6 Wonderful Day Trips From Split, Croatia

Split is Croatia’s vibrant coastal city awash with stunning heritage buildings, nature and a host of fabulous eating and drinking places! It’s undeniably a hotspot in Croatia, not only for the superb old town and pretty palm tree-lined Riva, but for the amazing location where UNESCO towns, national parks and unspoilt islands are just a a stones throw away!

While I don’t claim to have visited every cool place in the vicinity of Split, there are many excursions I consider to be great experiences and a welcome addition to any Split itinerary!

In this guide I have curated a list of my top six and easy-to-navigate day trips from Split alongside all the details you need to know!

Here’s what you’ll discover in this guide!

• The 6 best day trips from Split
• How to book & best rates
• Where to stay in Split, Croatia
• Your essential guide to Split, Croatia

6 AMAZING DAY TRIPS FROM SPLIT

A stay to Split isn’t complete without experiencing the nearby attractions of must-see UNESCO town Trogir or the waterfall national park Krka Falls – here’s how to spend your time in one of Croatia’s top locations!

CHARMING HVAR ISLAND

Hvar and it’s glamorous harbour town is one of the most picturesque spots in Croatia. I have frequented this island many times, staying a week or more (that tells you how much I love it) and the great thing is due to the town’s compact nature the highlights are easily doable as a day trip from Split.

Spend a few hours exploring the fancy Mediterranean harbour with mountainous scenery and dreamy Mediterranean terraces along the waterfront filled with plant pots and palm trees. Then navigate your way around the charming old town and ancient cobbled paths before heading up to the fortress for outrageously good views over the burnt orange roof tops and scattered Pakleni islands!

READ: 10 BEST THINGS TO DO IN HVAR TOWN

THE DETAILS

The passenger ferry Jadrolinija runs regularly to Hvar Town from Split’s harbour. If you plan ahead and aim to set off early/arrive back late you can spend most of the day in Hvar. Alternatively you can easily combine Hvar with a picturesque sailing trip, visiting a few other islands, attractions and beach coves nearby.

BOOK: FULL DAY CATAMARAN CRUISE TO BRAC, HVAR & PAKLENI ISLANDS

KRKA NATIONAL PARK AND HISTORIC SIBENIK

If you are craving true nature after all the heritage towns, cobbled stone and walls then Krka National Park is your answer! Popular Krka boasts several waterfalls with clear turquoise swimmable pools, stone mills and an easy-to-follow hiking trail, there’s nature and beautiful sights in abundance!

Just a stones throw from Krka is Sibenik, a small coastal heritage town with an UNESCO listed centre filled with Venetian buildings and lovely restaurants. It’s a little Croatian gem and makes a great combination with Krka’s waterfalls.

THE DETAILS

It’s possible to visit both locations in one day independently – with a bit of effort! It involves an early start with local transport (two buses) and possibly a taxi if you get lost. This is the route I took and I’ll be honest this tour visiting Krka and Sibenik including some wine and cheese tasting is a better option. Also good to know Krka is super busy in summer, I would avoid a visit in July and August at all costs!

BOOK: KRKA NATIONAL PARK, SIBENIK AND WINE TASTING

Want to just see the falls and have some freetime to explore KRKA National Park? Book this easy day trip picking up directly from Diocletians Palace and includes tickets, a boat tour, swimming and entry all for £10! Book this great deal HERE.

Alternatively see KRKA National Park with a scenic boatride, free time and a visit to lovely Primosten with its beaches and UNESCO vineyards. This is a Get Your Guide original tour that you won’t find elsewhere, book your place HERE

PRETTY HERITAGE TOWN TROGIR

Trogir is a charming little heritage town with UNESCO status only an hour’s bus ride away from Split’s harbour. It’s by far one of the easiest and best day trips from Split, if you’re in need of culture and a place to wander on foot! Trogir is separated from the mainland by a small stone bridge and opposite is the adjacent island of Ciovo where you’ll find nice area’s for swimming and lunching, especially at the Laganini beach bar.

The main sights of Trogir are easy to spot, simply wander through the cobbled pathways of the old town and you’ll come across the central square a few pretty churches and terraces filled with flowers, the whole area is atmospheric. In contrast the palm tree-lined Riviera is lively with restaurants, a local market, clinking glasses and boats of all kinds. TIP! Don’t miss taking a snap of the famous Trogir view point from Kamerlengo Castle.

THE DETAILS

You can travel independently to Trogir two ways, the first is via the Bura Line ferry taking approximately 1 hour and the other is by bus 40-50 minutes (from the main bus station at the harbour).

Why not combine two attractions in one? The Blue Lagoon fits really well with a visit to Trogir, I recommend this small group tour. It can be booked for the morning or afternoon, taking in the old town of Trogir, spectacular scenery and also boho beach bar Laganini on Ciovo island for a drink or two.

BOOK: BLUE LAGOON AND TROGIR HALF DAY BOAT TOUR

BRAC ISLAND AND COASTAL SCENERY

Brac is the largest island in Dalmatia and only an hour’s boat ride from Split. While Brac is a lovely laid-back island with lots to offer, it’s best known for the gleaming white pebble beach, Golden Horn beach – photographed all over the world for the striking ‘horn’ shape against the turquoise waters and you can easily stroll to it along the shoreline from the pretty sand stoned town of Bol.

This is a day for swimming, trying your hand at windsurfing or simply lounging on a sunbed for a few hours! But do make time to enjoy a nice lunch in the sandy coloured town square of Bol before heading back to Supestar for a stroll, a perfect way to spend your day on Brac Island!

THE DETAILS

Brac is very accessible, you can hop on the car ferry (on foot or with a car) to Supetar – another attractive heritage port then take the local bus to Bol – gateway to the famous beach. For anything else you really need a car as this island is huge and the landscape is rugged with lots of greenery and vineyards and small fishing villages!

If a relaxing coastal cruise is more your thing then consider a full day catamaran island experience:

BOOK: FULL DAY CATAMARAN CRUISE TO BRAC, HVAR & PAKLENI ISLANDS

TRADITIONAL SOLTA ISLAND

Solta is one of the smaller lesser known dare I say it authentic islands off the coast from Split. You can actually spot this island from Split’s harbour, which makes it a popular morning or afternoon break from the bustling city. Most visitors head straight over to the village of Masclinia where there’s a handful of local restaurants to stop for a coffee before heading off in search of good swimming locations further down the coast!

This island is suited to those who want to enjoy the peaceful nature of the island without doing too much other than swimming and sunbathing! I would spend the morning or some time later on in the day as boats tend to arrive across lunch time and there’s not a lot of sunbathing shade!

THE DETAILS

Solta is only a 30 minute boat journey away from Split’s Harbour. You will arrive at Rogac – were buses wait for the catamarans to take passengers to Masclinia. However, if you want to see more of the bays and scenery, you can pick up a small group half day sailing excursion.

BOOK: HALF-DAY SMALL GROUP SAILING SOLTA

THE BLUE LAGOON

The lovely sounding Blue Lagoon is all about the scenery and the gorgeous turquoise aesthetic – who would of guessed? The lagoon belongs to tiny Drvenik Veliki island and while there is little to do on the island itself, there are beautiful long beaches, clear shallow waters and of course lots of places to swim! I would suggest combining the lagoon with a trip to wander the pretty heritage town of Trogir as mentioned above, especially if you want to see more in a shorter space of time!

THE DETAILS

It would be difficult to visit the blue lagoon without involving a boat excursion of some kind! There are a number of options available from Split, if you have a day spare I recommend this 3 island and blue lagoon speed boat half day trip for less than £50!

BOOK: BLUE LAGOON & 3 ISLANDS SPEADBOAT

BONUS DAY TRIP

If you only have one spare day in Split, why not go for a full 10 hour original tour taking in 5 amazing islands and stops along the way! This fun and exciting day trip heads to the Blue Cave, Vis Island (Komiza & Stiniva), Hvar Island and the Blue Lagoon – the complete package for under £100 comes with guides, swimming, refreshments and snorkling! It’s an epic day out and must be booked HERE

BOOK: 5 ISLANDS DAY TRIP WITH BLUE CAVE ENTRY

20 PHOTOS TO INSPIRE YOU TO VISIT CROATIA

WHERE TO STAY IN SPLIT

Split is the second largest city in Croatia with hundreds of accommodation options to choose from and some very lovely suburbs all with plenty to offer! Stay in a boutique hotel in the heart of the old town or a converted apartment along the lively waterfront, there’s no shortage of great spots to spend your time! Find the best rates for boutiques and apartments in Split HERE.

In this post about the best areas and places to stay in Split, I break down everything you need to know from which suburb to base yourself to the best boutique hotels, apartments and guest houses. I also delve in to the best solo female traveller accommodation – to make decisions easier for you!

THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO SPLIT

WHEN TO VISIT SPLIT CROATIA?

Split is fully functioning city and as such continues to thrive well past the summer season – unlike some of the smaller coastal islands that wind down promptly after September. However, to do all the fun stuff such as island hopping, swimming and drinks on the terrace, it’s much better to visit during the summer months! Mid May, June or September are ideal – you will have great weather, but without the mass tourism levels of July and August – just note that tours stop running October through to early May.

HOW LONG TO STAY IN SPLIT CROATIA?

To explore Split at a comfortable pace and enjoy a couple of excursions outside of the city (listed above) I would suggest booking at least four nights, especially if you have arrived late on the first day. After all, the first two days could be spent getting to know Split, the heritage sites and all the wonderful terraces!

HOW TO GET AROUND SPLIT

Split is quite a sprawling city but the main sights can easily be explored by foot, including the old town, Marjan Hill, the Riva and even a couple of beaches. Visiting the above six day trips further afield requires boats, buses and taxi’s. The good news is the transport is also within walking distance from the old town, just head towards the bustling harbour area where you’ll find each one just metres apart – this is why Split is the perfect introduction to Croatia for solo and first-timers!

HOW TO GET TO SPLIT CROATIA?

Split’s airport is a major transfer hub and there’s plenty of flights and transport options to the historic quarter (where most visitors will want to be based). The journey is around 35 minutes and you can either hop on a shuttle bus (35 Kuna – paying the driver) or order an Uber via the app (200 Kuna) – a standing taxi will be much more than this!

(The main transport bus hub is opposite the harbour – a very convenient 10 minute walk, straight down the path to the Riva).

FLIGHTS: Check the best flights and prices for Split with Skyscanner HERE.

READ MORE ABOUT SPLIT, CROATIA

• WHAT TO SEE, DO AND EAT IN SPLIT
• WHERE TO STAY IN SPLIT: BEST AREAS & BOUTIQUES
• TROGIR: A WONDERFUL DAY TRIP FROM SPLIT

Split is a great city to explore for a few days and is so often the starting point of a larger Croatian trip! Why not enhance your experience with one of these tempting day trips, you will see more of this glorious country, meet like minded travellers and have a wonderful time on your visit to Split!

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