Split Old Town, Diocletian’s Palace and the Riva

The Historic Heart of Split

Split’s historic centre is compact enough to explore on foot, but it contains several layers of the city’s history in a very small area. Roman walls and gates, medieval churches, later palaces, narrow residential streets, markets and the waterfront all sit within or immediately around what was once Diocletian’s Palace.

For travellers continuing to Vis, the practical advantage is simple: the old town begins only a short walk from Split’s ferry port.

Diocletian’s Palace is part of the city

Diocletian’s Palace was built between the late third and early fourth centuries for the Roman emperor Diocletian. What survives today is not a palace preserved as a single monument, but the framework around which much of Split’s historic centre developed.

After antiquity, buildings and streets were inserted into the Roman structure. Churches, houses and later Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque buildings became part of the same urban fabric. UNESCO describes the protected historic complex as including the Roman palace, medieval churches and fortifications, Gothic palaces and later Renaissance and Baroque architecture. The site was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1979.

This is why walking through the palace can feel different from visiting a conventional archaeological site. You are moving through streets that are still used as part of the city.

Enter through the palace gates

The original palace had four main gates, and they remain useful reference points when finding your way around the centre.

The northern Golden Gate leads towards the interior of the city, while the southern Bronze Gate opens towards the waterfront. The eastern Silver Gate is close to Pazar market, and the western Iron Gate connects the palace with the later medieval centre.

You do not need to follow a fixed route. The area is small enough to move between the gates, squares and narrow streets without much planning.

The Peristyle

At the centre of the palace complex is the Peristyle, the ceremonial courtyard that formed an important part of Diocletian’s imperial residence.

Today it is one of the easiest places to understand how the Roman palace and later city overlap. Ancient columns and stonework sit beside later religious and civic buildings, while the surrounding passages lead into the narrower streets of the old town.

The former imperial mausoleum later became the Cathedral of Saint Domnius. UNESCO specifically notes this medieval reuse of the ancient mausoleum as part of the historic complex.

The palace cellars

Below the southern part of the palace are the substructures commonly known as the palace cellars.

They originally supported the emperor’s residential quarters above and preserve much of the layout of that part of the Roman complex. Today, sections can be visited, while the central passage also functions as a pedestrian route between the Peristyle area and the Riva.

If you are arriving from the ferry port, this creates a particularly useful route: enter the historic centre from the waterfront, walk through the cellars and emerge close to the Peristyle.

Beyond the Roman palace

The old town does not stop at the palace walls.

To the west, the medieval city expanded around Narodni trg, usually known as Pjaca. This area developed beyond the original Roman complex and contains later civic and residential architecture.

Continuing through these streets brings you towards Marmontova and the western side of the centre. The result is a gradual shift from the tightly enclosed palace streets into later parts of Split rather than a clear boundary between “Roman” and “modern” city.

This mix of periods is one of the reasons UNESCO protects the wider historical complex rather than only the remains of Diocletian’s residence.

Walk out onto the Riva

The Riva runs along the southern side of the historic centre between the palace and the sea.

For visitors, it is an easy orientation point. The ferry port lies to the east, the palace rises directly behind it, and the streets of the old town lead north from the waterfront.

It is also an everyday public space rather than simply a sightseeing route. Cafés line the promenade, ferries and other vessels move through the harbour nearby, and people use the waterfront throughout the day.

If you only have a short time in Split, combining the palace with a walk along the Riva gives you a useful sense of both the historic centre and its relationship with the sea.

Markets beside the old town

Two long-established market areas sit close to the historic centre.

Pazar, the open-air market, is immediately east of the palace and close to the Silver Gate. It is a practical stop for fruit, vegetables and other food before travelling onward.

The fish market lies on the western side of the old centre, close to Marmontova. Together, these markets are reminders that central Split is not only a collection of historic buildings but also a working part of the city.

How much time do you need?

If you have around two hours, concentrate on the palace, Peristyle, cellars and Riva.

With half a day, add Pjaca, the surrounding medieval streets, a market and time for lunch or a museum.

A full day allows you to explore at a slower pace and combine the old town with other parts of central Split.

The centre is compact, so trying to cover every street is unnecessary. It is often more useful to understand the main structure first: the Roman palace at the core, the medieval city around it and the Riva along the sea.

From the old town back to the ferry

One of the main advantages of exploring Split before travelling to Vis is that you do not have to choose between seeing the centre and staying close to your departure point.

From the Riva and southern side of the palace, the ferry port is nearby. That makes the old town particularly suitable for a short visit between arriving in Split and boarding for Vis.

Check your current ferry or catamaran departure before wandering too far, then allow enough time to return to the correct berth.

Sources & further reading

UNESCO World Heritage Centre – Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian 

UNESCO World Heritage Centre – Historic Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian, map and documentation 

Split Tourist Board – official city information