The Daisybutter Travel Guide to Split and Dubrovnik, Croatia
Croatia has been on my travel bucket list for absolutely ages, not least because I’m a big Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire fan. Last month, my boyfriend and I found ourselves with a shared week off from work and responsibilities, so we booked a last-minute trip to Split, planning to add in a few day trips. I can confirm: Croatia is an absolutely gorgeous country – rich in history and a delight to visit. We already can’t wait to return!
It’s worth noting that it’s a touch pricier in Croatia than many other countries we’ve travelled to in Europe. A main meal (entrée) is around €18-22 and we found that we spent more than anticipated on our trip. It’s also a good idea to take at least some cash, as well as a card.
See & Do
Explore beautiful Split
We’d originally chosen to fly into Split and simply use it as a base for visiting other areas, but both of us quickly fell in love with the historic city.
Split is a cosy, relaxing city by the sea, small enough to explore solely on foot and I’d recommend putting Google Maps away and letting your eyes guide you ‘round. Since the city revolves around the labyrinthian Diocletian’s Palace, everywhere is well-signposted and there is SO much to discover.
Book a walking tour of Split
I’d also recommend a walking tour to kick-start your experience: we booked ours for free (it was tip based!) through Free Spirit Tours, and found our host to be incredibly warm, knowledgable and helpful! Once you have your bearings and a grounding of Dalmatia’s rich history, you’ll appreciate Split tenfold.
Diocletian’s Palace
The city of Split revolves around Diocletian’s Palace, the former second home of the Roman emperor Diocletian. Today, it serves as a living home for hundreds of residents, as well as many local restaurants and businesses. We spent hours just walking around and checking out the shops and market at the side. You can also visit the cellars – a filming location from Game of Thrones!
Temple of Jupiter
Tucked away in the labyrinth that is Diocletian’s Palace, the Temple of Jupiter is one of the only fully formed, still-standing parts of the original building. It’s absolutely tiny, but still worth a visit. Tickets are €3.
Take a sunset (or sunrise) walk at Marjan Hill Forest Park
If you travel like me – and I’d assume so, since you’re reading a Daisybutter Travel Guide! – then you also love a viewpoint. And, luckily for us, Marjan Hill was right on our doorstep. This forest park is one of the most beautiful spots in Split and was once a monastery. Its highest peak is 178 metres up: well-paved with steps and there are park benches everywhere so that every visitor can enjoy the stunning views. Stretched for time, we made a sunset beeline hike for the peak which was just glorious, but you can hike the entirety of the park in about 2.5 hours – there’s plenty to see, including a church and gallery.
Discover the natural beauty of Krka National Park
One of the main things we wanted to do while in Croatia – and Dalmatia county – was visit Krka National Park. For this, we booked a day trip via Get Your Guide, a platform that we’ve regularly booked early-access and skip-the-queue tickets through when travelling.
Krka National Park was just breathtaking! The National Park is known for its seven waterfalls and gorgeous nature trails. Our tour included a one-way boat trip down to Skradin, but we chose to hike down and meet the group instead which was completely worth it. Krka is home to over 800 species of plants, over 200 bird species and 18 bat species, along with hundreds of other creatures. And, for those that love trees as much as I do, there are some pretty awe-inspiring pines on the bordering mountains to gawp at.
Walk the Walls of Dubrovnik
Overall, I actually found Dubrovnik to be quite underwhelming. I think I’d probably hyped up the city, but it wasn’t what I’d expected.
That being said, Dubrovnik is a gem of the medieval Adriatic. We booked a tour that’d take us from Split, saving us from finding our own way. The Old Town is simply stunning and its churches are a marvel to explore. We just found it be ridiculously busy; swarming with tourists (of which we were two!). However, two cruise ships had just disembarked, which probably didn’t help. Something we’d both really recommend is getting tickets to walk the Walls, where you’ll see stunning panoramic views of the sea and the city. King’s Landing, what?!
Marvel at the Adriatic’s clear waters
Lastly, I absolutely recommend taking 15 minutes and sitting with a book and gelato, and admiring the Adriatic Sea’s mesmerisingly clear waters. Good Pisces vibes.
Eat & Drink
As with all of my Daisybutter Travel Guide posts, I share restaurants that I’ve personally been to, as well as the ones on my list. These are usually vegan restaurants and cafés, but often I include general restaurants with vegan options, since I travel with non-vegans.
Split
Pandora’s Greenbox
We stumbled upon Pandora’s Greenbox one evening when hunting for a different restaurant, and it looked cosy and charming… and that it was! This is an entirely plant-based eatery with indoor and outdoor seating, and the menu is pretty big. We ordered the hummus, polenta and sliders and just loved our meal. There’s a focus on whole foods, which I always appreciate.
Brasserie No. 7
Usually, I wouldn’t choose to eat at a seafront restaurant, but I was struggling to find somewhere with vegan breakfast. Brasserie No.7 is attached to a gorgeous hotel and there’s a plentiful menu for breakfast eggs. The vegan breakfast is an açai bowl, which was so fresh and delicious.
BEPA
This one is situated on the main piazza in Split, and is a sweet little bistro. There’s just one vegan main, but the pumpkin pasta was delicious and the outdoor seating has a great atmosphere. My boyfriend opted for their steak which he said was pretty damn good, too.
Barakokula
Lastly, we stumbled upon Barakokula, tucked away in a courtyard, en route the Bell Tower one evening. This spot is also completely plant-based with a pretty great menu. We both opted for the truffle gnocchi, which was fine, but I do wish we could’ve squeezed in another meal here!
Dubrovnik
Konaba Sebastian
As with many vegan-eating holidays, Split didn’t offer us much in terms of traditional Croatian food, so my mission in Dubrovnik was to find a spot to try some. A ‘konaba’ is a tavern, and our Split walking tour guide let us know that these are generally where we can find more local, family-style meals. Here, I chose a risotto (SO good, the perfect meal after a hot day out exploring) and my boyfriend chose a beef stew sort of thing.
And, as ever, it’s a good idea to download HappyCow for on-the-go recommendations!
Stay & Relax
Luna Cosy Apartment via Airbnb
For our stay, we chose this little apartment booked on Airbnb. It was certainly cosy and if you’re bringing suitcases, I probably couldn’t recommend this spot. We infamously only take carry-on bags, and it was great to use as a base. The apartment has a little shower room, wardrobe and dining table, which was fine for two people to comfortably use. And our host was SO warm and welcoming!
Have you been to Athens? Or is it on your travel bucket list?
