Things to Do in Split, Croatia

I honestly didn’t know much about Croatia before I left for this trip. My basic understanding was that Croatia is beautiful, affordable, and has incredible waterfalls (we’ve all seen and swooned over the same google images of Krka Falls, right?). But sometimes, when you enter a trip without expectation, there’s room to be absolutely amazed. 

After my arrival, these are a few of the things that I discovered about Split. I found out the year-round temperatures are PERFECT vacation weather. The city of Split is gorgeous, and I mean —truly —gorgeous. Walking around in old town Split means you are walking through an old palace. What more could you want? The Croatian locals are incredibly kind and so proud of their country and all it has to offer. Between the welcoming nature of the Croatians, the unbelievable food, and the breathtaking scenery, Split was the perfect recipe for adventure. 

If you’re choosing to do one excursion during your trip, let this be my petition to add the boat tour into your considerations. My friend and I laughed harder than we have in years. It was fun. It was wild. There was music, dancing, snorkeling, cave tours, time in the sun, shopping, and more.I will link the speed boat tour we did below.

Now let’s dive into what to do, what to see, and what to eat while you’re visiting Split, Croatia!

Do

Krka National Park

The Krka falls are roughly 55 miles from Split, which made this the perfect day trip with a rental car. The drive was around one and half hours and parking at the ticket center was surprisingly easy. There are options to bike, hike, or boat around the park. The hike around the wooden bridge paths was nothing short of spectacular. The price of entry varies depending on the season. The park access, tour, and ticket price information can all be found here on their site. 

Blue Cave & Five Island Speedboat Tour

This full-day (10-12 hour) shared speedboat tour was one of the biggest highlights in my trip. For an incredibly fair price, you get to tour four Croatian islands,  Biševo, Vis, Budikovac, and Hvar, with time to get off the boat enjoy each stop, PLUS a guided tour of the Blue Cave. Be sure to bring cash to purchase the Blue Cave tour ticket which was inexpensive and well worth it. As I mentioned above, this boat tour has it all and is a MUST DO in my book. I can’t remember the last time I’ve laughed as hard as I did on this boat tour. Click here to book the same tour. 

Cathedral of St. Dominus 

The Cathedral of St. Dominus, also known as Sveti Dujam or Sveti Duje by locals, was built in AD 3 and is regarded as the oldest Catholic cathedral still in use. The breathtaking ancient Romanesque architecture houses an Imperial Roman mausoleum, a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and a bell tower dedicated to St. Dominus. Together these structures create the Cathedral of St. Dominus. The cathedral is accessible when touring around Diocletian’s Palace, so put on some comfy walking shoes and go explore!

Diocletian's Palace

The Diocletian’s Palace was built in the third century AD for the Roman Emperor Diocletian. What I didn’t expect about this palace is how it holds roughly half of Old Town Split. The winding stone pathways house shops, restaurants, and evidence of its history in each turn. The peristyle is the central square court of the palace with access to the Diocletian cellars, the mausoleum, and three temples. The peristyle is stunning and well-kept, making it a great spot to grab a seat on the steps, eat some gelato, and people watch.

Eat

Dishes to Try

Pašticada

This traditional Dalmatian dish consists of thick slices of braised beef with a sweet and sour sauce usually served over pasta. The preparation of this dish can take up to 24 hours with all the marinating, searing, and simmering. The oldest known renditions of this recipe date back to the 15th century. I can vouch that if it’s been around that long, it’s for a good reason (see my review on Konoba Dalmatino below).

Black Risotto

Disclaimer for this dish: you must enjoy seafood. The traditional black risotto is colored with the ink of cuttlefish from the Adriatic sea and absolutely worth a try. Beyond the ink, the dish is known for its silky buttery texture and Mediterranean herbs. Top with parmesan for the ultimate black risotto experience. 

Jetrena Pašteta Gavrilovic

This Croatian tradition of canned fine foie gras has been around since before World War II when Gavrilovic first launched in 1938. The liver pâté gets its distinct flavor from the high quality liver and pork. To find this delicacy, look for the orange design graced with the image of Jelica on the label. 

Restaurant Recommendations

Konoba Dalmatino

(Svetog Lovre 2b, 21000, Split, Croatia)

Konoba Dalmatino was a recommendation from our hotel concierge and it did not disappoint. This restaurant is first on my list of recommendations because this is where I ate my favorite dish in all of Split. The pašticada here was a dream. The beef was perfectly cooked, the sauce was well-balanced, and the accompanying gnocchi was so pillowy and fresh. Konoba Dalmatino offers a wide variety of dishes from Italian and European cuisine, but you simply must order the pašticada because I think everyone should experience that type of happy-food-dance bliss.

Fig

(Dioklecijanova 2, 21000, Split, Croatia)

Fig is known for their contemporary and healthy dishes made with fresh, local ingredients. The location is snuggled in the heart of Diocletian's Palace. I recommend sitting in their stunning patio to enjoy the views and the breeze while you eat. The drink menu is equally as innovative as their menu. This is a great spot to over order and share amongst your group. Fig has a wide selection of vegetarian friendly, vegan, and gluten free options, so you’re sure to find something to please everyone.

Portofino

(Poljana Grgura Ninskog 7-5, 21000, Split, Croatia)

Portofino is an award-winning (Travelers Choice 2023) Mediterranean restaurant near the St. Duje Cathedral. There are great options for vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free eaters. This restaurant was our fine dining experience on the trip, and it lived up to the hype from the service to the quality of the food. Portofino is known for great steak, seafood, and pasta. Their chefs incorporate a great deal of local flavor into their Mediterranean cuisine. We thoroughly enjoyed the Octopus Meatballs with dollops of different sauces including a delicious squid ink sauce.

Stay

Radisson Blu Split

(Trstenika 19, Split 21000 Croatia)

Radisson Blu Split is a five-star hotel with a private beach, giant pool, and an out-of-this-world spa area. Only 3km away from downtown Split, it was easy to get an Uber for around five euros to explore. The hotel also has car rental available in their lobby, which we utilized the day we went to Krka Falls. Be aware that most of their vehicles are manual transmission, so if you would prefer an automatic car, be sure to book that well in advance. The breakfast at the hotel alone was worth the stay here at the Radisson Blu. I’ve never experienced the quality or quantity of options available in their breakfast included in your stay. I also appreciated the small amenities available in the room such as robes, slippers, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and mini toiletry kits. The more I travel across Europe, I have come to realize that not even shampoo and conditioner are always guaranteed, so these little extras felt like a luxury. 

General Information

Main Language

Croatian (however, most locals speak English!)

Currency

Euro

Busy Season

June - August

www.whereandwhen.net/ is a great resource to plan your trip according to budget or temperature. This site uses a high-performance algorithm to analyze destination norms, climates, cost of living, and flight prices to objectively determine your best trip according to your desired parameters without the bias of commercial interest. 

Until next time, 

Aja