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Split Palace and Old Town Historical Tour: Explore the History with Leisure and Fascinating Insights

5.0

36 Ratings

Split

Immerse yourself in the eventful history of Split on a leisurely tour of the Palace and Old Town. Explore ancient ruins, sacred sites, and bustling markets while learning fascinating insights.

Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Cancellation: 1 day learn more

Highlights

Split Riva - Our journey begins at the Riva, Split’s promenade. Here, I’ll provide some general information about the city and our tour.
Diocletian’s Palace - Next, we’ll explore the palace complex. If there are no events or worship services and the attractions are open, we’ll visit the palace basement, the Cathedral’s interior, and the Temple of Jupiter together. The entrance fees for these three attractions are included.
Diocletian’s Cellars - We’ll enter the palace cellars through the South Gate. These cellars, like the palace, were constructed over 1700 years ago and are remarkably well-preserved. They give us a great sense of the palace’s scale. The entrance fee is included.
The Peristyle of Diocletian’s Palace - The Peristyle was a sacred meeting place during Diocletian’s time. Here, he presented himself to his subjects and was worshipped as the son of the Roman god Jupiter.
Temple of Jupiter - Now a baptistery, the Temple of Jupiter features a stunning casket ceiling that influenced Renaissance architects in Dalmatia.
Vestibulum of Diocletian’s Palace - The vestibule served as the entrance to Diocletian’s private chambers.
Cathedral of Saint Domnius - Originally the mausoleum of Emperor Diocletian, the Split Cathedral was converted into a Christian cathedral after the emperor’s remains were removed during Christianization.
Golden Gate - The North Gate was the most significant gate during Roman times, leading to the city of Salona, the capital of the Roman province.
Old Split - From the North Gate, we’ll walk along the palace walls to the heart of the Old Town, Narodni Trg, and then to the former fruit market, Voćni Trg. This part of the city has developed west of the palace since the Middle Ages.
People’s Square - Known as Pjaca, this square has been the city’s center since the Middle Ages and remains so today. It features many old Venetian palaces and a neo-Gothic old city hall.
Fruit’s Square (Trg Brace Radic) - Once a fruit market, Voćni trg now hosts a monument to Marko Marulić, one of Split’s most important Renaissance authors.
Split Fish Market - The fish market is a notable attraction, located next to the sulfur baths. Even Diocletian knew that sulfur baths could alleviate rheumatism and other ailments. The sulfur smell keeps flies away from the market.
Marmontova ulica - Marmontova is a bustling shopping street and pedestrian zone in Split’s old town, built by the French under Napoleon’s rule in the early 19th century.
Prokurative - Our tour concludes at Procurative, a beautiful square reminiscent of St. Mark’s Square in Venice, with numerous cafes and restaurants inviting you to relax.

What's Included

Multilingual tour on request
Customizable
This private tour is for a maximum of 6 people
Recommendations for restaurants, bars and leisure activities

Additional Information

Our journey begins at Split’s promenade, the Riva. We pass through the Bronze City Gate into the palace’s basement, which after over 1700 years, still impresses with its perfectly preserved vaulted cellars. Our exploration then leads us to the place of worship within the palace - the Perystil and the Cathedral, originally Diocletian’s mausoleum. We witness the transformation of Jupiter’s pagan temple into a 7th-century baptistery. A stroll along the Cardo, once the palace’s primary avenue, takes us to the awe-inspiring Golden Gate. Later, we meander through the old town, visiting the Pjaca and the fruit market. At the fish market, we marvel at the abundance and variety before optionally rewarding ourselves with a refreshing beverage at the Procurative Square, where our journey concludes. Throughout this adventurous itinerary, you’ll be entertained with fascinating tales about the city and its residents while delving deeply into Split’s rich history. Experience the city’s attractions according to your pace and learn a wealth of information along your path.

The tour can be adapted to the special needs of the participants. Please inform us in advance.
It may happen that some sights can not be visited due to events or church services. Please understand that in this case we have to slightly change our program.

Location

Model of the historical core of the city of Split

Obala Hrvatskog narodnog preporoda

We meet at the bronze model of the city of Split on the Riva. Directly opposite the south gate and the parking lot.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings

5.0

(36 Ratings)

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993annikap

May 14, 2024

Just great!! - We received a fantastic tour of the city and will definitely be back! Our impressions will stay with us for a long time.