THIS POST IS FROM A PRESS TRIP WITH JET2 & THE CENTRAL DALMATIA TOURIST BOARD BUT ALL VIEWS AND IMAGES ARE MY OWN.
I’ve heard lots of talk about Croatia being a great place to explore lately and it seems to be heading to the top of people’s European getaway lists. I had the pleasure of visiting Split, the second-largest city in Croatia recently and not only did it live up to expectations, it exceeded them! If you’re considering a trip, it’s good to know that flights from London Stanstead to Split with Jet2 are only around 2 hours 30 minutes which means more time to explore! Pretty good right?
If you’re a content creator, photographer or just love good views on your holiday, then Split really didn’t disappoint. In every direction, there was beautiful scenery, from mountains to sea views. Plus, there are some key places to visit for some extra special Instagrammable moments. Let’s get into it.
The Riva
Head to the Old Town in Split for The Riva. It’s a pedestrianised palm-tree lined promenade overlooking the sea. It runs along the side of Diocletian’s Palace so the shops and restaurants have so much charm and character as they’re built into the old palace walls. During the day it has a really chilled-out vibe, perfect for people-watching while enjoying brunch. But at night time, it turns into party central! It’s like two different places. In the evening the restaurants change the atmosphere with music, and lights and they open their doors wider, so it turns into a lively nightlife spot.
Diocletian’s Palace
This is a bit of a cheat because Diocletian’s Palace takes up about half of the Old Town of Split. You might not realise, as you walk along the cobbled streets with small restaurants, coffee shops and apartments that you’re actually walking in Roman ruins. My top tip would be just to explore and you’ll come across lavender gardens, ice cream shops and beautiful narrow alleyways, all worthy of a picture. For an evening be sure to visit The Peristyle central square of the palace for live music and dancing.
Vestibule
If you’re looking for something with history, mystery and a good photo backdrop, this is it! The Vestibule in Split was once a grand hall in the main palace. History has it, that this used to be the emperor’s area to show off to people. Like a walkway into his palace. He’d wear purple robes which would reflect off the gold leaf dome that once topped the Vestibule so he almost had his own glitter ball effect! Anyway, in terms of Instagram pictures and Tik Tok videos, it’s a must-visit spot.
Marjan Park viewpoint
There are about 100 steps up the first Marjan Park viewpoint from the end of the promenade mentioned above, which gets you to the start of Marjan Hill. There are another 314 steps to reach the highest point of Split but if that’s not your thing, this viewpoint really is stunning. You get a bird’s eye view of Split, the mountains on one side and the Adriatic Sea on the other. It’s a stunning view and one not to be missed.
Kliss Fortress
About 20 minutes from Split is the amazing medieval Kliss Fortress. The fortress overlooks the city of Split and gives you views of the Adriatic Sea and surrounding Islands. The fortress is over 2000 years old and there’s lots of history surrounding it. But if getting Instagram-worthy shots is your thing, then you’ll nail it here. You can wander around the grounds however you feel, there’s no red tape or people standing at doors. It’s almost free reign! Even with its feature as the City of Meeren in Game of Thrones, it’s still not a crowded tourist destination so you’ll definitely get the shot you want. An extra tip is to go at sunset, the views are worth it.
Island Hopping
Split is beautiful to explore but one of the great things about it is how easy it is to visit the neighbouring Islands. You can hop on a ferry to nearby Brač, Korčula, Vis, Hvar and Šolta. Even with no planning, you can just turn up at the ferry port on foot or by car, buy a ticket and off you go. There’s so much to explore plus the coastline views are stunning! You can get some great value package holidays to Croatia right now so make the most of it and explore as many of these beautiful Islands as you can while you’re there. You can find out more about visiting Brač in my blog post here, with some must-see things while you’re there.
Let me know of any other Instagrammable spots you find in Split, Croatia and don’t forget to bookmark this post for your trip! You can also follow me over at HolliePlus on Instagram for more about my trip to Split. Happy travelling!
