5+ insider info for a summer vacation in Split
Split- the city of the Game of Thrones
Not so big, yet, the second in size city in Croatia. It is set between high mountain peaks of mountain Mosor and the Adriatic coast, Dalmatia.
Split has been and still is the city of culture, beautiful architecture which is suitable for both romantic and family trips, or even for the single ones. Your prince may be waiting for you in Split and in Dalmatia 🙂 . Who knows??
The city in which Game of Thrones was filmed.

Summer vacation in Split mixture of antique and luxury
Again in Split, after so many years. This time, it is a slightly different city.
Apparently, I don’t remember Split the way it looks now. Some will maybe say it’s all the same, the streets, squares, parks, shops and even pubs…
But, again, not everything is the same… people are different….

Split didn’t use to be a destination in which I would spend my ten-day vacation, but a place in which I would maybe spend the night, or have a meal one afternoon, on my way to somewhere else.
Today, however….
Split has become a picture of good immersion of the old and the luxurious. The city which today is swarming with tourists from all over the world, even out of the season. Where you can feel what exactly being a Dalmatian means. The city where an extra bed is required today.

When to visit Split?
The time is always right for the trip.
It is just…
That you should ask yourself what you would like to do there before you make a decision.
I vote for summer when there are many music and theater festivals for which Split is very famous.
The official season is from 15th of June to 15th September. The peak of the season is in July and August when the weather is warmest and it’s most crowded. You can even go swimming in that period.

May is an ideal month for long walks, sitting in cafés and restaurants, and the weather is just right for it.
How to get to Split?
Airplane
Split has never been more approachable by a plane than it is today. The first thing you need to check is the possibility of using low-cost airplane company because thus you can get tickets for 30 euros. Another possibility are charter flights which are very popular (e.g. from China).

Some of the options to connect with the world:
- Air Serbia, as the fastest option for arrival from Australia
- Qatar Airways as a connection with Dubai
- Easyjet covers a good part of Europe
- Norwegian and Scandinavian Airlines for Northern Europe
In case you decided for the fastest option, then you are going to need transportation to your accommodation upon your arrival to Split.
Bus or rent a car
You have an explanation on how to get to Split by bus here
Boat
A connection with Italy is via Ancona ferries, and the lines are BlueLine, SNAV and Jadrolinija. Greece and the other oversea countries aren’t connected by direct ferry lines.

For the ones coming from Eastern Balkan
If you ask me…
My recommendation is always taking a car if there are conditions to do so. That is how you will not only enjoy in Split, but also in some other beauties on your way to Split as well.
Belgrade- Split
We had two options to choose from, taking a highway to Zagreb, and then from Zagreb, a ‘new’ highway to Split. It is approximately an 800-km ride, but there are nice resting spots after the first 400 km, where we had our coffee and lunch. It is a highway, after all, a faster way, but less to see.
However, the second option is a much more interesting one, through Bosnia (i.e. through Doboj, Zenica, Kupres). You’re practically traveling through nature, the road is shorter than the highway one, but it takes just as long.

The spots for rest are in nature, the restaurants are very traditional. You can find a lot of traditional and original recipes, such as, for example, real Bosnian cevapi, fresh trout from a nearby stream, original baklava, and you can also buy some traditional cheese on the very road.
I’ve taken both roads, and I vote for the second option, if the weather conditions are favorable and you are adventurous.
Accommodation in Split

What I was surprised by this year was the amount of accommodation.
There are over 35 hostels, over 15 hotels of different categories and a couple of hundred of private apartments near and farther away from the city center.
My recommendation for all of those who want to experience the authentic Dalmatia to try apartments.
In my opinion, the best apartments to rent in Split are:

It consists of 3 apartments of different sizes. It is placed in the very center of the city, just a 5-minute walk away from the Diocletian’s Palace, of Split promenade.

These apartments have more than you need for a vacation. Apart from being in the quiet neighborhood and that your hosts are always available, each of the apartments has laundry, dishwasher, full kitchen, microwave, a big fridge and practically everything you can need for a complete stress-free vacation.

Only a couple of steps away from the apartments, there are first cafés and bakeries for the first and the most important meal in a day.


It’s not enough to say I am thrilled with this apartment.


Each of the apartments had some extraordinary detail either in floor or in the wall, which I was amazed by.



…in the wall…


The authenticity of the building… original stone…

I would spend days in these bathrooms… materials and colors tastefully combined… I love stone washbasins, they look so chic.

La Divine
If you really want to spend an unforgettable night within the Diocletian’s Palace, the right place for you is La Divine apartment.

Going through authentic Diocletian’s Palace hallways.







The magic is yet to come… once you’ve climbed the steel stairs by the bed and opened an old door…

There is an incredible view on the entire Split from there and a unique opportunity to walk the walls which are a part of Diocletian’s palace…

There is also an inevitable part of every photo and a postcard of Split- the Split Cathedral.


You would be very surprised by the prices of these apartments- not as high as we might guess!
Hotels
You can find a complete list of the hotels in Split here.
A list of hotels within the old town:
Heritage hotel Jupiter-Diocletian 4* www.hoteldiocletian.com
Hotel Peristil 3* www.hotelperistil.com
Some of hotels outside the old town:
Hotel Adriana 3* – www.hotel-adriana.hr
Hotel Marmont 4* – www.marmonthotel.com
Villa Diana 3* – www.villadiana.hr
Hostels
3 hostels in the old town and around 8 of them in the very city center.
You can download the list here.
The rest
The rest of the accommodation is here.


Means of transportation
Split is not a big city and I didn’t find it difficult walking through it, which I recommend to everyone. It is only important that you have comfortable footwear and the city is yours.
The cheapest option for traveling out of the town is bus. You can download driving schedule here.
Rent a car and a taxi are somewhat more expensive option.
But a real ace up your sleeve is UBER. When and how UBER works, you can see here.
How long to stay in Split?
3 or 13 days?
It took me three days to stay in the city with no rush and to visit all cultural and historical sights which I was interested in.
However…
Split has a great connection with islands, so why not spend the night in Split, and take a trip to Ciovo, Solta, Brac during the day, why not pay a visit to Vis and Hvar and feel like on top of the world.
Another thing to consider while in Split is an organized one-day outing to Plitvicka lakes, or a tour of Krka and Skradina national park.
You can add a swim or two on top of that… and you can surely spend 13 days there.
If you’re already staying for longer than 3 days, be sure to take the ‘Split ticket’ (in the tourist agency in Split), to make everything mentioned above cheaper 🙂
Well, have a great trip 🙂 See you in Split this summer!