Bosnia-Herzegovina & Croatia, part 4: Split, a gem on the Dalmatian Riviera

Cynthia Cunniff’s writing background spans magazine editorial, travel blogging, marketing and PR. She’s a graduate of the creative writing program at CSU Long Beach and went on to UCLA to further her writing skills. Growing up as a military dependent, she lived in several foreign countries and areas of the US. Post college she returned to international living and resided in London for close to a decade, where she took advantage of proximity to the rest of Europe and traveled extensively. She can be found on Twitter and Instagram @localpathworld.

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Emporer Diocletian's Palace — Emperor Diocletian’s Place in sunny Split, Croatia

This is the fourth installment in a six-part series following JohnnyJet.com writer Cynthia Cunniff through her experience of touring Bosnia-Herzegovina & Croatia with Insight Vacations. Head back to the series home page for the full experience or jump straight to:

part 1

part 2

part 3

part 5

part 6.

Our Insight Vacations tour included a day stop in Split, Croatia, which has been hosting visitors seeking its beaches and sun since the Roman era. Entering the town from the harborside, we were greeted by the majestic retirement palace of the Roman Emperor Diocletian, which spans for blocks. Its glowing white stonework comes from the nearby island of Brač and may look familiar if you’ve been to DC. It’s rumored the White House stonework was shipped to the US from the same quarry.

Setting for Game of Thrones in Split, Croatia — The basement once used as a refuse dump under the Diocletian Palace is now part of the set for *Game of Thrones*

After Diocletian’s death, his palace and the surrounding area became a resort destination and has been a vacation spot ever since. Our local Insight expert took us through the maze of grand hallways into the bowels of the palace, which had been used during the Diocletian era as a dump until the cavernous rooms were full and forgotten. When it was discovered again, the ancient debris was removed, leaving spooky archways and minimal light. A perfect spot for the Game of Thrones scenes shot at this location.

A tour through the narrow, winding streets of Split will lead you to gelato and little cafes, a working 400-year-old clock, and other artful surprises at every turn.

400-year-old working clock in Split, Croatia — This ornate clock has been giving time to tourists and locals for 400 years

Ancient Rome had a lasting impact on Split, and the Romans brought evidence of their many other conquests. A 3,500-year-old Egyptian sphinx is one of the few that remain intact in the city, and is surrounded by columns also taken from Egypt.

Spoils of war brought by Romans to Split

The public squares of the city have their own groups of locals that congregate in them. There’s a seniors square where many of the older folks come to gossip, for example, and the younger people traditionally hang out on the waterfront.

Stalls of all kinds on the Split waterfront

Our evening in Split was enjoyed at a lively taverna with seafood, wine, folk songs, and fantastic friends.

Fun with friends old and new in Split — A great night of food, friends, and entertainment in Split, Croatia

The town glows as the sun hits its white stonework, and there’s no question why it’s been used as a resort town for thousands of years. Split is enchantingly aged and a living city at once.