8 cheap or free things to do in Split | Croatia

Split in Croatia is a highly rated European destination known for its nightlife, summer-party sailing boats and island hopping cruises.

It is a place that can be visited all year long and outside of the hottest months when the water activities run slowly, but there are still plenty of things to do on the budget. So whether you are visiting off-season or have spent all your savings on drinks and sailboat tours, here is a list of 8 cheap or free things to do in Split!

CITY GUIDE | WHAT to do in Split on a budget?

Roam the streets of the Diocletian’s Palace

The old town of Split that attracts the most tourists takes place in a Roman Palace built in the 4th century by the emperor Diocletian. The 3-hectare fortress that once had its feet in the sea, was strongly damaged during the Avar siege during which most of the inside architecture disappeared. Thankfully, some parts were saved such as the Peristyle where we can still see the half Greek and half Byzantine architectural style of the buildings dating from Diocletian.

The Palace – declared a Unesco World Heritage site in 1979 – is the heart of Split’s everyday life and the home of most shops, restaurants and bars. During the day, roam around and get lost in its narrow cobblestone streets. It is the best way to explore and discover the main landmarks of Split such as the bell tower, temple of Jupiter, Narodni square or the 4 ancient gates named after the 4 main metals: gold, silver, iron and bronze.

The entrance to the palace is free of charge and there are no closing hours. However, I can only recommend waking up as early as possible to enjoy the town at least once without the crowd. From 8 am, and mainly during the weekend, the town quickly fills up with organised walking tours from the Mediterranean cruise boats stopping overnight and the many end-of-week city breakers.

What to see within the Diocletian’s palace

• Golden Gate – the main entrance of the palace located on the north side.
• Peristyle – an open-air square surrounded by authentic columns, sphynx and palaces – it is the main Splitian landmark. At night, get yourself a cocktail from the Luxor bar and enjoy live music seated on the steps bordering the square. A very scenic and unforgettable experience.
• Bell Tower – opened to the visitor from 7:30 am it offers one of the best 360° views of the city and its surroundings. The main stairway is a 6 stories scaffolder that leaves you breathless once at the top. Entrance costs 20 Kunas (€2.80)
• Cathedral (Saint Dominic’s Church) – accessible from the same place as the bell tower and hosts mass every day – Opening hours: 6:30 am – 12 pm / 5:30 pm – 7 pm
• Vestibule – up the steps on the southern side of the peristyle, the vestibule used to be the entrance to the Emperor’s apartment. This dome hosts local choirs singing traditional music and selling their CDs.
• Antique Decumanus Street – One of the main ancient streets of the palace.
• Silver Gate – Located on the east side at the end of Dacumanus Street. If you cross and head straight you’ll find the local Greenmarket where you can buy local products such as garlic, cheese, vegetables, honey, etc.
• On the south side, from the Riva (seafront promenade) enter the Diocletian’s cellar through the Bronze gate. You are below the palace where today you will find local craft and souvenir vendors.
• Temple of Jupiter -once a pagan temple dedicated to the celebrations of Jupiter’s cult is nowadays a Baptistery – entrance: 10 kuna
• Let me pass Street – the narrowest street in Split (and apparently the world) that only fits one person
• Fruit Square (Voćni Trg) – a charming square with restaurants, a bronze statue of the Croatian literature father: Milesi Palace and the baroque Milesi Palace.
• People’s Square (Narodni Trg) – the main square to enjoy a drink at night. Here the pint is as cheap as 21 kunas (€2.8)! Cocktails can be pricey in Split (country €8/9). You will also find here the old City hall that is now an exhibition hall.

| ON THE MAP – walking tour and important landmarks: red line and markers

To learn more about the history of the town, join a walking tour. Usually, I would recommend a free walking city tour which from my experience has always been incredibly filled with great info and run by fun and knowledgeable guides. Well, not this time I am afraid.

This walking tour that I booked online, was utterly boring, with not much information and run by a mumbling guide talking about her most of the time and repeating the same things over and over. Your best bet is yet to join a paid walking tour for valuable information and a richer experience than mine!

Here are a few tours for less than €20, that a few of my fellow travel bloggers have highly recommended: 1.5 walking tour with Marjan hill – 2-hour walking tour with a professional guide – you can also join a Segway city tour for something different!

Hike the Marjan Hill

On the west side of the town, the Marjan Forest Park covers 80% of the peninsula with its beautiful pine and olive trees. It is one of the main parks where locals go for a walk or run during the weekend and the easiest place around Split to get a nice view of the coast and the city.

the park is so large that if you plan on going all over it, renting a bike – or joining a 3-hour bike tour – might be the best option. Although, if you prefer walking, its many shadowed trails will fit anyone with time, plenty of water and a picnic in the backpack! Most tourists limit themselves to either a quick walk to the Belvedere or the more challenging walk up to the summit at 178 meters above sea level.

From the first stop, the view of the city is really beautiful and it can be enjoyed with a drink on hand at the bar-restaurant Vidilica. Probably my favourite view during the day but also at night! From the restaurant, take the trail on the left and walk all the way up – about 500 steps – to reach the summit.

From here, Split isn’t as impressive but the view over the surrounding mountains, islands and the Adriatic coast is breathtaking. Spend time watching boats and ferries sailing to the beautiful Hvar island and the blue lagoon – Two great day trips from Split if you have the budget for it.

| Note: Marjan Hill is known for its several churches and hermitages built in the rock. These “caves” can be found in the far southwest of the hill and may require more than a few hours to see them all. The most iconic churches are the Church of Bethlehem, the Church of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows as well as the Church of St. Nicholas.

Regarding the caves, look for ” Karepića kula“. At the bottom of the hill, along the road Šetalište Ivana Meštrovića you can catch the bus 12 to go to the beach Kašjuni ( or beach Za Pse if you have a dog) or get back into town,

| ON THE MAP – hiking trail and important landmarks: green lines and markers

Take a day trip to the cute village of Omis

Omis is a charming Dalmatian village located 25 km south of Split and easily accessible by bus on a day trip from Split. The main reason to head to Omis is to hike to the Starigrad Fortress (see below) or for the most active, to go rafting, canyoning, ziplining or doing some Via Ferrata! Omis is also a lovely place to find a beautiful beach and spend the day chilling away from the crowds.

The old town of Omis is really small and mostly reduced to one main pedestrian street lined by restaurants and souvenir shops. It can be visited in less than an hour but make sure to not miss the St Michael’s church built during the 17th century as well as the Peovica Fort – also called Mirabel Fortress – a shelter to hide from the Turk invaders.

The view from the fort over the village and the mouth of the Cetina River surrounded by erratic hills is breathtaking. It takes about 10 min to walk all the way up. The entrance is 20 kunas and if you want to reach the top of the fort, you will need to climb through a ladder built through a very small hole.

Going up with a backpack or a handbag can be a bit tricky but doable – most people leave their bags at the bottom of the ladder.

| How to get to Omis: take bus 60 from the city centre of Split (near the green market) – 18 kunas one way.

| ON THE MAP – walking tour and important landmarks: brown line and markers

Hike to the fortress of Starigrad

From the main pedestrian street of Omis starts a 2 km steep trail to the Fortress of Starigrad. High above in the hills, the fortress is hidden and only an avid eye will find it. The trail is well indicated by red arrows or white and red circles. It takes about 1 hour to get all the way up because of the gravel and slippery stones making the hike a little bit challenging.

Make sure to bring lots of water, mainly if you hike during summer or in the middle of the day – there is almost no shadow along the way.

The fortress of Starigrad was built in the 13th century by the Omis people in this strategic place to serve as a lookout for pirates and potential invasions. It is now in ruins and there isn’t much left to visit. Although, the main reason to get up there is for the scenic hike and the beautiful 360° view from there.

The entrance is 20 kunas and it can get crowded during summertime. Prefer the shoulder season to visit – in October I was the only one to enjoy the view around 3 pm. In fairness, locals and fellow travellers probably hike before or after to avoid the 28°c I had to bear!

| Note: there is another hike to the fortress through the north side, although this path is highly difficult and even dangerous. I would not recommend taking it.

| ON THE MAP – hiking trail: orange line

Feeling the adrenaline rush!

Omis isn’t as famous as nearby places such as the Klis fortress or the Kra National Park. However, the river Cetina that meets the Adriatic Sea in Omis offers many extreme sports experiences within its canyon upstream. Omis is the main place to start a tour and most tour agencies can be found along the river. You can also book your experience online… So what would you prefer? Canyoning, Rafting, Rock Climbing, Ziplining or Via Ferrata?

Head to the beach

What would be a trip to Croatia without a bit of sunbathing at the beach? Certainly one of the best things to do in Croatia! The weather is quite good in Split from April to October and the Adriatic Sea is usually warm enough for a swim during this time. There are a few free beaches around Split that you can walk to or reach by local transportation.

The closest beach from Split is Bacvice – to get there, walk down the harbour, pass the bus station on your left and follow the road across the small hill then down to the sea. It is a 10 min walk from the city centre which makes it the busiest beach in the area in the summer, with cocktail bars and DJs music. Although it is a good sandy beach, safe for families as the water barely gets deeper than 1 m for a while.

During the shoulder season, a few of my hostel’s women friends told me they got a bit harassed by local men sitting nearby and flirting with them. I am not sure if it is always like this but as a matter of fact, Bacvice Beach is always busy so in case of a problem you can always find quick help. However, if you go later during the day – to watch the sunset for example – it might be best to go as a group and not alone.

Ovcice and Firule beaches are located a bit after Bacvice. These two croissant-shaped beaches are as busy but you can rent long chairs and an umbrella. The water is super clear and a little bit deeper. Locals like to come here to swim.

Towards Marjan Hill, the locals hang out at the Kašjuni beach and for those with pets, there is a dog beach located right behind Joe’s beach and lounge bar where it is always nice to chill with a cocktail at sunset 🙂

If you want to get away from the crowd, take a bus towards Omis. you will find a few empty beaches along the way. In this small village, there is also a nice place to chill on fine sand and enjoy in the background a view of the erratic Omis’ Dinara mountains.

| ON THE MAP – best beaches nearby Split: dark blue markers

Visit the ROMAN ruins of Salona

Located 6 km north of Split on the way to the airport and Trogir, the ruins of Salona are a great stop to learn more about Roman History in Croatia, before heading back home! Initially built by the Illyrian tribe, the site was taken over by the Romans under the rule of Augustus around 78 BC. In this Dalmatian province, Salona was considered the Roman headquarters which is why Diocletian then decided to settle in Split and build his palace nearby when he became the Roman Emperor at the end of the 3rd century.

Salona is the most important Roman site in Croatia but it will require a lot of creativity to imagine how grandiose it once was. Ruins are sparsed and covered by vegetation, however, some parts are still quite impressive such as the Amphitheatre on the west of the site that used to host 18000 people, as well as the underground aqueduct or the public bath near Bishop Honorius’ basilica.

| How to get to Solin: You can take bus 1 from Ul. Domovinskog Street (every 30 minutes – 18 kunas) but be aware that on Sundays, the bus may not show up… after 1.5 h waiting on the side of the road I ordered an Uber which drove me all the way to the amphitheatre for less than 80 kunas. Bus 1 will drop you off in Solin at the parking lot of the main entrance. Bus 37 goes to the airport and Trogir can also drop you off on the main avenue (Ivana Pavla II) from where you can walk to the site without any problem by following a large gravelled trail following the road (about 5 min walk).

| Note: the entrance to the archaeologic park of Salona (museum included) is 30 kunas – which I didn’t know and actually didn’t pay 😮 … I entered via the Roman Amphitheatre on the west side, then followed the trail to the centre of the site before heading to the southern theatre and getting back to the road to catch a bus to Trogir. I didn’t see anyone and didn’t visit the museum. I guess the opening hours and fees are mainly for the museum and not the park itself, which is easily accessible any time of the day and week.

| ON THE MAP – walking tour and important landmarks: turquoise line and markers

Stroll around Trogir

The old town of Trogir is one of the most beautiful towns in Croatia and a stress-free day trip from Split. Easily accessible from Split or the airport with bus 37, Trogir is often the last stop before heading to the airport for most travellers but also a place to base yourself outside of Split. The historical centre is located on a small island and is entirely pedestrian.

Its medieval cobblestones are lined by Renaissance palaces, churches host many restaurants and bars (quite pricey…) as well as souvenirs and craft shops. Trogir is touristy and busy but as a day or half-day trip, you’ll have plenty of time to discover this Unesco World Heritage, once the cultural centre of Dalmatia.

There are a couple of things to not miss in Trogir such as the Cathedral of St Lovro, its bell tower, the church of St John the Baptist, the Kamerlengo fortress, and the Riva (promenade facing the island of Ciovo). If you have been around in a couple of hours, make sure to take a break, order a cocktail and enjoy the sun from one of the many terraces along the Riva. Prices are quite high, but the view and atmosphere are enjoyable!

| ON THE MAP – important landmarks and info: yellow markers

Watch the sunset

A nice activity in Split is looking for a nice spot to watch the sunset over the town or the Adriatic Sea and the surrounding islands. Many locals go to Matejuška (the small harbour on the west side of the Riva) but the views over the sea are much better from the park Pomoraca, the sea wall near the Kavala Beach Bar or even from the Marjan peninsula.

To watch the colours of the split change as the sunset drops and the city lights turn on, head back to the belvedere of Marjan Hill, near the bar Vidilica. This is the best spot to enjoy the views between two huge pine trees. Bring a picnic and a couple of drinks for the best experience!

COST OF THESE ACTIVITIES

On the map

Where to Next?

Split is a great spot to visit on a long weekend but also as part of a road trip around Croatia. If driving around is not for you, the good and reliable public transport system will allow you to hop from one city to another. Dubrovnik, which is about 220km south of Split is a beautiful town to not miss. You can get there from Split by ferry, bus or train.

If you prefer heading north towards Plitvice Lakes National Park make sure to also stop in Zagreb!

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About the Author

Jen is the Funder, Author & Photographer behind Talesfromthelens.com

Jen has lived for the past 15 years across Oceania and Ireland while also travelling in Latin America, North America, and Europe. She has visited more than 65 countries and set foot on every continent in the world! She is a coffee nerd, passionate about photography, wildlife, and outdoor activities.

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