2 Days in Split, Croatia: The Perfect Itinerary (2026 Guide + What We Actually Spent)

Only have 2 days in Split? Good news: it’s enough time to see the heart of Croatia’s second-largest city without rushing. You’ll explore a 1,700-year-old Roman palace, climb Marjan Hill for sweeping Adriatic views, and still have time for long dinners and one too many scoops of gelato.

We spent two days in Split in September 2026 as part of our 2-week trip through Croatia. This Split itinerary is built from that trip, with one change, the order we’d follow if we did it again. We took a tuk tuk tour on our second day, and it’s was great way to see the city outside of the Palace walls and a memorable part of the trip. We quickly realized it would have been even better on day one. In 90 minutes you get the lay of the land, see places you’d never reach on foot, and figure out what you want to go back to.

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2 Days in Split at a Glance

• Best for: First-time visitors who want Split’s highlights at a relaxed pace
• Budget: Dinners for two ~€40-52, palace sights ~€7-15 each, tuk tuk tour €60 per couple (shared)
• Base yourself: Inside or just outside Diocletian’s Palace

What we packed (and you’ll want too): Shade is scarce and water is hard to find on Marjan Hill, so bring:

• Reusable insulated water bottle
• Reef-safe travel sunscreen
• On Cloud 9 Walking Shoes. Polished stone streets and hillside stairs are hard on sandals.

Still deciding where to stay? Compare hotels inside and around the palace walls:

Day 1 in Split: Tuk Tuk Tour, Sunset on the Riva and the Palace After Dark

Early afternoon: Arrive and settle in

Most flights land at Split Airport, about 30-40 minutes from the Old Town. We took an Uber for €38.18 plus tip. Our Split Airport to Old Town guide compares every transfer option: bus, shuttle, taxi and rideshare.

Check in, shower off the travel and take a breather. You’ll be heading out again soon, but not on foot.

Tip: Cars can’t enter the palace walls, so if you’re staying inside, expect to wheel your luggage the last few minutes over polished stone.

Late afternoon: Take a tuk tuk tour to get the lay of the land

If you do one paid activity during your 2 days in Split, make it a tuk tuk tour, and do it first. On arrival day you’re usually too tired to walk far anyway. The tour covers ground that would take hours on foot, and you’ll finish it knowing exactly what you want to go back to on day two.

Tuk tuks wait at the stand where the Riva Promenade meets the western edge of the Old Town walls. We asked a few tour guides their prices and where the tour went. Then we booked on the spot. Four people fit in most of the Tuk Tuks (2 rows of 2 plus the driver and a passenger’s seat), so we split ours with another couple who happened to be looking for a tour at the same time as we were.

Our guide was born just outside Split and spoke excellent English. In about 90 minutes he took us to:

• Poljud Stadium, home of local football club Hajduk Split
• A viewpoint over the water, several beaches, and Old Town that visitors cannot reach by foot
• Up Marjan Hill by road, a good preview before you decide whether to hike it on day two
• Sustipan, a cliffside park on the sea where locals get married and cliff divers jump
• Cost: €120 per tuk tuk, or €60 per couple when you share with another couple, plus tip. Our driver also offered a shorter tour. We didn’t ask the price, but it would cost less.
• Time needed: ~1.5 hours
• Best time: Late afternoon, when the light is golden and it’s starting to cool
• Book: Walk up near the Riva, or book a Split tuk tuk tour online to guarantee a spot

Tip: As you go, note anything you want to revisit such as a viewpoint, a beach, a neighborhood. That’s your day-two plan.

If your flight lands late: Do the tour first thing on the morning of day two instead, then follow the rest of the day as written.

Sunset: Drinks on the Riva Promenade

The tour drops you back near the Riva just in time for sunset. Grab a drink on Split’s palm-lined waterfront, the city’s living room, where locals, travelers and yachts all face the harbor.

Tip: Sunset was around 7:30 PM during our September visit. Expect the air to go very still right at sunset. It took about another hour to truly cool down.

Dinner: Pizza at Sette Sorelle

Before we departed for Croatia, we did some research on what types of food we should try. There were a surprising number of accounts that pointed us toward pizza- which happens to be one of our favorites. So, for the first dinner, go to Sette Sorelle. The Neapolitan-style pizza has a puffy, flavorful crust, and the patio is beautifully lit at night.

They seat walk-ins on a first-come, first-served basis. We waited about 15 minutes around 7:45 PM on a Sunday. (Don’t believe the rumor that Split restaurants close early on Sundays. We found plenty open.) Heading over right after sunset, around 8:30 PM, usually means a shorter wait.

• What we paid: €51.60 for two pizzas, two cocktails and bottled water
• Good to know: Groups larger than four should call ahead

Evening: Explore Diocletian’s Palace after dark

Diocletian’s Palace isn’t a museum you visit. It’s the Old Town itself. Built in the 4th century as the retirement home of Roman emperor Diocletian, it’s now a UNESCO World Heritage Site where people still live, work and hang laundry between Roman columns. Walking through it is completely free, day or night.

Tonight, just wander with a gelato in hand. Once the sun drops, the palace streets cool down and come alive. On our evening walk we passed several Game of Thrones filming locations without even looking for them. We also found a pop-up dance performance in one of the squares and an outdoor concert outside a church. You’ll see the landmarks properly tomorrow. Tonight is about the atmosphere.

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Day 2 in Split: Marjan Hill, the Palace Sights and Your Favorite Spots

Early morning: Hike Marjan Hill

Marjan Hill is the forested park on the western edge of the city, and climbing it is one of the best free things to do in Split. After yesterday’s tour you’ll already know what the views look like, so you can decide how far up you want to go. The staircase starts at the edge of the Varoš neighborhood, a short walk from the Riva.

We didn’t make it to the very top. We stopped at an overlook partway up, and the view from there was already worth every step. This is an obvious stopping point for a lot of people. You will find Teraca Vidilica here, and we later found out that you can get a ride (or take a tuk tuk) to this point. If you decide to climb the stairs:

• Go early. By mid-morning the stairs are hot and there’s very little shade.
• Bring water. There’s nowhere to refill until you reach a restaurant, and those are usually sit-down service only.
• Take a different route down. We descended through the residential stairways of the old neighborhood, which were much shadier than the main route up.
• Cost: Free
• Time needed: 1–2 hours for a partial climb
• Best time: Before 9 AM

Late morning: See the highlights of Diocletian’s Palace

Now it’s time to see the palace landmarks you walked past last night. This is the part of your 2 days in Split most worth slowing down for.

The Peristyle

The palace’s central courtyard, framed by Roman columns and arches. It’s the natural meeting point of the Old Town and a great spot to sit on the steps and take it all in.

• Cost: Free

The Vestibule

Just off the Peristyle is this domed Roman entrance hall with an open roof. Its acoustics are famous. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch klapa singers performing traditional a cappella songs.

• Cost: Free

Cathedral of St. Domnius and the bell tower

Originally Diocletian’s own mausoleum, this is one of the oldest cathedrals in the world still in use. The highlight is climbing the bell tower for a panoramic view over the terracotta rooftops, the harbor and the islands. From up here you’ll be able to pick out spots from yesterday’s tour. The first stretch of steps is steep and narrow, so take your time.

• What we paid: €12 per person for the Green combo ticket (cathedral, bell tower and treasury)
• Time needed: 45 minutes -1 hour
• Good to know: Buy tickets at the office across from the cathedral on the Peristyle. The climb isn’t suitable for anyone with limited mobility. If a cruise ship is in port, come back for the tower in the late afternoon.

The palace cellars (substructures)

Beneath the palace are the vaulted cellars that once held up the emperor’s apartments. The central corridor, lined with souvenir stalls, is free. The side halls are ticketed and worth the small fee. They’re cool and atmospheric, which makes them perfect for the hottest part of the day. Game of Thrones fans will recognize them as where Daenerys kept her dragons.

• Cost: Central corridor free; side halls ~€8-10
• Time needed: 30 minutes

Tip: Prices change by season, so check the board at each ticket office. If you plan to see several sites, the combo passes are almost always better value.

Lunch: Focaccia at Focaccina Sandwich Bar

Skip the long restaurant lunch. We went to Focaccina Sandwich Bar on Matošića ul. 5. The sandwiches were huge, fresh, and exactly what we needed.

• What we paid: €23.65 for two sandwiches, two bottled waters and a bottled peach tea

Afternoon: Go back to your favorites from the tour

This is where starting your Split itinerary with a tour pays off. Use the afternoon to revisit whatever caught your eye, whether it be a viewpoint, a stretch of coast, a neighborhood, or a beach. Or try one of these:

• Browse the Green Market near the waterfront for souvenirs and local produce.
• Swim at Bačvice, Split’s most popular city beach, a short walk from the Old Town.

A word on beach access: A lookout with a sea view doesn’t always come with a path down to the water, and the walk down can be steeper and longer than it looks. We met a cruise passenger who’d been dropped off expecting easy beach access and ended up facing a long uphill walk in the heat. If you’re traveling with anyone who has limited mobility, confirm the route first, or take a taxi straight to Bačvice.

Then do what the locals do, head back to your hotel for an hour of air conditioning before dinner. In Split’s summer (and early September) heat, a midday break isn’t lazy, It’s strategy!

Dinner: La Mia Storia

For our last night we skipped reservations and wandered the palace lanes until something caught our eye. That turned out to be Restaurant La Mia Storia, with a handful of tables on a quiet side street. We shared prawn risotto and large draft Pan beers. It was relaxed and romantic, and exactly how a last night in Split should feel.

• What we paid: €40.56 for two
• Good for: Couples, a quiet dinner away from the Riva crowds

Finish with one last gelato and a final stroll along the Riva. At €2.80 a scoop, it’s a fraction of what you’d pay back home.

Have a Third Day? Best Day Trips from Split

Two days covers Split itself, but the city is also Croatia’s main gateway to the islands and national parks. If you can add a day, these are the most popular options:

Hvar

Croatia’s sunniest island, known for Hvar Town’s harbor, its hilltop fortress and lively nightlife. Passenger catamarans from Split’s harbor take about an hour.
Good for: Beaches, island atmosphere, nightlife

Krka National Park

A chain of waterfalls and emerald pools with wooden boardwalks, about an hour’s drive from Split. It’s an easier day trip than Plitvice Lakes.
Good for: Nature lovers, families, photographer

Trogir

A small UNESCO-listed medieval town on its own island, connected to the mainland by bridges. It’s close enough for a half day, and pairs well with a stop at Klis Fortress, another Game of Thrones filming location.
Good for: History, a relaxed half day

Blue Cave and island-hopping by speedboat

Full-day boat tours from Split typically visit the Blue Cave on the island of Biševo, plus stops on Vis and in the Pakleni Islands near Hvar.
Good for: Swimming, snorkeling, seeing several islands in one day

Read More: A Romantic 2 Days in Split

How Much does 2 Days in Split Cost?

Here’s what we actually spent:

Where to Stay in Split

For a 2-day trip, stay inside or just outside Diocletian’s Palace. You’ll be steps from the Riva, the tuk tuk stand, the restaurants in this guide, and the start of the Marjan Hill trail.

• Where we stayed: Hotel Kastel 1700. Hotel Kastel turned out to be a great location that was an easy walk from our Uber drop off, as well as an easy walk to the port, and was in close proximity to everything inside the Palace Walls. We had full control of our AC (which was nice in the heat of early September). The staff was very nice and super helpful.

• Luxury: Cornaro Hotel. A 5-star hotel just outside the palace walls, with a rooftop bar, a spa and easy luggage access.

• Mid-range: Slavija Culture Heritage Hotel. Heritage rooms right inside the palace walls, with a great breakfast.

• Budget: Old Town Hostel Split. Dorms and affordable private rooms in the heart of the Old Town.

Traveling by car? Look for a place just outside the Old Town with parking, since vehicles can’t enter the palace.

Tips for Visiting Split, Croatia

• Take a tour on day one. A short tuk tuk or walking tour on arrival day helps you get oriented and decide how to spend the rest of your time.
• Check the cruise schedule. The palace streets get packed when ships are in port. Explore early morning or evening for calmer streets and better photos.
• Plan around the heat. Do outdoor activities before 10 AM or after 5 PM, and save indoor or shaded sights, like the palace cellars, for midday.
• Wear good shoes. Polished stone streets and hillside stairs are hard on sandals. Be careful, because even with well-treaded sneakers, they can also be slippery
• Carry a water bottle. Refill spots are hard to find on Marjan Hill.
• Walk-ins are normal. Many Old Town restaurants don’t take reservations, so eat early or late to avoid lines.
• Dress for churches. Cover your shoulders and knees if you plan to go inside the cathedral.

FAQ: 2 Days in Split, Croatia

Is 2 days in Split enough?

Yes. Two days is enough to take a tour, see Diocletian’s Palace and the Cathedral of St. Domnius, climb Marjan Hill and enjoy the Riva Promenade, with time left for long, unhurried dinners. It isn’t enough for day trips to Hvar, Krka National Park or the Blue Cave. If those are priorities, add a third day and book a Krka day trip or Hvar day trip.

What should I do first in Split?

Take a short tuk tuk tour. In about 90 minutes you’ll see Poljud Stadium, hidden viewpoints, Marjan Hill and seaside parks, so you’ll know what’s worth revisiting for the rest of your stay.

Is Diocletian’s Palace free?

Yes. Walking through the palace, including the Peristyle, the Vestibule and the main cellar corridor, is free at any hour. You only pay for specific sights inside including; the cathedral, the bell tower, the treasury, the Temple of Jupiter and the side halls of the cellars.

What should I do with one day in Split?

Start with a tuk tuk tour to see the highlights fast. Then explore Diocletian’s Palace and climb the bell tower, grab a quick focaccia lunch, and finish with sunset drinks on the Riva Promenade.

Is Split safe for tourists?

We felt safe walking through the palace and along the Riva, even late at night. As in any busy tourist area, keep an eye on your belongings in crowds, especially when cruise ships are in port.

Do restaurants in Split take reservations?

Some do, but many Old Town restaurants seat guests on a first-come, first-served basis. Groups larger than four should call ahead.

Is Split walkable?

Yes. The Old Town and Diocletian’s Palace are almost entirely pedestrian. For spots farther out, like Poljud Stadium or the far side of Marjan Hill, take a tuk tuk tour or a short rideshare.

When is the best time to visit Split?

Late May through June and September through early October offer warm sea temperatures with fewer crowds than July and August. We visited in early September and still found it very hot midday. If we were planning the trip again, we would have waited until mid-September.

Wrapping Things Up: 2 Days in Split

Two days in Split is enough to see the essentials and still leave room for the moments you can’t plan. Start with a tour to get your bearings, then let the city fill in the rest. A wrong turn might lead you to a quiet neighborhood staircase. A side-street table might become your favorite dinner of the trip. Use this Split itinerary as your framework, but make sure to let the city surprise you.

Have questions about planning your own trip to Split? Leave them in the comments. We read every one.

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Planning more of Croatia?

• Split Airport to Old Town: Every Transfer Option
• Is Split Worth Visiting? An Honest Take
• Romantic Things to Do in Split
• Things to Do in Dubrovnik