Split, Croatia · Croatia
Split Itinerary 2 Days - Palace, Riva and Marjan
Split did not grow next to a Roman ruin, it grew inside one. This unhurried two-day plan moves from Diocletian's Palace and its cellars to the Riva promenade and pine-scented Marjan Hill, all on foot.
Published October 8, 2026
Somewhere above a souvenir shop in Split, laundry is drying on a line strung between Roman walls. That is the whole city in one image. Split did not grow next to a ruin. It grew inside one. A Roman emperor built a seaside retirement palace here, and over the centuries people moved in, carving homes, chapels and cafés out of his halls.
This **Split itinerary 2 days** plan keeps things unhurried. Day one stays in stone, from the underground cellars to the central square. Day two heads for the sea and a pine-scented hill on the edge of town. Everything is walkable, so you spend your time looking, not commuting.
Why Two Days in Split Is the Right Amount?
Two days is enough because Split's centre is compact, flat and almost entirely on foot. The palace, the waterfront and the harbour sit within a few minutes of each other.
Here is the short version for anyone wondering what makes the place unusual. **Diocletian's Palace** was built around the turn of the fourth century as a fortified residence for the emperor Diocletian, who gave up power and retired to the coast where he was born. After the Roman world faded, locals fleeing nearby Salona took shelter inside its walls. They never left. Medieval houses were built into the arcades, the emperor's mausoleum became a cathedral, and the old streets kept their Roman grid. So when you walk through **Split old town**, you are not visiting an archaeological site behind a fence. You are walking through a neighbourhood where people still hang washing, argue over parking and buy bread, inside a structure that is one of the best-preserved Roman palaces anywhere.
That density is why a Split itinerary 2 days long works so well. Day one is history and shade. Day two is sea, green hill and long evenings. Many of the things to do in Split Croatia fit neatly into that rhythm.
Summer is hot and crowded, while spring and autumn feel gentler. In any season, the lanes are at their best early in the morning and in the last hours of daylight.
Day 1 - Diocletian's Palace, the Cellars and the Peristyle
Start at the **Peristyle**, the colonnaded court at the heart of the palace. Granite columns frame the steps where the emperor once appeared before his subjects. Go early, before the tour groups arrive, and you may share it only with a few café owners stacking chairs.
From there, step south into the vestibule, a round domed hall open to the sky. Singers sometimes perform Dalmatian klapa songs here, and the acoustics are startling. Then climb to the Cathedral of St Domnius, which began life as Diocletian's own mausoleum. There is a quiet irony in that, since he persecuted Christians. The bell tower above it gives the classic view over the rooftops to the islands. Check access details on the [official tourism board](https://visitsplit.com/en/) before you go.
Next, head underground. The **cellars** are the substructures of the palace, a set of vaulted halls built to raise the imperial apartments above the sloping shore. Because they carried the weight of the rooms on top, their layout copies the floor plan of the lost residence almost exactly. Walking through them is the closest you can get to seeing how the emperor's private quarters were arranged. For centuries they were filled with rubbish and forgotten, which is partly why they survived so well. They also stay cool on a hot afternoon.
After that, loop the four gates to understand the plan. The Bronze Gate opens from the cellars onto the sea. The Silver Gate leads east toward the open-air market, and the Iron Gate spills west into Pjaca, the People's Square, with its white stone paving. At the Golden Gate on the north side stands the giant statue of Gregory of Nin by Ivan Meštrović. Rub his big toe. Everyone does, which is why it shines.
Tucked into a narrow lane west of the Peristyle is the small Temple of Jupiter, later a baptistery, with a coffered stone ceiling worth craning your neck for.
Lunch can be simple. Look for a konoba, a family-style Dalmatian tavern, for grilled fish, black risotto or slow-braised pašticada. A bakery slice of soparnik, a thin chard pie, works as a snack.
Finish the afternoon in Varoš, the old quarter of fishermen and farmers just west of the centre. Its steep lanes are quieter, with potted plants on stone steps and cats asleep on walls.
Day 2 - The Riva, Marjan Hill and Slow Sea Views
Begin on the **Riva**, the palm-lined promenade that runs along the palace's southern facade. This is where Split drinks its morning coffee, slowly and in public. Pick a table, face the harbour and watch the ferries come and go against the islands.
Afterwards, walk west through Varoš and take the stone stairs up toward **Marjan Hill**. Marjan is a forested peninsula of Aleppo pine that locals treat as their shared back garden. The first terrace, Vidilica, gives a wide view back over the old town and the port. Keep climbing and the paths lead past small medieval chapels, including St Nicholas, and on toward hermitages built into the cliffs. Wear comfortable shoes and carry water, since shade and taps are not everywhere. The [Marjan park authority](https://www.marjan-parksuma.hr/) has maps of the trails.
In warm months, drop down the southern side of Marjan Hill Split to Kašjuni, a pebble beach backed by pines. Closer to the centre, Bačvice is the sandy town beach where locals play picigin, a splashy ball game in shallow water. In cooler months a slow walk along the harbour does the same job.
Come evening, head back toward the Fruit Square, named for the market once held there and overlooked by a Venetian tower. Dinner, then a final stroll on the Riva as the lights come on. If the weather turns, swap the hill for the Archaeological Museum, the Gallery of Fine Arts or the Ethnographic Museum.
How Do You Get Around Split and Where Should You Stay?
You walk. The whole central area is on foot, and much of it is pedestrian only. The polished stone gets slippery, especially after rain, so shoes with real grip are worth packing.
Sleeping inside the palace walls is atmospheric, but sound carries off stone, and bars stay lively late. Varoš and the quieter edges of the Riva give you a short walk in without the noise under your window.
Arriving is easy. The ferry port, the main bus station and the railway station sit together on the harbour, within walking distance of the palace. For ferry routes and timetables, use the [ferry operator](https://www.jadrolinija.hr/en) directly.
What Should You Know Before You Go?
Remember that the palace is a home. People live above the cafés, so keep voices low in the lanes at night.
Bring water, sun protection and a light layer for breezy evenings on the waterfront. Visit the Peristyle and the cellars early or late to dodge the busiest hours. For opening details and tickets, rely on official monument pages rather than any guide.
The historic centre is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the [UNESCO World Heritage listing](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/97/) explains why the palace and the medieval town grown inside it matter so much.
Ready to Plan Your Own Days in Split?
Create your own itinerary with Keptour: add the places that catch your eye, arrange them into days and share the plan with whoever is coming along. After two days the palace stops feeling like a monument and starts feeling like a neighbourhood. Leave room for one more coffee on the Riva, and for a return trip to this coast.