daily budget per person
The fastest way to make Split feel pricey is eating on the Riva and drinking in the cruise-crowd lanes of the palace. A konoba a few streets inland or a daily gablec lunch menu at €10-€13 is far better value.
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