Split

 The Second largest city in Croatia, and the largest city in the Dalmatia Region.

Home to the Diocletian's Palace, Split was founded as a Greek colony of Aspalathos around 3rd century BC. It is situated along the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea and is a popular base for doing island hopping.

View of Split town from Marjan Forest Park

How to get there

You can reach Split from Dubrovnik (and vice versa) either by taking the ferry or riding the bus. It will depend on which experience you would like, but the travel time one way is relatively still the same. For us it took a whopping total of 6 hours.

Approaching Split port

Ferry

Take a ferry from the port in Dubrovnik. Be sure to check out the most updated timetables online. There are 2 ferry companies that run daily: Jadrolinija and Kapetan Luka. They have one trip a day during the high season. The boats will stop on the main islands to let passengers alight/board and that is the main reason why the whole journey is long. But travel time is roughly 4.5 hours. Better go to the port early so that you get to choose your seats. You can buy food on board.

1 way adult Fare: 230 Kn

Bus

If you take the bus from Dubrovnik bus station, travel time should be roughly at least 4 hours. Dubrovnik is about 215km from Split following the coastal road. There is a check point when crossing the border (briefly) of Bosnia and Herzegovina in which officers will board the bus to check your passport/travel document So you better have them ready in your bag and not on the hold. During our time, one of the passengers had his passport on the hold so it took us time before we can go through the border. There is a 15-minute stop-over for toilet break/refreshments while in Bosnia.

1 way adult Fare: 120 Kn

Things to do

1. Swimming

We went to have a dip in the sandy Bacvice beach, which was the closest one to our accommodation.

Bacvice Public Beach

2. Explore the Old Town

Walk around the small charming streets of the Old Town.

Pjaca or People's Square

Pass through the city's smallest attraction and narrowest street, Let Me Pass street (aka Pusti me da prodjem).

Let Me Pass Street

Street signs

Go through the different gates and entrances.

Entrance to Old Town from Riva

Golden Gate

3. Dine/People-watch along the Riva.

A restaurant along the Riva

Benches along the Riva

4. Diocletian Palace

This 30,000 sq.m. fortress-like palace served as a residence of the Roman emperor Diocletian and the military garrison in 4th century AD.

Entrance to the palace is free.

Diocletian Palace

At night time, Peristil square gets particularly busier and filled with people and street performers.

Peristil square

5. St. Domnius Cathedral

Built in 305 CE, this cathedral is dedicated to the city's patron saint, Saint Domnius, and has a characteristic tall Romanesque bell tower. It is the oldest Catholic cathedral in the world.

Dome

Entrance fee is 15 Kn, plus an additional 15 Kn to climb the bell tower. Since it is a place of worship, proper attire is observed. A covering will be required for those wearing sleeveless tops and shorts/mini skirts.

Inside the Cathedral

You can write and leave a letter inside the crypt, which is now a chapel dedicated to St. Lucy. It is cool inside and is a good short respite from the heat during summer.

Inside the crypt

6. Game of Thrones Filming Locations

- Basement of Diocletian's Palace as Daenerys' throne room or the dungeons where she kept her dragons. 

Basement shops

It is filled with shops for souvenirs and other dry goods.

Basement of Diocletian Palace

- Papaliceva street as one of the streets where they filmed the Slave rebellion scene.

Papaliceva Street

- Klis Fortress as the City of Meereen.

7. Marjan Park

Wander around the massive Marjan Park.

Marjan steps

Marjan Park is a forested hillside park with jogging/walking trails, look out points, botanical gardens, and picnic sites.

Gospe od Betlema: one of the chapels in the park

Dubrovnik

King's Landing

The most popular city in southern Croatia, jutting into the Adriatic Sea.

View of the Old Town from Fort Lovrijenac

Dubrovnik Old Town

Enclosed within massive stone walls built during the 16th and 17th centuries, the Dubrovnik Old Town is one of the world's most beautiful preserved medieval cities.

Dubrovnik West Harbour

Serving as Dubrovnik's historic centre, the Old Town is comprised of Baroque churches, monasteries and palaces, Renaissance fountains and facades, wide marbled-paved squares, and steep cobbled streets and houses.

View of Old Town from the City Walls

It is where most scenes for King's Landing in the hit HBO series, Game of Thrones, were shot, thus, making it one of the most popular tourist destinations. Read more about the exact locations here: GOT filming locations in Dubrovnik.

Jesuit Staircase doubles as the steps of the Great Sept of Baelor in King's Landing

City Walls

Walking along the city walls

The Old Town should be explored and enjoyed both by day and night. The best way to explore it is by walking along its massive city walls. I recommend going in the wee hours of the morning, as soon as the gates open, if you want less crowds - especially during the summer/peak season. The wall is about 2 km long, and takes roughly 2 hours to walk.

View from starting/ending point of City Walls Walk

Old Town at night

You can explore the Old Town anytime at night; timing won't really matter as there's always going to be hoards of people, both locals and tourists alike.

Stradun at night

I recommend purchasing the Dubrovnik Card: 1, 3 or 7-day card. We bought the 1-day card which was KN 250 and includes single entry to 9 attractions (i.e. Maritime Museum, Natural History Museum, Marin Držić House, City Walls, Art Gallery, Cultural-Historical Museum, Ethnographic Museum Rupe, Pulitika Gallery, and the Franciscan Monastery Museum) plus 24 hours free use of public city transport.

1-day Dubrovnik Card

Tip: Read more about it here: Dubrovnik Card and save 10% off the price if you purchase online.

View of Old Town from City Walls

Pile City Gate

The City's main entrance is the Pile City Gate. The gate is overlooked by 2 forts: Minčeta in the north, and Bokar in the south, with the latter fort designed to defend the city from the sea.

Pile City Gate

Pile City Gate Fort

Onofrio's Fountain

A favourite meeting place inside the city. Drink free fresh water from its taps.

Onofrio's Fountain

Stradun

The City's main street which begins from Onofrio's Fountain and ends in a square with several important historic landmarks, i.e. the City Cathedral - the Church of St. Blaise, the Sponza Palace, the Rector's Palace, the bell towers and the Orlando's Column.

Square at the end of Stradun

Church of St. Blaise

Church of St. Blaise at night

As with most main streets, Stradun is lined with souvenir shops, galleries, cafes and restaurants.

Narrow Streets

Have a wander around the steep and narrow cobbled streets inside Old Town.

In the City Streets

 Old Port

Exit the Old Town via the Ploče Gate for old attractive harbour where taxi boats set off for the nearby island of Lokrum.

Old Port as backdrop

Swimming in the Old Port

Along the Old Port