5+ insider info for a summer vacation in Split

10.May.2017
Letovanje-u-Splitu-Apartmani-Split_12

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, Trip to Split
Split promenade

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….

Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Split promenade

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.

Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Old town, part of Diocletian’s Palace

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.

Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Split promenade

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).

Trip to Split, Summer vacation in Split
On the rooftops of the old town

Some of the options to connect with the world:

  1. Air Serbia, as the fastest option for arrival from Australia
  2. Qatar Airways as a connection with Dubai
  3. Easyjet covers a good part of Europe
  4. 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.

Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Old town

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.

Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Diocletian’s Kitchen

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

Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Deluxe studio

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:

Villa Domina

Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Villa Domina, city center

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.

Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Deluxe studio

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.

Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Deluxe Studio

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.

Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Deluxe studio
Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Deluxe two-bed apartment

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

Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Deluxe studio
Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Kitchen in deluxe studio

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

Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Deluxe four-bed apartment
Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Superior studio
Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Superior studio

…in the wall…

Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Superior studio
Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Superior studio

The authenticity of the building… original stone…

Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Superior studio

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

Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Superior studio

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.

Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Passage to La Divine apartment

Going through authentic Diocletian’s Palace hallways.

Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Hallways leading to apartment
Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Apartment entrance
Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Interior of La Divine apartment
Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Just your living room as a part of Diocletian’s Palace
Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
A view on the living room from the bedroom
Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Staircase la Divine
Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Bedroom La divine

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

Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Door leading to the walls of Diocletian’s Palace

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…

Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
La Divine, The walls of Diocletian’s palates

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

Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
A view on St. Domnius Cathedral
Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
Le Divine apartment balcony

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

Hotel Slavia 

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.

Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
St. Domnius
Summer vacation in Split, Trip to Split
St. Domnius and part of Peristle

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!

Summer vacation in Split, Trip to SplitSummer vacation in Split, Trip to Split

 

Hi, I'm Suzana!

Rođena u Beogradu. Diplomirala na Mašinskom Fakultetu Univerziteta u Beogradu (smer Vazduhoplovstvo). Majka, supruga, putujući kulinarski hedonista. Istraživač, sportista i organizator.

Leave a comment