Split is the most immediately accessible port on the Adriatic circuit. The ship docks at Gat Sv. Petra, a terminal that sits directly on the Riva promenade, and within five minutes of walking along the waterfront you are standing at the entrance to Diocletian’s Palace, a Roman imperial complex built in the fourth century AD that was subsequently absorbed, inhabited and transformed into one of the most unusual old towns in Europe. The walls contain a cathedral converted from the emperor’s mausoleum, a network of narrow stone lanes, and a full complement of cafes, restaurants and apartments whose residents simply live inside a Roman ruin.
The practical effect of this accessibility is that Split works very well for independent exploration. There is no shuttle to arrange, no transfer to budget for, and no transfer needed between the ship and the old town. The only real decision is how to spend the time once you are through the gates: whether to focus on the palace itself, take the short catamaran to Hvar Island, or simply follow the lanes wherever they lead.
This guide covers the walk from the terminal, the best things to do inside and around Diocletian’s Palace, the Hvar ferry option, where to eat on the Riva, and how to plan the return with time to spare.
Port Overview
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Port Type | Dock |
| Distance to Town | 5 min walk from the terminal to the entrance of Diocletian's Palace |
| Currency | Euro (€): Croatia adopted Euro in January 2023 |
| Language | Croatian (English widely spoken in tourist areas) |
| Best Known For | Diocletian's Palace: a living Roman imperial residence with restaurants, bars and apartments inside the ancient walls. |
- Gat Sv. Petra Terminal , Main cruise dock
- Riva Promenade , Waterfront boulevard, 5 min walk
- Diocletian's Palace , Roman palace, entrance via Golden Gate
- Split Cathedral , Converted from Diocletian's mausoleum
- Obala Lazareta (Ferry) , Fast catamaran to Hvar Island
Split: Dock Port (Gat Sv. Petra) · View larger map
Getting From the Port to Town
Walking: The Best Option
Free- Walk time: 5 min from Gat Sv. Petra to Diocletian's Palace
- Split is one of the most walkable cruise ports in the Adriatic. The Gat Sv. Petra terminal sits directly on the Riva promenade and the entrance to Diocletian's Palace is a five-minute stroll along the waterfront. No shuttle, no transfer, no queue: step off the ship and walk into a fourth-century Roman emperor's retirement residence.
Local Bus
About €2 per journey- Local buses cover the broader Split area including the beaches north of the city centre. For the old town and Diocletian's Palace, the walk from the terminal is so short that taking a bus is unnecessary. Buses to Trogir (a medieval island town 27 km north) run from the city bus station near the ferry terminal and cost around €4 return.
Taxi
About €8 to €15 within the city- Taxis are available near the terminal for trips to further parts of Split, the beaches, or the bus station if you are connecting onwards. For Diocletian's Palace and the old town, walking is faster and more pleasant than any taxi journey. Confirm the fare before getting in.
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Things to Do in Split
Diocletian’s Palace is not a museum; it is a functioning neighbourhood. Once you step through the Golden Gate or the Bronze Gate, you are walking through streets where people live, work, and go about their days inside walls that have been standing since the year 305 AD. That quality gives the old town a different feel to most heritage sites.
Split also has good options beyond the palace walls. The beaches north of the city, the Marjan Hill park, and the ferry crossing to Hvar Island all make sense for different parts of the day, and the Riva promenade itself is one of the best waterfront walking stretches in the Adriatic.
- Diocletian’s Palace. The living heart of Split: a fourth-century Roman imperial complex converted over centuries into apartments, churches, and cafes. Enter through the Golden Gate on the north side or the Bronze Gate on the seafront. The inner peristyle square, the Cathedral of Saint Domnius (Diocletian’s converted mausoleum), and the Jupiter Temple are the main points of interest. Allow at least two hours to wander properly.
- Split Cathedral and Bell Tower. The Cathedral of Saint Domnius is one of the oldest continuously used Christian churches in the world, converted from Diocletian’s mausoleum in the seventh century. The octagonal shape and Roman sarcophagi inside speak to its origins. Climbing the adjacent bell tower gives one of the better views over the palace rooftops and the Riva below.
- Riva Promenade. The broad palm-lined waterfront promenade runs directly in front of the palace sea wall and is Split’s main social spine. Cafes and restaurants line the landward side; the water and the view to the islands fill the seaward side. Morning coffee here, with the palace walls behind you and the Adriatic in front, is a very good way to start the day.
- Hvar Island Day Trip. The fast catamaran from Obala Lazareta runs to Hvar Town in around 60 minutes. Hvar is a medieval harbour town with a fortress above, an elegant main square, and clear blue water ideal for swimming at the Pakleni Islands (reached by water taxi, about 10 minutes). Allow at least four hours on the island to make the crossing worthwhile.
- Marjan Hill. A forested promontory west of the old town offering walking trails, viewpoints over the city and islands, and a welcome break from the crowds in the palace below. The climb from the park entrance takes around 30 minutes. The view from the highest point takes in the Dalmatian archipelago and, on clear days, the mountains of Bosnia in the distance.
- Meštrović Gallery. The former home and studio of Croatia’s most celebrated sculptor, Ivan Meštrović, set in a striking 1930s villa on the Marjan hillside about 2 km from the old town. The collection is substantial and the building and garden as interesting as the work inside. Worth the short taxi or 30-minute walk from the palace if you have time in the afternoon.
Split’s Gat Sv. Petra terminal is on the Riva promenade with a direct five-minute walk to Diocletian’s Palace. Unlike most Adriatic ports, there is no shuttle bus, no industrial zone, and no transfer needed between the ship and the old town. You can leave the ship and be inside the palace walls within ten minutes of disembarkation.
Planning how to spend your time ashore is half the pleasure. Our Port Day Planner will build a timed schedule around your ship’s arrival and departure. Choose your pace and it arranges the rest.
Best Restaurants in Split
Ratings from TripAdvisor, verified April 2026.
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View on TripAdvisorRestaurant Adriatic
Deeply immersed in the colors and flavors of the Mediterranean, Restaurant Adriatic is a high quality every day food venue with breathtaking sea view!
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View on TripAdvisorUje Restaurant
– Temporarily closed A charming and serene Palace back street, sits Uje Oil bar. Embracing you with calming scents and aromas of fresh Mediterranean herbs and spices, quiet, serene, near-sleepy during the day, while dreamy at night, Uje is a haven of custom made design and tradit
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Getting Around
Fast catamarans from Obala Lazareta (a 10-minute walk from the terminal) run to Hvar Town in around 60 minutes and cost approximately €20 to €25 return. First departure is around 8am. Hvar is a beautiful medieval harbour town and noticeably calmer than Split on days when multiple ships are in port. Check the return schedule before you cross: the last afternoon catamaran matters.
Port Day Tips
The stone lanes of Diocletian’s Palace hold heat intensely in July and August, and there is limited shade inside the inner peristyle area during midday. Plan to explore the palace in the morning, find a shaded cafe table in the early afternoon, and return to the ship before the day’s hottest period.
The medieval Varoš neighbourhood directly above and west of the palace is quieter, less photographed, and gives a sense of Split as a working city rather than a tourist site. The climb up to the Marjan Hill park (about 30 minutes from the palace) rewards with panoramic views over the city, the Adriatic islands, and the Dinaric Alps in the distance.
The walk from terminal to centre in Split is one part of the journey, but it is the queue back through the terminal at the end of the day that catches first-timers out. A short packing list of layers, water and shoes you trust on cobbles covers most of what changes through a port day.
The mistake first-time cruisers make is paying for a shore excursion in a port that is walkable, or going independent on a day where the headline sight is ninety minutes away. Split sits in a category where the calculation matters more than the sticker price.
Excursions are worth the premium in some ports and not in others. Split sits in the middle: ship tours carry real logistical value on long day trips, but the city itself is straightforward enough that your spending money goes further on independent food, taxis and the occasional museum.
Repeat visitors to Split often time their next cruise around shoulder season; the difference in crowd density and cabin pricing is significant. Visa and passport rules rarely catch UK passengers out here, but the right cabin choice can make the rest of the cruise more comfortable than any single port day.
Nearby cruise ports: Dubrovnik, Kotor, and Venice.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Gat Sv. Petra cruise terminal is a five-minute walk along the Riva promenade from the Bronze Gate entrance to Diocletian’s Palace. It is one of the shortest port-to-old-town walks in the Adriatic: no shuttle or taxi needed.
Yes. Fast catamarans depart from Obala Lazareta, about 10 minutes walk from the cruise terminal, and reach Hvar Town in around 60 minutes. Return tickets cost approximately €20 to €25. Check the timetable carefully and note the last afternoon departure before planning your time on Hvar.
No. Split is a dock port. Ships berth at the Gat Sv. Petra terminal directly on the Riva promenade and passengers walk off. There is no tendering and no transfer required to reach the old town.
A minimum of four to five hours covers Diocletian’s Palace properly and leaves time for a meal on the Riva. A full day (six to eight hours) allows for the Hvar ferry or an afternoon at a beach. The port is so walkable that you spend almost none of your time on transfers.
The Riva promenade, the Varoš medieval quarter above the palace, Marjan Hill park, and the Meštrović Gallery all offer worthwhile time beyond the palace walls. The Hvar Island ferry is the best option for passengers wanting sea swimming or a quieter medieval town alongside Split.
Croatia has used the Euro since January 2023. Cards are accepted widely throughout the old town and at the ferry terminals. You do not need to carry cash for most things, though small market stalls occasionally prefer it.
Split’s cruise terminal is at Gat Sv. Petra on the Riva waterfront promenade, a one-minute walk from the Brass Gate entrance to Diocletian’s Palace. The whole UNESCO old town is car-free and walkable from the moment you step off the ship.
Split
Split rewards passengers who simply walk off the ship and follow their feet. Five minutes from the gangway you are inside one of the most unusual historical sites in Europe, and the rest of the day opens from there: north to Marjan, across to Hvar, or settled on the Riva with a long lunch and no particular plan. The terminal could not be better positioned and the city makes full use of it.
How We Verify Port-Day Details
We aim for practical, low-risk guidance. Before publishing and during updates, we check core planning details against official sources and current operator information.
What We Check
- Berth and terminal details, including whether the port is walkable or requires a transfer
- Transport options and realistic return timing for different port types
- Details that change frequently, such as fares and schedules, with up-to-date notes where relevant
Typical Sources
- Official port authority and terminal updates
- Cruise line port notes and day-of-call instructions
- Local transport operators and official tourism resources