Split City Guide

Croatia is becoming more and more popular tourist destination and the city which tourists always want to come back to is, without any doubt, Split. A vacation in this city is definitely something you need to do. Rich history, cheerful people, great nightlife and what’s best, Split is an excellent gateway to many other nearby cities and islands in case you want to do day trips. So why wait? It’s up to you to book a flight ticket and we’re here to give you all the information you will need for the best experience in Dalmatian capital!

Sights

Probably the most important information you’ll need is the one about main monuments in Split. Visit the iconic St. Domnius Cathedral inside the famous Diocletian’s Palace, take a stroll down the sunny Riva waterfront and get acquainted with the well-preserved Roman architecture more than 1700 years old.

• To help you get around the Old Town, check our detailed guide about what you can do within 24-hour stay in Split

Public transportation, getting around in Split

In case you wish to explore outside the city core or maybe do some day trips to nearby towns like Old Roman city of Salona, it would be good to know some basic information about the transportation system in Split. There are two bus stations in Split, the main bus station located in ferry port and the secondary station called Sukoisanska. The local bus company is called Promet Split and you will recognize the buses by their bright yellow colour.

• Get here more information about buses in Split, such as ticket prices and luggage storage.
• If you want to visit area around the city of Split, here’s a list of best 10 day trips from Split

Beaches in Split

One cannot visit Split during summer without going to one of the city beaches! Whether you prefer more sand or pebbles, Split has beaches for everyone’s taste. Check out the list of the most popular beaches in Split and how to reach them.

Outdoor activities

Due to its good geographical position, Split is sunny for the most of the year so you will have the opportunity to try out different outdoor activities, especially during summer when there are numerous agencies offering excursions, trips and water sports. The most popular place for outdoor activities is Omis, a small town 30 km southeast of Split. You can “fly” over the Cetina river Canyon with zipline, or if you are in a good physical condition, then go for rafting or canyoning.

If you don’t want to leave Split, you can spend a day kayaking on the sea, climbing and jumping off the cliffs on Kasjuni beach. If you just want to enjoy nature without doing extreme sports, you can simply rent a bicycle on Marjan Hill (at the gates on the northern side of the hill) and enjoy in fresh air and pine trees.

Exchange Money and using credit cards

Exchanging money in foreign country doesn’t have to be a drag. There are several Euronet ATMs in Split from which you can withdraw euros. You can notice how the majority of Croatian banks are a part of larger banking groups such as UniCredit, Intesa San Paolo, etc. So in case you have a credit card in a bank belonging to some of these groups, you can withdraw money on Croatian ATMs without additional commission fee.

NOTE: Some ATM machines may ask you a question before withdrawing money whether you would like to be charged in kuna or your country’s currency. In that case always pick kuna to get the best exchange rate.

Parking lots and towed vehicles

Parking in Split can be tricky if you are not familiar with parking zones and parking payment. There are three zones in total and the most expensive parking lot is on Riva waterfront which costs 20 kn (15 kn off-season). Also pay attention not to park on parking spot for the disabled because you might get a fine. In case you park on a place not intended for parking, which might disturb traffic or pedestrians, you are risking getting your car towed away. If towing service spots your car where it shouldn’t be parked, “pauk” (literally “spider” in Croatian), it will be taken to the car impound at Pujanke district. And on top of that, you’ll have to pay 450-650 kn to get the car back.

Nightlife

Split is a very vivid city and its nightlife is quite versatile. During summer season the city centre is full of bars with live music and if you are looking for clubs to continue your night out, the best place is the Central Club near the National Theatre. If you don’t mind doing a bit of a walk, you can check out the clubs on Bacvice Beach (10 minutes from the centre) and if you keep walking along the beach, don’t miss Zenta Club which will take you back to some of the best hits from the 90’s.

Shopping

Over the years Split has become a big shopping city with three shopping malls (!) and what’s best, they are easy to reach. The closest to the city centre is Joker and it takes you only a 10-minute walk from the Old Town to get there. The next one is City Center One, situated at the easternmost part of the city, but you can get there by taking bus line 18 (exit at the last stop). And the last one is called Mall of Split and it is the biggest mall in whole Dalmatia and it is located at the exit of Split towards Solin (bus lines 1,5,16,22). All of these malls have a great variety of clothes and shoe stores like H&M, New Yorker, Bershka, Zara, Deichmann, etc. and many drugstores and tech stores as well. If you are only interested in doing grocery shopping, we advise going to Lidl, Kaufland, Interspar or Plodine. They offer the best quality for value and the prices are low.

Getting to Split

Reaching the centre of Split is actually pretty easy and there are several options for that:

• Flying: If you are coming to Split by plane, you can either take a shuttle bus or local bus from the airport. It will take you around 30-40 minutes of drive to reach the bus station in Split. More information here → Airport Split
• Train: The main train station in Split is located right next to the bus station and there is also waiting room for passengers.
• Bus: Besides the main bus station in Split (for both domestic and international lines), there is another bus station called Sukoisanska which is used as main station for local city buses. Here you can catch buses to Trogir, Omis and other places in hinterland of Split.
• Ferry: Split is probably the most convenient city regarding connections between the port, bus station and train station because all three of them are practically located at the same place. More information about the ferry port → Ferry Port Split

Useful contacts

It is always good to know important emergency numbers of the city you’re visiting in case of unpredictable events. Here is the list of the most important telephone numbers you will need in Split:

Emergency:

• + 385 112 – common EU emergency number
• + 385 194 – emergency ambulance

Hospital:

• Clinical hospital Firule – Spinciceva 1, +385 (0)21/556-111
• Clinical hospital Krizine – Soltanska 1, + 385  (0)21/557-111
• Emergency dentist – Doverska 2, +385 (0)21/460-977
• Emergency ambulance – Doverska 2, +385 (0)468-012

Police:

• Police Station I – Mike Tripala 6, +385 (0)21/504-510
• Police Station II – Pojisanska 2, +385 (0)21/309-356
• + 385 192 – emergency police

24/7 pharmacies:

• DOBRI – Gunduliceva 52, +385 (0)21/348-074
• LUCAC – Pupaciceva 4, + 385 (0)21/533-188

Tourist Information Centre:

• TIC Peristyle – inside the chapel on the Peristyle, +385 (0)21/345-606;
• TIC Riva – Obala Hrvatskog narodnog preporoda 9, +385 (0)21/360-066
• E-mail: touristinfo@visitsplit.com

Map of Split

In the map below you can check the places mentioned in the guide. You can also filter the map by unselecting the sections you do not need.