Split: Croatia’s Dalmatian Jewel
Split, Croatia’s second-largest city, is one of the most extraordinary urban environments in Europe. At its heart is Diocletian’s Palace — a vast 4th-century Roman imperial palace complex that has been continuously inhabited for 1,700 years and now forms the living, breathing core of the city. Walking its marble streets at night, when the day-trippers have gone and the locals are out for their evening korzo (promenade), is one of the most atmospheric experiences in the Mediterranean.
Top Attractions in Split
Diocletian’s Palace
Diocletian’s Palace was built between 295 and 305 AD. Covering around 30,000 square metres, it encompasses four gates, two main streets, temples, and the mausoleum that was later converted into Split’s cathedral. The Peristyle — the original ceremonial courtyard — is now an open-air café surrounded by ancient columns. The underground substructures (podrum) of the palace are remarkably well preserved and can be explored.
Marjan Hill
Marjan Hill, the forested peninsula that extends west of the old town, is Split’s green lung. Its network of paths winds through pine and cypress forest to viewpoints offering outstanding panoramas over the old town, the islands of the Dalmatian archipelago, and the mountains of the Dalmatian hinterland.
Food and Drink in Split
Split’s food scene is excellent, particularly for seafood. Grilled fish, octopus salad, peka (meat or octopus slow-cooked under a bell-shaped lid), and pašticada (beef stewed in wine and prunes) are Dalmatian classics. Pair your meal with a glass of Plavac Mali, Croatia’s finest red wine.
Group Travel to Split
Split is an outstanding destination for sports groups, school cultural trips, and sailing tours. Its central Dalmatian location makes it an ideal base for island-hopping to Hvar, Brač, and Vis. For group travel to Croatia and the Adriatic, Gothia Sports Travel offers tailored group packages combining city culture with outdoor activities.
Final Thoughts
Split is a city where ancient and modern coexist in a way that is genuinely thrilling. To drink coffee in a Roman courtyard, to walk through a 1,700-year-old gate into streets still bustling with daily life, to swim in crystal-clear Adriatic water within sight of ancient walls — these are experiences that Split delivers with an effortless, unself-conscious ease.
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