In this guide
💡 The Short Version: Marjan is a 178-metre pine-covered peninsula park rising above the western edge of the old town. The walk begins at the Riva, climbing through the stone alleys of Veli Varoš to Prva Vidilica beside the Old Jewish Cemetery (founded in 1573). Further on are the free Sedlo watchtower (with a lift), 13th- and 15th-century stone chapels with cliff hermit caves, and trails down to Kašjuni pebble beach and Bene beach. Promet bus 12 connects the Riva to both beaches. Or book a tour: the Split City Electric Bike Tourad rides Marjan’s forest trails on pedal-assist bikes, so you skip the stone stairs.
⚠️ The Sedlo watchtower closes at dusk, at night, and during severe weather. Outside high summer it opens in daylight only. Go up in the morning or early afternoon.
| Stage | What you pass |
|---|---|
| Start | Riva Promenade (Trg Republike / Sv. Frane), then Veli Varoš |
| Climb | Marjanske skale, the stone stairway |
| First stops | Prva Vidilica belvedere and the Old Jewish Cemetery (1573) |
| Along the road | Church of St Jerome and the Hermit Caves (Šantine Stine), on the forest carriage road (Marjanski put) |
| Sedlo (148 m) | Sedlo fire watchtower, with a free lift and deck |
| Summit | Telegrin (178 m) and its flagpole, 314 stone steps above Sedlo |
Getting there and park transit
The climb to Marjan starts at sea level on the Riva. From the western end of the promenade beside the Church and Monastery of St Francis (Sv. Frane), walk up Šperun street into the stone quarter of Veli Varoš. Follow Senjska street uphill to the foot of Marjanske skale, a broad flight of stone stairs built in the 1950s that climbs to Prva Vidilica (the First Belvedere). The walk from the Riva to this first terrace takes 10 to 15 minutes.
By public transport, Promet Split bus line 12 is the park route. It leaves the Sv. Frane stop on Trumbićeva obala, runs along the southern coast on Meštrovićevo šetalište, stops at the Ivan Meštrović Gallery and Kašjuni beach, and ends at Bene beach on the northern shore. A single costs €1.50 in the Promet Split app or by contactless card on the validator, or €3.00 in cash from the driver.
Private cars are banned beyond the boundary gates at Spinut, near Meje and at the Bene entrance. Cyclists, rollerbladers and pedestrians have right of way on the paved forest avenues. The park authority, Javna ustanova za upravljanje Park-šumom Marjan, has a visitor reception office at Trumbićeva obala 18, open Monday to Friday from 07:30 to 15:30, and a multilingual mobile audio guide with 51 geo-located heritage markers.
Entrance to the Old Jewish Cemetery, founded in 1573. Photo: SchiDD, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Key viewpoints and historic landmarks
Goat grazing and timber cutting had stripped Marjan bare by the early 19th century. Planting of Aleppo pines (Pinus halepensis) began under professor Petar Senjanović in 1884 and turned the limestone ridge into 347 hectares of woodland.
| Landmark | Altitude / Location | Key feature | Access details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prva Vidilica (First Belvedere) | ~70 m, eastern ridge | Panoramic view of Diocletian’s Palace, Riva, and the ferry harbour | 10–15 min walk via Senjska stone stairs; Teraca Vidilica cafe terrace |
| Old Jewish Cemetery | Adjacent to Prva Vidilica | Founded in 1573; a Sephardic burial ground with over 700 horizontal stone tombs | Viewable through iron gates; final burial took place in 1945 |
| Church of St Nicholas (Sv. Nikola na Gori) | ~110 m, south-eastern ridge | 13th-century Romanesque stone chapel dedicated to the protector of sailors | Free exterior access; interior open during patronal feast days |
| Sedlo Fire Watchtower (Osmatračnica) | 148 m, central saddle | Rebuilt modern panoramic tower with elevator and 360-degree viewing platform | Free admission; max 10 visitors at once; closed at dusk and during bura winds |
| Telegrin Summit | 178 m, Marjan’s highest peak | Giant Croatian flag, trig point, and views over Kaštela Bay to Kozjak and Mosor | 314 steps and about 15 minutes along the ridge path from Sedlo |
| Church of St Jerome & Hermit Caves | Southern cliff base (Šantine Stine) | 15th-century Gothic-Renaissance chapel with stone altar by Andrija Aleši; hermit cells built into rock faces | Accessible via south trail; hermit quarters visible from surrounding paths |
The Old Jewish Cemetery and Prva Vidilica
Prva Vidilica, on the eastern flank above Veli Varoš, looks over the red-tile roofs of the old town, the cathedral bell tower and the ferries to Brač and Hvar. Next to the terrace cafe is the Old Jewish Cemetery (Staro židovsko groblje), established in 1573 under Venetian rule. Over 700 Sephardic graves lie on the pine-shaded hillside. Following Iberian Jewish tradition, the headstones lie horizontally like chests, carved with Hebrew and Italian inscriptions. The last burial was in 1945, and the cemetery is a protected national cultural monument.
The Sedlo Fire Watchtower and Telegrin Peak
The main trail follows the ridge up to Sedlo (148 metres), the central saddle of the peninsula, where the Marjan fire watchtower (Osmatračnica Sedlo) stands. The steel-and-timber tower replaced an old mid-century one and has a lift as well as an exterior spiral stair. From the deck you see Split to the east, Kaštela Bay and the shipyards to the north, and the island of Čiovo to the west. Entry is free, with a limit of ten people at a time. Staff manage access, and the tower shuts in storms and high bura winds.
A further 15 minutes along the ridge trail brings you to Telegrin, Marjan’s highest point at 178 metres. It is named after a French optical telegraph station that stood here during the Napoleonic Wars. The summit has a Croatian flag, a carved stone orienting compass and a 360-degree view of the Dalmatian islands.
The 15th-century Church of St Jerome beneath the limestone cliffs of Šantine Stine. Photo: SchiDD, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Medieval chapels and the hermit cliff dwellings
In the Middle Ages Marjan was known as Mons Kyrieleison (Mount of the Lord Have Mercy) because of the chapels and hermitages on its slopes:
- Church of Saint Nicholas on the Hill (Sv. Nikola na Gori): Built in the 13th century by the Split citizen Rako and his wife Elizabeth, this barrel-vaulted stone church stands on the southern crest. Departing sailors looked up to salute St Nicholas, patron saint of seafarers.
- Church of Saint Jerome (Sv. Jeronim): Built in the second half of the 15th century beneath the rock face of Šantine Stine on the southern slope. It holds a stone relief of St Jerome in the desert by the sculptor Andrija Aleši, dated 1480.
- Renaissance hermit caves (Eremitaže): Behind St Jerome, fissures in the cliff were walled up with dressed stone to form multi-storey hermit cells, where ascetics lived in solitude and study.
- Church of Our Lady of Betlehem (Gospa od Betlehema): A 14th-century single-nave chapel further west on the south path, with a Gothic stone relief of the Nativity and the Adoration of the Magi.
Walking and cycling routes
Marjan has over 20 kilometres of signposted walking tracks, jogging lanes and paved cycling routes. Most are shaded by Aleppo pines and cypresses and are cooler than the stone alleys of Diocletian’s Palace.
- The Ridge Crest Hike (3.5 km, 1.5 hours): Riva → Veli Varoš → Prva Vidilica → Church of St Nicholas → Sedlo Watchtower → Telegrin Peak. Involves steep stone steps at the start, followed by crushed limestone gravel paths along the spine.
- The Southern Heritage Route (4.5 km, 1.5–2 hours): Riva → Meštrović Gallery → Church of Our Lady of Betlehem → Church of St Jerome and Hermit Caves → Kašjuni Beach. Follows asphalt paths and gentle dirt trails cut into the southern cliff base.
- The Northern Seawall Loop (6 km, 1.5 hours): Spinut Marina → Vila Dalmacija → Bene Beach → Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries. A flat, fully asphalted shoreline avenue good for cycling, running, and pushchairs.
Drinking fountains stand beside Prva Vidilica, at Sedlo and outside the sports pavilion at Bene beach. Carry a water bottle on summer walks; midday heat is strong even under the pines.
Kašjuni pebble beach on the southern foot of Marjan peninsula. Photo: Zvone00, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Marjan beaches: Kašjuni and Bene
The Marjan shore is away from the ferry port and the shipping lanes, and the beaches below are where Split swims.
- Kašjuni Beach (Plaža Kašjuni): In a sheltered cove on the south-western tip of the peninsula beneath pine-clad bluffs, with smooth pebbles. Joe’s Beach Lounge rents sun loungers, paddleboards and kayaks on the central spit, but the broad eastern pebble beach is free. A naturist section lies behind the rocky promontory at the western end. Bus 12 stops on the access road above the cove.
- Bene Beach (Plaža Bene): In a pine-shaded cove on the north-eastern coast, with flat concrete sunbathing platforms, rock shelves and a shallow sandy seabed suitable for children. It has tennis courts, a children’s playground, outdoor showers, changing cabins and a seaside restaurant, plus a ramp and electric hoist lift into the sea for disabled swimmers. Bus 12 ends at the Bene recreational centre.
- Ježinac and Obojena Svjetlost: Twin pebble bays at the south-eastern base of Marjan below the Meštrović Gallery, popular with residents for early swims. Stone seawalls protect the coves from swell, and there are public changing cubicles.
The pine-fringed rocky coast at Bene on Marjan’s northern shore. Photo: Zvone00, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Tours and guided experiences
You can reach Marjan on foot or by bus. An electric bike tour or a sunset boat cruise shows the cliffs and pine forest without the uphill walk in midday heat.
Split City Electric Bike Tour
From €65 · 4.8 stars from 220 reviews · 3 hours · free cancellation
Split City Electric Bike Tourad: An electric bike tour of Marjan Park and the city highlights, on pine forest tracks, hermit paths and coastal viewpoints with pedal-assist support.
Split: Sunset Cruise on a Traditional Wooden Boat
From €30 · 5 stars from 67 reviews · 1.5 hours · free cancellation
Split: Sunset Cruise on a Traditional Wooden Boatad: A sunset cruise along the Split coast and the Marjan peninsula on a traditional wooden boat, with a complimentary glass of wine and the sun setting behind the Marjan cliffs and Kozjak mountains.
Boutique Sunset Cruise with Live Music & Drinks
From €60 · 4.9 stars from 520 reviews · 2 hours · free cancellation
Boutique Sunset Cruise with Live Music & Drinksad: Cruise the Split Riviera and Marjan headland aboard the yacht Polaris. Live evergreen music, an open bar and optional dining as the sun sets.
Independent visit vs guided tour
| Feature | Independent visit on foot / Bus 12 | Guided Marjan E-Bike Tour | Sunset Marjan Cruise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free on foot (€1.50 per bus ride) | From €65 per person | From €30 per person |
| Physical effort | Moderate to high (steep stone stairs & hills) | Low (electric pedal assistance) | None (relaxing on deck) |
| Coverage | Your own chosen pace and trails | Key viewpoints, chapels & forest paths | Seaward cliffs, Kašjuni bay & coastal profile |
| Duration | 2 to 4 hours flexible | 3 hours structured | 1.5 to 2 hours |
| Sedlo Watchtower | Included (free entry) | Included on most routes | Viewed from sea level only |
Practical visitor tips
- Footwear: The perimeter road is asphalt, but the climb to Telegrin and the trail down to the hermit caves use uneven limestone stairs and dirt tracks. Wear trainers or walking shoes with good tread, not flip-flops.
- Timing: In July and August start your climb before 08:30 or after 17:30 to avoid midday heat. At sunset from Prva Vidilica or Telegrin the light falls on the white Brač limestone of the old town.
- Toilets: Free public toilets are at the entrance to Bene beach recreation centre and near Kašjuni beach. At Prva Vidilica the toilets are for customers of Teraca Vidilica.
- Fire rules: Smoking, campfires and barbecues are banned across the whole park all year, and park rangers issue fines.
What to see next
- Ivan Meštrović Gallery: The sculptor’s villa and gardens at the southern foot of Marjan.
- Split Riva and Promenade Walk: The palm-fringed waterfront where the ascent to Marjan begins.
- Free things to do in Split: More no-cost sights, from the Peristyle to public swimming coves.
- Bačvice Beach and Coastal Walks: The sandy bay and seaside promenade eastward towards Firule and Žnjan.
- Getting around Split: Bus routes, tickets and ferry connections.
Common questions
How high is Marjan and how large is the park?
Marjan's highest point, Telegrin, is 178 metres above sea level. The protected forest park covers 347 hectares on the peninsula immediately west of Split's old town, roughly 3.5 kilometres long by 1.5 kilometres wide.
Is the Sedlo watchtower free to enter?
Yes. The Sedlo watchtower, 148 metres above sea level, is free, and up to ten people can be on it at once. It has a lift for visitors with reduced mobility. It is open in daylight and closes at dusk, at night and in severe weather.
How do you get to Bene beach and Kašjuni beach?
Promet Split bus 12 leaves from the St Francis (Sv. Frane) church terminus at the western end of the Riva, runs along the southern park road past Kašjuni beach and ends at Bene beach on the north shore. A single costs €1.50 in the Promet app or by card on the validator, or €3.00 in cash from the driver.
What are the hermit caves on Marjan?
The hermit caves (*eremitaže*) are Renaissance stone dwellings built into the limestone cliffs of Šantine Stine behind the 15th-century Church of St Jerome. Christian hermits lived and prayed in these rock clefts from the 15th to the 17th centuries.
How long does it take to walk from the Riva to the viewpoints?
From the Riva through the alleys of Veli Varoš to Prva Vidilica (the First Belvedere) is 10 to 15 minutes up stone steps. Telegrin, at 178 metres, is 35 to 45 minutes of steady walking from the Riva.
