Split is one of the easiest bases for day trips in all of Croatia. From the ferry port and bus station next door to our apartments, you can be on a sun-soaked island, in a national park or in another country before lunch. Here are seven trips our guests come back raving about, in roughly the order we suggest if you have a week.
1. Hvar — the “glamorous” island
One hour by Jadrolinija catamaran from Split’s ferry terminal. Hvar Town has a Venetian fortress with a 360° panorama, lavender shops everywhere, and one of the prettiest waterfronts in the Adriatic. Skip the famously expensive nightclubs — the real magic is renting a small boat in the morning and circling the Pakleni Islands just offshore. Fewer people, clearer water, and konobas built into rock coves serve grilled fish you will remember for years.
2. Brač — Zlatni Rat and the white-stone quarry
An hour by ferry to Supetar, then a 40-minute bus to Bol. The famous Zlatni Rat (Golden Horn) beach really does change shape with the tide — windsurfers and SUP-paddlers love it. Bonus: Brač stone built the Diocletian’s Palace and the White House in Washington. The quarries above Pučišća still teach apprentice stonemasons today; if you have time, the half-day visit is unforgettable.
3. Šolta — for travellers who want fewer people
The closest island to Split, just 50 minutes by ferry, and somehow the least developed. Olive groves, tiny fishing villages, almost no cruise crowds. Rent a scooter at Rogač and ride the coast road to Maslinica or Stomorska. Locals say Šolta is what Hvar was like before Instagram. Bring cash — many konobas still do not take cards.
4. Krka National Park
Roughly an hour north by car or on a guided tour. Wooden boardwalks wind through limestone pools and waterfalls; the highlight is Skradinski Buk, a wide cascade you used to be able to swim under. Swimming has been restricted in recent years to protect the rock, so confirm rules at the gate. Plitvice Lakes is more dramatic but a much longer drive — Krka is the closer, kid-friendly Croatian waterfall day.
5. Trogir — UNESCO old town in 25 minutes
Trogir is a tiny island town between Split and the airport, easily reached by city bus 37 (the same bus to the airport) or a quick taxi. The old town is so compact you can walk it end to end in 30 minutes — but the cathedral portal by Master Radovan, a 13th-century masterpiece, is worth slowing down for. Great as a half-day, with seafood lunch on the seafront.
6. Salona — Roman ruins next door
If you have stayed at our Sika Solin apartment, you are already on Salona’s doorstep — a few minutes’ walk and you are wandering through the open-air ruins of Roman Dalmatia’s capital. Even if you are based in Split, the local bus or a 15-minute drive gets you here. Far quieter than the palace, almost no entry queues, and the amphitheatre views are wonderful at sunset.
7. Mostar (Bosnia & Herzegovina) — the long-distance favourite
About 2.5–3 hours each way by car or organised bus tour. Mostar’s Stari Most (Old Bridge) is one of the most photographed spots in the Balkans, the Ottoman-era bazaar still serves Turkish coffee and čevapi the way it has for 400 years, and the cross-cultural history is moving. Bring your passport — Bosnia is outside the EU. A single long day is doable; an overnight is better.
Bonus: half-day Marjan Hill
You do not even leave Split for this one. Marjan is the green peninsula on the city’s west side — pine trees, viewpoints over the Adriatic, hidden chapels and a small zoo. From our Split apartments, walk 15 minutes to the trailhead and you are in the forest. Pack water and grippy shoes; Croatian summer rocks get hot.
How to plan it
- Book ferries in advance in July/August — Jadrolinija sells out quickly on weekends.
- Mix one big trip with one easy half-day. People who try to “do” Hvar, Krka and Brač on consecutive days end up tired and grumpy on the last beach.
- Build a rest day around food. Visit the Green Market (Pazar) and the fish market (Peškarija), bring it home and cook on the apartment stove. Some of the best meals our guests have are the ones they cook themselves.
- Ask us. We have been arranging trips for guests for years and we know the best small operators. Get in touch when you book and we will share suggestions tailored to your dates.
Going deeper on Brač? See our Brač in a Day itinerary for the local route — Pučišća stonemasons, Vidova Gora peak, Murvica wine, and Zlatni Rat in golden hour.