Split-Dalmatia County is located in southern Dalmatia along the Adriatic coast and is Croatia's second-largest county by population. The region is famous for its Mediterranean climate, historic Venetian towns, and crystal-clear waters.
Browse Split-Dalmatia campsites Trogir, Split-Dalmatia, Croatia Photo by Piotr Musioł on UnsplashThe region has been inhabited since ancient times and was part of the Roman province of Dalmatia. It experienced centuries of Venetian rule from the 15th to 18th centuries, which left a profound influence on its culture, architecture, and traditions that remain evident today.
The stretch heading inland from Split climbs through the karst hinterland past Vrlika and the Dinaric mountains before crossing into Šibenik-Knin County. Worth riding for the dramatic change from coastal palms to bare limestone highlands within about an hour.
The ascent to Biokovo's highest peak (1,762 m) above Makarska rewards climbers with views stretching to Italy on a clear day and a stark, almost lunar limestone landscape.
A network of paths over the pine-covered peninsula right next to Split, with sea views, old chapels, and rock climbing at Marjan's cliffs.
A quieter alternative to Biokovo, this mountain behind Split and Omiš offers rugged trails, shepherd's huts, and panoramic views over the Split basin and the Cetina valley.
The highest peak on any Adriatic island (778 m), with a trail up from Bol giving a classic aerial view over Zlatni Rat beach.
A mostly flat road/gravel ride following the Cetina River inland from Omiš, passing gorges, old watermills, and small villages – popular with cyclists and combinable with rafting stops.
Rolling routes through lavender and vineyard country between Stari Grad, Jelsa, and the hill villages, with plenty of steep climbs but rewarding sea views.
The interior road across Brač between Supetar, Škrip, and Bol crosses stony plateaus used for the island's famous white stone, quiet and scenic but exposed with little shade.
A small stone-built island town with a dense medieval core, UNESCO-listed, easily combined with a coastal camping stay near Split.
A former pirate stronghold at the mouth of the Cetina River gorge, now a base for rafting, canyoning, zip-lining, and rock climbing.
Home to Zlatni Rat, the shape-shifting shingle spit that's one of the most photographed beaches on the Adriatic.
A glamorous harbour town with a hilltop fortress, lavender fields inland, and the neighbouring Pakleni Islands for day-tripping by boat.
The most remote inhabited Croatian island, slower-paced and less developed, with the turquoise Blue Cave on nearby Biševo island a short boat trip away.
A dramatic hilltop fortress overlooking Split and the Kaštela bay, with a long history as a defence point against Ottoman advances and later fame as a Game of Thrones filming location.
The gorge above Omiš is the region's main hub for guided rafting, canyoning, and zip-lining trips through cold, clear river water.
A sea cave on Biševo, near Vis, where sunlight through an underwater opening turns the water an intense blue – best visited early to avoid crowds.
The famous shifting pebble spit near Bol on Brač changes shape with the wind and currents, and is a windsurfing spot when the maestral picks up.
The Roman emperor's retirement palace forms the living core of old Split, its walls now packed with shops, bars, and homes.
Split's ferry port is the main gateway to Brač, Hvar, Vis, and Šolta, making multi-island trips easy without a car.
Split-Dalmatia's cooking leans on the sea and the stone-baked traditions of the Dalmatian hinterland: fresh grilled fish and shellfish, black risotto (crni rižot) coloured with cuttlefish ink, and octopus or veal cooked slowly under a peka (an iron dome covered in embers). Pršut (air-dried ham) and hard sheep's cheeses come from the Dalmatian hinterland and islands, while soparnik, a thin savoury pie filled with Swiss chard, is a specialty around Poljica near Omiš. Local wines are worth seeking out, especially Plavac Mali reds and dry white Pošip and Bogdanuša, many made on Hvar and Brač. Meals are typically finished with rozata (a Dalmatian crème caramel) and a glass of homemade grape brandy (rakija), often flavoured with herbs, figs, or carob.
A remarkably preserved medieval walled town on a small island, inscribed for its dense Romanesque-Gothic-Renaissance urban fabric.
An agricultural plain on Hvar still divided into the same field parcels laid out by ancient Greek colonists over 2,400 years ago, one of the best-preserved ancient land divisions in the Mediterranean.
The Roman emperor's fortified palace forms the core of central Split, blending ancient Roman structures with centuries of later building.
A rugged coastal mountain range rising sharply above Makarska, protected for its cliffs, endemic plants, and the Skywalk viewing platform near the summit road.
The palace's Roman-era basements played Daenerys Targaryen's throne room and dragon dungeons in Meereen, and its narrow streets were used for the city's slave-revolt chase scenes.
A centuries-old knights' jousting tournament held in Sinj each August, in which riders in historic costume gallop at full speed while aiming a lance through a small ring.
An open-air festival of opera, theatre, and concerts staged in and around Diocletian's Palace and other historic venues in Split, running through July and August.
A large electronic music festival held in Split's Poljud Stadium area each July, drawing international DJs and a big influx of visitors to the city and coast.
A season of concerts and folklore events on Brač running through the summer months in Bol's old town squares.
