Split

One of the most astonishing Roman monuments in the world — a vast 4th-century imperial palace built by Emperor Diocletian as his retirement residence, covering 30,000 square metres and enclosing an entire living city within its ancient walls. Uniquely, the palace was never abandoned: people have lived continuously inside its Roman arches, cellars, and towers for 1,700 years. Today restaurants, bars, apartments, and boutiques occupy halls that once housed Roman emperors.

The world's oldest Catholic cathedral still in use — originally built as Diocletian's mausoleum in the 4th century AD and converted into a cathedral in the 7th century, with a Romanesque bell tower added in the 13th century. The building thus spans nearly two millennia of architectural history in a single structure, and the irony of the pagan emperor's tomb becoming a Christian cathedral is not lost on historians.

A forested limestone peninsula rising above the western edge of Split — the city's green lung and favourite escape for locals. A network of shaded walking and running trails winds through pine and Mediterranean scrub to lookout points with sweeping views over the islands of Šolta, Brač, and Hvar. The park contains several ancient Croatian chapels and hermitages carved into the rock face.

A beautifully preserved medieval island city connected to the mainland by bridges, 25km west of Split. Trogir's compact old town — entirely fortified and UNESCO World Heritage listed — contains the extraordinary Romanesque-Gothic Cathedral of St Lawrence (with a famed Portal by master sculptor Radovan), Venetian loggia, a 15th-century Kamerlengo Fortress, and a maze of marble-paved streets lined with Renaissance palaces.

A beloved traditional konoba (Croatian tavern) in a vaulted stone cellar just outside the palace walls, serving time-honoured Dalmatian dishes — peka (slow-roasted lamb or octopus under an iron dome), freshly grilled fish, prstaci (Adriatic date mussels), and black risotto (crni rižoto) made with cuttlefish ink. Family-run and genuinely committed to traditional cooking.

A sophisticated restaurant with tables set inside the actual Roman substructures of Diocletian's Palace — dining beneath 2,000-year-old Roman arches in candlelit vaulted cellars is an experience unique to Split. The menu blends Croatian and Mediterranean flavours with a strong focus on locally caught Adriatic seafood.

A relaxed, contemporary wine bar-restaurant just inside the palace walls serving outstanding Croatian charcuterie, cheese boards, and small plates alongside one of Split's most thoughtfully curated Dalmatian wine lists. A perfect stop for a leisurely lunch or pre-dinner drinks with excellent local wine.

The most celebrated seafood restaurant in Split, located directly above the Pazar fish market where the boats unload at dawn. The kitchen uses only that morning's catch — no frozen fish, no compromise. The grilled whole fish (brancin/sea bass, orada/sea bream) are cooked with olive oil, garlic, and Dalmatian herbs to simple perfection. A cult address for serious seafood lovers.

A genuine neighbourhood restaurant one block east of the palace walls in the residential Lučac district, where local families eat rather than tourists. Hearty Dalmatian food at honest prices — roast meats, grilled fish, homemade pasta with truffles, and the best gregada (island fish stew) in Split at a fraction of the tourist-area prices.

Split's most beloved bar — a ramshackle, atmospheric cocktail and live-music venue hidden in a medieval courtyard within the palace walls, with mismatched furniture, exposed Roman stonework, trailing ivy, and a genuinely eclectic crowd of locals, artists, and backpackers. Considered by many to be the soul of Split's nightlife.

A stylish bar on the Peristyle — the central ceremonial square of Diocletian's Palace — where you can sit with a cocktail surrounded by 2,000-year-old Roman columns and arches. Arguably the most dramatic bar setting in Europe: the ancient stones that once held the emperor's court now frame modern DJ sets and craft cocktails.

A casual, well-priced bar on the Riva — Split's magnificent harbour promenade, lined with palms and cafés directly in front of the ancient palace walls. Good for cold beers, simple cocktails, and people-watching along one of the most vibrant waterfronts in the Adriatic. The view of the palace southern façade from the Riva is one of Split's great sights.

A charming café inside the palace walls in a medieval building, serving excellent Croatian espresso, fresh pastries, and light snacks. The outdoor tables look onto a quiet courtyard of ancient stone — a lovely spot for a morning coffee before the cruise groups arrive.

A relaxed, arty café just inside the palace's Bronze Gate with good coffee, homemade cakes, and an eclectic gallery of local photography and artwork on the walls. A genuine local café rather than a tourist trap, with reasonable prices and friendly staff.

Split's most famous and beloved beach — a shallow sandy bay just 1.5km from the palace, unique in the rocky Dalmatian coast for its gently shelving sandy bottom. Bačvice is the birthplace of picigin, a uniquely Splitski ball sport played in knee-deep water that has been inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list. The beach complex has excellent facilities, beach bars, and restaurants.

Croatia's most photographed beach — a long, horn-shaped promontory of fine white pebbles extending into the turquoise Adriatic from the island of Brač, with the tip shifting position according to the wind and currents. The water on both sides is crystal clear and vivid blue-green. Getting there (catamaran or speedboat from Split to Bol village, then a walk) is an adventure in itself.

An expert-guided walking tour through the extraordinary layered history of Diocletian's Palace — covering the Roman substructures, the Peristyle, the Cathedral (former mausoleum), the Golden Gate, the medieval streets, and the stories of the 1,700 years of continuous habitation that make Split unique. The best way to decode what you're seeing in this extraordinary lived-in monument.

A day trip to Hvar — arguably the most beautiful island in the Adriatic, with a stunning Renaissance piazza (the largest in Dalmatia), a 16th-century Venetian fortress, lavender fields, and crystal-clear bays. The catamaran journey from Split to Hvar Town takes just over an hour and the island rewards exploration with excellent restaurants, hidden coves, and car-free old town streets.

A half-day speedboat excursion combining a swimming stop in the Blue Lagoon of Drvenik Mali (an achingly beautiful, shallow cove of turquoise water between two islands) with a guided walk through the UNESCO-listed medieval city of Trogir. One of the best half-day tours available in the entire Adriatic — the contrast between the ancient city and the wild sea is extraordinary.

A guided day trip to Krka National Park — a series of stunning travertine waterfalls cascading through a dramatic river gorge, 60km north of Split. The park's showpiece, Skradinski Buk, is a vast multi-tiered waterfall surrounded by wooden walkways. A boat ride from the park entrance passes through reed beds and riverside Roman ruins. Swimming in the emerald pools below the falls was banned in 2021 but the scenery remains magnificent.