2 DAYS IN SPLIT CROATIA: A PERFECT ITINERARY FOR FIRST TIMER VISITORS!

PLANNING A 2 DAY ITINERARY TO SPLIT CROATIA?

You’ve come to the right place! We’ve just come back from spending a wonderful couple of days in Split.

And don’t worry, even with just 2 days, you can still see a huge amount and experience some of the very best that this city has to offer.

Split really surprised us with how much it packs in. A sun-soaked coastal city built around an ancient Roman palace, where you can wander maze-like stone alleyways one minute, swim in turquoise water the next and be sipping a glass of bubbly while listening to live music by evening!

This 2 days in Split itinerary is designed to help you make the absolute most of your shorter time, without it feeling rushed.

Here’s the exact plan we followed, tweaked from our recent on-the-ground experience. It’s packed with all the must-see spots, plus a few hidden gems we found along the way.

Sound good? Let’s do it! 🤩

Planning your trip to Split?
Start here:

Skyscanner ↗ to find the best flight deals into Split Airport (SPU).
Booking.com ↗ to browse the best places to stay in Split.
🎟️ Viator.com ↗ to book unforgettable tours, like island hopping.
🛡️ Staysure ↗ for easy, reliable travel insurance (UK travellers only).

2 DAYS IN SPLIT CROATIA ITINERARY

DAY 1: EXPLORE OLD TOWN, MARJAN HILL LOOKOUT & DIOCLETIANS PALACE

Stunning full view of Split's Riva Promenade at sunset, with pastel coloured sky and soft reflections off the water. It looks like it could be a still painting. — Split’s Riva Promenade at sunset, taken **from here** across the harbour. *Photograph by Jordie.*

ARRIVE INTO SPLIT AIRPORT
Fly into Split Airport (SPU) early this morning. We recommend checking Skyscanner ↗ for the best flight deals.

Once you land, book an Uber or hop into a waiting taxi outside. It’s around a 30 minute drive into Split city centre.

💡 Pick-ups are from just outside here, under the large bridge. Turn right as you exit the airport and follow the road.

2-days-in-split-croatia-itinerary — © Photography copyrights reserved by Diocletian’s Gem ZF

WHERE WE STAYED IN SPLIT 💤
(and recommend!)
Diocletian’s Gem Apartment ↗ – Modern, comfortable apartment inside Diocletian’s Palace walls, ideal location with epic square views. Large SPAR supermarket nearby.

🎥 We filmed a full room tour, watch it here!

Fun fact, our son took his first steps here 🥹

EXPLORE SPLIT’S OLD TOWN
Start by getting your bearings around Split’s UNESCO-listed Old Town, set within the walls of Diocletian’s Palace.

Wander through its maze of stone alleyways, take in the Roman architecture and grab a bench along the palm-tree lined Riva Promenade for sea views and a bit of people watching.

Split has no shortage of ice cream spots, but for the very best, head to Gelateria Emiliana in Old Town. Their mango and passion fruit flavour was unreal. I genuinely could’ve eaten two back-to-back! 🤣

Walking through the Riva Promenade seating area, with white benches and towering palm trees lined either side. — Riva Promenade’s seating area. To the left, dozens of restaurants. To the right, the bustling harbour and waterfront. *Photo by Jordie.*

A zoomed in photo showing the stark contrast of architecture along Split Croatia's Riva Promenade, with a modern restaurant set against the ancient Roman architecture of Diocletian's Palace walls. — I LOVED the architecture contrasts around Diocletian’s walls and the RIVA Promenade. *Photo by Jordie.*

QUIRKY CORNERS OF SPLIT’S OLD TOWN
A couple of fun things to look out for round Split’s Old Town include: Walking down the ridiculously narrow “Let Me Pass” alley, or rubbing the shiny big toe of the Gregory of Nin statue for a bit of (apparently) good luck!

3-days-in-split-croatia-itinerary — Keep a close look-out for quirky details like this, a floating door to nowhere in Split’s Old Town walls.

Young blonde woman smiling posing in the "Let Me Pass" tight alleyway in Split Croatia's Old Town, just wide enough for one person to get through. — The “Let Me Pass” alleyway in Split Croatia’s Old Town, just wide enough for one person to get through! *Photo by Liam.*

MARJAN HILL LOOKOUT
Marjan Hill lookout is Split’s most popular and easiest viewpoint to reach. The staircase up is walkable just a short distance from Riva Promenade, located here. Take a short ascent and you’ll be at the main terrace within minutes.

The beginning of the steps up to Marjan Hill Lookout terrace in Split Croatia. — The starting steps up to Marjan Hill Lookout, **located here**. The green “Marjan” sign is a small and hard to miss 😂 *Photo by Jordie.*

The wide concrete steps up to Marjan Hill Lookout terrace in Split Croatia. — Continue up stairs like this for about 5 minutes before reaching Marjan Hill Lookout! *Photo by Jordie.*

Marjan Hill Lookout in Split Croatia at sunset. The sky is a mix of warm yellow and blue hues. — Marjan Hill Lookout terrace. It’s pretty small, so can get a little crowded when busy! *Photo by Jordie.*

💡 For a quieter spot, head just behind the main lookout and follow the slightly inclining, bench-lined path. This bench especially has the best city vantage point while sitting down!

The stunning views of Split Croatia's Old Town from the popular Marjan Hill Lookout. The view is framed by trees either side. — Walk a few minutes up this hill behind the viewpoint terrace, and you’ll get a quieter seated spot on one of these benches. And higher views! *Photo by Jordie.*

LATE LUNCH AT BASTA
Back at the bottom of the Marjan Hill stairs, walk 3 easy minutes to Gourmet Bar Basta along the waterfront, down by Split’s southern yacht-lined harbour. It’s really modern here!

Basta is known for their wood-fired pizzas with thin, crispy bases and massive portions. We can vouch it was so delicious, we came back twice!

For the “crème de la crème” experience, try to grab a popular waterside table to have views back onto Old Town, like this 👇🏼

Sitting at Gourmet Bar Basta on an outside table looking back at Old Town in Split Croatia. — At BASTA, try to grab a table near the water for views of Old Town. *Photo by Jordie.*

DIOCLETIAN’S PALACE FOR LIVE EVENING MUSIC
In the early evening, make your way to Diocletian’s Palace main square. There’s usually an acoustic band playing outside LVXOR café and restaurant, and the atmosphere here was just incredible and wholesome.

Grab one of the cushions laid out on the steps, sit back and soak it all in. If you feel like it, you can also order a drink from one of LVXOR’s serving waiters darting around the square.

Acoustic guitarists outside LXVOR café and restaurant inside Diocletian's Palace main square in Split Croatia. The vibe is cosy and atmospheric in the early evening, spectators sat on cushions dotted around the Palace steps. — An acoustic guitarist duo outside LVXOR café in Diocletian’s Palace. *Photo by Jordie.*

A nighttime close up of a restaurant set within Diocletian's Palace walls in Split, Croatia. — An acoustic guitarist duo outside LVXOR café in Diocletian’s Palace. *Photo by Jordie.*

🗺️ Before heading home, try to squeeze in 1 day in Trogir ↗
🗺️ Got an extra day in Split? 3 day Split itinerary ↗
🗺️ Turn it into a road trip: 7 day Croatia itinerary ↗

🗺️ Discover more of Croatia: 3 day Dubrovnik itinerary ↗

🇭🇷 See all our Croatia travel guides ↗

DAY 2: EARLY WALK AROUND & ISLAND HOPPING BOAT TRIP (FULL DAY)

EARLY WALK TO DIOCLETIAN’S PALACE / ROUND OLD TOWN (OPTIONAL)
If you were wondering last night, “Is there ever a time when Diocletian’s Palace’s main square isn’t absolutely flooded with people?”

The answer is yes. It’s around 6am.

For those wanting to, head out bright and early for a people-free photo, or to enjoy it in the peace and quiet. My son was up at the crack of dawn anyway, so I made the most of it! 👇🏼

A young blonde woman holding her young son looking up in awe at the sun-drenched Diocletian's Palace courtyard tower in the early morning in Split, Croatia. There are no other people in sight. — I’m not a morning person by any means, but capturing this photo made the early start worth it! Photo taken by my trusty **retractable tripod with long-range Bluetooth remote**.

Quiet streets of Split Croatia's Old Town near Diocletian's Palace on a blue skied early morning

Wandering Split Croatia's stone alleyways within it's Old Town walls. It's early (6am) so there's no one around. — Early morning is the perfect time to wander the quiet streets, and have Old Town all to yourself. *Photo by Jordie.*

(FULL DAY) ISLAND HOPPING BOAT TRIP
Being your final day, end it with a metaphorical “cherry on top” by heading out the city and exploring some of its beautiful nearby islands. Luckily, Split is the perfect base to access them.

There are hundreds of day tours to choose from here. I remember feeling so overwhelmed, scrolling endlessly.

To save you from going down that rabbit hole, we’ve narrowed it down to the “Top 3” we originally found, based on the itinerary and consistently high reviews:

Makarska 3-Island Speedboat Tour: Golden Horn and “Little Venice” ↗ Explore three stunning islands by premium speedboat, with Blue Lagoon swims, hidden less-touristy spots, a stop in Hvar’s “Little Venice” and direct drop-off at Zlatni Rat beach (Golden Horn) – which is a must see 🤩

Luxury Blue Cave (Biševo), Hvar & Vis Boat Tour from Split ↗ This is the classic island hopping experience with caves, hidden bays and some of the most beautiful water you’ll see.

Exclusive Blue Lagoon Luxury Boat Tour from Split ↗Snorkel in the Blue Lagoon, wander the cobbled streets of nearby Trogir and unwind in the quieter bays of Šolta Island.

FINAL THOUGHTS: 2 DAYS IN SPLIT ITINERARY

And there you have it! An epic 2 days in Split itinerary, packed with only the good stuff and a perfect plan for first-time visitors.

You’ve got a bit of everything here: Ancient Roman history, quirky corners, a buzzing Old Town, scenic viewpoints and an unforgettable island hopping day.

Two days might be short, but you can still see so much of Split without feeling like you’re rushing around non-stop.

Feel free to tweak the order of the days to suit your trip, whether that’s working around weather, tours or just how you’re feeling.

We hope you found this itinerary helpful. You are going to have the BEST time in Split, we’re genuinely excited for you! Please do get in touch at hello@theflainstravel.com if you follow this guide, we’d love to hear from you!! 😊

A photo of Jordie, the author of this specific blog post and owner of the wesbite.

This blog post was written by Jordie Flain!

Founder of TheFlainsTravel.com

A travel-obsessed Sagittarius creating honest, easy-to-follow guides. Powered by tea, chocolate and a slightly concerning amount of tomato ketchup.

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