Region in Croatia
Dalmatia – Split
- Best time to go
- May, June, Sept, Oct
- Part of
- Croatia
The Split region is the heart of Dalmatia: a Roman palace city, a coast of pebble beaches under the Biokovo mountain, and the islands of Brač, Hvar, Šolta and Vis just offshore.
Medieval Trogir sits on its own tiny island west of Split, and the Cetina river cuts a canyon down to the sea at Omiš. Inland, the Dalmatian Zagora is a different world of stone villages, horse festivals and karst lakes around Sinj and Imotski. With the busiest airport and ferry port on the coast, this is where most island-hopping trips begin.
Things to do
Don't miss in Dalmatia – Split
- Get lost in the lanes of Diocletian's Palace in Split, then catch a ferry to the islands from the harbour next door.
- Wander the old town of Trogir, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and see the carved portal of its cathedral.
- Swim at Zlatni rat near Bol on Brač, the pebble spit that changes shape with the wind and currents.
- Walk the Biokovo Skywalk, a glass platform high above the Makarska Riviera, or hike to Sveti Jure, the mountain's highest peak.
- Go rafting, canyoning or ziplining in the Cetina canyon above Omiš.
- Look down into the Red Lake near Imotski, a sinkhole lake with cliffs hundreds of metres high.
- Take a boat from Vis or Komiža to the Blue Cave on the island of Biševo, where the sunlight turns the water a glowing blue around midday.
Getting there
How to get to Dalmatia – Split
Split Airport (SPU) is near Trogir and Kaštela, about 25 km west of Split, and handles the most flights on the Dalmatian coast in summer. The A1 motorway reaches Split from Zagreb in about four hours and continues south past the Makarska Riviera towards Ploče. From Split's harbour, car ferries and catamarans run to Brač, Hvar, Šolta and Vis; a ferry also crosses from Makarska to Sumartin on Brač, and from Drvenik to Sućuraj on the eastern tip of Hvar. Buses link Split with Trogir, Omiš, Makarska, Sinj and Imotski.