Croatia's Dalmatian coast gives a first trip two old cities by the sea. In Dubrovnik you walk a ring of medieval walls above the old town, ride a cable car up Mount Srđ and take a short boat to wooded Lokrum. In Split, people still live and shop inside a Roman emperor's palace, with day trips to Hvar, Trogir and the Krka waterfalls. Fast catamarans link Split with Hvar town in about an hour and with Dubrovnik in about 4 hours 30 minutes.
This page starts with our ranked picks for a first visit, best first, each with a practical tip on timing or booking. Below them you will find every sight we cover in Dubrovnik and Split, city by city, with opening notes and checked entry fees where we have them, then answers to common questions.
The 18 best things to do in Croatia
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- 1Dubrovnik
Walk the medieval City Walls of Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik's City Walls are one of the best preserved fortification systems in Europe: a ring 1,940 m long with five fortresses and 16 towers and bastions around the old town. The walk looks over the old town on one side and the open sea on the other. It passes Minčeta, the round tower at the city's highest point, completed in 1464, and St. John's Fortress, built in 1346 to guard the harbor. There are three entrances: by St. Luke's Church on the east side, beside St. Saviour's Church opposite the large Onofrio Fountain, and by the Maritime Museum at St. John's Fortress. The walls are open every day of the year except December 25.
Tip: No reservation is needed, but you can buy a dated ticket on the official webshop and activate it at the entrance, and keep it, since it also gets you into Fort Lovrijenac.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Dubrovnik Tourist Board (official); Society of Friends of Dubrovnik Antiquities; Dubrovnik Tourist Board (official)Entry: €40 (about $45) · Pay at the entrance or onlineLast verified
- 2Split
Explore Diocletian's Palace from the Peristyle
Split grew up inside the palace that the Roman emperor Diocletian began near Salona in 293 and retired to after about ten years of building; he entered through the Golden Gate on 1 June 305. It is a rectangle of roughly 215 by 180 m with a gate on each side, and its outline is still easy to trace in the old town. At its heart is the Peristyle, the ceremonial court where the emperor appeared to be worshipped as a living god, lined with red granite columns brought from Egypt and watched over by a sphinx. About 1,000 people lived in the palace in Roman times, and about as many live inside its walls today. The historic core has been on UNESCO's World Heritage list since 1979.
Tip: Walk in once through each of the four gates, the Golden, Silver, Iron and Brass, since each opens onto a different side of town, and come early in the morning for the quietest Peristyle.
Search tours on TiqetsSources: Tourist Board of Split (visitsplit.com); Tourist Board of Split (official); Tourist Board of Split (visitsplit.com)Free to visit - 3Dubrovnik
Stroll the Stradun from fountain to bell tower
The Stradun, officially Placa, is the old town's main street, 298 m long, running from the western entrance to the City Bell Tower in the east. Its plan was fixed by the city statute of 1272, and its matching Baroque houses, with shops at street level, date from the rebuilding after the earthquake of 1667. At the western end stands the large Onofrio Fountain, with 16 carved stone masks pouring water, built in 1438 when spring water was first piped in from 12 km away. At the eastern end, the bell tower has had a clock since 1444, and two bronze figures called the Zelenci strike the hours; the tower was rebuilt in 1929 and the original figures are now in the Rector's Palace.
Tip: Walk it early in the morning for a clear view down its whole length, then come back in the evening and turn up the side lanes toward Prijeko for dinner.
Sources: Dubrovnik Tourist Board (official); Dubrovnik Tourist Board (official); Dubrovnik Tourist Board (official)Free to visit - 4Dubrovnik
Ride the cable car up Mount Srđ
The Dubrovnik Cable Car first opened in 1969 as the only cable car on the Adriatic, and today two cabins carrying up to 32 people each cover 778 m in under 4 minutes. The upper station sits 405 m above sea level on Srđ, with three terraces fitted with telescopes, a restaurant, and a view over the 2 km of walls around the old town. Beside it stands the Imperial Fort, built under Napoleon and finished on his birthday, August 15, in 1812. During the Homeland War the fort was the city's first line of defense, and today it holds the exhibition Dubrovnik in the Homeland War 1991 to 1995, with documents, photographs and weapons from the siege years.
Tip: The cable car runs from April to November, with hours that stretch to midnight in summer, and it stops in strong wind or lightning, so go up on a calm, clear day.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Dubrovnik Cable Car (official); Dubrovnik Cable Car (official); Dubrovnik Cable Car (official); Dubrovnik Cable CarReturn: €30 (about $34) · One way: €17 (about $19) · Pay at the station or onlineLast verified
- 5Dubrovnik
Take the boat to the forest island of Lokrum
Lokrum is a wooded island about ten minutes by boat from the Old City Port, protected as a special reserve of forest vegetation since 1948. Its largest monument is the Benedictine monastery of St. Mary, first recorded in a founding charter of 1023 and later turned into a summer residence by the Austrian archduke Maximilian, who laid out gardens and promenades around it. A botanical garden founded in 1959 grows eucalyptus, cacti and succulents. Walk up to Fort Royal, begun by the French in 1806 on the island's highest point, for views over Dubrovnik and Cavtat, or swim in the Dead Sea, a small lake formed in a collapsed cave and linked to the open sea by a channel, calm enough for children.
Tip: Buy tickets at the Luža ticket office in the Old City Port, note the time of the last boat back, and remember that smoking, fires and feeding the animals are not allowed on the island.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Dubrovnik Tourist Board (official); Lokrum Reserve (Javna ustanova Rezervat Lokrum); Lokrum Reserve; Lokrum Reserve (official)Visit with boat: €30 (about $34) · Ticket includes the boatLast verified
- 6Dubrovnik
Stand on Fort Lovrijenac above the sea
Fort Lovrijenac, named after St. Lawrence, stands alone on a 37 m sea rock just outside the western walls, and it was long called the Gibraltar of Dubrovnik. Records show the 14th century was the key period of its construction; it was strengthened in the 15th and 16th centuries, then restored after heavy damage in the earthquake of 1667. Over time it served as an Austrian barracks and, during the Second World War, a prison. Above the gate you can still read the carved Latin motto Non Bene Pro Toto Libertas Venditur Auro: freedom is not sold for all the gold in the world. From its terraces you look straight across the bay to Bokar Fortress at the corner of the city walls.
Tip: A City Walls ticket also covers Lovrijenac, so buy the walls ticket first, since a ticket bought at the fort means paying extra later for the walls.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Dubrovnik Tourist Board (official); Dubrovnik Tourist Board (official); Society of Friends of Dubrovnik AntiquitiesIncluded with the City Walls ticket - 7Split
Walk the Roman halls beneath Diocletian's Palace
Because the palace's south side stood at sea level, Roman engineers built an enormous basement to lift the emperor's apartments up to the level of the rest of the complex. These substructures, used for storage in Roman times, closely mirror the layout of the rooms that once stood above, so walking through them shows you how the lost imperial quarters were arranged. They are among the best preserved ancient complexes of their kind in the world, and a large part of why Split's historic core joined the UNESCO list in 1979. You enter from the Riva through the Brass Gate, the small sea gate that once let the emperor escape by boat if the palace came under attack from the land.
Tip: Tickets are sold until 30 minutes before closing, and the halls close on a few holidays, including December 25 and 26 and January 1.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Tourist Board of Split (visitsplit.com); Tourist Board of Split (visitsplit.com); Split City Museum (Muzej grada Splita)Entry: €10 (about $11) · Pay at the entranceLast verified
- 8Split
Climb the bell tower of St. Domnius Cathedral
Split's cathedral is said to occupy the oldest building of any cathedral in Europe: the octagonal mausoleum Diocletian built for himself, which became a church in the 7th century. Inside, the round hall keeps its red granite Corinthian columns and a carved frieze where two medallions are thought to show Diocletian and his wife Prisca. Look for the walnut doors carved by Andrija Buvina with 28 scenes from the life of Christ, a 13th-century pulpit of green porphyry, and the altar of St. Anastasius made in 1448 by Juraj Dalmatinac. The 57 m bell tower, begun in the 13th century and rebuilt around 1900, has steps all the way to the top and a view over the whole city.
Tip: It is a working church with Sunday Mass, so plan your visit and the tower climb around services and keep your voice down inside.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Tourist Board of Split (visitsplit.com); Tourist Board of Split (visitsplit.com)€[fee] - 9Hvar
Sail to Hvar and climb to the Fortica
Hvar town is a catamaran ride of about 50 minutes to an hour from Split, and its fortress makes a good first climb on a day trip. Building began after 1278, when Hvar came under Venetian rule, and the fort and town walls formed one defensive system. A new fortress went up on the site in 1551, sheltered townspeople during the Ottoman attack of 1571, was badly damaged when lightning set off its gunpowder store in 1579, and gained its Baroque bastions in the early 17th century. The last barracks date from 1775 to 1776. Inside is a collection of amphorae, and just offshore lies the chain of 21 islands, islets and reefs called the Pakleni islands.
Tip: Take an early catamaran from Split so you can climb to the fortress before the midday heat, and check the time of the last boat back before you set off.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Krilo Fast Ferries (Kapetan Luka); Hvar Tourist Board; Hvar Tourist Board (official); Hvar Tourist Board (official)Adult: €12 (about $13) · Combined ticket: €15 (about $17) · The combined ticket also covers Hvar Theatre, the Loggia and Clock Tower.Last verified
- 10Krka National Park
See the waterfalls of Krka National Park
Krka National Park, a little over an hour from Split, protects a river that drops over seven tufa barriers on its way to the sea. The best known is Skradinski buk, the last and longest: the waters of the Krka and Čikola rivers spill over 17 steps spread along 800 m, with a total drop of 45.7 m, past small lakes, islets and restored watermills. Marked trails and wooden bridges lead around the falls, and on the left bank are the remains of the Jaruga hydroelectric plant, which started up on August 28, 1895, just two days after the first plant on the Niagara River. The park ticket includes the boat from the town of Skradin to Skradinski buk; boats to Visovac island and Roški slap cost extra.
Tip: Swimming is not allowed at Skradinski buk, so if you want a swim, plan it at Roški slap, Stinice or Pisak, the only places it is allowed, from June 1 to September 30.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Tourist Board of Split (visitsplit.com); Krka National Park (official); Krka National Park (official) - 11Dubrovnik
Tour the Rector's Palace, seat of the old Republic
The Rector's Palace was the seat of government of the Dubrovnik Republic, a mainly Gothic building reworked in Renaissance and Baroque styles after gunpowder explosions in 1435 and 1463 and the earthquake of 1667. Each rector lived here during his one-month term, alongside council halls, a courtroom, prisons and an arsenal. Above the door you can still read the Latin inscription telling officials to forget their private business and attend to public affairs. In the atrium, known for its acoustics and used for concerts, stands a bust of the sea captain and benefactor Miho Pracat, the only public monument the Republic raised to one of its citizens. Today it houses the Cultural History Museum, with period rooms, paintings and the Republic's coins.
Tip: From November to March the museum closes at 4 PM and all day on Mondays, while from April to October it opens daily until 6 PM.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Dubrovnik Tourist Board (official); Dubrovnik MuseumsAdult: €15 (about $17) · Dubrovnik Museums 10-museum ticket: €20 (about $22) · Card payment only at the ticket office.Last verified
- 12Trogir
Day trip to the island town of Trogir
Trogir, about 30 minutes' drive from Split's ferry port, is a small town on an island that its people cut off from the mainland, founded by Greek colonists at the end of the 3rd or start of the 2nd century BC. Its historic center, with Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque buildings, has been on UNESCO's World Heritage list since 1997. The highlight is the Cathedral of St. Lawrence, built over five centuries, with the stone portal Master Radovan carved in 1240. The other main sights, the Kamerlengo Fortress, the Tower of St. Mark, the Town Lodge, the Town Museum and the Benedictine monastery with its relief of Kairos, the Greek god of the lucky moment, are all a few minutes' walk apart.
Tip: In summer and early fall a seasonal boat runs from Split harbor to Trogir, an easy alternative to the road for a day trip.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Trogir Tourist Board (official); Trogir Tourist Board (official); Tourist Board of Split (visitsplit.com) - 13Split
Hike Marjan hill to the Vidilica viewpoint
Marjan is the forested hill on the peninsula west of the old town, a protected park about 3 km long with paths, lookouts and old stone churches. The easiest way up starts near the Riva and climbs through Varoš, the city's first neighborhood, along Senjska Street, a stepped old stone lane. After about 15 minutes you reach the stairs to Vidilica, a viewpoint over the city, the harbor and the islands. Keep going and you find a Jewish cemetery dating from 1753, Renaissance hermitage caves cut into the cliffs with small churches from as early as the 13th century below them, and the rebuilt Sedlo watchtower, 148 m above sea level, which has an elevator to the top.
Tip: In summer, go in the early morning or late afternoon, carry water, and stay on the marked paths.
Search tours on TiqetsSources: Tourist Board of Split (visitsplit.com); Tourist Board of Split (visitsplit.com)Free to visit - 14Split
Shop Split's fish market and the Pazar
Split's two markets are where the city does its daily shopping. The Fish Market, or Peškarija, has traded for more than 120 years in a Secession-style iron-framed building just off Marmontova Street, at the end of the Riva. The day's catch, from sprats and sardines to dentex, sea bass, lobsters and shellfish, is laid out on wide stone tables from about 6:30 AM until about 1 PM, and you will notice there are no flies, thanks to the smell of a sulfur spring next door. At the other end of the old town, beside the palace's east wall and around the church of St. Dominic, the Pazar is the year-round open-air green market, with fruit, vegetables, cheese, nuts and flowers.
Tip: Come early in the day for the liveliest stalls and the best choice, and on a Saturday if you can.
Sources: Tourist Board of Split (visitsplit.com); Tourist Board of Split (visitsplit.com)Pay as you go - 15Hvar
Visit Hvar's main square, cathedral and old theater
Hvar town's Piazza, the largest square in Dalmatia, began as a deep bay that was filled in over centuries; its communal well dates from 1529, and the square was fully paved in 1780. At its east end stands St. Stephen's Cathedral, the seat of the diocese since the 13th century, rebuilt from the 16th to the 18th centuries with a late Renaissance trefoil facade and a bell tower finished in 1549 to 1550. Nearby, the Arsenal once housed and repaired galleys, and the theater on its upper floor, founded in 1612, is often called the oldest public theater in Europe. Its boxes date from 1803, and a stage fresco from 1819 still covers the back wall.
Tip: Opening times of the cathedral and theater change with the season, so check them on the town tourist board's website before you plan the day.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Hvar Tourist Board (official); Krilo Fast Ferries (Kapetan Luka)Cathedral: €2 (about $2) · Pay at the entranceLast verified
- 16Split
Spend an evening on Split's Riva
The Riva, the seafront promenade along the south face of Diocletian's Palace, took its present shape about two centuries ago, when Marshal Marmont governed the region for Napoleon. Widened and rebuilt several times since, it is now a pedestrian space lined with cafes and restaurants, the city's living room for a morning coffee or an evening drink. It is also the stage for city life: concerts, the carnival, welcomes for returning sports heroes, and above all Sudamja, the festival of St. Domnius, Split's patron saint, whose feast day is May 7. From the Riva the Brass Gate leads into the palace substructures, and the walk up Marjan hill starts nearby.
Tip: If you are in Split in early May, check the Sudamja program, since the main celebration night and the feast day procession take place on the Riva.
Sources: Tourist Board of Split (visitsplit.com); Tourist Board of Split (visitsplit.com); Tourist Board of Split (visitsplit.com)Pay as you go - 17Dubrovnik
Browse Gundulić Square market, then dine on Prijeko
Every morning, Gundulić Square, behind the cathedral, turns into a green market where farmers from nearby villages sell fresh fruit and vegetables. Above the stalls stands a statue of the poet Ivan Gundulić, made by Ivan Rendić in 1892, its pedestal decorated with bronze reliefs from his epic Osman. For dinner, head to Prijeko, the street that runs parallel to the Stradun, laid out under the statute of 1272 and crossed by 14 steep lanes running down toward the main street. Its stone houses keep Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque portals, balconies and windows, and today it has more restaurants than any other street in the old town.
Tip: The market runs in the morning only, so go before lunch, and walk the whole length of Prijeko to compare menus before you choose a table.
Sources: Dubrovnik Tourist Board (official); Dubrovnik Tourist Board (official)Pay as you go - 18Dubrovnik
Swim off Porporela by the Old Port
The Old City Port, guarded by St. John's Fortress and Revelin, took its present look in the 15th century under the local engineer Paskoje Miličević. The three arches of the Large Arsenal, where large boats were once repaired, now house the City Café and Theatre, and the fish market gate dates from 1381. Inside St. John's Fortress, built in 1346, are an aquarium on the ground floor and the Maritime Museum above. At its foot, the Porporela pier with its beacon, built in 1873, is a promenade, a traditional meeting place, and a swimming spot popular with people who live in the old town. Boats to Lokrum leave from this harbor.
Tip: Bring a towel and swim from Porporela, but cover up before you walk back into town, since going through town in swimwear can bring an on-the-spot fine.
Sources: Dubrovnik Tourist Board (official); Dubrovnik Tourist Board (official); UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeBuy Lokrum tickets at the Luža office
Every sight, city by city
Dubrovnik Cable Car
A cable car from just above the old town to Mount Srđ, with views along the coast.Entry: Pay at the station or onlineSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsDubrovnik City Walls
A 1,940 m circuit of walls, towers and fortresses around the old town, walkable along the top.Entry: Pay at the entrance or onlineSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsFort Lovrijenac
A freestanding fortress on a 37 m sea rock just outside the western walls.Entry: Included with the City Walls ticketSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsGundulić Square market
An old town square behind the cathedral where local farmers sell fruit and vegetables each morning.Entry: Pay as you goLapad Bay promenade
A pedestrian promenade along Lapad Bay, with a beach and many restaurants and bars along the way.Entry: Pay as you goLokrum
A forested island reserve off the old town, protected since 1948, with historic gardens and paths.Entry: Ticket includes the boatSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsPile Gate
The western entrance to the old town, where the Stradun begins its run east to Luža square.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on TiqetsPrijeko Street
A long old town street parallel to the Stradun, lined with restaurants and their outdoor tables.Entry: Pay as you goRector's Palace
The seat of the old Republic of Ragusa's government, now Dubrovnik's Cultural History Museum.Entry: Card payment only at the ticket office.Search tickets and tours on TiqetsStradun
The old town's limestone main street, running from the Pile Gate to Luža square and the bell tower.Entry: Free to visitCathedral of Saint Domnius
A cathedral set inside Diocletian's mausoleum, with a 57 m bell tower you can climb for city views.Entry: €[fee]Search tickets and tours on TiqetsFortica Fortress, Hvar
The hilltop fortress above Hvar town, also called Španjola, with views over the harbor and islands.Entry: The combined ticket also covers Hvar Theatre, the Loggia and Clock Tower.Search tickets and tours on TiqetsHvar Theatre, Hvar
The historic theatre above the Arsenal on the main square of Hvar town, open to visitors.Entry: The combined ticket also covers Fortica Fortress, the Loggia and Clock Tower.Search tickets and tours on TiqetsHvar town waterfront, Hvar
The harbor promenade of Hvar town, with cafes and restaurants facing the moored boats.Entry: Pay as you goMarjan Forest Park
The wooded hill west of the old town, with paths, old churches and lookouts over Split and the islands.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on TiqetsPazar green market
Split's year-round open-air market by the palace's east wall, selling produce, cheese, meat and flowers.Entry: Pay as you goPeristyle, Diocletian's Palace
The central square of Diocletian's Roman palace, framed by red granite columns in Split's old town.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on TiqetsRiva
Split's pedestrian seafront promenade below the palace walls, lined with cafes and restaurants.Entry: Pay as you goSplit Fish Market
A Secession-style market hall over 120 years old, selling fish and seafood from the Adriatic.Entry: Pay as you goSt. Stephen's Square and Cathedral, Hvar
Hvar town's main square, running up from the harbor to St. Stephen's Cathedral.Entry: Pay at the entranceSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsSubstructures of Diocletian's Palace
The vaulted Roman halls beneath the palace, among the best preserved ancient complexes of their kind.Entry: Pay at the entranceSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsQuestions travelers ask
What are the best things to do in Croatia for a first trip?
In Dubrovnik, walk the City Walls, stroll the Stradun, ride the cable car up Mount Srđ, take the boat to Lokrum, and visit Fort Lovrijenac and the Rector's Palace. In Split, explore Diocletian's Palace from the Peristyle down to its Roman substructures, climb the cathedral bell tower, shop the morning markets and walk up Marjan. From Split, add day trips to Hvar town, the island town of Trogir and the waterfalls of Krka National Park.
Sources: Dubrovnik Tourist Board (official); Tourist Board of Split (visitsplit.com); Krka National Park (official)How many days do you need in Croatia?
About a week works well. Give Dubrovnik three days for the walls, the old town, the cable car and Lokrum. Give Split three or four days for the palace, the markets, Marjan and day trips to Hvar, Trogir or Krka. Fast catamarans between Split and Dubrovnik take about 4 hours 30 minutes, so the transfer takes half a day. Hvar town is about an hour from Split by catamaran, and Krka a little over an hour away.
Sources: Krilo Fast Ferries (Kapetan Luka); Krilo Fast Ferries (Kapetan Luka); Tourist Board of Split (visitsplit.com)When is the best time for sightseeing in Croatia?
The coast has a Mediterranean climate: mostly sunny days, hot, dry summers and mild, humid winters. Spring and autumn are comfortable for walking walls and trails, while summer brings the most visitors. Around Hvar the sea stays above 20 °C for more than five months a year, so late spring to early autumn suits swimming. In winter some sights slow down: the Dubrovnik Cable Car closes from December to March, Lokrum closes for a winter period, and the Rector's Palace keeps shorter hours.
Sources: Croatian National Tourist Board; Krka National Park (official); Hvar Tourist Board (official); Dubrovnik Cable Car; Lokrum Reserve (official); Dubrovnik MuseumsWhich attractions in Croatia should you book ahead?
Very few need advance booking. The Dubrovnik City Walls need no reservation, though you can buy a dated ticket on the official webshop and activate it at the entrance; it also covers Fort Lovrijenac. Lokrum tickets, including the return boat, are sold at the Luža ticket office in the Old City Port. The cable car sells tickets at its lower station and online in season. At Krka, boat excursions to Visovac and Roški slap can only be booked and paid for inside the park.
Sources: Society of Friends of Dubrovnik Antiquities; Lokrum Reserve (Javna ustanova Rezervat Lokrum); Dubrovnik Cable Car; Krka National Park (official)How do you get around Croatia's Dalmatian coast?
Dubrovnik Airport is 22.5 km from the city, about 30 to 35 minutes by road; an official shuttle leaves soon after flights land, and city buses 11, 27 and 38 also serve it. Several Dubrovnik city bus lines run to Pile, by the old town. Fast catamarans link Split with Hvar town in about an hour and with Dubrovnik in about 4 hours 30 minutes, and car ferries from Split land at Stari Grad, a 20-minute drive from Hvar town. Trogir is about 30 minutes' drive from Split.
Sources: Dubrovnik Airport; Libertas Dubrovnik (city bus operator); Krilo Fast Ferries (Kapetan Luka); Krilo Fast Ferries (Kapetan Luka); Hvar Tourist Board; Trogir Tourist Board (official)What are the rules on dress and drinking in Split and Dubrovnik?
In some town centers, including Split and Dubrovnik, you can be fined on the spot for drinking alcohol in public spaces, sleeping or urinating in public, climbing on monuments, or walking through town shirtless or in swimwear, so cover up after the beach. Larger fines apply to fighting, shouting and drunken behavior. Carry your passport. Croatia uses the euro, and cards are accepted in almost all hotels, restaurants and shops, though a few smaller ticket points, such as some sites in Krka National Park, take cash only.
Sources: UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office; Croatian National Tourist Board; Krka National Park (official)