Briig Boutique Hotel

Worth getting out of bed for

What did the Romans ever do for us? Well, Split has several answers to that question, most notably Diocletian’s Palace – with its gleaming white walls, well-preserved arches, and towering columns. The emperor retired to the Dalmatian Coast and spent his golden years here, but was initially drawn in by the Illyrian city of Salona – you can visit the ruins in the foothills of the Mosor Mountains, and many of its treasures are on display in Split’s Archaeological Museum. Ancient history aside, you can idle away the day on one of the peninsula’s many beaches (Bačvice, Kaštelet, and Ovčice are all delightfully toes-in-the-sand) – but it’s out on the water where you’ll really go below the surface of this cove-speckled shoreline. Daily catamaran trips depart from Split’s marina, or you can set sail on a private yacht charter and hop your way around the Adriatic islands. Unesco-protected Trogir is the closest, and one of the most culturally rich island hops from Split, with its Romanesque-meets-Renaissance architecture and fortified walls. Then there’s Brač Island, which lures castaways towards its horseshoe-shaped, white-pebble beach, where an earthy, cypress scent and the sound of goats bleating from the hills above fill the sea air.

Local restaurants

If you’re venturing into Split for the evening, head for Makarun, a traditional tavern tucked behind the Old Town’s stone walls (and just a two-minute walk from Diocletian’s Palace). Seafood hogs the spotlight here, in the freshly-caught form of platters piled high with buttery shrimps, and lightly-grilled fish dishes topped with Mediterranean vegetables. Swap surf for turf by opting for the homemade pašticada, a slow-cooked Dalmatian beef dish doused in sweet-and-sour sauce. Follow the locals to the Varoš quarter and pull up a chair in Konoba Marjan, a small, family-run restaurant which serves unpretentious plates of seafood risotto and still-simmering stew in a homey, checked-tablecloth setting.

Local cafés

The local custom of fjaka means the coffee culture in Croatia is as strong as its brews. Sightsee as you sip from Lvxor Café on the sphinx-guarded Peristyle Square, which overlooks the St Domnius bell tower, or drink in the sea views from waterside café Žbirac – a local hangout which fronts Bačvice beach, where you’ll be entertained by picigin players diving around in the shallows (this is the birthplace of the traditional Split ball game).

Local bars

Inspired by Barcelona’s Mercado de La Boqueria, Bokeria Kitchen & Wine Bar adds a splash of Spain into Split’s Old Town. Market-fresh, tasty tapas dishes are on the menu if you’re in the mood for a small bite while you drink, but it’s the stacks of wine bottles on the walls which keep the evening crowd coming back to the mosaic-tiled bar.