Best Places to Visit in Split

Have you heard of yacht week? That’s usually synonymous to Croatia. Unfortunately,  I did not get to go to yacht week in Croatia but it definitely peaked my interest in visiting this country.  I didn’t do a lot of research about the islands of Croatia before booking my trip but I was beyond excited to discover the best places to visit in Split.

After being jet-lagged in Copenhagen, I could not wait to explore Split, Croatia, with its warm weather and beachfront properties, it’s my idea of a vacation!  At the airport, I ordered and took uber to my hotel which was fairly easy to use.  Here are the best places to visit in Split:

FOOD

If you like fresh seafood, I suggest going to Kod Sfinge. The owner welcomed me warmly and the food was fresh and ohh so good. My fave order: grilled squid with salad or rice and the house white wine–it’s cheap!  However, be ready to have cash on hand as this is the only acceptable method of payment.  Other than that, I kept coming back for more. 

Another restaurant I tried and reserved ahead of time was Apetit. Since this restaurant was ranked highly on various websites, I had high hopes it was going to amazing.  I thought the place looked nice. However, the place felt so hot and the food was just average. I can’t even remember exactly what I ordered, most likely some pasta dish that was forgettable. I would skip this place. 

Lastly, as I walked the many corners of old town Split, I noticed a modern/cute restaurant called Bokeria Kitchen & Wine Bar.  This is my favorite restaurant! The decor looked nice, great vibe and very open space.  I finally tried the restaurant after a day tour from Hvar (see below).  This place had one of the best meatballs I’ve ever had!  I liked it so much, I went back the next day.  This place is  a must. 

SIGHT-SEEING

Split has so much to offer when it comes to sight-seeing.  There were plenty of beaches to dip your feet in.  After talking to the locals and my hotel concierge, I decided to go to Kasjuni beach.  Although the concierge tried to convince me that uber is probably the best mode of transportation, I decided to see the city and walked to the beach anyway.  The air was clean, trees were surrounding the pathway, and I even walked passed the beach entrance. Oops! 

After my leisure walk for about 30 minutes later…I finally arrived and it was worth it. The beach was so clear, COLD, but very relaxing.  While there, I enjoyed the drinks from the cafe/bar-Jelovnik. I was also able to rent a beach chair for about $20 for all day rental. Drinks can be delivered to you.  Yes, please! Also, the backdrop was the Marjan hills which was super gorgeous.  

Split is famous for the Diocletian’s Palace, one of the UNESCO World Heritage Monument.  This palace was built for a roman emperor and the architecture is what I call very European.  Overall, it felt old, grand, and a powerful palace built in limestone and marble. At night, there’s music/singer in the middle of the palace where people gather and listen.  It’s quite a peaceful and relaxing experience with gelato, of course.

Another place near Split I recommend visiting is the Krka National Park. It was about an hour drive from old town Split, get tickets here.  I would spend a day in this park and enjoy nature at its finest.  A bus will take you down to the park and if you’re scared of heights, you might not want to look down as the big bus goes up/down what seems like a one-way road. Literally only one bus can fit at a time and driving on the edge of the mountain.   However, once you reach the bottom, the place automatically calms you down and there’s an easy path to take you to the famous waterfalls. Be careful tho, the stones underneath are so slippery.   As someone had told me, it’s like bathing in mineral water. haha!

Another activity I would highly recommend is to do on a day trip to Hvar from Split.  I booked the tickets for the trip via Viator from Summer Blues called “Full-Day Mega Catamaran Excursion to Hvar, Pakleni Islands and Brac” about $90 per person if you have the 10% discount by signing up on Viator.  This trip includes unlimited drinks (wine/beer), lunch, various swim stops and a few hours of play in Hvar.  As the catamaran landed in Hvar, there was a captivating fortress called Fortica. I just had to go! The view from the top was one of a kind, just breathtaking and had a panoramic view of the city. 

HOTEL

For my 5 days, 4 nights stay, I chose the Divota Apartment hotel.In general, the place was quaint, comfy and perfect for walking around oldtown.  The place was $515 for 4 nights, such a great value especially since it includes breakfast. I must say Croatia was one of the cheapest European cities I’ve been to so far. 

OMG! Divota Apartment hotel’s SPA is the best.  I was at first obsessed with the price…it was $65 for a 75 min massage. The therapist recommended a candle massage. I agreed (never had a candle massage before!) and it absolutely was the best massage of my life!  I went back the next day hoping I would get the same therapist/treatment. Out of luck! It was still relaxing and with that price, I can’t complain.  Overall, I’d come back to this place when visiting Split.

If you like Europe, check out my Best Places to Visit in Ibiza (click here). 

Have you been to Croatia?  Which places do you recommend? What are your best places to visit in Split?  Comment below…

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