Split: when your ship stops here

A Roman emperor's palace that is still a living town, a bell tower to climb, a hill to walk; the famous lakes are a whole day away.

Facts checked Nov 2, 2026, each with its source. No prices on this page.

Split is the biggest city on the Dalmatian coast of Croatia, and its old town is the palace the Roman emperor Diocletian built for his retirement around the year 300. The port is in the heart of the city, run by the Split Port Authority: the cruise quays are about 200 m from the centre, with two newer berths on the outer breakwater, and some ships anchor and tender in.

Sources: MedCruise (the Mediterranean cruise ports association): Port of Split; Wikipedia: Port of Split; Wikipedia: Diocletian's Palace

Top 3 things to do

1. 1. Diocletian's Palace

   Begun around 295 for the emperor, who retired here on 1 May 305, it is a walled town of about 215 by 180 m that people still live and work in. On the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1979. Stand in the Peristyle, the central court with its sphinx, then go down into the cellars, among the best preserved Roman rooms of their kind anywhere.

   Tip: Get lost on purpose: the palace is small, and its walls are never far.

   Source: Wikipedia: Diocletian's Palace

2. 2. The cathedral and its bell tower

   The Cathedral of Saint Domnius is Diocletian's own mausoleum, turned into a church. Its bell tower, 57 m high and restored between 1890 and 1908, has stairs to a viewing deck with the whole of Split below.

   Tip: The stairs are steep and open; if heights are not your thing, the Peristyle below is the view the emperor had.

   Sources: Wikipedia: Cathedral of Saint Domnius; Wikipedia: Diocletian's Palace

3. 3. Marjan hill

   The forested hill at the west end of the old town rises 178 m over more than 75 hectares of park, a few minutes' walk from the palace. From the 378 white stone steps to the first peak you see the whole city; a 19 m (62 foot) viewing deck opened on the second peak in 2024.

   Tip: Go up in the morning before the heat. The first viewpoint is enough for most people.

   Source: Wikipedia: Marjan, Split

What to skip

• Plitvice Lakes on a port day

  The sixteen lakes, a UNESCO site since 1979, are deep in inland Croatia, far from Split. A route planning site puts the drive at about 258 km and 2 hours 45 minutes each way, more by bus: five to six hours on the road for a few at the water. Trogir, a UNESCO old town on a small island 27 km (17 miles) west, is the half day trip that fits.

  Sources: Wikipedia: Plitvice Lakes National Park; GeckoRoutes: Split to Plitvice Lakes, road distance and time; Wikipedia: Trogir

Before you go ashore

You do not have to book a tour: you are free to go ashore on your own. Royal Caribbean sets the all aboard time about 30 minutes before the ship sails, posts it near the gangway, and says the ship does not wait for guests touring on their own.

Source: Royal Caribbean FAQ: Do I need to book a shore excursion?

Back-to-backs that stop in Split

Back-to-back cruises from these home ports have a stop in Split, from the Royal Caribbean sailings we track:

• Back-to-back cruises from Ravenna 54 back-to-backs with a stop in Split
• Back-to-back cruises from Barcelona 8 back-to-backs with a stop in Split
• Back-to-back cruises from Rome 3 back-to-backs with a stop in Split
• Back-to-back cruises from Athens 2 back-to-backs with a stop in Split

Sources

• MedCruise (the Mediterranean cruise ports association): Port of Split
• Wikipedia: Port of Split
• Wikipedia: Diocletian's Palace
• Wikipedia: Cathedral of Saint Domnius
• Wikipedia: Marjan, Split
• Wikipedia: Plitvice Lakes National Park
• GeckoRoutes: Split to Plitvice Lakes, road distance and time
• Wikipedia: Trogir
• Royal Caribbean FAQ: Do I need to book a shore excursion?