Split, Croatia: Roman Ruins, Beaches and Island Hops

Most cities preserve their ruins behind ropes. Split lives inside them. Diocletian's Palace, built around 305 AD as the retirement home of a Roman emperor, is now a maze of apartments, bars and shops where ancient walls double as someone's living-room wall.

Explore Diocletian's Palace

Enter through the Bronze Gate from the seafront and you step straight into the palace cellars, then up into the Peristyle, the columned central square. Climb the cathedral bell tower for a view over the terracotta rooftops. Unlike a museum, much of the palace is free to wander at any hour.

Hit the Riva and Marjan hill

The Riva is Split's palm-lined waterfront promenade — the place for an evening coffee and people-watching. For a workout and a view, hike up Marjan, the forested hill on the city's western edge, where pine-scented trails lead to viewpoints and quiet pebble coves.

Use Split as an island springboard

Split's ferry port is one of the busiest on the Adriatic. From here you can reach Hvar, Brač (home of the famous Zlatni Rat beach), Vis and Korčula. Day trips are doable, but staying a night on an island gives you the magical early-morning and evening hours after the day boats leave.

Practical tips

Summer is hot and busy; late May, June and September offer warm sea and thinner crowds. Book ferries in advance in peak season, and stay slightly outside the palace walls if you want a quieter night's sleep.