Where to stay in Split
Split is a working port with a Roman palace at its center, and people still live inside the walls. Almost everything you will want is within a twenty-minute walk of the palace, so the choice is mostly about noise, stairs and what you want outside your door. Stay inside or just beside the palace for atmosphere, in Varoš for old lanes with fewer crowds, or in Bačvice for a city beach and lower prices. The thing to think twice about is a room on or near the Riva on summer nights: the waterfront cafés and bars run late, and the sound carries up into the palace lanes.
The short answer
- First trip
- In Varoš or just outside the palace walls: five minutes on foot to the Peristyle, and a quieter night than inside.
- Couples
- The palace for stone lanes after the day groups leave, or Varoš for small restaurants and fewer people.
- Families
- Bačvice, with a sandy beach and a short walk to the center.
- Tight budget
- Manuš and Lučac or Bačvice, both within twenty minutes on foot.
- Quiet
- Meje by the Marjan woods, or Firule and Žnjan along the coast.
How we judge an area of Split: walking time to the sights, noise at night, transport, and price. Nothing on this page is paid for, and the hotels we choose will say who chose them and when they last stayed.
Split's neighborhoods, side by side
| Area | Best for | At night | The Peristyle | Marjan viewpoint | Bus station and ferries | Getting around | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inside Diocletian's Palace | Atmosphere on foot | Lively, loud on warm nights | 5 min | 15 min | 10 min | On foot; no cars inside | €€€€ |
| Varoš and Veli Varoš | Old lanes, local feel | Quiet; livelier near the Riva end | 10 min | 5 min | 20 min | On foot; buses at the edge | €€€ |
| Bačvice | Beach, families, value | Lively on the beach in summer | 20 min | 35 min | 15 min | On foot; buses on the main road | €€ |
| Firule and Žnjan | Swimming, quiet | Very quiet | 35 min | 50 min | 30 min | Buses and taxis to the center | €€ |
| Meje | Quiet, walks, swimming | Very quiet | 25 min | 10 min | 30 min | On foot; taxis; some buses | €€€ |
| Manuš and Lučac | Budget, close in | Quiet | 5 min | 15 min | 15 min | On foot; buses on the main road | € |
| Port, bus and train station | Ferries, arrival | Busy by day, noisy at times | 10 min | 25 min | 5 min | Ferries, buses, train | €€ |
Walking times are the straight line between two points plus a third for real streets, at an easy pace, rounded to five minutes. They are measured from the middle of each area, so a hotel at its edge will be a few minutes either way. Split is mostly flat near the water, but Veli Varoš, Meje and Manuš climb the lower slopes of Marjan, and the times do not include the steps. Price is our read of a standard double in the same week, from € (cheapest) to €€€€ (dearest), until booking-site prices replace it.
Where the neighborhoods are
Inside the palace, for stone lanes at night
The Roman walls themselves: people live and run small hotels inside, and every sight is a few minutes on foot.
The palace is not a ruin behind a fence. It is a town of narrow stone lanes, courtyards and squares, with cafés, shops and apartments built into the old walls, and the Peristyle at its middle. The cathedral, the Golden Gate, the Riva and the market are all inside or at the walls, and the ferry port is ten minutes away. Once the day groups leave, the lanes are calm to walk.
It is also loud in summer. Bars set into the courtyards stay open late, stone carries every voice, and many rooms are up steep stairs with no lift. No cars go in, so you pull your luggage over polished paving from the gate. Ask the hotel where the room is and what is underneath it.
Good for
- Atmosphere, and a walk through the lanes after dark
- Seeing the sights before the day groups arrive
- A short stay of two or three nights
Think twice if
- You sleep lightly: courtyard bars and street noise carry
- Stairs and luggage are a problem
- You are here in July or August and want a calm night
Staying in Inside Diocletian's Palace: nearby sights, food and getting around
Varoš, for lanes with fewer crowds
The old fishermen's quarter west of the palace: stone houses, steps and small restaurants, about ten minutes from the Peristyle.
Varoš (and, further up the slope, Veli Varoš) was the neighborhood of the town's fishermen and workers, and it still feels lived in. Low stone houses, laundry lines, tiny squares, and a handful of small family restaurants. It starts a few minutes west of the palace, below the Marjan woods, and the Marjan steps begin at the top of the quarter.
It is calmer than the palace and cheaper, though the best-placed rooms are no longer cheap. The streets are narrow and steep at the top, so a room in Veli Varoš means steps, and at the lower end there are some busy bars. You can walk to the palace and the Riva in about ten minutes, and to the Marjan viewpoint in less.
Good for
- Old lanes, small restaurants and a local feel
- The Marjan stairs and viewpoint close by
- Quieter nights than inside the walls
Think twice if
- Steps and slopes are hard for you, especially with luggage
- You want to be inside the palace at night
- You want a wide choice of large hotels
Staying in Varoš and Veli Varoš: nearby sights, food and getting around
Bačvice, for a sandy beach in town
A sandy bay about twenty minutes east of the palace, with a promenade, restaurants and lower prices.
Bačvice is Split's city beach, a shallow, sandy bay with a promenade, a lively strip of cafés and apartment blocks behind. Sand is rare on this coast, which makes it good for small children. Rooms and apartments are plentiful and less expensive than near the palace.
The beach is busy on summer days and evenings, with music from the bars late into the night, so choose a room away from the water. The walk to the palace is about twenty minutes along the harbor, flat and easy, with taxis and buses on the main road.
Good for
- Families who want sand and shallow water
- Value: lower prices than the old town
- A flat walk into the center
Think twice if
- You want a quiet night on the seafront in summer
- You want to be in the old lanes on foot
Firule and Žnjan, for the coast
The eastern shore past Bačvice: pebble coves, a long seafront path and quiet streets, but a bus ride from the palace.
East of Bačvice the city turns residential. Firule is a district of apartment blocks and pine trees behind a string of coves, and Žnjan, further on, has a long pebble beach and a seafront path used by locals for walks and runs. It is a good base for swimming and for a slower stay, and the apartments here are some of the best value in Split.
It is not a place for evenings in the old town, because the walk back is long. Firule is about twenty-five to thirty minutes on foot from the palace and Žnjan well over that, so you will want the bus or a taxi. The area is quiet at night, with few restaurants, and the beaches are packed at weekends.
Good for
- Beach days and sea swimming from the rocks
- Quiet nights and apartments with a balcony
- Value, with a car or a bus pass
Think twice if
- You plan evenings in the palace on foot
- You want restaurants and bars on your street
Staying in Firule and Žnjan: nearby sights, food and getting around
Meje, for a calm base by Marjan
A leafy residential strip on the south side of the Marjan hill, with sea swimming and forest paths, about twenty minutes from the Riva.
Meje is the stretch of villas, small hotels and guesthouses along the south-east foot of Marjan, above the sea baths and the rocky shore. The Marjan woods start at the end of the street, so a morning run or a walk to the viewpoint is close. It has a few cafés and the coastal path to Kašjuni, and not much else.
It is a quiet place to sleep, a mostly flat walk of about twenty minutes along the sea to the Riva, and noticeably calmer than the center. The cost is that you eat out in the center or in Varoš, and the walk home is the uphill kind at the end of a long day.
Good for
- Calm nights near forest paths and the sea
- A morning run or swim before breakfast
- A longer stay
Think twice if
- You want to step out into lively streets
- You do not like a twenty-minute walk home
Manuš and Lučac, for prices near the center
The residential slope north of the palace: apartment blocks and small guesthouses, ten to fifteen minutes from the Peristyle.
North of the palace the streets rise toward Marjan and become residential: tall apartment buildings, local bakeries and markets, and guesthouses that cost less than anything near the Riva. Manuš is the part on the western side, closer to Varoš, and Lučac the part to the east and beyond the main road.
It is not pretty, and some streets are steep. But it is walkable, you eat where locals do, and a room here is a fraction of the price of one inside the walls. It suits people who want to save money and do not mind a plainer street.
Good for
- Lower prices within a short walk of the sights
- Eating where locals eat
- Quiet nights
Think twice if
- You want charm on your doorstep
- Slopes and steps are hard for you
Staying in Manuš and Lučac: nearby sights, food and getting around
By the port, for early ferries
The ferry quay, the bus station and the train station sit together, five minutes' walk east of the palace.
Catamarans and ferries to Hvar, Brač, Vis and Šolta leave from here, along with the long-distance buses and the train. Hotels and guesthouses along the road behind the quay are practical, and the palace is five to ten minutes' walk west.
The area is functional and busy, with traffic and some night noise from the quay and the road. It makes sense for one night before an early boat, or if you arrive late by coach. For a whole stay, the palace edge, Varoš or Bačvice are better.
Good for
- An early ferry or a late arrival
- Bus and train links on your doorstep
- A short, flat walk to the palace
Think twice if
- You want atmosphere on your street
- Traffic and port noise bother you at night
Staying in Port, bus and train station: nearby sights, food and getting around
Where not to stay in Split, and what to do instead
Every booking site lists these places to stay in Split. We would skip them, or at least choose with care. Nobody pays a commission on a warning.
- A room on or just above the Riva on summer nights, if you sleep lightly
The waterfront cafés and bars run late in July and August and the sound rises into the lanes. Ask for a room on a side lane or a courtyard, away from the Riva and the bars in the palace squares.
- A palace apartment up a long flight of steps, with luggage
Listings say 'in the palace' and leave out the stairs. Ask how many steps from the gate, and whether there is a lift or luggage help.
- A room above a courtyard bar inside the palace
Some lanes hold several bars, and the stone walls carry every voice. Check what is on the ground floor and whether the window faces the courtyard.
- A bed near Bačvice beach, if you want a quiet night in summer
The bars on the seafront play music late. Choose a street behind the beach, not the promenade.
- A cheap room far from the center, without a plan for the evenings
Firule and Žnjan are good value and quiet, and the walk or bus ride home is long. Choose them for beach days, not for dinners in town.
Which neighborhood suits you
First time in Split
In Varoš or just outside the palace; the palace itself if you want everything on foot.
Families with children
Bačvice, with sand and shallow water.
A tight budget
Beach days
Bačvice for sand, Firule and Žnjan for coves and pebbles.
Peace and quiet
Meje or Firule and Žnjan.
Island ferries
The port area for an early boat.
Before you book a room in Split
The practical things that decide whether a good hotel in Split makes a good stay.
- The tourist taxSplit charges a tourist tax per person per night: €2.65 from 1 April to 30 September and €1.86 for the rest of the year. Children under 12 pay nothing and ages 12 to 17 pay half. Hotels usually add it to the bill as a separate line, and it is often not in the price the booking sites show.
- From Split airportThe airport is about 25 kilometers west of the city, near Trogir. The Pleso Prijevoz shuttle bus runs to the main bus station beside the ferry port, costs €8 per person and takes about 30 to 45 minutes, depending on traffic. The city bus line 37 is cheaper and slower. Sources we checked disagree on whether the shuttle is running, so check the operator before you rely on it. A taxi is quicker and costs more: agree the fare first.
- Cars and parkingCars cannot enter the palace and parking in the center is limited and expensive. If you are driving, choose a hotel with its own space and ask what it costs.
- Stairs and luggageInside the palace and in Veli Varoš, many rooms are up flights of stone steps with no lift. If stairs are hard for you, ask the exact number before you book.
- Summer heat and crowdsJuly and August are hot and busy, and rooms cost the most. May, June, September and early October are easier on both counts.
Where to stay in Split: questions people ask
What is the best area to stay in Split for a first visit?
Varoš, or a street just outside the palace walls: five to ten minutes on foot to the Peristyle, with quieter nights than inside. If you want to be in the middle of it and can live with noise and steps, stay in the palace.
Is it worth staying inside Diocletian's Palace?
For atmosphere, yes: the lanes are calm once the day groups leave. The drawbacks are late bars in the courtyards, steps and no lifts in most buildings, no cars, and the highest prices.
Is the Riva noisy at night?
In summer, yes. The cafés and bars along the waterfront stay open late and the sound carries into the palace lanes. A room on a side lane or at the back is quieter.
Is Bačvice a good place to stay?
Yes for a sandy beach, families and lower prices, about twenty minutes on foot from the palace. Choose a street behind the beach, because the seafront bars play music late in summer.
How do I get from Split airport to my hotel?
The Pleso Prijevoz shuttle bus costs €8 and takes about 30 to 45 minutes to the main bus station by the port. Sources disagree on whether it is running, so check first. The city bus 37 is cheaper and slower, and a taxi is quicker and costs more.
How much is the tourist tax in Split?
€2.65 per person per night from April to September and €1.86 from October to March. Children under 12 are exempt and ages 12 to 17 pay half. It is usually on top of the price shown online.
Where should I stay for the island ferries?
Near the port, five minutes from the palace. Ferries and catamarans to Hvar, Brač and Vis leave from the quay beside the bus and train stations, so a night there helps before an early boat.
Can I walk everywhere in Split?
Around the palace, Varoš, Manuš, the port and Bačvice, yes: all are within twenty minutes. Meje is about twenty and Firule and Žnjan are farther, so those need a bus or a taxi.
