What's up guys, we're here in Split, Croatia. In this video,
we're going to show you the best things to do in around the city so hope you enjoy it!
Split is located in Western Croatia along the Dalmatian Coast. As Croatia's second-largest city,
it's always buzzing with life, and has been for thousands of years. Split was put on the
map by emperor Diocletian, who had his palace built there between 295 and 305.
After his death, the palace was continuously used throughout history by different civilizations,
like the Romans, Byzantines, and Venetians. Today, life continues between the old city walls and is
one of the reasons why travelers visit. But Split's unique setting between the dramatic
coastal mountains and the turquoise waters of the Adriatic Sea also make it an ideal vacation hub.
In this video, we'll highlight 10 amazing things to do in and around Split. So let's dive in.
We're Zac and Ine. We make helpful videos about
destinations around the world so you can easily plan your own adventures.
The lively waterfront promenade, known as the 'riva', is the best
central reference point in Split. Lined with cafes and restaurants,
it's a great place to eat and drink or just stroll around and breathe in the atmosphere. It can get
busy sometimes because of the immense cruise ships that dock here almost on a daily basis.
Diocletian's Palace is one of the most impressive ancient Roman monuments in existence today,
and you'll likely spend most of your time in Split here. Located in front of the harbor, it's the
beating heart of the city and you'll find plenty of bars, restaurants, and shops inside its walls.
In fact, there are over 200 buildings within the palace boundaries.
And even though the original structure has been added to and altered continuously over millennia,
it's absolutely fascinating to walk through its narrow streets.
Access this imposing structure from one of its four historic gates.
Located inside the palace, Split's Cathedral is one of the best-preserved
ancient Roman buildings still standing. It was originally built as a mausoleum to Diocletian.
However, in the 5th Century, the Christians destroyed the Emperor's sarcophagus and
converted his tomb into a church dedicated to one of his victims. You can buy a ticket that
combines a visit to the cathedral with the Bell Tower, which offers a panoramic view of the city.
It also includes the Treasury, where you can find preserved sculptures and
paintings that relate to the cathedral's history, as well as the Temple of Jupiter,
which is an ancient Roman Temple that has been converted into the cathedral's baptistry.
So we're inside the Temple of Jupiter and there's actually a
lot of cool decorations here. And you can also see these facial expressions actually
in the ceiling here. And it's really beautiful, like there's a lot of them.
To the west of Split loom's Marjan Forest Park, a nature reserve with a wealth of walking trails.
The most popular one passes shortly through a pine
forest before reaching a scenic lookout of Split and the surrounding islands.
It's a great place to watch the sunset from. But if you need a true escape from the city, you can
also continue through the park to other viewpoints and even a beach. The park is big enough that you
could spend an entire afternoon here if you want. We put a graphic on the screen here, for how to
get from Riva Promenade to the main viewpoint on Marjan Hill if you want to do that for sunset.
Split is more than just a palace and you'll find fascinating buildings and monuments all
around its downtown area. Get lost in its narrow streets, go shopping, or try some local cuisine.
But the best way to learn about this fascinating city is to go on a guided walking tour. Not only
will you visit Split's main highlights, but also become familiar with the culture and the way of
life here. Find a link to a guided tour of Split and Diocletian's Palace in the description below.
One of Croatia's absolute highlights is only an hour drive from Split. Krka National Park
extends along the 73 kilometer or 50 mile Krka river, which runs through a karstic canyon.
It's a breathtaking area, filled with waterfalls and gorges that you can explore on foot via
boardwalks and trails. The park actually has five main entrances, which are all accessible by
car but located far from one another. Skradinski Buk is the highlight of the park, where you can
take a beautiful walk on the emerald green river and end at the park's most impressive waterfall.
But Roški Slap, Burnum, and Manojlovac are also worth a visit. If you don't have a car,
you can also book a day tour here, and we left a link for that in the description.
Located 12
kilometers or 7.4 miles to the northeast of downtown Split, you can find the impressive Klis
Fortress. This fort offers beautiful views of the surrounding valley and the Adriatic Sea. Inside,
you can explore the various fortifications and visit a small museum with details of the castle's
past. If you're a Game of Thrones fan, you'll also recognize the Klis Fortress as Meereen, which
appeared in season 4 and 5. There's a room inside the fort with pictures to freshen up your memory.
And alternatively, you can also visit the Game of Thrones Museum in the city center of Split.
Croatia has hundreds of islands dotting its coastline and those near Split are some of
the most pristine on the entire Dalmatian Coast. Because of their close proximity to the mainland,
some islands can be discovered on an island-hopping tour from Split. We joined
the 5 Island Tour during which we snorkeled and swam in the pristine waters of the Blue Lagoon,
visited charming villages on the islands of Vis and Hvar, and explored the dazzling Blue
Cave. We cruised on a speedboat, allowing for a smaller group and more intimate experience.
So we made it to the Blue Lagoon here. We're about to go take a quick
swim, and we thought this is a good time to mention the sponsor of today's video.
GetYourGuide is a platform where you can book unforgettable travel experiences. They
actually offer 60,000 different experiences from destinations all around the world. And
one of the cool things is that the guides are always locals, so they have a lot of different
knowledge about the history of the area, and just some local insights for you. In our opinion,
GetYourGuide is really the best platform right now to pre-book your travel activities because the App
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to. There's also sometimes skip-the-line options. So we highly recommend GetYourGuide. There's
a link to the tour that we did today in the description below along with a special discount
code and there's links to all the other tours that are in the Split area, so I hope you enjoy it.
If you're looking for a more relaxed atmosphere but equally beautiful medieval walls,
then you should add Trogir to your Split itinerary. Located only 30 kilometers from
the city center of Split, the old town of Trogir is set on a tiny Island linked
by bridges to the mainland as well as the neighboring larger island. Within its walls,
you can find many beautiful buildings that were built between the 12th and 15th century. Walk
its narrow alleyways and the beautiful boulevard that's lined with cafes, restaurants, and yachts.
Last but not least, we have the world famous Plitvice Lakes.
Known for its large network of karstic emerald lakes and stunning waterfalls, this park is a
must-visit when in Croatia and is protected by UNESCO for a good reason. You can visit
the park as a day trip from Split and we left a link for that tour in the description. However,
it's definitely easier to visit this magical place from the closer city of Zadar, which is
where we did it from. Check out our Zadar video to get the full details about Plitvice Lakes.
If you're planning your Croatia trip, we recommend keeping things organized with our interactive
travel planner. Find a discount code below. We also included important links that you'll need for
your Split trip in the description, such as a full travel guide with where to stay and where to eat.
We'll catch you on the next adventure!