Split on Foot: Palace, Varoš and Marjan

October 30, 2026

Split on foot: four walks by length

Split rewards walking, and the best routes need nothing more than comfortable shoes. The palace streets are free and open around the clock. The four walks below run from a short stroll to a half day, and the last one is a quiet, respectful route.

Walk one: the palace in about two hours

Allow 1.5 to 2 hours for this loop. Begin at the Riva and go in through the Bronze Gate, then follow the free central hall of the Substructures up to the Peristyle. Pause in the Vestibule, where klapa singers are commonly heard, then take the Cardo north to the Golden Gate and Grgur Ninski’s statue. Return through the Iron Gate to the square called Pjaca. Choose early morning or evening, because the lanes fill from about 10:00 to 15:00 in summer.

Walk two: Varoš and up Marjan

Varoš is the old stone quarter west of the palace. Its alleys are quiet, and the church of St Nicholas stands there. The polished stone steps are slippery when wet, so shoes with grip matter more than anything else you pack.

From Varoš the stairs climb to Prva Vidilica in about 10 to 15 minutes. Paths carry on to Telegrin, the summit at 178 m. The figure of 314 steps counts from the play-area junction, not from the Riva, so the climb from the waterfront is longer than that suggests. Carry water on every Marjan path. Open fires are illegal between 1 June and 31 October, and dry pine forest burns easily.

Walk three: the markets, in the morning

The Peškarija fish market and the Pazar green market outside the Silver Gate are best before the day warms up. Pazar’s hours change, so check them. The fish market dates from about 1890, and you can read more on the tourist board’s fish market page .

Guided walks

Group walks with a local guide cover the palace and old town, and they are most useful for the Roman layers and the stories behind each gate. Prices differ by operator, so compare a few before you commit. Search the listings on Viator .

Walk four: Jewish heritage, on a quiet footing

Take this route slowly and without noise. Židovski prolaz leads to the Split Synagogue in the palace’s north-west corner. The building dates to the early 1500s and is one of the oldest Sephardic synagogues still in use. It remains a house of worship, so look from outside and do not treat it as an attraction. Italian fascists sacked it in June 1942 and burned books and scrolls in the main square.

On Marjan, the Jewish cemetery dates to 1573, though one source says 1578. It is a protected monument. The Vidilica café sits in the former mortuary house beside it. For any visit, contact the Jewish Community of Split through zost.hr , and view the cemetery from outside unless they arrange otherwise.

Rules and habits

Split fines people on the spot for walking through town shirtless or in swimwear, for drinking or sleeping in public and for climbing monuments.
The old town is crowded in the middle of the day in summer.
Late October is outside the main season, so check guided-walk schedules before you rely on them.