Palace in Split
Also known as Diocletians Palace
Diocletian’s Palace is not a museum behind a gate. It is the living heart of Split’s old town, a Roman emperor’s retirement palace that the city grew into over 1,700 years. Free to walk through. The Peristyle courtyard, the cathedral (originally Diocletian’s mausoleum), the basement halls (paid, modest), and the narrow streets between Roman walls are all part of daily life. Budget travelers simply walk in through one of the four gates and explore.
Practical
On foot
Free and low-cost routes that stop at Diocletian's Palace.
The Split Marjan Peninsula Walk is a self-guided half-day route from the Roman palace to the forested peninsula and back along the coast. Free. It covers the full range of Split in one walk: Roman history, Mediterranean nature, and Adriatic swimming.
Nearby
Other places worth the walk, and what each one costs.
Bacvice is Split's most popular city beach, a sandy cove east of the ferry port. Free.
The Galeria Mestrovic is a museum dedicated to the Croatian sculptor Ivan Mestrovic, housed in his former villa on the western waterfront. Entry is a modest fee.
The Green Market (Pazar) sits just outside the eastern wall of Diocletian's Palace and is Split's main fresh produce market. Free to browse.
A towering bronze statue by Ivan Mestrovic depicting the medieval Croatian bishop who fought for the right to use the Croatian language in church services. Free to visit, rubbing the statue's big toe is said to bring good luck.
Klis Fortress is a medieval hilltop fortress 14 kilometers north of Split, perched on a cliff pass between two mountains. Entry is paid at a modest price.
Marjan is the forested peninsula west of Split's old town, a protected park with hiking trails, viewpoints, a small zoo, and swimming spots along the southern shore. Free.
Working out what Split costs?
The whole of Split