It’s my first official trip of 2019! I say official because my day trip to Brussels doesn’t count lol. I am on a strict financial diet this year but I had to slot in a birthday getaway so when EasyJet had their New Year’s sale I took advantage and got really cheap tickets. I will be sharing my Croatia itinerary and some of the resources I used to plan everything. I have divided this into 4 posts so I can add as much detail without the post been too long
Split
Split is a small town in the south of Croatia and it’s mostly known for its beaches and historic sites. I chose this as a base for the two national parks I went hiking in (more in coming posts). It is also a good base for day trips to the islands and Dubrovnik (GOT fans you should check this out!). Split is about 30 mins drive from the airport and you can easily get there via the airport shuttle bus (from arrivals turn left). The bus station is a 5 mins walk to the Riva!
Firstly I should mention the strong sulphur scent which will hit you once you get to the Riva. This is the main street where all the restaurants are located. A walk on the promenade obviously recommended and on a nice day (we had amazing weather!) it’s nice to sit and watch boats roll in and out of the port. We walked to the viewpoint (belvedere) which is an easy 10 min walk from the Riva, it’s not high but the views are beautiful. Diocletian’s Palace and the cathedral are hot spots to visit.
Eating
We had amazing drinks & food at Terminal F at the end of the Riva, I definitely recommend. We also had dinner at one of the restaurants on the Riva (I can’t remember the name!) Fabrique bar also have great drinks. The best steak & biggest ever I have ever had abroad was from Chops Grill. It’s a really nice restaurant, with amazing steaks, drinks and efficient service (I would like to thank my waiter for cheering me on to finish my meal lol). The best ice cream and cheesecake is Luka ice-cream & cakes which is about 10 mins from Riva or 2 mins from Captain’s Guest House.
We stayed in Captain’s Guest House which is 5 mins from the Riva. Check in was a breeze and the room was spacious and clean! No issues with the room. The bathroom was spotless and toiletries were provided. The only thing is the hot water tends to run out quickly but it does heat up again quickly! There were convenient stores very close by and a beauty parlour downstairs. There is no lift so that’ something to consider if you are travelling with heavy luggage.
Split is a beautiful town and I am definitely going back next summer. It is a good base for exploring Croatia’s beautiful islands and that’s what I plan on doing next time. We didn’t stay long ( I had a jam-packed itinerary) so we didn’t have a lot of time to do much but once you hit the palace and Riva you’re good to go!
We did get a few stares from the locals as two black girls in Split but nothing that was too obvious or threatening and I didn’t feel uncomfortable( that would come later) but I am pretty used to this from travelling so I paid it no attention. It still wouldn’t stop me from visiting again.
In my next posts, I will be talking about how I planned travel from Split to the National parks and Zagreb! Stay tuned!
Tips
Have cash handy- airport shuttle is cash only
There are lots and lots of cash machines in Split
Tips are not included in the bills
Check network coverage before you go. I’m on 02 and had no issues but my friend was on EE and could not connect to a network
I used my Revolt card and I wasn’t charged for withdrawals or using it abroad. I will do an in-depth post on Revolt soon.
Catch you soon.
PS- travel & lifestyle posts are back! I’m frugal but creative and I will be doing a tour of London’s activities soon!
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sarah fynn 