Split travel guide
Where to Stay in Split: Neighbourhood & Accommodation Guide
Where you sleep in Split decides how loud your nights are, how far you walk to the beach and whether you can park. This guide compares the five areas most visitors choose, the Old Town, Varoš, Bačvice and Firule, Meje and Žnjan, so you can pick the right one for a first visit, a family trip or a stay with a car.
While figuring out your accommodation is a critical piece of the puzzle, you will need to plan the rest of your itinerary, dining slots and sightseeing routes. Before you set out, make sure to read our definitive Split travel guide to map out your entire stay.
Split neighbourhoods compared
| Area | What it's like | Noise | Beach | Walk to the palace | Parking | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old town (Diocletian's Palace) | Roman lanes, cafés and bars, with the sights on your doorstep | Loud late into summer nights | Bačvice, about 10 minutes on foot | You're in it | None: the old town is pedestrian, so use a garage outside | A first visit without a car, for one or two nights |
| Varoš | Old stone lanes and small konobas on the slope west of the Riva | Mostly quiet at night | Bačvice about 15 minutes; the Marjan coves further on foot | 5 minutes | Very little: steep, narrow lanes | Couples and walkers who want character close to the centre |
| Bačvice and Firule | The beach quarter east of the port, with bars and clubs at Bačvice | Lively at night near Bačvice; Firule is calmer | On the doorstep: sand at Bačvice, small beaches at Firule | 10 to 15 minutes | Paid street parking, hard to find in summer | Beach days, groups of friends, early ferries |
| Meje | Leafy villa streets below Marjan, with sea views | Quiet | Rocky swimming spots below the coast road; Kašjuni further west | 15 to 25 minutes, some of it uphill | Easier than the centre; ask whether your stay has a space | Slower stays and art lovers, near the Meštrović Gallery |
| Žnjan | A newer residential area with a long seafront promenade | Quiet streets, beach bars in summer | A long, wide beach with room to spread out | Too far for most: about 4 km, so take a bus or taxi | The easiest in Split; many apartments have spaces | Families and anyone with a car |
The five areas in detail
Old Town (Diocletian's Palace)
Roman lanes, cafés and bars, with the sights on your doorstep. It suits a first visit without a car for one or two nights. The catch is noise: it is loud late into summer nights. There is no parking, as the old town is pedestrian, so use a garage outside.
Varoš
The old fishermen's and farmers' quarter on the slope west of the Riva: steep stone lanes, small konobas and the steps up to Marjan. It is mostly quiet at night and 5 minutes from the palace, which makes it the pick for couples and walkers. Parking is very limited in the narrow lanes.
Bačvice and Firule
The beach quarter east of the port, a 10 to 15 minute walk from the palace. Bačvice is lively at night with bars and clubs; Firule is calmer. Good for beach days, groups of friends and early ferries. Street parking is paid and hard to find in summer.
Meje
Leafy villa streets below Marjan with sea views, close to the Meštrović Gallery. Quiet, with rocky swimming spots below the coast road and Kašjuni further west. The walk to the palace is 15 to 25 minutes, some of it uphill. Parking is easier than in the centre.
Žnjan
A newer residential area with a long seafront promenade and a wide beach. The streets are quiet, with beach bars in summer, and parking is the easiest in Split; many apartments have spaces. It is about 4 km from the palace, so take a bus or taxi into town.
Noise, parking and prams: what to check before you book
- Noise: inside the palace walls, nights are loud in summer. With light sleepers or small children, pick Varoš, Meje or Žnjan.
- Parking: the old town is closed to cars and street parking around it is in paid zones. Ask your host about parking before you come; see parking in Split.
- Prams and buggies: inside the palace the stone is polished and uneven, with steps and summer crowds, so a sling or a light buggy is easier than a big pram. Varoš and the climb to Vidilica are steps all the way. The Riva and the seafront paths to Bačvice are flat and easy.
- Arriving before check-in: the main bus station by the port has left luggage, and private luggage storage shops sit around the old town.
- Budget: our Split travel costs and daily budget guide covers food, tickets and transport but leaves out accommodation, so add your room on top.
The best area for your trip
- First visit without a car: the Old Town or Varoš, so you can walk to the sights, the bus station and the ferries.
- Couples: Varoš, for character close to the centre.
- Families: Žnjan or Meje, calmer than the old town.
- With a car: Žnjan.
- Early ferries and beach days: Bačvice and Firule.
- Slow stays and art lovers: Meje.
What to plan next for your trip
Once you have sorted out your accommodation, it's time to explore the rest of Dalmatia - Split. If you are staying on the mainland, check out our guide to Biokovo Nature Park. If you would rather sleep on an island, read our local breakdown of the island of Hvar.