1Split
Base · 2–3 nights
The essential first base: Diocletian’s Palace is a lived-in old town, not a sealed monument, and the city has the region’s best ferry, bus, restaurant and museum options. Use it for three nights rather than treating it as a transit stop.
2Hvar Island
Base · 2–3 nights
Stay in Hvar Town for harbor nightlife and the fortress, or choose Stari Grad or Jelsa for vineyards, swimming coves and a quieter base. The Stari Grad Plain gives the island real historical weight beyond its party-town reputation.
3Brač
Base · 2–3 nights
The easiest substantial island from Split, with Zlatni Rat at Bol, Vidova Gora, white-stone villages and enough back roads to reward having wheels. Base in Bol for beach life or on the north coast for easier ferry access and quieter evenings.
Omiš and the Cetina Gorge
Base · 2 nights
Come for rafting, canyoning, ziplining and the sharp meeting of river, cliffs and sea; the old town and Fortica hike are worthwhile extras. It is an activity base, not a place to attempt during a rushed coastal drive.
5Makarska Riviera
Base · 2–3 nights
Brela, Baška Voda, Makarska and Tučepi deliver the county’s most straightforward beach holiday beneath the Biokovo wall. Choose Brela for a prettier, calmer stay, Makarska for services and nightlife, and Tučepi for a broad family beach.
Vis and Komiža
Base · 3 nights
This is the island for a slower stay: swimming coves, diving, old military traces, Komiža’s fishing-town character and boat trips to Biševo and Stiniva. Give it at least three nights; a Split day trip reduces it to ferry timetables and queues.
7Trogir
Short stop · 1 night
A compact, exceptionally intact medieval and Venetian town with St Lawrence Cathedral, Radovan’s Portal and Kamerlengo Fortress. It makes an excellent airport-side first or final night, but usually not a full-week base.
8Biokovo Nature Park
The limestone mountain rises abruptly above the Makarska coast, making a convincing change from beach days even if you skip the Skywalk. Go for high roads, views and hikes; the narrow access road makes this a driver’s outing.
Solin and Klis
Pair Roman Salona at Solin with Klis Fortress above the Split pass for the historical context that Diocletian’s Palace alone cannot provide. This is an easy half- or full-day outing from Split by taxi or car, not an overnight stop.
10Šolta
The close, low-key alternative to Hvar and Brač: small villages, coves, olive oil and good cycling without a long ferry commitment. Pick it for a quiet overnight or a soft day escape, not for major monuments or nightlife.
Sinj, Trilj and the Cetina Hinterland
Base · 2 nights
The inland counterpoint to the coast brings cold river water, rural cooking, the Alka tradition and a more traditional rhythm around Sinj and Trilj. It works best with a car and enough time to accept that quiet is the point.
Imotski and the Red and Blue Lakes
Immense karst sinkhole lakes and the surrounding field offer a landscape that feels entirely removed from the resort coast. Make it a deliberate inland driving day rather than sacrificing an island stay on a first visit.
Sample routes
Classic first visit — city and one island
7 nightsSplit (3 nights) → Hvar Island (3 nights) → Trogir (1 night)
The right first trip without a car: use Split for the Palace, food and a Solin-and-Klis outing, then commit to Hvar rather than trying to collect islands. Finish in Trogir for a painless airport night instead of betting a flight on a same-day ferry connection.
Plan this routeCoast, river and beach — active road trip
9 nightsSplit (2 nights) → Omiš and the Cetina Gorge (2 nights) → Makarska Riviera (3 nights) → Brač (2 nights)
For travelers who want rafting or canyoning as much as swimming. Omiš gets a dedicated activity day; the Makarska Riviera gets beach time plus Biokovo; Brač closes with a more varied island stay than a resort-only coast holiday. Use a rental car on the mainland and build slack into the congested Split–Omiš–Makarska corridor.
Plan this routeSlow islands — swimming, coves and boat-weather days
10 nightsSplit (2 nights) → Vis and Komiža (3 nights) → Hvar Island (3 nights) → Split (2 nights)
This is deliberately not an island checklist. Vis gets enough time for a Blue Cave or Stiniva weather window and proper idle beach days; Hvar is best based in Stari Grad or Jelsa, with Hvar Town treated as an outing. The final Split stay protects the departure from ferry disruption.
Plan this routeCentral Dalmatia beyond the highlights — coast, inland and islands
14 nightsSplit (3 nights) → Sinj, Trilj and the Cetina Hinterland (2 nights) → Omiš and the Cetina Gorge (2 nights) → Makarska Riviera (2 nights) → Brač (3 nights) → Hvar Island (2 nights)
The best version for a repeat visitor with a car and no interest in rushing. It gives the inland its own stay, separates Cetina activities from beach time, and leaves three nights for Brač’s villages and roads rather than only Zlatni Rat. Keep the car off Hvar Town’s tight streets; it is useful on the island but irritating in the harbor core.
Plan this route