Last time on the blog we posted about our Royal Caribbean European cruise that included stops in Croatia and Greece, and one of the reasons we picked this particular cruise itinerary was because we were supposed to go to Croatia with some friends on a Go Ahead tour, but unfortunately it was canceled.
So, we still wanted to visit Croatia and happened to find this cruise itinerary that also fit in the time we’d already requested time off work. Score!
I had Croatia on the brain and was so excited to explore Split, even if we only had one day in the city. While we didn’t exactly have a full 24 hours in Split, we still made the most of it.
Here’s how we spent one day in Split – as well as some things I wish we could have squeezed into our travel plans!
Prefer to watch the vlog instead of reading the blog? Check out our Split travel vlog!
A one-day travel itinerary in Split, Croatia
Open air sightseeing tour of Split
We had booked an open air sightseeing bus tour of Split before we left for our cruise. We thought it would be a great way to see more of the city and learn about its history as we went. It was pretty cool seeing the more modern parts of Split before being dropped off for our walking tour of the historic center.
Diocletian’s Palace
One of the coolest things about Split is the fact that visiting the historic site of Diocletian’s Palace is completely free. It’s an important part of daily life for the citizens of Split and you can just wander around the site without paying for it. Some sites do require a ticket though, but the main part of the palace is open to all.
Luckily we were there somewhat early in the morning so we got to hear the singers and watch the re-enactment of Diocletian coming out to talk to the people of Split.
Our tour continued on to visit different squares and share the history of the city before ending at the Riva.
Lunch
After our tour, I was ready to eat! If there’s squid ink risotto or pasta on the menu it is being ordered by me and I was so excited to try Croatian black risotto.
Rick and I asked our tour guide where to go for lunch and he pointed us to Restoran – Konoba Favola where we sipped the house white wine, had some Istrian ham, and of course the risotto!
Learn about what to eat and drink in Croatia!
The Riva
We revisited the Riva to keep sampling some Croatian wine and simply relax and enjoy the scenery of the waterfront plaza/walking path. We tried some rose wine and Croatian reds and took a break from the summer heat under cover!
Shopping
We revisited some spots on our tour to snap a few more pictures and pick up some souvenirs. We came across a Christmas shop so I popped in to get some ornaments as our souvenir from split and I was delighted to find one with a Dalmatian on it as I freaking love Dalmatians and we were on the Dalmatian coast!
Gelato
Being so close to Italy, it’s super easy to find gelato in Split and luckily Rick found a highly-rated gelateria, Gelateria aMare, right across the plaza from where we were having lunch.
So of course we had to return and get some ice cream.
I got myself a two-scoop dessert, one was pistachio cheesecake which was to die for, and salted butter caramel, which was also quite tasty. I don’t discriminate when it comes to gelato flavors.
Okay, that’s a lie, I’m a sucker for pistachio and have to have it at least once a day when we’re in Italy!
Cathedral of St Domnius
So we saw the outside of the Cathedral and I’m still sad we didn’t have time to explore it or climb up to the top of the Bell Tower for an amazing view over the city. We went to go buy tickets after lunch but the line was horrendously long and we’d rather just walk around the city and drink more wine than stand in line.
But, the Bell Tower is definitely on my travel bucket list when we find ourselves in Split again!
All in, we had a great first experience in Split!
Everyone was super friendly, the Riva area and historic center were very walkable, and cost-wise our activities and dining were what I was expecting to pay. The only piece of advice I’d give is to make sure you have cash on hand. Our restaurant only took cash and we had some, but our last few trips in Europe we’d noticed more places taking credit cards so it came as a surprise.
I cannot wait to get back to the city and continue our exploration, as well as hopefully have some time for some day trips to see waterfalls and visit the stunning national parks. Maybe we’ll be able to get back to Croatia in 2025 as 2024 is already filling up, because I know I want to re-visit Split and definitely hit up Dubrovnik.
What other cities should we add to our future return to Croatia, or what did we miss from our day in Split we need to account for next time we’re there? Sound off in the comments below!
