44 Best Sights in Central Dalmatia, Croatia

Split's main city square (also known locally as a pjaca) can be accessed from Diocletian's Palace through the western or Iron Gate. Historically this was an important gathering place for Splićani (people from Split), and it remains so today. In the 15th century, several major public buildings were constructed here: the Town Hall, which today houses a contemporary art gallery, plus the Rector's Palace and a theater. The latter two were sadly demolished by the Hapsburgs in the 19th century. A Secessionist building at the west end of the square stands as a testament to that era. Once the city center of administration, it is now a prime location for kicking your feet up and indulging in one of the many restaurants and cafés that line the white marble square.

From Roman times to the present day, this has been the main public meeting place within the palace walls, featuring a spacious central courtyard flanked by Corinthian marble columns and richly ornamented cornices linked by arches. There are six columns each on the east and west sides and four more at the south end, which mark the monumental entrance to the domed Vestibul. During summer, two costumed Roman guards stand watch on the square and live concerts take place occasionally.

On the beautiful vineyard-strewn island of Hvar you can visit the winery where the Plančić family has been producing a variety of top-quality wines, including rosé and dessert wines, as well as local rakija, since 1919. Look out for Bogdanuša (dry white wine) or Ivan Dolac (a select red). Call the winery for information about tours and tastings.

This award-winning winery on the island of Hvar—along with its restaurant Bilo Idro and on-site hotel—are well worth a visit. The Zlatan Plavac (a dry red) made by Zlatan Plenković has continually won prestigious awards at local and international wine fairs since the early 1990s. Call ahead for information about winery visits.

The impressive ruins of the Roman city of Salona, Croatia's largest archaeological park, attract history buffs and anyone interested in seeing the ruins of an ancient forum, temples, towers, and a monumental amphitheater. It can take around an hour to stroll around the fully walkable (if less than perfectly maintained) site if you stop to take photos—and you will. If you visit in summer, bring water and a sun hat, as little shade is offered, though this allows for striking unobstructed views of the surrounding mountains. The sprawling grounds, which grew into the largest city in Dalmatia after Romans captured an existing settlement in the 1st century BC, are said to be the birthplace of Emperor Diocletian. Salona was a powerful city until around AD 614, when Avar and Slav tribes moved in from the north and took over, forcing most of the city's inhabitants (about 60,000 in its heyday) southwest, where they founded Spalato, today's Split. The site is run by a branch of the Split Archaeological Museum. Salona is 8 km (5 miles) northeast of Split’s center, about a 20-minute drive, near the modern town of Solin. Alternatively, the trip takes 30 minutes by bus, with buses departing every 30–60 minutes from the National Theater.

This glass-bottom walkway in the Biolovo Nature Park, stretching out from a cliff face of the Biokovo Mountain Range, offers striking vistas of the Adriatic Sea and coastline. Opened in 2020, the Skywalk is 1,228 meters (more than 4,000 feet) above sea level and can be reached in 40 minutes by car from Makarska. The drive is 13 km (8 miles) up Biokovo Road from the entrance point by a relatively narrow road that includes hairpin bends. Park entry tickets include Skywalk and must be purchased ahead of time (maximum five days earlier) on the website. Don't wait until the last minute as slots are limited, and expect a wait to enter the Skywalk. 

After you've spent a few days swimming and lying on the beach, this park is a great place for an afternoon picnic with kids. A small animal park shelters a wide variety of domestic animals including ducks, pigs, goats, turtles, peacocks, parrots, and cows. There are even donkeys that kids can pet and ride. The park is about 3 km (2 miles) from Sutivan toward Mlin and has a large playground, a barbecue area, a restaurant with produce from the on-site garden, and a botanical garden with a fountain, as well as an amphitheater for performances and events.

Constructed as a place to worship the Roman god Jupiter under Emperor Diocletian's rule, the temple was later converted into a baptistery by Christians. The entrance is guarded by a black granite sphinx, one of several Diocletian brought to the palace from Egypt and the only one with its head intact. Many of the imported sphinxes (you can see another within the Baptistery) were damaged or destroyed as Christianity became the dominant religion. Inside, beneath the coffered barrel vault and ornamented cornice, the 11th-century baptismal font is adorned with a stone relief showing a medieval Croatian king on his throne. Directly behind it stands a bronze statue of St. John the Baptist, a work by Ivan Meštrović.

Trogir's riva (waterfront walkway) is not as expansive or bustling as Split's, but it's worth a leisurely stroll that takes about five minutes—or longer, if you detour into one of the restaurants or cafés dotting the promenade. Flanked by palm trees and the city walls on one side and the sea on the other—with Čiovo Island peeking out between cruise ships and yachts across the bay—Trogir's riva leads up to to the 15th-century Venetian Kamerlengo Fortress, which can be climbed for a seagull's-eye view of the city.

Stari Grad's tvrdalj, or fortress, is the palace of renowned Renaissance-era local poet Petar Hektorović (1487–1572). The Tvrdalj was later renovated in 18th-century Baroque style, and a partial restoration was completed in the 19th century. Hektorović originally attempted to create a "model universe" to be embodied in his home. To that end, a large fish pond on-site is stocked with gray mullet, as it was in the poet's own time, representing the sea; above the fish pond in a tower is a dovecote, representing the air. Ivy was allowed to cover the walls to tie the home to the land. Quotations from Hektorović's striking poetry are inscribed on many walls.

The cupola of this domed space would once have been decorated with marble and mosaics, but today there's only a round hole in the top of the dome, though it produces a stunning effect: picture the dark interior, the blue sky or a starlit night above and the tip of the cathedral's bell tower framed in the opening. The Vestibul is at the southern end of the Peristil.

The town of Bol is backed by the highest peak on all the Croatian islands, Vidova gora, and from here, at a height of 778 meters (2,552 feet) above sea level, the Adriatic Sea and the islands of Hvar and Vis spread out before you like a map. It's possible to reach the top following a clearly marked footpath from Bol, but be sure to wear good hiking boots, take plenty of water, and expect to walk at least 2½ hours to reach the summit. Alternatively, rent a mountain bike from Big Blue Sport and cycle up—note that you need to be pretty fit to face the challenge by bike or by foot.  If you have a headlamp and are relatively fit, wake early and hike up before sunrise, or go in the late afternoon and watch the sun set.

Emanuel Vidović (1870–1953) is acknowledged as one of Split's greatest painters, and in this gallery, you can see his original works as well as a reconstruction of his atelier. One section presents Vidović's paintings of Split landscapes, allowing you to experience the region through an artist's eyes.

The recipient of many awards for its bottles of the famous Babić wine variety—today a symbol of Primošten, Šibenik, and all of Croatia—Vinoplod Winery can be contacted for tours and tastings.