Port of Split, Croatia
Our second port of call on our Oceania Riviera cruise was beautiful Split, Croatia. Although I’ve been to Croatia before, this time it was extra special as Michael was along with me. Split is a super easy port to walk, and we will give you an overview of what we did on our short day there.
Navigating from the Cruise Ship
Our cruise ship docked on the regular port, and we were able to walk directly off of the ship without any need to take transportation or go through a gate or terminal. We enjoyed walking along side the harbor and observing the wide array of yachts and boats. As you walk toward the town, you can see the city across the water and take some great photos.
The Riva
The Riva is the main thoroughfare of Split. This is where most people go to dine, grab a drink, and socialize. It wasn’t as bustling when we got there because it was early and the weather wasn’t great, however by the time the sun was setting the entire place had come to life. To the west side of Riva harbor is the Church and Convent of St. Francis. This church houses the tomb of Croatian author Marko Marulic.
Diocletian's Palace
Split is full of charming alleyways and facades. We spent a lot of time just walking around enjoying the views. Taking up a prime harborside position, the extraordinary complex of Diocletian's Palace is one of the most imposing ancient Roman structures in existence today, and it's where you’ll spend most of your time while in Split. Don’t expect a palace, though, nor a museum – this is the city's living heart, its labyrinthine streets packed with people, bars, shops and restaurants.
Each wall has a gate at its center: the elaborate northern Golden Gate, the southern Bronze Gate, the eastern Silver Gate and the western Iron Gate. First, we made our way toward the palace's golden gate.
The Golden Gate
Just outside of the golden gate is the statue of Gregoery of Nin, a 10th-century Croatian bishop. He fought for the right to use old Croatian in liturgical services instead of Latin. His left big toe has been polished to a shine – it's said that rubbing the toe brings good luck and guarantees that you'll come back to Split.
After, we made our way over to the Aqueduct of Diocletian. It was constructed between the end of 3rd and beginning of the 4th century AD, at the same time as the palace. The aqueduct took water from the river Jadro, 9 kilometres northeast of Diocletian's Palace, today Split's city centre, and brought water to the Palace. It’s a neat thing to observe, so make sure you check it out!
The Silver Gate
As we continued meandering through Split, we found ourselves at the silver gate of Diocletian's Palace. There's so much history there with the worn stones beneath your feet to the towering columns and archways. Those ruins are some of the most valuable surviving buildings of the Roman era on the Adriatic coast. The Peristyle is the center square of the Palace.
It is easy to see that the Peristyle is strategically positioned within Diocletian’s palace. It would provide the emperor and his courtiers with direct access to his quarters. It didn’t serve solely as a place for relaxation of the emperor, but rather as a venue for religious and other public events.
From the Peristyle, you can enter The Podrum. This is a labyrinth of vaulted underground chambers that is located under what was Diocletian’s Palace. Back in Diocletian’s day, the Podrum was used as a storehouse and a prison. The main passageway is lined with stalls selling souvenirs and artwork.
Taking a Break
As the day wore on, the sun broke through the clouds and the temperature rose. We realized it was a good time to go back to the ship, grab a bite to eat and change our clothing. This is something we love about these ports. The city is close enough to the ship that we can walk back for a break and still have time to go back out and explore some more. While we relaxed for a few minutes on the back deck of the Oceania suite, we were able to observe ferries come and go from the port. After changing into clothes more appropriate for the warmer weather, we headed back out for one last stroll around Split.
Split at sunset is absolutely stunning, and we highly recommend it if you have time! Even if you just grab a drink on the Riva, it would be a great way to end your day at this magnificent port.
For the full port, watch our YouTube vlog!
