Okay cheesy headline I know but we stayed with our base being Split. Me & my teen were here for a trip with just the two of us a fairly short 4 days, a bit of a girly but faster paced trip than if it had have been a family trip. That said I love it when we explore to the fullest and enjoy food – oh yes a staple necessary on any trip. I know many people check out foodie spots or local cuisine before they even look at the hotel.
Picture above. Konoba near the old town recognised for its ship outside.
Top Tips ~
The word “Konoba ” literally means tavern in Croatia- they are not the same ‘brand’ restaurants – when you’re browsing. But they are the perfect local restaurants to enjoy, some will be dedicated to seafood , others meat etc.
Chicken 🐔 is not a common meat on the menu so remember that when visiting the restaurants. Embrace local meats and of course seafood.
Seafood – pick the catch of the day and check what it is to be sure, but best believe it sure is better 😉.
BAKERIES – are your best friend , think pastries , desserts and your ideal snack at various times of the day – and way cheaper than grabbing lunch when you are on the go.
Find a fantastic restaurant inside the old town.
Top left and right.
we had a resident cat 🐈 that joined the guy eating solo on the table next to us, which did give us a giggle. We ordered a gorgeous Risotto and mine was a delightful fish dish. I would say it was more on the luxury side (with the pricing) , but the food was worth it. This is a sort after restaurant and does get busy.
bottom left: This ice cream shop is very popular. But as a true highlight you will see them making their cones by hand from scratch. The ice cream itself though is delightful and there are intriguing luxury flavours. I can assure you we kept consistency and made this a nightly necessary stop.
bottom right: A fab highlight for sandwich lovers!
Focaccia delights and they are big ! Perfectly big , all made fresh. Grab yourself at Focaccina. Great fillings – look forward to choosing yours next time you’re in Split.
Lets take a walk 🚶♀️….
Now we’ve spoken food let’s talk about the Elephant in the room – no not literally but there is a giant statue that you may have seen online and wonder what it is – fun fact it is usually the meeting place for tours 😅.
The Giant Statue, the Old Town and a Few Mysteries
You can’t come to Split without exploring the Old town , and it was probably time to think about something other than food so naturally, we went to see the giant statue. Because when you’re visiting somewhere new, apparently the rule is: if there’s a ridiculously large statue, you have to go and stand next to it. And it really is giant. The sort of giant where you find yourself wondering who looked at the plans and thought, “Yes, that seems a perfectly reasonable size. Like many cities the gimmick of rub something gold – make a wish – and it may come true. That’s exactly the case here , rub the giant golden toe … p.s. we didn’t 😅.
One of the first things we noticed was the Split sign , the 2 different bronze stalayout statue & map, and also the symbol you will see on the floor (in the photo below, first top left). At first, it looks like they might simply be pointing people in the right direction maybe a funky C. Sensible enough. But no this is a symbol to indicate a UNESCO heritage site. Did you know that?
Head forward across the road from the seafront , to be discovered there’s actually a tunnel underneath. Now, obviously, when you see a tunnel, you have to investigate. This is one of those unwritten laws of travelling. Tunnel = go through it. Nobody needs to explain why. I will be honest if you are a large history buff and have more time on your hands then yes go deeper into these at an additional cost. We didn’t explore them in full detail but we did go through them in a straight line underneath as in the photos. From doing this though, you do still get a scope of seeing the layers of history , the scope of the tunnels and great addition to getting out of the midday sun too.
Accommodation:
Now this is a controversial theme and everyonw has their preferences. Many love the idea of staying and looking at the bell tower . The area is also home to residents, so respectful behaviour and not being noisy when out late is appreciated.
For anyone thinking though that this would make a lovely atmospheric place to stay, there are Airbnb properties tucked amongst it all. Although, judging by where they are situated, and a comment made by a couple on our tour, the walls vibrate and the bells are so loud. I’d recommend adding one essential item to your packing list: earplugs.
We could hear them from where we stayed which was a 7 minute walk away, just by one of the main avenues outside the old town walls. So ….
We stayed on the Marmontova street apartments, and it was actually the perfect location, near to many starting points for the tours , a easy to follow location at getting back especially at night too and close to a variety of restaurants. And seconds away from the gorgeous water front. I would not suggest staying near where the ships doc over the other side. The only thing it is convenient for is the airport transfer.
Our host was fantastic – only issue to consider was no lift and around 8 flights of stairs . Which may not be appreciated by some but we were okay just luggage carrying was the pain. Inside here there is a hallway and a couple of chairs and some games on a shelf, a discount voucher for a local restaurant, a very helpful owner of the rooms here, and free umbrellas to use. The entry to the rooms has a lock and then each room has its own automatic lock system too. All very secure.
Every ice cream is worth it after climbing these stairs! 🤫.
Excursions
Excursion 1 – now this is a controversy…
You may wish to hit the water and explore the islands in one day or at a slower pace either way they get very busy but are so worth it. And what ever suits your itinerary plans.
We decided to do the very long day trip exploring the islands and all by speed boat ! This is such a thrill and worth the money we paid around £70 pp. And we absolutely loved it. But came prepared. We bought our food / snacks from the bakery , brought a water bottle each, and enjoyed more on foot than long sit downs. Although we did have a late breakfast / early lunch by eating at Fabrika the food was super fresh.
p.s. holding on to the handles is advised, put everything by your feet and do not try and film freehand that often it is a bumpy ride, fun put you will feel the waves!
We got to see some beautiful towns and the sea is gorgeous. A must for taking a dip , do not stress. Bring your water shoes. I bought some skin coloured ones but it is necessary to keep your feet safe from the urchins , small sharp stones or shells and grip when walking.
When you’re on the islands try and find a nice spot away from the main tourist strip where necessary for example here (below), we walked around the coastline area to find a less busy.
Excursion 2 : Next stop – Krka Waterfalls and National park.
Now these waterfalls are viral – literally dont go here , do go here blah blah …. but the bit they show is the first walkway of the bottom waterfalls – there are many more and go further up … guess what that’s where you’re heading next ! UP …
You will thank yourself on doing the loop around the park and taking time to explore, be patient and listen.
This is a national park thriving with wildlife , we saw a wild boar, many frogs , dragonflies, butterflies , listen to the birds and the sounds of nature and of course the waterfalls was unforgettable. See below a few highlights. The best bit however was arriving by boat and not coach in the morning. Be sure to stay with your group and inline or you will miss the boat literally!
Bring snacks & treats with you from the bakery before you leave for this long trip for the day.
Excursion 3 – Klis Fortress
Okay you could do this as part of the hop on , hop off bus or you can take a local bus to spend longer here. I will be honest it was nice to have the included guided tour around and a little longer to ourselves too afterwards booked via the hop on and hop off sightseeing tour. You can also see more of the coastline on another day. And it includes a walking tour in Split which was 100% worth it. It ks a typical touristy thing to do but actually it was pretty okay. If youre expecting to see more of the old town on this tour you’re out of luck.
If you want to visit by yourself then grab the local bus number 22. It’s cheap literally a couple of pounds and the bus is fairly regular too.
Three little facts about Klis :
1. It’s really, really old. Klis has been an important stronghold for more than 2,000 years, and its position made it strategically important for controlling the route between the coast and the interior of Dalmatia.
2. It has seen plenty of fighting. The fortress was fought over by different powers, including the Illyrians, Venetians and Ottomans. During the 16th-century Ottoman wars it was captured and later recaptured, and Klis became a symbol of resistance for the united Dalmatian forces.
3. Game of Thrones fans may recognise it. Klis was used as Meereen in Game of Thrones, including scenes connected with Daenerys. So while you’re standing there looking at a fortress with thousands of years of history, there’s also a little part of your brain going, “Hang on… I’ve seen this somewhere before!”.
And last but by no means least there are the views. Honestly, I think this is one of those places where you can read all the facts you like, but once you’re actually standing up there looking across the landscape, you understand why people have been fighting over this particular bit of rock for centuries. It’s an impressive place, but I did have to wonder what the people who lived here centuries ago would make of us wandering around taking photographs and admiring the view. And unlike the poor souls who had to defend the place, our biggest challenge was probably getting up and down the cobbled steps and back onto the bus. 😅.
It was a lovely change from the busy streets of Split, though, and definitely worth the trip up into the hills and seeing more of Croatia and its landscape.
Plus, we could now say we’d been to Meereen.
Well… technically – don’t ruin it for us.
Lastly that sad part of a trip – The journey back to the airport.
If you are catching the transfer coach , arrive early. It is also right over near where the port is for the ships and will take around 15 minutes from the old town. Especially countering in carrying luggage.
If you have more time then definitely make the most of other excursions and having slower days.
The city thrives throughout the summer and yes its busy but there are various festivals and events throughout the year which are worth checking out. If you visit or wanted to visit in winter , it would be a total waste of time. Many residents and businesses close and have their own holidays.
Hope you found my blog post here useful and enjoy your next trip to Croatia. #Croatia #split #toptips #travellingdreamswithkerry
As an added note the photos in this blog are my personal photographs – property of Kerry Elliott Travelling Dreams. ©️.
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