Historical Complex of Split With the Palace of Diocletian

Diocletian spent his reign persecuting Christians more systematically than almost any other Roman emperor. When he retired to the palace he built for himself on the Dalmatian coast in 305 AD, he was buried in a grand octagonal mausoleum at its centre. Within 350 years, that mausoleum had been converted into a cathedral. The irony is still visible: the Cathedral of Saint Domnius (named after one of Diocletian’s victims) occupies the emperor’s tomb, and Roman-era bas-reliefs of Diocletian himself still decorate the interior. It is probably the most unusual conversion in Christian architecture.

This is the spirit of Split. Nothing here started as a tourist attraction. The palace Diocletian built between 295 and 305 AD as his retirement residence was essentially a small fortified city: seven hectares, walls four metres thick, originally home to around 9,000 people including soldiers and servants. After his death in 316 AD the complex gradually became inhabited by ordinary people fleeing the chaos of late antiquity. By the medieval period, families were living inside Roman walls, building on Roman foundations, and using Roman columns as doorframes. Today about 3,000 people still live inside the palace walls. It is the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in the world where residents collect their mail.

The Palace as a District

The palace is entered through four gates corresponding to the cardinal points. The Golden Gate (north) is the most imposing and was the main ceremonial entrance. The Silver Gate (east), Iron Gate (west), and Bronze Gate (south) vary in scale but are all intact to varying degrees. The Bronze Gate faces the seafront Riva promenade and is typically the first gate visitors reach from the ferry dock.

Inside, the Peristil is the central courtyard and the social heart of the old town. Roman columns line both sides. The cathedral rises at the east end. At certain hours in summer the space fills with café tables and the contrast between the ancient columns and the espresso drinkers is either jarring or wonderful depending on your disposition. Early morning (before 9am) is when the scale and age of the space is genuinely apparent before the groups arrive.

The Temple of Jupiter

Across the Peristil from the cathedral, the Temple of Jupiter became a baptistery in the early Christian period. The original function is easy to understand from the exterior proportions. Inside, the barrel-vaulted ceiling is divided into 64 carved panels, each showing a different human face. There is also a headless sphinx near the entrance, one of twelve granite sphinxes Diocletian brought from Egypt during construction; they date to the reign of Pharaoh Thutmose III, making them roughly 3,500 years old when they arrived in Split. Two others survive in the courtyard outside.

The Underground Cellars

The cellars beneath the southern half of the palace are what remains of Diocletian’s service level. Originally storage and functional rooms, they were used as a rubbish dump for centuries and were only properly excavated in the 20th century. George R.R. Martin visited Split, saw the cellars, and used them as partial inspiration for the dragon cells in Game of Thrones, several scenes of which were filmed here. Admission costs around 5.50 euros; tickets can be bought at the entrance or online. Buy online in July and August to avoid queues.

Cathedral of Saint Domnius

The 57-metre bell tower attached to the cathedral is medieval (mainly 13th to 16th century) and offers one of the better elevated views over the old town. The climb is steep and narrow; admission is around 6 euros. The cathedral itself charges 3 euros. Both are worth it, but the cathedral interior is the priority: the wooden choir stalls, a carved 13th-century pulpit, and the stone sarcophagus of Saint Domnius in the main apse are genuinely impressive, and the layering of Roman and early Christian elements is difficult to find anywhere else.

Where to Eat

Varos is the old fishermen’s quarter immediately west of the palace walls and is where the better local restaurants are concentrated. Konoba Varos has been serving traditional Dalmatian food for over a century. The menu covers black risotto (made with cuttlefish ink), grilled octopus, pašticada (a beef stew with sweet wine and prunes), and fish sold by weight. Mains around 80 to 120 HRK equivalent in euros (Croatia adopted the euro in 2023). It is not a tourist trap; it is where the people who live in the old town eat when they want a proper meal.

Konoba Fetivi, nearby, is a family-run operation with a shorter menu focused on whatever fish came in that morning and slow-cooked meat dishes requiring advanced preparation. It is consistently rated higher than its online presence would suggest.

Villa Spiza, inside the palace walls, serves a changing menu of Dalmatian dishes in a tiny room that fills quickly. The formula is local ingredients, seasonal preparation, and minimal fuss. It is popular enough that arriving when it opens is the practical approach.

For breakfast or coffee, the café tables on the Peristil are convenient but priced for tourists. Walking two streets south to the Riva waterfront produces cheaper coffee and better people-watching.

Where to Stay

Hotel Vestibul Palace is directly inside the palace walls with rooms built into Roman-era structures. It is expensive (from around 300 euros per night in peak season) and entirely justified if staying inside a 1,700-year-old building is the point. The location is unmatched.

For mid-range stays, several guesthouses in the Varos neighbourhood offer comfortable rooms at 80 to 150 euros per night. The neighbourhood is quiet at night compared to the palace interior and is a short walk from all the main sites.

Split’s growing number of apartments in the old town work well for longer stays, particularly for groups. The palace district is compact enough that location within or just outside the walls makes minimal practical difference.

Getting There and Around

Split Airport (SPU), also called Split Kastela Airport, is 25 kilometres northwest of the city. A shuttle bus runs to the town centre for around 30 HRK/8 euros; journey time is around 30 minutes depending on traffic. Taxis and ride-share apps cost around 200 to 250 HRK.

The ferry terminal is immediately adjacent to the old town. Jadrolinija operates regular crossings to the islands: Brac (50 minutes to Supetar), Hvar (under an hour on catamarans), and Korcula. Day trips to any of these are straightforward and constitute the most popular secondary activity for visitors based in Split.

Timing and Crowds

Split is significantly busier in July and August than any other month. June and September offer substantially better conditions: lower prices, shorter queues at the cellars and bell tower, and temperatures that are warm without being oppressive. May is cooler still and largely free of tour groups.

The palace in the early morning before 9am looks entirely different from how it looks at noon. If the choice is between seeing it properly once early and returning to a crowd later, the early morning is the correct option. The Peristil at 7am with low summer light coming through the columns is one of the better things available to a visitor in Croatia.

The Mestrovic Gallery

About a kilometre west of the palace, the Mestrovic Gallery occupies the villa Ivan Mestrovic built for himself and donated to Croatia on the condition it become a museum. Mestrovic is Croatia’s most significant 20th-century artist. The sculpture garden is open to non-gallery visitors and is a genuinely calm alternative to the palace district when the latter becomes crowded. Admission to the gallery is around 15 euros.