Spotlight on: Diocletian’s Palace, Split

One of the most famed sights in Croatia, the Diocletian’s Palace area in Split is also one of the most historic sights you may visit on your travels. It is an absolute must-see and contains many individually interesting elements to explore. The whole area, right at the very core of the city, is also a thoroughly enjoyable part of Split with numerous cafes, restaurants, bars, shops and more. You’ll be strolling around taking in a whole tonne of history whilst also getting so much of what Split has to offer.

The “Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian” was declared a UNESCO World Heritage in 1979. (It was one of Croatia’s first; Dubrovnik’s Old Town and the Plitvice Lakes were also added to the list in the same year.)

Diocletian's Palace

About Diocletian’s Palace and History

If you don’t yet know much about Diocletian’s Palace, you might consider Dioletina’s retirement home to be like any typical European palace structure. In your head, you may be considering an extremely large and ornate building, perhaps set in large, highly manicured grounds and full of rather ostentatious furniture.

Diocletian’s Palace is nothing like that! (At least not today; the palace may well have had some of these components all those many centuries ago.)

The palace was built as a retirement home (yes, really) for Roman Emperor Diocletian who was born in Salona (now present-day Solin) sometime between the years 242 to 245. He retired from Emperor life in the year 305 and lived in the palace until his death in 311. Work on constructing the palace is though to have begun in the year 295 with materials from local sources used – particularly white limestone from Brac and bricks made locally. You can see below what the structure would have looked like around the time of its competition – you can see that the palace did indeed stretch all the way out to the sea.

Diocletian's Palace (original appearance)

Diocletian’s Palace. (2024, February 8). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diocletian%27s_Palace

The Palace was built in a rectangular shape of roughly 215 metres by 180 metres. There were towers at each corner of the Palace and octagonal towers framing each entrance into the Palace. The area of the structure was divided into four with two main “streets” within. The southern gate would have been the Emperor’s main entry into the Palace by sea and, indeed, the southern part of the Palace would have contained his residence whilst the northern part would have contained quarters for servants and guards.

After Diocletian’s death, the Palace continued to be used by members of the emperor’s family. It rose in importance again in the 7th century when Salona (Solin), once the capital of Dalmatia and a large (for that time) city was destroyed by an invasion by the Slavs that had by now reached this area. Some of the previous inhabitants of Salona sought shelter and refuge in the large Palace area, and Palace life – now city life – began to resume. In the many years since citizens have continuously lived within what is deemed to be the Palace area and adapted its use multiple times.

Getting There

The Diocletian’s Palace area is just by the Riva, the main harbourfront in Split. It is a short walk from the main bus and train stations and port in the city (which are all adjacent to each other), about 10 minutes.

Should you be travelling from further afield in Split, there are numerous local bus lines that stop near the Palace. You can check out Split’s bus network on the Promet Split website.

What to See and Do at Diocletian’s Palace

You really could get lost whilst wandering the streets of the Palace…but try not to! In all seriousness, the best way of seeing the Palace is to go back and forth through its many little streets taking in all the many sights and experiences. Below are some of the main things to look out for and see.

Gates

As you approach the Palace area, you’ll no doubt enter through to the main part via one of the gates. As we’ve mentioned, the southern gate – the Brass Gate – would have once been the main entrance from the sea and is the smallest of all the gates. Today, this gate allows you entry from the Riva. On the eastern side is the Silver Gate which was reconstructed in 1952 after Dusica Church was destroyed during World War II; the gate had become part of the Church during its construction.

On the northern side, right by the large Grgur Ninski (Gregory of Nin) statue is the Golden Gate (Zlatna vrata) which would have faced the direction of Salona and would have been the main entrance into the Palace.

Golden Gate (Zlatna vrata), Split
Golden Gate / Zlatna vrata

On the eastern side is the Iron Gate which is the only gate of the four that has seen continuous use since it was first constructed.

The Cathedral of Saint Domnius and Belltower

The octagonally-shaped Cathedral of St Domnius (Katedrala Svetog Duje in Croatian) is the oldest Catholic cathedral in the world in its original structure, consecrated as it was in the 7th century. The Cathedral contains the 3rd-century mausoleum for Emperor Diocletian whilst the belltower was a later addition, built in the 13th century. Diocletian’s sarcophagus was destroyed in the 5th century

The 57-metre-tall belltower can be climbed for superb views over Split in all directions including out over the twinkling Adriatic Sea.

The Peristyle with the Cathedral and its Belltower to the left

Temple of Jupiter

By the entrance of this former temple is another 3,500-year-old Egyptian sphynx, this one being headless. The Temple itself was converted into a Baptistry dedicated to St John the Baptist in the 6th century. The Temple contains sarcophagi with the remains of Ivan of Ravenna and Lovre, both Archbishops of Split in the 11th century. You will also find a bronze statue of St John the Baptist created by famed Croatian sculptor Ivan Mestrovic.

The Peristyle

The Peristyle is a remarkable open-air square which would have been the main square of the Palace even way back when. Consider this as you sip on a relaxing coffee on the stone steps whilst admiring the view. The Peristyle is also home to a 3,500-year-old Egyptian sphynx.

The Vestibule

The inside of the vestibule is circular, and you’ll notice the circular open-air top which was once covered by a dome. The vestibule was a hall in the days of the Palace, serving as an entrance to the Palace apartments. These days you come across traditional acapella singers (singing klapa music) who make use of the excellent acoustics in the Vestibule.

Diocletian's Palace - Vestibule
Vestibule

Cellars

The cellars were originally used as storage areas when the Palace was first built. The importance of the cellars is because they are so well preserved and provide and excellent idea of what the above-ground portion of the Palace would have been like.

Part of the cellar area can be easily visited as you pass through the Brass Gate from the Riva towards the direction of the Vestibule and the Peristyle. You will find numerous little market stalls selling souvenirs and other trinkets.

Access to the rest of the cellars is ticketed (see below).

Opening Hours and Entrance Price

The main Palace area is free to enter at all times of day and night, year-round, and there is no fee to enter, of course!

Parts of the Palace, however, do have an entrance fee and particular opening times.

All parts of the Cathedral, including the Belltower, require tickets to enter.

Part of the cellars that are ticketed are open 8.30am – 8pm (summer hours, April to October) or 9am to 5pm (winter hours, November to March). Tickets cost €8 for adults and €6 for children aged 7 to 14, seniors (aged 65 and over) and students with ID. Children aged 6 and under can enter for free. You can buy tickets at the ticket booth in the Palace or on the Museum of the City of Split website.

Other Ways of Seeing and Enjoying Diocletian’s Palace

If you’d like to step back in time – virtually – and see for yourself what Diocletian’s Palace would have been like all those many centuries ago, head to the Diocletian’s Dream experience. Don a VR headset and immerse yourself in Split life in the year 305.

There are numerous walking tours of the Diocletian’s Palace area that you can join; led by knowledgeable guides, the tours will really give you an expansive information base from which to learn all about the Emperor and his retirement home. Take a look at some of the tours below:

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More info

You can read more about the Palace on the Split Tourist Board website.

Coronavirus Situation in Croatia

Coronavirus Situation in Croatia – Autumn Update

Here we are, already in November 2020 now in 2021, and it seems that the coronavirus pandemic that many hoped would be over or more manageable by summer has certainly reached its second wave – and how. Many countries in Europe and beyond are experiencing huge leaps in daily case numbers and are undergoing new measures, be that lockdowns or more. We wrote up a post in March 2020 about the coronavirus situation in Croatia (as well as advice for Visiting Croatia in Summer 2020, based on covid-related travel restrictions). However, rather than continue to update those older posts, we feel it’s now wiser to write another piece based on the situation in Croatia today. We will continue to update this post regularly.

Coronavirus Situation in Croatia
Photo by Adam Nieścioruk on Unsplash

Coronavirus Situation in Croatia

Latest update Today, 25th February 2021, 544 new cases have been announced. There are presently 2,933 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in Split-Dalmatia county (542 cases), followed by the City of Zagreb (475 cases) and Primorje-Gorski Kotar county (240 active cases). Sadly, there have been 5,489 deaths in total in Croatia. Although there was a downward trend in case numbers until about a week ago, the past few days have seen a bit of a jump again.

Updated Today, 16th February 2021, 274 new cases have been announced. There are presently 1,959 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in Split-Dalmatia county (354 cases), followed by the City of Zagreb (291 cases) and Primorje-Gorski Kotar county (196 active cases). Sadly, there have been 5,357 deaths in total in Croatia.

Updated Today, 9th February 2021, 283 new cases have been announced. There are presently 2,329 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in Split-Dalmatia county (505 cases), followed by the City of Zagreb (307 cases) and Zagreb county (231 active cases). Sadly, there have been 5,224 deaths in total in Croatia.

Updated Today, 25th January 2021, 134 new cases have been announced. There are presently 2,519 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in Split-Dalmatia county (425 cases), followed by the City of Zagreb (338 cases) and Zagreb county (308 active cases). Sadly, there have been 4,859 deaths in total in Croatia.

Updated Today, 8th January 2021, 1,098 new cases have been announced. There are presently 5,794 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in Split-Dalmatia county (862 cases), followed by the City of Zagreb (743 cases) and Zagreb county (672 active cases). Sadly, there have been 4,304 deaths in total in Croatia.

Updated Today, 4th January 2021, 361 new cases have been announced. There are presently 5,899 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in Split-Dalmatia county (922 cases), followed by the City of Zagreb (825 cases) and Primorje-Gorski Kotar county (715 active cases). Sadly, there have been 4,126 deaths in total in Croatia.

Updated Very unfortunately, Croatia suffered its second major earthquake of the year on 29th December 2020. A 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck near the town of Petrinja, about 50km south of Zagreb. A number of foreshocks and aftershocks also took place in the days before and after. Seven people died in this earthquake, and a number of people were also injured. About half of the buildings in Petrinija were destroyed, and the houses and buildings in the local villages were also destroyed or very badly damaged. If you would like to donate money to those affected by the earthquake, please see the information on the Croatian Red Cross website.

Updated On 27th December 2020, Croatia started its covid vaccination programme. The first person to be vaccinated was an 81-year-old care home resident in Zagreb named Branka Anicic.

Updated Today, 18th December 2020, 3,272 new cases have been announced. There are presently 21,297 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (2,965 cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (2,392 active cases) and Zagreb county (2,378 active cases). Sadly, there have been 3,023 deaths in total in Croatia.

Updated Today, 15th December 2020, 2,360 new cases have been announced. There are presently 21,861 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (3,092 cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (2,441 active cases) and Zagreb county (2,197 active cases). Sadly, there have been 2,778 deaths in total in Croatia.

Updated Today, 11th December 2020, 4,396 new cases have been announced. There are presently 25,006 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (3,657 cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (2,638 active cases) and Primorje-Gorski Kotar county (2,321 active cases). Sadly, there have been 2,484 deaths in total in Croatia.

Updated Today, 8th December 2020, 2,613 new cases have been announced. There are presently 21,685 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (3,408 cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (2,632 active cases) and Primorje-Gorski Kotar county (1,970 active cases). Sadly there have been 2,298 deaths in total in Croatia.

Updated Today, 2nd December 2020, 3,539 new cases have been announced. There are presently 22,610 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (3,119 cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (2,759 active cases) and Varazdin county (1,750 active cases). Sadly there have been 1,916 deaths in total in Croatia.

Updated Today, 27th November 2020, 4,080 new cases have been announced – another new record. (Beating the previous day’s record of 4,009 new cases.) There are presently 22,408 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (3,799 cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (2,652 active cases) and Varazdin county (1,795 active cases). Sadly there have been 1,600 deaths in total in Croatia.

Updated Today, 24th November 2020, 1,973 new cases have been announced. There are presently 19,275 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (3,775 cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (2,088 active cases) and Varazdin county (1,605 active cases). Sadly there have been 1,398 deaths in total in Croatia.

Updated Today, 20th November 2020, 2,958 new cases have been announced. There are presently 18,193 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (3,481 cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (2,155 active cases) and Varazdin county (1,567 active cases). Sadly there have been 1,257 deaths in total in Croatia.

Updated Today, 16th November 2020, 1,313 new cases have been announced. There are presently 15,699 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (3,098 cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (1,765 active cases) and Varazdin county (1,498 active cases). Sadly there have been 1,082 deaths in total in Croatia.

Updated Today, 10th November 2020, 1,467 new cases have been announced. There are presently 14,524 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (3,021 cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (1,520 active cases) and Varazdin county (1,428 active cases). Sadly there have been 865 deaths in total in Croatia.

Updated The last few weeks (from mid-October onwards) in Croatia have seen huge jumps in daily new case numbers, with records on case numbers being frequently broken. It is not uncommon for there to be more than 2,500 new cases announced in any one day. In fact, today, 6th November 2020, 2,890 new cases have been announced – a record. (Beating the previous day’s record.) That means that there are presently 15,567 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (3,594 cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (1,888 active cases) and Varazdin county (1,232 active cases). Sadly there have been 717 deaths in total in Croatia.

Where to find the latest news and data

All stats related to cases can be found on the Koronavirus.hr website (in English); the map on that site shows active cases by county. The CroatiaCovidInfo website also shows active cases per 100,000 by region and maps out hotspots (or not).

Another useful website to check is the is the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) website. This shows 14-day cumulative number of cases per 100,000 for all EU countries.

Coronavirus Regulations in Croatia

The main regulations you must adhere to in Croatia are:

  • Face masks must be worn in all indoor spaces, including catering establishments (cafes, restaurants etc), except when you are seated
  • Face masks must be worn outdoors in situations where social distancing cannot be maintained (and it is recommended that face masks be worn anyway in outdoor situations)
  • You must wear face masks in commercial indoor spaces e.g. shops
  • You must wear face masks on all forms of public transport (buses, ferries, catamarans, trains, trams, taxis)

If you are an EU/EEA citizen, you are allowed to enter and visit Croatia without restriction BUT updated you must present proof of a negative covid PCR test not older than 48 hours unless you are travelling from a green region/country (as shown on the ECDC Map). For others, you must have a specific reason for visiting Croatia (and touristic is considered to be a valid reason – but you must be able to show proof of paid accommodation) as well as showing proof of a negative covid PCR test that is not older than 48 hours at the point of entry. All regulations regarding entry into Croatia can be found on the Ministry of the Interior website.

Other regulations

Other regulations that are currently required in Croatia (although these may not affect all visitors to the country) include:

Newest update As of 1st March 2021, outdoor terraces of catering facilities (cafes, restaurants) are permitted to reopen to serve customers. These establishments can operate from 6am to 10pm each day, with a 3m gap between tables and 1.5m between chairs. Patrons can only go inside (wearing a mask) to go to the toilet.

Updated As of 15th February 2021, some restrictions in Croatia have been lifted. Cafes are able to sell food and drinks to go, although outdoor terraces remain closed and patrons must not congregate and consume their purchases outside venues. Gyms and fitness centres are allowed to reopen (with strict epidemiological measures in place). Casinos (and similar) are allowed to reopen although can only do so until 10pm each day. Children’s playrooms have been allowed to reopen. These are all in force until 28th February.

Updated Covid regulations in Croatia as mentioned below (e.g. the closure of cafes and restaurants, restrictions of numbers of people gathering together, reduced shop opening hours and so on) have been extended until 31st January 2021.

Updated As of 22nd December 2020 (until 8th January 2021), travel between Croatian counties will be severely restricted. Travel can only be undertaken by obtaining a special pass. Movement will be allowed (without a pass) between the City of Zagreb and Zagreb County (considered one ‘county’ for this purpose).

Updated There are additional regulations that shops must adhere to, which come into effect from 12th December 2020. These regulations place restrictions on the number of people that can be in a shop at any one time – for example, shops up to 10 sq. m. in size can only have one customer in at a time; shops of 11 to 100 sq. m. in size must provide 10 sq. m. for every customer. These regulations are in place until 10th January 2021.

Updated Anyone found not wearing a mask where it is compulsory may be fined 500 Kunas.

Updated As of 30th November 2020, everyone entering Croatia must produce proof of a negative covid PCR test that has been undertaken in the previous 48 hours. This includes Croatian citizens. The only exceptions are anyone travelling from a green region/country from within the EU/the Schengen Zone. (Regardless of your citizenship.) As of writing today, there are no green zones – you can see where there may be any green zones on this ECDC Map. If you cannot present proof of a negative covid PCR test at the point of entry, you will be able to obtain a PCR test in Croatia and must self-isolate until you receive a negative result. You can find more details of this on the Croatian Tourist Board website and the Ministry of the Interior website.

Updated Further new restrictions are as follows:

  • Restaurants and cafes must close although restaurants can offer delivery 24 hours a day
  • Sale of alcohol continues to be banned between the hours of 10pm and 6am
  • Hotel restaurants can remain open only to serve hotel guests
  • Wedding ceremonies cannot take place
  • Public gatherings are limited to a maximum of 25 people
  • Public transport – including inter-city transport – must limit passengers to 40% of capacity
  • Increased supervision of shops to ensure the number of customers on the premises is in line with regulations
  • Gyms are allowed to operate but must provide 10 sq. m. per customer
  • Cinemas, theatres, museums and galleries are allowed to remain open, with limits to visitor numbers per sq. m.

Updated as of 22/11/20 The below regulations have been further updated, the additional restrictions now include:

  • Nightclubs, night bars, casinos and similar are not permitted to open
  • A maximum of 15 people can attend weddings
  • A maximum of 25 people can attend funerals
  • A maximum of 10 people can attend other private ceremonies
  • Alcohol cannot be sold between the hours of 10pm and 6am
  • Shops and catering facilities that are permitted to open must clearly display the maximum number of people that can be in the premises at any one time
  • Shops must take on additional measures at expected busy times (holidays) to ensure more customers do not stay in the premises at the same time

Previous restrictions:

  • Alcohol is not allowed to be sold between the hours of midnight and 6am
  • Sports events cannot have any spectators
  • Public events or gatherings with more than 50 people are banned
  • A maximum of 30 people can attend weddings
  • A maximum of 30 people can attend funerals
  • A maximum of 15 people can attend other private ceremonies

Coronavirus Testing in Croatia

Should you be in Croatia and need to take a covid test, you can find a list of testing centres on the Koronavirus website. That page also details how to book a test at these centres.

Updated You can now also see a map of testing centres (including others not listed on the site above) at koronatestiranje.com/en. This map also details which centres can be booked in advance (and how to do so) as well as prices.

Love International timetable - Sunrise Sessions

2019 Love International timetable revealed – the countdown is on!

There’s just a week left to go until the fourth edition of the supremely popular Love International festival! If you’ve yet to make plans for your summer hols this year, here’s a great opportunity to spend some time on the gorgeous Croatian coast and take in one of the best festivals!

Love International takes place at The Garden Resort in Tisno from 3rd to 10th July 2019. There’s just 250 tickets still available for sale; if you’re quick, you might be one of the lucky ones to snap some of them up! (Tickets are expected to sell out very soon; last year’s event was also sold out.)

Love International timetable - Sunrise Sessions
Sunrise Sessions

Love International Timetable

If you’ve already got all your festival and flight tickets booked, then you’ll need to be heading over to the festival website at www.loveinternationalfestival.com pronto! The full Love International timetable has now been released; it shows what’s going on every day and night of the mesmeric week.

Love International Line-Up

And there will be a truly amazing line-up to enjoy! Artists appearing at this year’s Love International include everyone from DJ Harvey, Andrew Weatherall, Ben UFO, Peggy Gou, A Love From Outer Space, Craig Richards B2B Nicolas Lutz, Beautiful Swimmers, Horse Meat Disco, Crazy P Soundsystem, Leon Vynehall, Midland and Shanti Celeste B2B Saoirse, through to some outstanding new artists breaking through, including Peach, Omar, Budino, Ivna Ji and Lucjia

Love International timetable - Peggy Gou
Peggy Gou
Love International timetable - Beautiful Swimmers
Beautiful Swimmers

Beautiful Swimmers are the latest artists to contribute to the recently launched label series which invites some influential artists from the festival to curate the music they feel best represents Love International. Their new compilation from Test Pressing features eleven tracks including edits and original material taking in an odyssey of funk, soul, disco, house and Balearic music, with tracks including Harlem Gem – More Than You Can Wish, KW Griff – Be Ya Girl and Spirit Garden – Electra City. This follows on from the Gatto Fritto debut.

Buying tickets for Love International

As mentioned, a very limited number of tickets are still available for the festival. These cost €150 (+ booking fee) and can be purchased at loveinternationalfestival.com/buy-tickets/.

There are also still a few final boat party tickets on sale, which can be found here: https://www.residentadvisor.net/promoter.aspx?id=79131. These boat parties are always a defining element of the week-long festival experience. A voyage (or two!) on the legendary sea dogs The Argonaughty and The Martina are essential for any festival attendee.

More on Love International

Love International is set in the stunning coastal village of Tisno (about halfway between Split and Zadar), and is the perfect combination of a festival and a holiday as one. The event is an adventure under the sun and stars like no other, sound-tracked by some of the finest purveyors across a range of sound from across the spectrum. The sparkling Adriatic is a spectacular backdrop to all the festival goings-on, whilst there’s some epic nights to be had at the on site awe-inspiring open-air club, Barbarella’s. Not forgetting the intimate and secluded moments across the idyllic site, of course – the festival illuminates and dazzles at each turn.

Love International - Barbarella's at dawn
Barbarella’s at dawn
Love International - The Olive Grove
The Olive Grove

All details about Love International can be found on the official website loveinternationalfestival.com.

And for all those attending – we just know you’ll have an epic time!

Love International
Tisno, 3rd – 10th July 2019
loveinternationalfestival.com