6 BEST Day Trips From Split, Croatia You’ll Love!

Last updated on April 1st, 2026 at 08:05 pm

Split’s incredible coastal location means you are really spoilt for choice when it comes to picking day trips from Split, I highly recommend elevating your stay with an afternoon of island-hopping, a waterfall excursion or checking out a nearby UNESCO heritage town!

I’ve visited Split more times in Croatia than anywhere else, it’s a wonderful city to stay for a few days and explore the incredible attractions in the region, including Krka National Park and the azure-like waters of the Blue Lagoon, one of my personal favourite day trips from Split!

But more than that, because Split is so well situated, you don’t even have to travel that far to reach any of these places, you can easily skyrocket your visit with just a well-planned half-day trip. Here are my picks of the best day trips from Split!

Best Day Trips From Split (Quick Picks)!

Here are the most popular and best day trips from Split, you’ll love!

• Blue Lagoon – idyllic island hopping, swimming spots!
• Krka National Park – lakes, waterfalls & unspoiled nature!
• Trogir Heritage Town – UNESCO Town & pretty Riviera!

Scroll on for practical tips, travel times, and the best ways to visit each one!

1. BLUE LAGOON

The Blue Lagoon is all about the scenery, nature and the incredible turquoise waters, it’s the perfect summer’s day trip from Split and my favourite day out on the water for exploring scenic bays and coves with multiple opportunities to swim in the azure-like sea!

You’ll hop around the group of unspoilt islands of the Blue Lagoon on a private speed boat for the best experience away from the crowds and larger boat tours, which allows you more flexibility and to uncover those unique spots only accessible by small boat!

For me, this is the best boat excursion from Split, with it being just half a day, it can easily fit into your itinerary! If you’re craving a serene island-hopping boat trip, this is the one to focus on, it couldn’t be easier or more postcard perfect – and it’s only a short hop from the harbour!

How To Get There

For the best experience, I recommend this highly rated private boat tour or if you’re solo, this same small group tour, which stops by multiple spots of the Blue Lagoon for swimming in hidden coves and exploring without the crowds. The trip is only five hours and doesn’t eat into your whole day; it’s ideal!

Check availability & book the private Blue Lagoon boat trip here!

2. HVAR ISLAND

Hvar Island is a stunner, it has it all and is unbeatable for glamour and attractiveness, it’s long been my favourite spot to stay in Croatia during the summertime, the charming Hvar Town, hill top fortress, coastal walks and restaurant scene are just all incredible!

While I always recommend three or four days in Hvar, if you’re really pushed for time and want to explore the top things to do in Hvar Town, including waterside lunching along the vibrant Venetian harbour, day trips from Split to Hvar can be organised several ways!

If you only have one day in Hvar, you’ll certainly be able to discover the town’s highlights and maybe one or two Pakleni Islands, which is made especially easy as Hvar boats and ferries arrive from Split directly at the beautiful Hvar Town harbour – when I first visited this island, I was blown away by this arrival!

How To Get There

• Ferry from Split port (budget-friendly)
• Organised private tour (private & luxury)

Hvar Island is only an hour from the port of Split, making it a great day trip for independent travel on the ferry, which runs up to 14 times per day in summer or an organised private tour with a luxurious speedboat, where you’ll visit the pretty Pakleni Islands as well as Hvar Town and more gems, this amazing private tour is my top pick!

Check availability and book the best boat trip to Hvar here!

3. BRAC ISLAND

Brač is the largest Dalmatian Island between Split and Hvar and is known the world over for its incredible Golden Horn beach – you are likely to have seen this picturesque image above, as it’s one of the main attractions in Croatia!

The Golden Horn beach (Zlatni Rat) and pretty town of Bol are the two main spots to visit on this island, and they are literally next to one another, which makes it one of the best day trips from Split – you can get there within 50 minutes from Split’s port!

Most boats and ferries handily arrive in Bol Town, which is a lovely place to grab lunch along the water’s edge among the traditional stone buildings, before relaxing on the beach for the rest of the day, but you’ll need water shoes as this beach is pebbly!

If you’re looking to spend time on one island and are more interested in a family-friendly beach day then Brac is the perfect choice. I would also consider this incredible sailing trip for groups of three or more, it’s the more elevated option – and you’ll see more!

How To Get There

• Ferry from Split port (budget-friendly)
• Sailing trip (private & luxury)

Similarly to Hvar, you can book the ferry online from Split to Bol, which runs 5-6 times per day, and it only takes 50 minutes, but if you’re looking for an wonderful experience, I recommend this private luxury sailing trip, which takes groups of up to 6 around Brac island, stopping at beautiful quiet bays, taking in the island breathtaking scenery enroute!

4. 5 ISLAND TOUR (Blue Cave, Mama Mia, Hvar)

If Split is your only destination in this part of Croatia, you might want to consider a full day of Island hopping to see the main Islands of Hvar, Vis, Pakleni Islands and Blue Cave – this adventure-fuelled five island tour hits all the island highlights in one trip!

While I would normally advise staying on these beautiful islands separately and seeing the attractions over four or five nights as a stand alone Island vacation or longer Croatian island-hopping trip, sometimes your itinerary just does not allow, which is where this popularfive-island boat tour fits in perfectly!

I have visited all the islands and spots on this five-Islands tour and know that the places your going to see will blow you away and there will be a lot of fun on this boat tour, it’s one of the most popular Island day trips from Split, by a long way!

How To Get There

For the best experience, I recommend this organised 5 Islands boat tour, which lets you visit multiple islands such as Hvar and Vis, swim in hidden coves and explore the Blue Cave all in one day. You can choose small group or private – which is the ideal option for groups of four or more!

Check availability & book the 5 Islands Boat Trip here!

5. KRKA NATIONAL PARK

Krka National Park is one of the best places to visit from Split for nature lovers, it really is a beautiful part of the region with cascading waterfalls, crystal clear turquoise-coloured pools, lakes and lush forest surrounds, you’ll love this day trip from Split!

While you may only get to walk around a small part of the waterfalls and lakes via the scenic paths, due to the area being absolutely ginormous, you will see the main picturesque highlights and enjoy the area to the fullest, especially around June time when the falls are at their best!

I visited Krka with this private group tour, which included wine tasting in the vineyards in nearby Skradin and I loved everything about this setup from the wines and light lunch to the truly authentic and warm hospitality of this family-run winery. It’s definitely worth including (if you’re a wine person) when visiting the falls!

How To Get There

For the best experience, I recommend booking a private or small group Krka and wine tour from Split,, which includes return transport, entrance to Krka National Park and free time to explore, plus wine tasting with lunch at the vineyard in Skradin – all your logistics are taken care of! Note, day trips from Split to Krka National Park need to be booked 1-2 weeks in advance!

Check availability & book the Krka Falls day tour here!

6. UNESCO TROGIR OLD TOWN

Trogir is a charming heritage town with UNESCO status and a gorgeous palm-tree-lined Riviera, around half an hour from Split’s Riva, making it one of the most fantastic and easiest day trips from Split, I’ve visited many times!

I love the more tranquil, small-town vibe and sights, including the beautiful Venetian town, Cathedral and prom, which rivals Split’s Riva, Trogir Old Town is utterly charming, and it’s compact enough that you only need half a day to explore and stop for lunch, making day trips from Split to Trogir one of the best!

Trogir is a fantastic option if you want something relaxed, easy to get to and half-day friendly, especially if you have 3 days in Split, a visit to this pretty heritage town is a must!

How To Get There

• Taxi or Uber (most convenient)
• Local bus from Split (budget-friendly/solo travellers)
• Catamaran (scenic but longer)

Take a taxi from the Riva – it’s the quickest way to arrive, the journey takes around 35 minutes and drops you right at the drawbridge to the town – a cool entrance indeed!

I have detailed all my Cavtat tips in this full Split to Trogir day trip guide!

TIPS FOR PLANNING DAY TRIPS FROM SPLIT CROATIA!

When To Visit

For the best experience, great weather and fewer crowds, May to June or September to October are the best months to visit Split, July and August are the hottest and busiest summer months.

Best Time To Book

Split is one of the most popular destinations to visit in Croatia, I strongly recommend booking your day trip at least 2 weeks in advance for summer, especially private tours, as they sell out fast, so make sure to reserve early!

Hiring A Car In Split

If you need car hire in Split, I recommend Discover Cars; they are reliable and compare rates for the best price! Car hire is economical in Croatia; however, parking near heritage towns needs some advance planning!

Check Tour Timings

Some of the full-day tours could last around 10-12 hours, especially the island-hopping tours to Vis and the Blue Cave, half-day tours to places nearer to Split like the Blue Lagoon or Trogir are also brilliant options and work better with shorter Split itineraries!

Pack The Essentials!

• Swimsuit, towel, water shoes (for rocky beaches),
• Sunscreen and water bottles.
• Cash & Cards
• Phone charger for the longer days!
• Trainers for National Parks

If you’re looking for more incredible island-hopping ideas, check out my guide to the Best Private Boat Tours from Split!

DAY TRIPS SPLIT CROATIA: FAQ

What is the best day trip from Split, Croatia?

The best day trip from Split Croatia combines the islands, such as the Azure-like waters of the Blue Lagoon and gorgeous UNESCO Heritage Town Trogir, these are the easiest nearby day trips and are best visited from Split!

Can you do day trips from Split to Hvar?

Yes, it’s possible to do day trips from Split to Hvar to see the main highlights, although it might feel a bit rushed and once you arrive, I can guarantee you will wish it was longer! There are lots of things to do in Hvar Town, it’s beautiful, and a 4-5 night stay is ideal!

Can you do a day trip from Split to Dubrovnik?

No, a day trip from Split to Dubrovnik would not be worthwhile, as the journey takes around four hours one way, you will not see much at all given the timings. Dubrovnik Old Town and the peninsula are best explored over a few days!

Can you do a day trip from Split to Plitvice Lakes?

Yes, but it is a very long journey, almost 3 to 3.5 hours each way, and Plitvice Lakes needs a full day to get around it! I recommend staying a night at Plitvice or visiting as part of a road trip!

What are the best boat trips from Split?

The best boat trips from Split include island hopping around the Blue Lagoon, visiting Solta Island and sailing the island of Brac. Check out the best experiences in my boat trip guide from Split here!

Still planning your Split itinerary?

If you’re still planning how to spend your time in Split, the Blue Lagoon private boat trip and a visit to Krka National Park’s waterfalls really do offer the perfect balance; they’re two of the absolute best day trips from Split, for a reason! I’ve also shared the best things to do and a perfect 3 day itinerary!

• Where To Stay In Split Croatia – the best areas & boutique hotels
• Best Things To Do In Split Croatia – must-see sights, experiences & highlights
• 3 Days In Split – a perfectly paced itinerary for first-time visitors
• Private Boat Tours From Split – island hopping to Hvar, Brač & beyond!
• Best Places To Stay In Trogir Croatia – best areas & boutique hotels
• Best Things To Do In Trogir Old Town – heritage sights, restaurants & more!

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