A FIT GAL'S GUIDE TO JOIN MY TRIP: SPLIT CROATIA 2023
The past two years I planned a trip to Europe for around 3 weeks. Luckily as a freelancer in television I have the ability to go on longer trips like this. This time around I opted for a 12 day European Norwegian Cruise, however, I wanted to find somewhere else to go beforehand but couldn’t exactly find anyone with flexibility like me to travel with. I stumbled upon a friend’s Facebook Post which was promoting a Join My Trip to Split Croatia and it appeared that the dates of the 5 day trip would work perfectly! I had never ever thought about traveling to Croatia at all but the sound of a 5 day trip with like minded women who like to travel and are open to meet new people sounded pretty amazing! The entire 5 days in Croatia was magical and I am excited to share with you all my discoveries, tips, photos, and so much more! Let’s get this adventure started!
TOURS
Blue Cave and Island of Hvar Tour from Split
Island of Vis: We stopped at a town called Komiza. I had lunch alongside one of the restaurants overlooking the water. I can’t remember the name but I had a really good burata salad and Coca Cola Zero!
Island of Hvar: After getting off the boat we walked and explored the town some. We had dinner at Posteni. I had an espresso martini with Alfredo pasta. We didn’t stay overnight on the island but some recommendations from friends of mine included Hula Hula for sunset drinks and pregaming then Carpe Diem for late night and be sure to stay past midnight for the boat ride to a private island!
Blue Cave: Unfortunately for some reason we were unable to make a stop at the Blue Cave on the day of our tour because the staff wasn’t there working. We did stop off at some other areas to get out swim, snorkel, and even cliff dive if you wanted too.
Plitvice Lakes National Park Tour from Split
Part of the Join My Trip Itinerary included a day trip to Plitvice Lakes National Park. We met at the meeting point around 7AM in Split and it was about a 3 hour drive to the National Park with a stop at a gas station on the way for coffee, snacks, and a restroom break. The weather was absolutely beautiful at the park. Apparently it was off season at the end of September but in my opinion it was still fairly crowded. The visit itself wasn’t much of a hike but more of a leisure walk. I do recommend a small backpack with sunscreen, snacks, plenty of water, and wear closed toed tennis shoes! Definitely worth the visit if you have numerous days in Split!
After our tour we all gathered back on the bus (a Coach like bus) and we were taken to a restaurant with traditional Croatian Cuisine. I enjoyed a glass of red Croatian Wine which was super yummy (apparently Croatia has a huge wine country but their wines aren’t distributed anywhere quite yet), a bowl of mushroom soup, and a plate of cooked vegetables. Everything in terms of food is super affordable in Croatia as well!
Split Food and Wine Tasting Tour
I absolutely loved this tour! The other thing I would have done differently is taken this tour at the beginning of the trip. I say this because we found out about so many cool hidden gems and places. We got to try chocolate, pastries, cookies, prosciutto, candy, and the guide pointed out some popular bars, restaurants, bakeries, and even took us on a stroll at the popular local Green Market. I will link to all the places I remember from the tour later in this post! After the food tour we had about an hour break and a different guide met us to take us to Uje Oil Bar for the wine tasting. Here we tried a handful of wines paired with cheeses, bread, oils, and we learned so many interesting things about the wine such as determining the body of the wine based on the smell, color, and taste. Both parts of the tour were small and intimate. For the food tour there was 3 of us and then 4 of us for the wine tasting. Again highly recommend this at the beginning of your visit!
Fun Fact! Several scenes from Game of Thrones were filmed throughout Split. I didn’t go on any of the tours myself but they are very popular and if you are a fan of the show they would definitely be worth checking out! Some popular filming locations include Diocletian’s Palace and Fortress Klis.
LEISURE
BEACHES
Kasjuni Beach: This beach was beautiful and a short uber ride from the town. There was also a beach club located here called Joe’s Beach Lounge & Bar where you could rent lounge chairs, towels, dine, and get drinks. You are also welcome to bring your own stuff to the beach and just post up and relax!
I only had time to visit one beach but there are many to choose from! Here is a list of beaches located in Split.
SHOPPING
Split Riva Promenade: This is the promenade/boardwalk in Split overlooking the Adriatic Sea. There are many street vendors and places to be souvenirs in this area.
The Green Market (locally know as Pazar): This local farmers market is open every single day from 6AM to 2PM. The market is filled with fresh veggies, produce, local items like prosciutto, lavender, honey, flowers, and so much more. It is a good idea to have Euros handy while shopping here as well.
For grocery shopping while in town I shopped at Tommy’s Supermarket. They were very affordable and could be found throughout the town.
I stopped at a store called Ruth to purchase some jewelry and fun accessories
SELF-CARE
Traveling abroad can be taxing on the mind and body. After the long flight from Los Angeles to Europe my body was craving some self-care. Myself and a friend from the group decided to book a very reasonably priced couple’s massage at The Ambassador Hotel. The spa treatment was incredible and we also had access to the salt relaxation room, cold shower, showers, sauna, and steam room! I highly recommend and it was walkable from the town.
SIGHT SEEING
Gregory of Nin’s Big Toe Statue - Go and rub his toe for good luck!
FOOD
Villa Spiza - My guide on the food and wine tour highly recommended this restaurant. He said the menu changes everyday based on local finds and is handwritten. He also mentioned a line will form with a wait. I didn’t have the chance to check it out but hope you do on your trip!
Uje Oil Bar - I had the opportunity to enjoy dinner here and also revisited for the wine tour since it was the location on the tour! Both the dinner and wine tasting were enjoyable. It is a good idea to have a reservation, as it does get busy!
Caffe Bar Dujam- This restaurant was located on the RIVA Promenade overlooking the Adriatic Sea. I sometimes can be skeptical about restaurants in the more touristy areas however we actually LOVED the food here. The pizza was incredible and great pasta dishes and yummy wine as well!
Café & Restaurant Luxor - This restaurant is located right in Peristil Square. My friend Nancy and I enjoyed a lovely glass of wine and slice of pizza while sitting outside with a beautiful view of Diocletian’s Palace. It was also great for people watching. They also have an indoor dining room for more formal dining. This was the perfect way to enjoy our first night in Split!
Konoba Varoš - We went here for our last group dinner and ordered an insane amount of food! Also recommend a reservation as well! I tend to be a picky eater but wanted to try a traditional Dalmatian dish. I went for the Pašticada with potato dumplings. I didn’t particularly love or hate it but was happy I tried something different for once! I also got a plate of the sheep’s cheese which was super yummy and I paired it with the warm bread they brought to the table with oil. And obviously more red wine! I don’t eat seafood but the group ordered a big fish platter that was perfect for sharing and trying a handful of things!
Sladoledarnica Emiliana - Oddly enough well actually not really odd since I don’t typically crave sweets, I was never really in the mood for gelato BUT this is apparently the #1 place in all of town to get gelato and there was ALWAYS a pretty long line. I have been told it is worth the wait!
Tradicija Kirgin - The guide from our food and wine tour said this is the oldest bakery in all of split with the best pastries!
DRINKS & NIGHTLIFE
La Linea - Our local food tour guide mentioned this place for coffee and a drink in the evening. All locals and local prices!
Charlie’s Bar - We went here one night and it was young and fun! They were playing NFL games for Sunday Football too. On one side they had beer pong and even an upstairs rowdy section!
Marvlvs Library Jazz Bar - I am always up for a speakeasy! Very small inside but pretty cool set up. Enjoyed an espresso martini here!
Fabrique Pub - We popped our heads in this joint a handful of times but it never had much of a crowd when we were there but was a fun weekend recommendation!
O’Hara’s Irish Pub - Every time we walked past this pub there was quite the crowd.
Fish Mama Seafood and Steak - One evening we enjoyed drinks and live music on the back patio located in the Place de la République. The musician even played Hit Me Baby one more time per my request. We loved it.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I thought Split and Croatia in general was a really cool city to visit. I feel like I learned so much about the food, the people, and the history & culture. I never realized how much Roman influence Croatia has and it really did remind me of a smaller Rome. Even the Italian food all over the town was incredible. I had some of the best pizza of my life in Split believe it or not. All the people were so friendly and really took pride and passion in what they were doing for a living whether that be a tour guide, selling at the market, or a restaurant owner. Life there felt simple and not stressful. The water was some of the most blue, sparkling, clear water I have ever seen in the world! The beaches were clean and well kept. I only have good things to say about Split and hope to one day go back and spend some more time in Hvar! According to the locals us Americans are really putting Croatia on the map and the tourism is helping their cities thrive! I am so grateful that I came across this Join My Trip and I am super appreciative of Nancy who put this trip together and hosted us an incredible women’s group trip. I left Croatia with an entire new friend group and memories that will last a lifetime!
XoXo,
Brittney
