“I wish you would come to Salona” (Split) and see the cabbages I have planted: you would never again mention to me the name of empire.”
— DIOCLETIAN (EMPEROR 284-304)
Split is Croatia’s second-largest city and one of the oldest cities on the Dalmatian coast. At its heart is the enormous Diocletian’s Palace, built in the 4th century for the Roman Emperor Diocletian. Today, the palace forms much of the old town, with narrow stone streets, little squares, cafés and shops built into and around the original Roman walls. Add the palm-lined Riva waterfront filled with expensive yachts and the Adriatic Sea just beyond it, and you have a city that manages to combine history and a proper seaside feel.
We spent most of our time wandering around the old town, and it was definitely one of those places where we were happy to just see where the streets took us. What I loved about the palace was that it doesn’t feel like a historic site that has been separated from the rest of the city. People still live, eat, drink and go about their everyday lives amongst the ancient walls, which gives it a really lovely atmosphere.
We also spent plenty of time down on the Riva, the waterfront promenade lined with palm trees and cafés. There’s something about being able to wander around an ancient old town and then, a few minutes later, be standing by the sea watching the boats that makes Split feel quite special, and also enabled us to cool off a little! Split in August is not for the faint-hearted.
We ticked off some of the main sights, but as usual, we enjoyed the little things just as much. Quiet corners, old doorways, tiny streets and finding somewhere to stop for a drink. There’s plenty to see in Split, but it doesn’t feel like a city where you need to rush from one sight to the next.
For us, it was the combination of the old town and the sea that made it. Ancient Roman walls, winding streets and then the Adriatic right there at the end of them. It felt like the perfect mix of history and a bit of that laid-back Mediterranean atmosphere we were looking for.
Split is definitely somewhere we’d recommend if you’re travelling along the Croatian coast. It’s got plenty of history, plenty of character and, importantly, plenty of places to sit by the sea and watch the world go by.
