The BEST Beaches Of Split Croatia: A Complete Guide

Last updated on April 24th, 2026 at 11:18 pm

If you’re in the throws of planning your itinerary for Split wondering where the best beaches of Split Croatia are, I’ve got you covered, there are small pebble beaches under Split’s Marjan Hill and resort-style beaches in Podstrana worth seeking out!

Split is a vibrant coastal hub and the perfect gateway to the islands like glamorous Hvar and Brac’s iconic horn beach, all just a short boat ride away and it’s a popular spot for island-hopping excursions where you’ll find picture-perfect bays and crystal-clear waters to swim in!

But Split does have a couple of spots to spend an hour or two if you’re keen stay local, just bear in mind Croatia’s beaches are not very ‘sandy’ more like a smidge of sand near the water’s edge or fully pebble and stone, which is what you’ll find around Marjan Hill – the best beaches of Split Croatia.

What it lacks in sand it makes up for in scenery, I’ve spent many summers exploring Split’s coast including the beaches in Split, so here’s where I ultimately recommend, from hidden gem pebble coves to fancy beach club beaches, away from the city bustle!

My Top Beach Hotel Picks In Split!

Looking to stay near the best beaches of Split Croatia?

• Le Merdien Lav Split – five-star beachfront resort with pools & spa!
• Hotel Park Split – elegant beach hotel near Split Old Town!
• Gallery Luxury Suites – great value, sea view & infinity pool!!
• Hotel Ambasador – best hotel in Split Marjan Hill, rooftop pool & views!

Read my full guide on where to stay in Split on the beach!

A Complete Guide To The Best Split Croatia Beaches!

1. KASJUNI BEACH

• Location: Marjan Hill Forest Park
• Amenities: Quality sunbeds and umbrellas, small beach bar and club

Starting with my favourite beach in Split, Kasjuni Beach is located on the South of Marjan Hill, a beautiful secluded forested pine tree beach cove surrounded by nature and high cliffs of the park, there’s plenty of scenery in this spot.

Arriving at Kasjuni Beach immediately makes you feel like you have found a secret corner of Split! It’s very pleasing to the eye and the waters are clear for swimming and not only that, there is a very nice small beach club called Jo’s Beach Bar where you can grab a cabana and order a cocktail.

If you’re visiting Split in the height of summer, this small beach does get crowded, so I recommend arriving very early to nab the best sunbed, alternatively head there at the end of the day as this location is also where the sun sets, which is a great vibe!

Getting there:

Local bus route, bus number 12 at the foot of Marjan Hill or Uber is €6 each way!

Recommended beach hotels near Marjan Hill:

Hotel Ambasador (luxury) Boutique Mirari (mid-range)

2. ZJAN BEACH

• Location: 7KM South East of Split
• Amenities: Beach bars, sun beds, showers, changing booths, parking, playground

Zjan is a large white stone pebbly city beach just outside of Split’s old town with a suburb behind the beach and wooden boards leading the way to the shoreline, so you don’t have to ruin your sandals, the best bit of the beach is right at the front!

Again, the sea here is remarkably clear and there’s ample space for everyone, locals favour it in particular and while there isn’t any accommodation or restaurants around, there is a small beach club called Taboo, which I where I spent the day – on the sun loungers (see below) with a clear view of the sea! (In May it was quiet, but there is a party vibe at this club as the summer goes on).

Suprisingly Zjan Beach is a man-made beach, which is why the pebbles are kind of uniform and very white, just know apart from the sun umbrellas at this club, there isn’t any shade, provisions are a must!

Getting there:

Zjan neighbourhood can be reached by bus line 15 or UBER €10 each way (driving and parking is no problem).

Recommened beach hotel:

Radisson Blu Resort (luxury beachfront resort nearby)

3. KASTELET BEACH

• Location: Marjan Hill Forest Park
• Amenities: Parking, toilet, changing facilites, showers

Kastelet Beach is another natural beach at the foothills of Marjan Hill Forest Park, perfect for clear water swimming among the pebbles, rocks and pine trees and its lesser known, so there are fewer sunbathers and tourists!

This is one of the best beaches in Split, nearest the old town that has a chilled atmosphere, an easy, picturesque spot to spend a couple hours in and there’s a small beach bar for drinks, but the best thing about this Split beach is the nature.

There are some rocks around the shoreline, so swim shoes are best and remember to bring your own umbrella, hat , towel and snacks as there’s really very little shade or amenities – it’s a spot to spend an hour or so not the whole day!

Getting there:

25 Minute walk from Split’s old town, car and park or less than a 10-minute UBER

Recommended beach hotels near Marjan Hill:

Hotel Ambasador (luxury) Boutique Mirari (mid-range)

4. RADISSON BLU BEACH (Mistral Beach Club)

• Location: Radisson Blu Resort
• Amenities: Manicured pebble beach, beach club, restaurant & bar

Radisson Blu Beach is one of my favourite Split beaches to spend the day, offering a more elevated experience with a range of beach beds and sunbed service and it’s not too far in a taxi from the centre of Split’s old town!

I wouldn’t normally pick a chain hotel for the beach, but hear me out, this hotel offers a long manicured beach with three rows of sun loungers and private decking areas with beach cabanas and pools, it’s one of the best hotels in Split Croatia on the beach and once you’re on the beachbed gazing at the blue horizon you easily forget that it’s part of the hotel complex.

You also have access to popular Mistral bar and restaurant, where you can order a delicious lunch from their seaside menu and bask in boho luxury, for the best experience I recommend arriving early to get your pick of the sunbeds!

Getting there:

I recommend grabbing an UBER, you’ll get there in 10 minutes (€7 each way, approximately)

Recommened beach hotel:

Radisson Blu Resort (luxury beachfront resort)

Are you looking for hotels in Split Croatia on the beach? In this guide, I highlight the very best boutique and luxury hotels on the beach in Split!

5. TRSTENIK BEACH

• Location: Trstenik Neighborhood
• Amenities: Sunbeds and beach bar

Situated just before Zjan Beach, peaceful beach Trstenik is a lesser-known beach in Split offering calm, and clear waters and a laid-back vibe, it’s good for swimming and quite shallow, but nothing fancy, locals love it though!

There’s lots of space to sunbathe, sunbeds and the beach is narrow and long-ish, you can also find a couple of snack bars and parking – virtually on top of the beach, which Croatian’s seem to like (parking as close as possible to the shoreline).

Overall, Trstenik Beach is clean, convenient, and less crowded than the central options, such as Bacvice – one of the most popular city beaches of Split, which is always extremely noisy and usually best avoided!

Getting there:

Bust line 17, drive and park at the beach, or quick 10-minute UBER!

6. PODSTRANA BEACH (Gooshter Beach Club)

• Location: Podstrana
• Amenities: Beach club, bar, restaurant, cabanas

Podstrana is the perfect spot for relaxing in luxury, a picturesque location that boasts the only 5 star beachfront hotel in Split, Le Meridien Lav, another resort-style hotel offering guests a stylish beachside experience in Split!

Le Meridien Lav’s main draw is its Gooshter beach club comprising of a 16 km long pebbly beach with looked-after bright white pebble stones (mostly mad-made) sunbeds and cabanas, the beachfront set up is excellent, even the sofas and lounge chairs on the terrace is a fab spot to hang out.

If you plan on making a day of it, I recommend booking a cabana ahead of time, especially in the peak summer months, in my experience it’s worth it – Podstrana is one of the best beaches of Split Croatia for clear water, luxury and style!

Getting there:

Dive and park, UBER 15 minutes (furthest beach from the old town)

Recommened beach hotel:

Le Meridien Lav (luxury beachfront resort)

7. DUBOKA UVALA

• Location: Ciovo Island
• Amenities: Boho-luxe beach club, bathrooms, restaurant and bar

If you don’t mind travelling a little further away from the beaches of Split Croatia, I highly recommend Duboka Uvala and the incredble Lagainini boutique-style beach club, which is the hidden gem on Ciovo Island, directly opposite the UNESCO town of Trogir – a must see!

While Duboka Uvala is one of the best beaches near Split, I just had to include it within this round-up, especially if you were thinking about visiting Trogir as well – it’s only tiny so it makes sense to visit both spots and really make the most of your time!

At Duboka, you’ll find a pebble and rock beach cove with pine trees and turquoise waters for swimming and Laganni beach club is nestled among the rocks in an elevated postition with perfect sea views, it’s very dreamy and the lounging areas are beachy white (see below)!

Tip! This option is best for a full-day – visit the beach club in the morning (while its quieter) and the old town in the late afternoon for lunch along the Riviera!

Getting there:

Bus, Uber or drive to Trogir (30-minutes) then Trogir to Ciovo Island – Laganini Beach Club (10-minutes), you can also get there with a private boat rental!

Recommened beach hotel:

Brown Beach House (luxury waterfront boutique hotel in Trogir)

If you’re planning to stay close to the sea, I’ve also put together a curated guide to the best hotels in Split Croatia on the beach, including luxury resorts and boutique waterfront stays.

OTHER BEACHES TO VISIT NEAR SPLIT CROATIA

Split is a great base with fantastic connections to other nearby beaches on the Dalmatian Islands, such as the iconic Golden Horn Beach of Brac Island, charming Solta Island and the Blue Lagoon for dreamy turquoise waters!

There are lots of incredible beaches at your fingertips, whether you’re using the local ferries, speedboats or booking an a easy island-hopping excursion right from Split’s harbour!

Below are a few of my favourite beaches near Split, including the most perfect Blue Lagoon boat trip, a tour that takes you to unspoilt islands and beach coves, which is one of the most popular things to do in Split!

BLUE LAGOON

A visit to the dreamy Blue Lagoon with the clearest turquoise waters is a must when staying in Split – it’s my favourite spot for swimming and in my opinion a much better experience than any of the Split beaches will give you!

The Blue Lagoon and islands boat trip highlights the scenic beach coves and secret spots of the area, there’s also a shipwreck to snorkel among other things, take a look at the full details here!

SOLTA ISLAND

Solta is a charming and crowd-free island, just 30 minutes from Split, known for its natural beach coves backed by pine trees and hills, it’s a hidden gem among the scattered tny islands off Split’s coastline!

You can reach the island independently by ferry – it takes 30-60 minutes, I recommend booking in advance. Local buses meet you off the ferry in Rognac and circles the island, just hop-off wherever takes your fancy! (Stomorska or Maslinica are lovely!) The Blue Lagoon excursion mentioned above also takes you to Maslinica – arriving directly in the bay!

BRAC ISLAND – Golden Horn Beach

Brac Island is home to Zlatini Rat, the most famous beach in Croatia! Simply known as Golden Horn Beach because of its unique shape, it’s one of the best beaches near Split Croatia, the coastal scenery is gorgeous and it’s less than an hour from Split!

You can easily get there via ferry from Split’s ferry port, you must book your ferry tickets online and get a Split – Bol line! Bol is the main village on Brac Island and only a 20 minute walk to the beach, there’s restaurants and terraces enroute, it’s a great day trip from Split!

If you’re looking for more tips about visiting the best nearby beaches of Split Croatia with a boat trip, be sure to check out my guide to the best private boat trips from Split!

SPLIT CROATIA BEACHES – USEFUL TIPS

Best Beach Resort

Le Meridien Lav is the best beach resort in Split Croatia, a fantastic luxury hotel right on the beachfront of Podstrana beach, a must for luxury lovers!

Split’s Beaches Are Not Sandy

Split beaches are made up of pebble, stone and rock, making them more rugged, but the sea a very clear turquoise blue, they are nothing like the classic white beaches of Greece or the smaller picturesque beach coves of the islands.

Split Beach Hotels

Most of the best beach hotels in Split are located a 10 minute drive outside of the old town – in the Podstrana area.

Beaches Are Not The Main Attraction

The beaches of Split are not the main attraction, don’t come to Split for a beach holiday, visit the beaches if you have spare days, but primarily come for Split’s Old Town, Island hopping trips, nearby waterfalls, and UNESCO towns.

Don’t miss my complete guide to the 15 VERY BEST things to do in Split Croatia – for first-time visitors!

BEACHES OF SPLIT CROATIA FAQ

Does Split have sandy beaches?

No, Split doesn’t have sand beaches, you will find mainly pebble beaches, man-made beaches as well as rocky shorelines!

What are the best beaches in around Split Croatia?

The best natural beaches of Split Croatia are around Marjan Hill or further out to the Radisson Blu Beach, which is well maintained – a top beach in Split and hotel Le Meridien’s Gooshter beach club! I also recommend the nearby islands, including Brac’s Zlatini Rat beach.

What is the best beach nearest the old town?

From the old town the best beach in Split Croatia is Kasjuni Beach within Marjan Hill National Park, a natural beach cove backed by pine trees and high cliffs!

Are there any free public beaches in Croatia?

All Croatia’s beaches are public, even if there’s a beach club you can still relax at the beach if you don’t want to hire a sun lounger for the day. Although the sun lounger people will be upset if you get too close to the club with your towel – also one of my pet peeves!

Which beaches in Split are best avoided?

Marjan Hill has some of the best beaches but I would avoid Bene Beach, it’s a hassle to get to and it’s not well looked after in my opinion! I would also skip the city beach, Bacvice Beach, it’s mostly concrete, very loud and not attractive – you’re better off on a half-day boat trip.

What are the beaches like in Croatia?

The beaches in Croatia are mostly pebble, varying from smaller pebbles to large white stones and some beaches are hard to classify as a beach at all – giant rocks or smoothed (concrete) pathways where locals lay their towels!

Plan your Split, Croatia itinerary!

Split is the perfect base for exploring the old town, islands and nearby villages! If you’re still piecing together your itinerary, these guides will help you plan the perfect stay:

• Where to stay in Split Croatia – the best areas, neighbourhoods & boutique hotels
• Best things to do in Split Croatia – must-see sights, experiences & highlights
• 3 days in Split Croatia – a perfectly paced itinerary for first-time visitors
• Best beach hotels in Split Croatia – from boutique retreats to luxury resorts!
• Private boat tours from Split – island hopping to Hvar, Brač & beyond
• Best Day Trips From Split – UNESCO towns, to waterfalls & scenic islands!

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