Where to Stay in Split: Areas and Hotels

In this guide

💡 The Short Version: For history and sightseeing, stay inside or next to Diocletian’s Palace: Hotel Vestibul Palace and Heritage Hotel Antique Split have 1,700-year-old Roman walls in their rooms, and Palace Judita and Piazza Heritage Hotel look over the cafe terraces of Pjaca. For swimming and early island ferries, Bačvice is the coastal district, home to the historic Hotel Park and Boutique Hotel Luxe. For a self-contained resort with a spa and beach club, choose the Radisson Blu Resort & Spa in Trstenik. Or book a tour: if you arrive before check-in, the Split: Diocletian’s Palace & Old Town Small Group Tourad is a guided orientation of the old town neighbourhoods.

⚠️ The historic centre is pedestrian only. Vehicles cannot enter the palace or the alleys around it. If your accommodation is inside the Roman walls, taxis and airport shuttles drop you at the edge of the pedestrian zone (Zagrebačka or the Riva), a 3- to 7-minute walk with your luggage over stone paving.

The municipal tourist tax in Split

Every guest in commercial accommodation in Split pays the tourist tax (turistička pristojba). The Split-Dalmatia County rates for 2026 are:

• Peak season (1 April to 30 September): €2.65 per adult per night.
• Low season (1 October to 31 March): €1.86 per adult per night.
• Reductions: Children under 12 are exempt; teenagers aged 12 to 17 pay a 50% reduced rate (€1.33 peak / €0.93 low season).

The tax is added to your hotel bill at check-out or collected by your private host on arrival.

Neighbourhood comparison for visitors

Pick by priority: Roman history, beach swimming, ferry connections or parking.

Quiet stone alleyways of the historic Veli Varoš quarter. Photo: Martin Brož, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.

1. Diocletian’s Palace and Old Town

Inside the rectangle of Diocletian’s Palace, or on People’s Square (Pjaca) beside it, you are in the middle of the old town. You hear the bells of St Domnius Cathedral, step into car-free Roman lanes and have cafes and konobas within a two-minute walk.

Hotel Vestibul Palace

Hotel Vestibul Palace, a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, stands between the imperial residential quarters and the Roman Peristyle. It combines three adjoining historic houses from the Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance eras. Roman brick arches and decorative niches are exposed in the rooms and suites. It has seven rooms with handmade Italian furniture and a small courtyard restaurant, Magnus.

• Location: Iza Vestibula 4a (Inside Diocletian’s Palace)
• Amenities: Fine dining restaurant, bar, concierge, historic architecture
• Booking: Hotels.comad

Heritage Hotel Antique Split

This family-run boutique hotel is on Poljana Grgura Ninskog in the northern quarter of the palace and has original 4th-century Roman masonry in its interior walls. Rooms have exposed limestone, oak flooring, king-size beds and soundproof double glazing. Breakfast is cooked to order, with Dalmatian pastries, local cheeses and vegan options.

• Location: Poljana Grgura Ninskog 1 (Inside Diocletian’s Palace)
• Amenities: À la carte breakfast, room service, original Roman stonework
• Booking: Hotels.comad

Palace Judita Heritage Hotel

Palace Judita is on Narodni trg (Pjaca), steps outside the Roman Iron Gate, in a protected 16th-century patrician palace. It has 19 rooms with exposed stone, parquet floors and velvet furnishings. Several upper-floor rooms have private balconies over the Renaissance facades and cafe terraces of Pjaca.

• Location: Narodni trg 4 (Pjaca)
• Amenities: Historic courtyard, balcony rooms, elevator, library lounge
• Booking: Hotels.comad

Piazza Heritage Hotel

Piazza Heritage Hotel is in a 1906 Viennese Art Nouveau palace on the northern edge of Pjaca. Its 16 rooms have high ceilings, stucco mouldings and views across the marble square, and the deluxe doubles have balconies over it.

• Location: Kraj sv. Marije 1 (Pjaca)
• Amenities: Art Nouveau architecture, central square views, restaurant
• Booking: Hotels.comad

Hotel Marmont Heritage

Hotel Marmont is on Zadarska street in the western old town, with minimalist contemporary decor set against 15th-century Venetian stone walls. It has an open-air rooftop spa terrace with sun loungers over the red roofs of Split, king-size beds and a lounge bar.

• Location: Zadarska ulica 13
• Amenities: Open-air rooftop terrace, cocktail lounge, modern minimalist styling
• Booking: Hotels.comad

Cornaro Hotel

Cornaro Hotel is outside the northern palace wall on Sinjska ulica. Unlike the hotels in the pedestrian core, it has road access for taxis and offers valet parking. It has an indoor spa with sauna and steam rooms, and a rooftop terrace with an outdoor whirlpool and a view of the cathedral bell tower.

• Location: Sinjska ulica 6 / Ulica kralja Tomislava 9
• Amenities: Rooftop hot tub and bar, full spa, valet parking
• Booking: Hotels.comad

2. Veli Varoš and Lučac

These two old suburbs flank the Roman core and are quieter and more residential.

• Veli Varoš (west): Fishermen and farm labourers founded it in the Middle Ages. It is a maze of narrow cobbled paths, whitewashed stone cottages and steep stairways climbing the eastern flank of Marjan Forest Park, with family-run taverns like Konoba Fetivi and Konoba Varoš. It suits couples who want quiet evenings within five minutes’ walk of the Riva. The steep stairs are hard work with heavy luggage.
• Lučac and Radunica (east): East of the palace and Stari Pazar market, centred on Radunica street. Refugees fleeing the Ottomans settled it in the 15th century, and it keeps traditional stone courtyards (dvori). The ferry port, main bus terminal and railway station are less than a 5-minute flat walk away, so you need no taxi for early catamarans.

3. Bačvice: Beach proximity and ferry access

Bačvice is Split’s seaside neighbourhood, just around the eastern headland from the ferry piers. It centres on the sandy crescent of Bačvice beach, known for shallow water and year-round picigin players. Quiet residential streets of early 20th-century coastal villas put you 10 minutes’ flat walk from the city centre and 5 minutes from the ferry and bus terminals.

The outdoor swimming pool and terrace at Hotel Park above Bačvice beach. Photo: dronepicr, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

Hotel Park

Hotel Park opened in 1921 in Hatzeov perivoj, directly above Bačvice bay among palm gardens and pines. It has a heated outdoor pool on its stone terrace, Restaurant Split serving Mediterranean cooking, a wellness centre with Finnish sauna and massage rooms, and Art Deco rooms with sea views.

• Location: Hatzeov perivoj 3, Bačvice
• Distance: 2 minutes to Bačvice beach; 10 minutes to Diocletian’s Palace
• Amenities: Outdoor swimming pool, fine dining terrace, spa, on-site parking
• Booking: Hotels.comad

Boutique Hotel Luxe

Hotel Luxe is on Kralja Zvonimira street in a converted heritage building midway between the Old Town and Bačvice beach, with contemporary design in bold jewel tones. It has a wellness zone with a Finnish sauna, jacuzzi and fitness room. Fenced private parking is available nearby.

• Location: Ulica kralja Zvonimira 6
• Distance: 5 minutes to Riva and Palace; 7 minutes to Bačvice beach; 5 minutes to Ferry Port
• Amenities: Wellness spa, jacuzzi, sauna, fitness centre, secure parking
• Booking: Hotels.comad

4. Trstenik: Coastal resort and wellness

Trstenik is a seaside district about 3 kilometres east of Bačvice along the coastal promenade, built around beach clubs and water sports. It is linked to the city centre by the paved coastal path and Promet Split bus lines 7 and 8 (€1.50 per ride).

Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, Split

The Radisson Blu Resort sits above Trstenik pebble beach. Its Spalato Spa has a large indoor heated pool, an outdoor seaside infinity pool, saunas, cold plunge pools and steam rooms. In summer the resort runs the private Mistral Beach Club, with cabanas, sun loungers and seafood dining at the water’s edge. Secure underground parking makes it a good base if you are touring Dalmatia by rental car.

• Location: Put Trstenika 19, Trstenik
• Distance: Direct beachfront access; 10 minutes by bus/taxi to Old Town
• Amenities: Outdoor infinity pool, indoor heated pool, full spa, beach club, garage parking
• Booking: Hotels.comad

Guided tours and neighbourhood orientation

A guided walk on your arrival day shows you Split’s car-free quarters and the palace gates.

Split: Diocletian’s Palace & Old Town Small Group Tour

From €15 · 4.9 stars from 1,034 reviews · 1.5 - 5.5 hours · free cancellation

Split: Diocletian’s Palace & Old Town Small Group Tourad: Nearly 1,700 years of history, told on a walk that starts near the palace gates and covers the car-free alleys, squares and seafront.

Diocletian’s Palace & Split Old Town Guided Tour – Since 2007

From €15 · 4.8 stars from 868 reviews · 1.5 - 5 hours · free cancellation

Diocletian’s Palace & Split Old Town Guided Tour – Since 2007ad: A classic 150-minute historical walk covering Diocletian’s Palace, the morning Fish Market, Pjaca, Marmontova, and the historic fishermen’s quarter of Varoš.

Split: Diocletian Palace, Marjan Hill Viewpoint & Local Eats

From €29 · 4.9 stars from 81 reviews · 1.5 - 2.5 hours · free cancellation

Split: Diocletian Palace, Marjan Hill Viewpoint & Local Eatsad: Combine a guided Roman palace walk with an easy climb up the stone stairs of Marjan to Prva Vidilica, finishing with local food tastings.

Choosing your accommodation style

Practical advice for hotel stays in Split

• Luggage: If your hotel or apartment is inside the palace or in Veli Varoš, bring a suitcase with large wheels; small ones rattle on the Roman flags and medieval cobbles. Many heritage hotels will send a porter to the vehicle drop-off point if you ask in advance.
• Noise: Music, cafe chatter and foot traffic last until 23:00 or midnight in summer. If you are a light sleeper, ask for a palace room with double or triple glazing that faces an internal courtyard, not a pedestrian street.
• Arrival from the airport: The non-stop Platanus shuttle bus stops at the Split main bus station at the ferry port, 5 to 7 minutes’ flat walk from hotels in Bačvice, Lučac and the eastern palace gates.

What to see next

• Diocletian’s Palace Split Guide: The Roman residence and the squares around your hotel.
• Where to Eat in Split: Konobas and Michelin-listed restaurants across the neighbourhoods.
• Getting Around Split: City buses, ferries and transit routes.
• 3 Days in Split: How to spend three days in the city and on the islands.
• Money in Split: Tourist tax, euro cash rules and ATM conversion traps.
• Split City Break Hub: Every Split guide in one place.

Common questions

Where should first-time visitors stay in Split?

Diocletian's Palace and the neighbouring Old Town squares such as Pjaca. You are next to the Roman monuments, the Riva, bakeries and dozens of konobas. The whole area is pedestrian, so you carry your luggage across stone paving.

How much is the tourist tax on hotel stays in Split?

Under the Split-Dalmatia County decision for 2026, the municipal tourist tax is €2.65 per adult per night from 1 April to 30 September (Split-Dalmatia County decision) and €1.86 per adult per night for the rest of the year. Children under 12 do not pay, and teenagers aged 12 to 17 pay a 50% reduced rate.

Which Split hotels are located directly inside Diocletian's Palace?

Hotel Vestibul Palace is built into original Roman walls between the emperor's private apartments and the Peristyle. Heritage Hotel Antique Split has 1,700-year-old Roman masonry in its rooms. Palace Judita and Piazza Heritage overlook Pjaca just outside the Iron Gate.

Where should you stay in Split for beach access?

Bačvice, a 10-minute walk east of the palace. Hotel Park sits above the sandy crescent of Bačvice beach, and Boutique Hotel Luxe is halfway between Bačvice and the Roman core. For a full resort, the Radisson Blu Resort is on Trstenik pebble beach.

Can you park a rental car at an Old Town hotel in Split?

No. The Old Town and palace area is closed to motor vehicles. If you are driving, choose a hotel with parking outside the pedestrian zone: Cornaro Hotel (valet parking on Sinjska), Boutique Hotel Luxe (parking nearby) or the Radisson Blu in Trstenik.