Split (Croatia) – attractions, leisurely walks and a trip to the old days. For this, tens of thousands of tourists come to the city, founded in the 3rd century AD.
The history of Split is intricate, like its streets, and as vivid as its attractions. To plan a walk and see the most interesting places, read our article.
Diocletian’s Palace
The Diocletian’s palace is included in the list of the most significant sights in Split and Croatia. At the end of the last century, the object was included in the UNESCO cultural heritage list and recognized as the best-preserved palace building of the Roman Empire period.
The castle was built by the emperor Diocletian, the structure occupied an area of more than 3 hectares. Construction work completed in 305 CE Gradually, the population of the city of Salon moved closer to the palace, around it Split grew and strengthened. The main premises were transformed – the mausoleum of the emperor became a temple, the cellars were converted into storage rooms.
Today, the surviving details of the palace are repaired and restored, and are under the protection of the country’s authorities. On the territory of the attraction there are many cafes, restaurants, there are hotels, souvenir shops.
See also: Where to stay in Split – an overview of hotels.
An interesting fact for fans of the series “Game of Thrones” – in the palace basement they shot a scene with dragons.
Useful information:
- You can see the attraction in the old part of Split daily from 8-00 to 00-00.
- Walking around the palace is free, going down to the cellars costs 25 kunas, and the entrance to the cathedral will cost 15 kunas.
The Palace is described in more detail in this article .
Old city
Diocletian’s Palace – this is the old city of Split – a pedestrian zone, which is a tangled labyrinth of narrow streets. You can walk for free, see the unique ancient buildings, go back to the old days.
The best preserved streets are:
- Cargo or Diocletianova – runs from north to south;
- Decumanus or Kreshimirova – runs from east to west.
The northern part of the palace was intended for soldiers and servants, and in the southern part the emperor lived with his family, public buildings were located.
Interesting fact! The old part of the city is decorated mainly in the Renaissance and Gothic style. Here, elements of the Roman aqueduct located at the entrance to the city of Split are still preserved.
What you need to see in the old part of the city:
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- Brass gate located at the south entrance.
- Cryptoportic is a gallery that runs from west to east.
- Peristyle is an internal square preserved from the time of the Roman Empire. It hosts the Split Summer Festival of Theater Arts every summer.
- Cathedral of St. Domnius.
- Temple of Jupiter – a construction of the period of the Roman Empire, you can see the attraction for 5 Kun.
- The park on Dominitsova street is the smallest park in the city.
- Papalich Palace – the structure is decorated in the Gothic style, today the City Museum is working in it.
- Golden Gate – the northern entrance to the territory of the old city.
- Strossmeier Park, where you can see the remains of the Benedictine convent.
- Iron Gate – entrance to the palace from the west.
- Silver Gate – the entrance to the old city from the east.
Putal Winery
Even if you are not a fan of this alcoholic drink, take the time to visit this attraction in Split in Croatia. The tour is conducted by the owner, talks about the process of making wine. Guests can visit the vineyard, try the wine of different aging. The drink serves bread, cheese and prshut.
You can book a tour on the official website of the winery. At the factory you can see all the stages of wine production, and after a detailed story, you will be invited to go down to the wine cellar.
Information for those wishing to see the factory:
- The tour is conducted for groups of 2 to 18 people.
- All details about the event can be clarified directly with the owner of the winery by writing letters to e-mail.
- The winery is located at: Putaljska put, city of Split, Croatia.
Park Marjan
The park in Croatia is shrouded in legends, according to one of them the emperor ordered the creation of a recreation area on the mountain for residents of the city. At that time, there were more than 10 thousand.
For some time, the president of Yugoslavia liked to relax in the park and even arranged a residence here. In the middle of the last century, this attraction in the city of Split was ennobled – a large number of trees, mainly Mediterranean pine, were planted in the park. Today it is a favorite vacation spot of citizens.
People come here not only on weekends, but also in the evenings on weekdays. Despite the fact that the park is a favorite vacation spot for Split residents, there are not so many people here. Not all travelers know about this park, but it must be included in the list of attractions.
Features of the park area:
- Climbing to the top of the mountain, you can look at the whole city and the sea;
- the park has pedestrian and bicycle paths;
- there are several old churches in the park;
- be sure to visit the local zoo – it is small, but children will definitely like it;
- in the southern part of the park area there are several museums.
Useful information:
- If you are limited in time, but want to see the park, rent a bike at the entrance.
- You can get to the park by bus number 12 (departing from Republic Square) or walk, the journey takes about 20 minutes.
Gallery of Ivan Mestrovich
Once in Croatia, in the city of Split, Ivan Mestrovic, a famous sculptor, founded a gallery, which is located in a picturesque palace, in the southern part of Mount Maryan.
The villa, which later became galleries, was built between 1931 and 1939. The project of the house was prepared by its owner – Ivan Mestrovich himself.
The boy’s creative abilities appeared in childhood, when he lived in the small village of Otavitsa and was inspired by numerous legends, myths and tales of those places. Then the boy was trained by a local stone carver and entered the Art Academy.
The fame was brought to the master by his first exhibition, The Vienna Secession, after success, Mestrovich moved to France. Each historical milestone in the life of the sculptor was reflected in his works.
Mestrovic returned to Croatia many years later, he bequeathed his country, as well as his estate and garden. The gallery opened in 1952, here you can see sculptures, statues, wood carvings, paintings, furniture collections. The collection also contains personal photos of the master. Periodically, the gallery holds temporary exhibitions.
Visit the gallery at: Setaliste Ivana Mestrovica 46.
Ticket price:
- adult ticket – 40 kuna;
- family ticket – 60 kunas.
Tourists can see the exposition every day except Sunday and Monday. Open:
- from 02.05 to 30.09 – from 9-00 to 19-00;
- from 01.10 to 30.04 – from 9-00 to 16-00.
Related article: Where to relax in Split – the beaches of the city and its environs .
Split temple bell tower of St. Domnius
The Cathedral, the main temple in the city where Catholics come to pray, is a complex consisting of a church erected on the site of the mausoleum and a high bell tower. The temple is named after the patron saint of the city. Saint Duchet served as bishop in the ancient city of Salon in Croatia. He and his family were tortured and killed by order of the emperor.
The main part of the temple was erected in the 3rd century, it was the imperial mausoleum. In the 13th century, a hexagonal chair on columns, decorated with carvings, was completed in the temple; in the 15th century, the interior was supplemented with an altar; in the 18th century, choirs were completed.
The bell tower was erected in 1100. Until the beginning of the 20th century, the appearance of the Roman tower did not change, then it was reconstructed, the sculptures that adorned it were dismantled. If you climb to the top of the bell tower, you can look at the city and admire its views.
It is important! The climb is quite difficult, so you should not take small children with you, it is also better to abandon the tour for older people with poor health.
The temple is decorated with wooden doors made by a master from Croatia Andrii Buvin. The doors depict scenes of the life of God. On the ground floor there is a treasury where the relics of the patron saint of Split and paintings, icons and other works of art are stored.
Useful information: the temple and the bell tower are located at: Kraj Sv. Duje 5, Split, Croatia. The cost of a complex ticket is 25 Kun, on it you can visit the crypt and the baptism, where the temple of Jupiter used to be.
Note: if time permits, visit the tiny, but incredibly picturesque village of Omis near Split.
Promenade
The main promenade of Split is called Riva, its length is 250 meters. A cozy place with palm trees and benches. The street was reconstructed in 2007. This is a favorite vacation spot of citizens and walks of tourists. Various events are held here – religious and sports, you can eat in cafes and restaurants.
Riva embankment is a pedestrian alley, paved with white tiles, decorated with oleanders and other plants. On Split promenade you can always see moored boats and yachts. The street starts at the fountain in Franjo Tudjman Square and ends at the intersection with Lazareta Embankment.
Klis Fortress
The construction of the medieval period, built on a rock and is a ten minute drive from the city of Split in Croatia. Initially, it was a small fortification, but then it turned into the residence of the monarchs of Croatia. After some time, the castle became a powerful military fortification.
The history of the fortress has more than two thousand years. During this time, the fortification protected the city from attacks by enemies, it was reconstructed many times. Given the geographical location of the fortress, it was the main building that protected the inhabitants of Dalmatia.
Interesting fact! From afar, it seems that the fortress merges with the rock. This is partly true, there are no straight lines in the structure, each building is harmoniously inscribed in the landscape and, as it were, merges with it.
Visually, the fortress consists of two parts. The lower one is located in the western part, it is limited by Mount Greben. Upper – higher, located in the east, here is the Oprah tower.
Interesting fact! The fortress hosted the shooting of the popular TV series Game of Thrones.
PHOTO: attraction of Split (Croatia) – Split fortress
Useful information: you can get to the fortress by bus number 22, it leaves from the station located with the National Theater. Also, buses number 35 and number 36 follow the attraction.
The fortress is open daily from 9-00 to 17-00.
Fruit square
Among the attractions of Split in Croatia, Fruit Square is distinguished by its elegance and comfort. It used to be the center of a large market. Fruits were sold here, hence the name of the square. Today, there are many antique shops, souvenir shops. There are several interesting sights here – the Venetian Castello, as well as towers dating from the beginning of the 15th century. They were built to protect the city from raids. The northern part of the square is decorated with Baroque Milesi Castle. In addition, a statue of Marco Marulic, a poet of Croatia, who lived at the end of the 15th century, is installed on the square. In addition to poetry, Marco was a lawyer, served as a judge.
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Monument to Bishop Grgur Ninsky
The statue looks massive and visually resembles ancient Greek titanium. This work of art immortalized the memory of a priest who was able to accomplish the impossible. He obtained permission to preach in his native Croatian language.
The monument is massive, its height is 4 meters, made of gray stone. Locals call the statue a full-fledged mistress and patroness of the old part of Split.
Interesting fact! There is a belief according to which you can touch the bishop’s left foot, make a wish and it will come true.
There is a landmark near the imperial palace. During the war, the inhabitants of the city sawed the statues and safely hid them. When the war ended, the sculpture was returned to its place.
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Now you know what to see in Split and how to organize a trip in this small and cozy city. The city is hidden behind the ancient walls, from a bird’s eye view it seems that it is outlined by a maze of streets. Split (Croatia) – attractions, cozy parks and a relaxed atmosphere await you.
What Split looks like and the atmosphere of the city is well conveyed by the video below!
