Current Time in Split, Croatia

Split is Croatia's second-largest city and the principal urban center of the Dalmatian coast, situated on a small peninsula extending into the Adriatic Sea in central Dalmatia. What makes Split unique among European cities is that its urban core developed within and around the walls of a massive Roman imperial palace, the Palace of Diocletian, built in the late 3rd and early 4th centuries AD. This extraordinary circumstance means that the old city of Split is simultaneously an ancient Roman monument and a living, breathing neighborhood where residents live, work, and socialize within 1,700-year-old walls.

With a population of approximately 170,000 in the city proper, Split is a vibrant, youthful city with a strong local identity rooted in Dalmatian culture. The city was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 for the Historic Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian. Split serves as the major transport hub of the Dalmatian coast, with ferry connections to numerous Adriatic islands and a major port handling both passenger and cargo traffic.

The Roman Emperor Diocletian, born in the region of present-day Split, began construction of his retirement palace around 295 AD. The palace was built to the scale of a Roman military camp, measuring approximately 215 by 180 meters, surrounded by high defensive walls with towers. After Diocletian's death, the palace served various purposes and by the 7th century refugees from the sacked Roman city of Salona began settling within its walls, adapting the Roman structures into a medieval town. Over subsequent centuries, churches were built into Roman temples, medieval houses were inserted between ancient columns, and a living city grew organically within the ancient shell.

The Peristyle, the central ceremonial courtyard of the palace, is the social heart of modern Split's old town, surrounded by colonnades, sphinxes brought from Egypt, and the vestibule of the imperial apartments. The Cathedral of Saint Domnius, the patron saint of Split, occupies the octagonal mausoleum of Diocletian himself, a remarkable case of a persecutor of Christians being commemorated in a Christian church. The Temple of Jupiter, now a baptistery, is another superbly preserved Roman structure within the palace walls.

The Riva, Split's broad harborfront promenade, is the social center of modern Split, lined with cafes and restaurants and buzzing with activity at all hours. The Meštrović Gallery, housed in the villa and gardens of Croatia's greatest sculptor Ivan Meštrović, displays an outstanding collection of his powerful works. The Marjan Hill, a forested promontory overlooking the city and sea, provides a natural escape with walking and cycling trails and spectacular views.

Split is the starting point for ferry journeys to the islands of Brač, Hvar, Vis, and Korčula, as well as to Ancona in Italy. The Split Airport provides connections to destinations across Europe. The city's nightlife is renowned throughout Croatia and the broader Dalmatian coast, with the old town's cafes, bars, and clubs drawing visitors and locals until dawn during the summer season. Split's combination of extraordinary Roman heritage, Mediterranean lifestyle, exceptional island accessibility, and authentic local culture make it one of the most compelling cities on the European Mediterranean coast.