Dear RS Family,
In mid April 2023, I have 4 full days planned in Split and in the islands. I'm quite conflicted if I should stay in Split and do day trips or If I should stay 2 nights in Split and 2 nights in an island (Hvar/Korcula/Bruc).
I'm mainly confused because its April and wondering if things would be open and nice? [we do not plan to swim, but we enjoy small village town vibe]
Appreciate your inputs and help. Thank you.
I'm not sure that swimming in April would be my choice.
Split is a 1 1/2 day destination. There's a good archeology museum. There is the palace. If you can do the sewer tour, that's fun - you get into the lower level.
Side trips for the other days. You can do a day trip to Trogir, either by bus or by boat. There's an island. You can do a day trip to either Plitvice Lakes Jezera or Krka Jezera - I haven't been to Krka, but hear that it is good. There are winery tours available. I could spend 4 days there easily. There are also Roman ruins outside of town at Salona. Not sure how you get there - probably a cab or bus.
Split is wonderful and with only four days, I think it makes sense to have one base and do day trips from there. It's definitely not peak season on the islands yet but things will be open on the mainland.
One of my favourite things when I was in Split was a day trip I took to Krka with this company: https://www.krka-tour-split.com/unique-krka-tour-split/ Petr is a fantastic guide and the tour took in so many things, not just the beautiful park but also Sibenik, Skradin, a local wine tasting, and scenic stops along the road for photos. I spent two weeks in Croatia and still remember that as one of my favourite days. It looks like Petr starts running the tour in April.
Right in town, I loved walking out through Marjan park and seeing its hermitage caves.
Happy planning!
@Paul-of-the-Frozen-North and @Claire - I have already planned Krka and Plitvice lakes. I have 4 days to spend in Split and in the islands. So wondering whats the best way to do it.
I would stay in Split, as mid April is too early for the islands. There’s a chance that the ferries could be cancelled if the sea is choppy.
I have friends who own a place in Vrbanj on Hvar who spend the summer there and they always go at the end of April or early May. I recall them going earlier in April one year and they said restaurants only opened at the weekend.
I would spend a day in Trogir and Split itself can fill two days. That leaves one day for an island. Korcula is further from Split, so check the ferry and catamaran schedules as to how long you would get there - Krilo.hr and Jadrolinija.hr are the websites you need. I like Stari Grad on Hvar - ferry, not catamaran.
We have stayed in Split for five full days and enjoyed every moment of roaming within old town, nearby hiking and intermingling with locals beyond the old town. April is problematic for island life as not fully open, however in recent years businesses are trying to open a bit earlier to expand the season. Recommend basing out of Split for all nights, exploring Togir and taking a day trip on best available ferry schedule to Hvar.
We spent 4 nights in Split and I don’t regret it at all. I think Split is beautiful with its varied architecture and its location on the Adriatic. We visited the outdoor market, we wandered around the old town and Diocletian’s Palace on our own, and we visited the very interesting ethnographic museum. We also had a 2-hour guided tour of Old Town and the Palace with Maja Benzon, recommended by Rick. She was wonderful! She grew up in Split and is a font of knowledge. We also took the catamaran to Hvar Town for a day long visit and loved Hvar Town! We also visited Trogir for a day. And Split is a wonderful place to return to after a day trip and to try its many restaurants. There is also the Mestrovic Gallery which we didn’t have time to visit but I know many people give it rave reviews. I think you really appreciate a place when you spend several days exploring instead of a quick in and out visit.
We’ve been to Split 2x, staying 4 nights each time. Never get bored and we do not go to the beach. We also have a great guide who we’ve used both times and have recommended to friends. His name is Pero Ungarković, also a native. His email is [email protected]. When not guiding he scuba dives and is a very interesting person. His English is great.
I did not read the article, just saw the reference on savoredjourneys.com….”The Perfect 3-day Split Itinerary.”Perhaps it may be helpful. Safe travels.
