[All photos and opinions are my own unless stated otherwise. All links are non-affiliated. All prices were correct at time of writing. Prices may vary at time of reading.]

Located next to the Adriatic Sea, Split should be on everyone's bucket list if you're planning a trip to Croatia. It's an easy to access destination, with lots to do and is perfect if you only have a few days in the city. It's also the perfect stopover destination if you're on your way to better-known Dubrovnik. Personally, I preferred Split to Dubrovnik, so here are my top 7 things to do in Split, especially if you're only there for a couple of days.

1. Marjan Park

Without a doubt, my favourite part of the city was Marjan Park. Located on a hill on the far west side of the city, it can be an adventure on its own trying to find the park! It takes around 35 minutes to walk to the park from the Old Town and is particularly steep in some areas with lots of steps. However, the trek is totally worth it as you get to overlook the entire city and the surrounding mountains from the hill at the top of park! It was excited to discover that Croatia has nice mountains as I think it's something that is often overlooked when people talk about the country. The park itself is also nice for getting away from the crowds and enjoying some time in nature, especially during the hot tourist season. At 3km long, the park itself is huge, so you could easily spend hours exploring it all! When I finally found the park, I could hardly believe that Croatia's second largest city was only a few kilometres away!

Overlooking the city from Marjan Park

There are lots of steps...

Looking towards the Mosor Mountain Range

2. Sea kayaking

On the same evening I arrived in Split on the overnight train from Ljubljana, Slovenia, I decided to join a sea kayaking tour with Split Sea Kayaking. This cost €37 for 4 hours, including snorkelling and cliff jumping as well, and it was a lot of fun! I got to meet new people and experience new things. We kayaked for about an hour around Marjan Park to a beach before spending some time snorkelling and cliff jumping. Then we kayaked back the way we came. I really enjoyed this as I'd only ever kayaked on a river before, so it was exciting to try it out on the sea, especially on a warm evening as the sun was setting.

Kayaking on the Adriatic Sea (photo by Split Sea Kayaking)

One thing to note about the trip I booked onto, we had to meet at a bus stop and pay for the bus ticket to the location where we were snorkelling ourselves. This cost 22 kn for a return ticket. The bus stop was located next to the Church and Monastery of St. Francis near the port. One thing to note, on the way back in the summer, the bus is likely to be packed!

The Church and Monastery of St. Francis near the bus stop

If you're on a budget and don't want to pay to join a group, then there are several companies offering independent kayak rental in and around Split.

3. Snorkelling

As with #2, this tour included snorkelling for 30 minutes. It was super fun, even though I didn't see much as it was a busy beach - probably one of the busiest near Split. I'd recommend going snorkelling separately and to a less busy location, so you have more time to enjoy it, whereas on the tour it felt a bit rushed. It might also be cheaper!

4. Cliff jumping

Once again, as with #2, the kayaking tour included cliff jumping. Personally, I liked doing this in a group (even if I didn't know anyone) as I'm not a confident cliff jumper, so it's nice to see other people doing it first and reassuring that the guides know which spots are safe. However, I would recommend bringing some sort of footwear as there was quite a lot of broken glass in the area we jumped at. Alternatively, if you're a confident cliff jumper, you could find your own spot. Another important thing to note is to hold your nose when you jump! The Adriatic Sea is ridiculously salty and your nose and throat will feel like its burning afterwards if water gets up it! As I was jumping I stupidly let go of my nose and my nose/throat was stinging for a good hour afterwards... Learn from my mistake!

Jumping into the Adriatic Sea from about 5m up (photo by Split Sea Kayaking)

5. Saint Domnious Cathedral

Built in 305 AD, this cathedral is probably the most well-known landmark in the city as it towers over the Old Town. The internal design is incredible to see but in the summer it can get very crowded inside. Tickets start at 25kn but includes the cathedral, the crypt (Chapel of St. Lucy) and Jupiter's Temple (aka the Baptistery). Personally I think the crypt and Jupiter's Temple can be avoided if you're running out of time as they appear quite mediocre compared to the cathedral. It's also possible to buy a different ticket for 45 kn that includes the above plus the Treasury and Bell Tower. Personally, I opted to miss the bell tower because of the extra cost and there was a large queue but I've heard that the views from the top are stunning!

The Bell Tower of St. Domnious Cathedral

6. Diocletian's Palace

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Diocletian's Palace was built in the 4th century AD during the Roman era. The palace itself is located in the heart of Split's Old Town and is worth a quick look. The palace is free to walk around as it's not a palace per se - more of a labyrinth of narrow streets and preserved ruins, with various shops and restaurants nearby. I always love exploring narrow side streets, so I found the palace a lot of fun to walk around. Be warned, in the summer it can get very crowded as Saint Domnious Cathedral is located within it.

Peristyle Square in Diocletian's Palace on a busy summer's day

7. Plitvice Lakes

One of the places I was most excited to visit on my trip was the Plitvice Lakes National Park. I joined a group tour from Split for €95 for the whole day. The coach departed at around 7.15am near the port and it took about three hours to reach the lakes but the views on the journey were insane! We got to see beautiful rivers and mountains and got close to the border of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Once we arrived at the lakes we were given our tickets to the national park and then we set off on our guided tour of the lakes, which included a short boat and train ride in the park. The tour involved around 5 hours of walking. The lakes themselves were beautiful and it was difficult to believe just how blue the water was!

However, there were SO MANY tourists and I think that definitely ruined the experience, especially as most of the paths were really narrow. After the walking tour finished, we were whisked away on the coach to a local restaurant for dinner but we had to pay for this ourselves. Unfortunately, as the service was slow and we didn't have much time, I didn't even get to finish my food! I'd recommend bringing your own food for lunch and dinner to save money. After that the coach took us home and on the way we got to witness one of the most incredible sunsets I've ever seen.

Plitvice Lakes National Park

Overall, this trip was good and relatively cheap compared to the others I had seen but it did feel rushed as the coach took so long. Therefore, I'd recommend either taking a similar tour from Zagreb, which is slightly closer or staying locally to the national park. Also, if you can, hire a car and arrive as early as possible to avoid the crowds! It will also give you the freedom to fully explore the parks and its less well-known paths away from all the tourists. If you do go yourself without a guide then entry to the national park costs 300kn for adults in the summer months. Alternatively, you could visit Krka National Park, which is closer to Split, less touristy and you're even allowed to swim in the lakes there (you can't do this at Plitvice)! Entry to Krka costs 200kn for adults in July and August. Entry to both parks is cheaper when visiting outside of the main tourist season (July and August) and student discounts are available at both with valid student ID.

The sunset on the coach journey back from Plitvice

WHERE TO STAY

I stayed in the Dioklecijan Delux hostel for €14 per night. This hostel was lovely and clean and they even let me check in half a day early as I had arrived early on the overnight train. There's even a Lidl within a 5-minute walk. However, it's located about a 30-minute walk from the Old Town, port and train station, so it's a little inconvenient but as a result, I had an entire 6-bed dorm and ensuite to myself for two nights, which felt like luxury! It was also a bit difficult to find and had no kitchen but I'd still recommend it as a cheap place to stay as there are several cheap places to eat out in the Old Town, so a kitchen isn't essential, even if you're on a budget.

The Port of Split

OTHER USEFUL TIPS

1. One of the most confusing things about Croatia is that it uses two currencies - the Croation Kuna and the Euro. Generally, most places prefer Kuna, especially when paying in cash, and some will explicitly state that Euros are not accepted, so make sure to have some Kuna on you. Euros are generally acceptable when paying for accommodation and group tours.

2. I'd definitely recommend avoiding July and August as these are the busiest times of year and also the hottest. Prices will also be highest. I went in mid-September as the tourist season was slowly starting to die down and it wasn't too busy, except for near the cathedral and palace, and the weather was still sunny and warm.

The Port of Split at twilight

Overall, I really enjoyed my stay in Split. It was much less crowded and cheaper than Dubrovnik and there were lots of things to do. It's nice that all the main sights are close by, so you can easily explore the best parts of the city in a couple of days. The city is rich in history and the scenery in and around Split is beautiful, with lakes, mountains and the Adriatic sea. So, if you're looking for a cheap city full of history and beauty, Split is the place for you.