Split occupies an unusual position among Mediterranean cities — its entire Old Town is built inside and around a 4th-century Roman palace. Diocletian’s Palace, completed around 305 CE as a retirement complex for the Roman Emperor Diocletian, was converted into a medieval town after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, and today 3,000 people live and work within its original walls. That layering of Roman, medieval, and modern makes Split one of the most architecturally remarkable cities in Europe — and a city that rewards the investment of a good guide.
Beyond the Palace, Split is the main launching point for the Central Dalmatian islands and for day trips inland to Krka Waterfalls and Plitvice Lakes.
Top Split Tours at a Glance
| Tour | Duration | From (approx) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diocletian’s Palace Walking Tour | 2 hrs | €20 | First-timers, Roman history fans |
| Blue Cave & Hvar Speedboat Day Trip | Full day | €90 | Island hoppers, swimmers |
| Krka Waterfalls Day Trip | Full day | €55 | Nature lovers, families |
| Plitvice Lakes Day Trip | Full day | €65 | UNESCO seekers, hikers |
| Split Food Tour | 3 hrs | €55 | Food lovers, Dalmatian cuisine |
| Sailing Croatia: Split Island Hop | Full day | €75 | Sailors, island explorers |
| Sunset Boat Cruise | 2.5 hrs | €40 | Couples, evening experiences |
| Split Underground: Palace Cellars Tour | 1.5 hrs | €25 | History enthusiasts, archaeology |
| Kayaking Around Split and Čiovo | 3 hrs | €40 | Active travellers, couples |
| Private Split and Dalmatian Coast Tour | 4 hrs | €90 | Private groups, families |
Browse all Split tours on GetYourGuide
For First-Time Visitors: Diocletian’s Palace
The Palace was built by the Emperor Diocletian between 295 and 305 CE as his personal retirement complex — he was, unusually for a Roman emperor, the first to abdicate voluntarily. The complex covers approximately 30,000 square metres and originally housed the emperor’s apartments, a mausoleum, Jupiter’s Temple, and housing for 9,000 soldiers. After the Western Roman Empire collapsed, refugees from Salona (modern-day Solin) moved in, converted the mausoleum into a cathedral, and built ordinary houses in every available space including the underground cellars.
A guided walking tour (from approximately €20) covers this transformation in 1.5–2 hours — starting at the peristyle (the ceremonial courtyard, still intact), moving through Jupiter’s Temple (now a baptistery), the mausoleum-turned-cathedral, and the underground cellars where the original floor plan is preserved in negative. Without a guide, the Palace reads as a confusing jumble of Roman ruins and medieval buildings. With one, it becomes coherent.
Book directly: Diocletian’s Palace Walking Tour — approximately €20 per person as of 2026, covers the peristyle, temples, cathedral, and the history of the medieval settlement.
The Underground Cellars (entry approximately €10 as of 2026, self-guided) can also be visited independently, but a cellars-focused guided tour (from approximately €25) adds the imperial engineering context — the cellars were built to support and level the emperor’s private apartments above, and their layout mirrors the residential rooms exactly.
Book directly: Split Underground: Palace Cellars Tour — approximately €25 per person as of 2026, cellars-focused with imperial engineering and medieval history.
For Families: Island Hopping and Krka Waterfalls
Krka National Park (entry approximately €35 in peak season as of 2026) is the most family-friendly day trip from Split — the travertine waterfalls at Skradinski Buk are visually spectacular, the walking paths are flat and shaded, and the Visovac Island boat excursion (approximately €10 extra) gives children a boat trip component. The national park no longer allows swimming directly at the main waterfall system (banned since 2021), but the lake and lower pools remain open.
A guided Krka day trip (from approximately €55) handles all transport, park entry, and includes the Visovac Island boat visit. Groups typically number 10–20 people; private Krka tours for families are available from approximately €150 for the group.
Book directly: Krka Waterfalls Day Trip — approximately €55 per person as of 2026, includes return transport, park entry, and Visovac boat excursion.
Sailing day trip to Brač and Hvar (approximately €75 for a full day) covers the two islands most accessible from Split with swimming stops at Zlatni Rat beach (Brač) and Hvar old town lunch. Most sailing day trips use a wooden gulet or catamaran and accommodate mixed-age groups comfortably. Children under 12 travel at reduced rates on most sailings.
Book directly: Sailing Croatia: Split Island Hop — approximately €75 per person as of 2026, includes sailing, swimming stops, and guide.
For Culture and History Lovers: The Palace in Depth
The Ethnographic Museum of Split (housed in the former Venetian Rector’s Palace within the Palace walls, approximately €5 entry as of 2026) holds regional costumes, embroidery, and agricultural tools from the Dalmatian hinterland — worth 45 minutes before or after a guided Palace walk.
The Meštrović Gallery (approximately €10 entry as of 2026), located in the Meje neighbourhood 2km west of the Palace, holds the largest single collection of work by Ivan Meštrović — Croatia’s most significant sculptor of the 20th century and a figure of international reputation. The villa, designed by Meštrović himself, contains 190 sculptures in bronze, marble, and wood across two floors and a garden. No guided tour is required; self-guided audio is available.
Klis Fortress (approximately 20 minutes from Split by car, entry approximately €6 as of 2026) occupied by Ottoman forces for much of the 16th and 17th centuries, also featured as the city of Meereen in Game of Thrones. The fortress sits on a sheer-sided rock above the Solin valley. Combined Klis and Split Game of Thrones tours (from approximately €45) cover both sites in a half-day.
For Active Travellers: Blue Cave, Kayaking and Sailing
Blue Cave and Hvar speedboat day trip (from approximately €90, full day): the Blue Cave on Biševo Island is accessible only by small boat through a low opening — the refracted light turns the interior electric blue from approximately 11am to noon, the optimal window. Speedboat day trips from Split cover Blue Cave, the Pakleni Islands (swimming stop), Hvar Old Town (lunch, approximately 1 hour), and often Šolta or Vis as additional stops. Maximum passenger numbers are typically 8–12, and the cave visit is approximately 10 minutes per boat.
Book directly: Blue Cave & Hvar Speedboat Day Trip — approximately €90 per person as of 2026, covers Blue Cave, Hvar, and Pakleni Islands.
Kayaking from Split (approximately €40, 3 hours): the route typically heads across to Čiovo Island, through the channel between Trogir and Čiovo, and back along the coast with a swimming stop. Suitable for beginners; no prior kayak experience required. Morning departures (7:30am) catch the calmest water.
Book directly: Kayaking Around Split and Čiovo — approximately €40 per person as of 2026, includes kayak hire, guide, and swimming stop.
Sunset boat cruise (approximately €40, 2.5 hours): a motorised cruise along the Split waterfront and across to Šolta Island at golden hour. Includes one drink. This is the most economical way to see Split from the water.
Book directly: Sunset Boat Cruise — approximately €40 per person as of 2026.
For Food Lovers: Dalmatian Cuisine and Market Walks
Split’s food culture is anchored in the Green Market (Pazar) east of the Palace walls — a daily produce market selling dried figs, olive oil, lavender, local cheese, and fresh fish from the morning catch. A food walking tour (from approximately €55) starts here before moving through the Palace to Konoba stops for peka (slow-cooked lamb or octopus under an iron bell-lid), crni rižot (cuttlefish ink risotto), and local wine from the Dalmatian hinterland.
Book directly: Split Food Tour — approximately €55 per person as of 2026, includes market walk, palace neighbourhood stops, and multiple Dalmatian tastings.
Best spots after a food tour: Konoba Matejuška (Tomićeva 3, approximately €15–22 for a main course as of 2026) for grilled fish and Dalmatian peka by the old fishing harbour. Paradox Wine and Cheese Bar (Bana Josipa Jelačića 3) for natural wine and aged Pag island cheese — a pairing that food tour guides consistently recommend.
Day Trips from Split
Plitvice Lakes (full day, approximately €65–85): Croatia’s most visited national park — 16 travertine lakes connected by waterfalls and wooden walkways — requires a full 12-hour day from Split. Entry approximately €25–35 depending on season (as of 2026). The scale of the lakes (the Upper Lakes circuit alone takes 3 hours) means an organised tour is genuinely more efficient than self-driving.
Book directly: Plitvice Lakes Day Trip — approximately €65 per person as of 2026, includes return transport, park entry, and guided walk.
For more planning, see our day trips from Split guide.
Practical Tips for Booking Split Tours
- Book 3–5 days ahead in July and August. Blue Cave speedboat trips have the smallest capacity and fill fastest; Krka and Plitvice day trips have more seats and can usually be booked 48 hours ahead.
- Plitvice warning: the round trip from Split is approximately 6 hours of driving. If you have a hire car and two days, staying overnight near Plitvice is more rewarding than a day trip.
- Palace starting point: most walking tours meet at the Golden Gate (north entrance) or the peristyle. The Bronze Gate (south, waterfront) is the most photographed but least historically significant entrance.
- Heat: July and August temperatures in Split regularly exceed 35°C. Book morning departures (8–9am) for outdoor tours. Indoor activities — the Palace cellars, the Ethnographic Museum — are good midday options.
- Licensed guides: Croatian law requires official guide licences for tours inside museums. Licensed guides display a regional badge; verify credentials before booking street-solicited tours.
Browse all Split tours and activities
For a full planning picture, our Split city guide covers the Palace, neighbourhoods, beaches, and the best times to visit. If you’re continuing south, the Croatian coast road trip itinerary covers the route from Split to Dubrovnik with day-by-day stops.