One day visits, where to go?

The region of Dalmatia covers some 12,200 km2 (or 4,700 sq. mi), so from Split, which is situated in the middle of this region, you can easily take one-day visits almost all over this historically rich region. Still, we will focus on the spots that are easily accessible from Split and the spots that you shouldn’t miss if you have the time and if you are staying in Split for more than 4-5 days.

First and foremost, there is Trogir, one of the most beautiful cities on the Adriatic coast. This medieval island city-museum is so well preserved that it feels as if you’ve stepped back in time. It’s located just 27 km west of Split and is very well connected to the big city. The local bus line number 37 (Split – Airport – Trogir) runs every 20 minutes, from 4 in the morning ’till 15 minutes past midnight.

Brač island is another great destination for a one-day visits (even more days if you have the time), especially if you are looking for some nice and clean beaches and want to move away from the hectic city of Split for one day. The ferry lines that connect Brač to the mainland are also very frequent and during the peak of the season there are more than 12 lines in both directions every day. All of those are for Supetar (the biggest town on Brač), if you want to see Bol and it’s Zlatni rat (the most famous beach in Croatia) you’ll have to catch a catamaran, which doesn’t sail as many times as the ferry, or catch a bus from Supetar to Bol.

A hidden gem on this list is without a doubt the Bačina lakes. A group of 6 crypto-depression lakes, with their bottom below the sea level. The lakes are a part of  the picturesque landscape and surrounded by some beautiful hills and mountains. They are 95 km from Split, on the road to Dubrovnik. Still not too much touristy famous or polluted, they are a magnificent site for all the nature lovers.

The ruins of the Roman city of Salona are another thing you just can’t miss if you are in Split. The ruins are located just 7 km from Split, so you can even rent a bike and ride it there to make your day complete. Salona was the capital and the biggest city in the Roman region of Dalmatia (initially Illyria), but the ruins are still pretty amazing, from the city walls, thermae, and the living quarters to the amazing Roman amphitheatre. Most of the city was sadly destroyed in the 6th and the 7th century by the advancing Avars, Slavs and Croats.

Another don’t miss destination is the city of Mostar, in Bosnia & Herzegovina, . This small town will surprise you with its cultural heritage, so make sure to try the famous čevapčići and enjoy the ritual of drinking the traditional Bosnian coffee. Take a walk around the eastern part of town, through narrow streets and traditional souvenir shops, down to the famous Mostar Bridge. It’s a 4-hour  ride by bus, but surely worth your while or you can rent a car and get there even more quickly.

And the last recommendation would be the city of Šibenik. Cheapest option to get there is by bus, that should take you about 2 hours. Šibenik is a very interesting city in Dalmatia and one of a few that was built not by the Romans or the Greeks but by the Croats when they arrived on these shores. It has an amazing array of fortresses. Four amazing fortresses build from the 11th ’till the 18th. century will just blow your mind.

 

There are of course nicer one-day visit recommendations like: the two national parks (Krka i Plitvička jezera), Omiš, Knin, Šolta island, Dubrovnik, Kravica waterfalls, Zadar, Hvar island, Vis island, Imotski, Vranjača cave and the list goes on and on and on. But these mentioned are some of our favorites, especially in the peak of the summer, when avoiding Dubrovnik and the national parks is perhaps a better choice.