If someone had told me I’d fall in love with a 1,700-year-old palace where people still live, shop and enjoy a glass of wine, I probably wouldn’t have believed them. But that’s exactly what happened in Split.

I was lucky enough to spend two nights here with my best friend. We live just a few streets apart in Sydney, but she’s Croatian, so exploring her homeland together made this visit even more special. 

From the moment we arrived, Split invited us to wander. We happily lost ourselves in its maze of smooth, centuries-old stone laneways, polished shiny by millions of footsteps over hundreds of years. Every narrow alley seemed to reveal another little treasure, a family-run restaurant with tables spilling into the street, a tiny wine bar tucked beneath ancient stone arches, quirky boutiques, artisan shops and colourful gelato stores that were impossible to walk past.

There was no rush. No real plan. Just two friends following whichever laneway looked the prettiest.

Then came one of those moments I’ll never forget. Walking through the gates of Diocletian’s Palace gave me goosebumps. I expected to visit some ancient Roman ruins, but instead I found myself stepping into the beating heart of Split itself. The Diocletian Palace isn’t separated from the city, it is the city. The Roman walls blend seamlessly into cafés, apartments, restaurants and bustling little streets. History isn’t behind ropes here. It’s part of everyday life.

We eventually wandered into the magnificent Peristyle, the palace’s central courtyard, and found a seat on the ancient stone steps.

It was impossible not to simply stop and stare. Towering Roman columns framed the square while ancient Egyptian sphinxes quietly watched over the crowds, just as they have for centuries. Beside us stood the beautiful Cathedral of Saint Domnius, its bell tower reaching high into the brilliant blue Croatian sky.

A musician began to play, his music drifting effortlessly through the square, while Roman knights in full costume cheerfully posed for photographs with excited tourists. It was delightfully theatrical, slightly quirky and somehow completely fitting. Children giggled, cameras clicked, glasses clinked from nearby cafés, and life carried on around us in one of the oldest living Roman complexes in the world.

As the afternoon softened into evening, we made our way to the Riva, Split’s stunning waterfront promenade. What a place to people-watch. Palm trees swayed gently along the foreshore while locals and visitors strolled arm in arm, stopping for coffee, cocktails or long lazy dinners overlooking the harbour. The marina sparkled with impressive yachts, ferries came and went, and the Adriatic shimmered in every shade of blue imaginable.

Of course, we couldn’t resist wandering even further. Beyond the waterfront, we climbed little side streets that rewarded us with sweeping views back across the harbour and over the sea of terracotta rooftops. Around every corner was another hidden courtyard, another inviting bar, another restaurant we’d wish we’d had time to try. That’s the beauty of Split. You don’t have to chase the sights because the city simply unfolds around you.

On our way back to our apartment inside the historic walls, we wandered into the ancient Vestibule. This is an monumental, circular antechamber of the imperial corridor located in the heart of Diocletian’s Palace. We were fortunate to enter when we did, as we had the pleasure of hearing a small group of singers. Their melodious voices amplified beautifully inside the antechamber.

Looking back, it wasn’t just the Roman history that made this place so memorable. It was sharing it with one of my oldest friends. We laughed, we wandered, we stopped for “just one drink” more than once, and we embraced that wonderful European habit of slowing down and simply enjoying where we were.

On our second evening, we decided to take a sunset bus tour trip up to see Klis fortress. This is a medieval fortress sitting high above the village of Klis and has become famous, not only because its medieval but it was used in the filming locations for the popular “Game of Thrones” The Fortress was used as the exterior of the city of Meereen. If you watched that series, you would recognise the location as where Khaleesi conquered with her army of the Unsullied.

The tour bus itself didn’t have any glass windows, just the frames. The cool evening breeze gushed through the open frames as we sped along the winding country roads up to the village of Klis. It was well worth the trip as the views and the changing colours of sunset were sensational.

On the return trip, we wished we had brought a warm jacket. The driver seemed to be in a hurry to finish his tour. We felt he was driving quite fast or maybe it was just the chilled night air rushing through the open bus. Regardless, we were both holding on to our seats, shivering and laughing. We wouldn’t forget this tour!

We truly loved our stay in Split. Though my dear friend had already been several times previously, she was just as thrilled as I was. We could see this location as being a great place to start any future holidays in Croatia.

On this occasion, we stayed at Marmontova Luxury Rooms right inside the old town. We highly recommend it for its location and great air conditioning! Though please note it does have lots of stairs! If you ask the hosts they will assist you if you are travelling with heavy luggage.

Have you been to Split? Do you have any recommendations on what to see and where to stay? Let me know in your comment, as I will be returning!