Have you ever arrived somewhere and immediately thought ‘What on earth have I done?’ That was me after arriving in Split.
After organising the entire holiday, booking the flights, choosing the hotels and carrying an invisible itinerary around in my head, I was convinced I knew exactly what to expect. We’d driven from Dubrovnik to Split along the old coastal road, a spectacular journey with the Adriatic stretching beside us. The scenery had been beautiful, the anticipation was building, and we were only minutes away from our hotel.
Contrast between the old and new, Diocletian's Palace
And then…
My heart sank. The road into Split was lined with concrete-block apartments and towering buildings. It felt like a post-Soviet town. Dull and strangely eerie. There was something about it that just didn’t feel like the Croatia I'd imagined.
I secretly hoped my husband hadn’t noticed. HE HAD! As we drove down the road, he casually announced that if this was where we’d be staying, we’d be finding another hotel. I couldn’t even argue. I was thinking exactly the same thing. We were on holiday. I wanted beautiful surroundings, history, atmosphere and a little bit of luxury. I’d booked this trip because I wanted to feel like I’d stepped into another world. Not driven into a concrete jungle.
We pulled into the car park a few minutes later, but there was still a short walk to the hotel. So, in a moment that still makes us laugh, we left our luggage locked in the car. We genuinely weren't sure if we were staying. Now, before anyone judges me, let me clarify something…I’ve walked some of the roughest streets there are without batting an eyelid. BUT when I’m on holiday, I want 5* all the way!
Then something changed. We walked out of the car park and turned onto a small cobbled street. And suddenly…
Relief,
This was it,
This was what I’d booked.
The concrete disappeared behind us, almost without warning, we were surrounded by narrow streets, ancient stone walls and centuries old buildings. The Split I had imagined was finally revealing itself.
And to understand why this place feels so different, you have to go back, not a few decades, but almost 2,000 years. Let’s go back to AD 295. We all have retirement plans. Some people dream of travelling the world, others of moving somewhere peaceful, perhaps somewhere warm. Roman Emperor Diocletian had a slightly grander idea. He decided to build himself a retirement home on the Dalmatian coast. And when I say retirement home, I mean retirement palace.
Diocletian’s Palace covers around seven acres and originally featured 16 towers and four gates. It was enormous, imposing and built to last. But perhaps the most remarkable thing about it isn't its size. It's the fact that people still live inside it today. People work there. People shop there. Restaurants and cafés occupy spaces that have existed for centuries. Holiday apartments set within ancient walls. Imagine the stories those stone walls could tell.
In the 7th century, refugees fleeing the nearby Roman city of Salona sought safety within the palace walls. Over time, the abandoned palace became something completely different. Even Diocletian's original octagonal mausoleum was transformed. It became the Cathedral of Saint Domnius. I imagine Diocletian would have something to say about that. A man known for worshipping the Roman gods and persecuting Christians probably wouldn’t have been thrilled to discover that his mausoleum had become a Cathedral!
Perhaps that is exactly what makes Split so fascinating. History hasn’t been put behind glass. It hasn’t been cordoned off and preserved as untouchable. It’s alive. You walk through the same ancient streets where people have walked for centuries, but today you'll hear conversations spilling out of cafés, music drifting from restaurants and the chatter of people browsing shops. Ancient stone buildings have become homes, restaurants, shops and holiday apartments.
Despite it being a tourist area, there always seemed to be somewhere to have a quick stop.
Life carries on around the ruins. And somehow it works. As you wander through the narrow streets, it’s easy to let your imagination take over. What would this place have felt like hundreds of years ago? There would have been no streetlights illuminating the way. No cafés glowing in the darkness. No groups of tourists wandering around with cameras. Just narrow stone passageways and shadows.
You wonder who might have been standing around the next corner. Today, those same streets are full of life. And then there’s the waterfront. Walk out towards the promenade and suddenly the ancient stone gives way to the sparkling Adriatic, with boats filling the marina and people offering trips out onto the water. It’s another reminder of how Split has evolved without losing the history that makes it special.
Split, Croatia
Although, I will give you one very important piece of advice…watch out for the scooters and motorbikes. They don’t seem particularly interested in slowing down when driving through those narrow cobbled streets and you are expected to move out of the way very fast!
So, after our rather dramatic first impression, did we stay?
Yes.
Did we unpack the bags?
Eventually!
And did Split win us over?
Absolutely.
Because sometimes the places that make you question your booking within the first five minutes turn out to be the ones you remember the longest. Split reminded me that you can’t always judge a place by the road that leads you to it. Sometimes, you just have to turn the corner. And when you do, you might find 2,000 years of history waiting for you on the other side.
If you’re visiting Split, please make sure you leave time for Marjan Forest too. If you read my article ‘The best of the Summer ‘, you’ll understand why! Trust me, there’s plenty more to tell…
