A city break to Split with kids is fun for a day, but then you have to explore the surrounding area afterwards, if you stay longer than a day. After all, the city doesn’t have super many activities that are fun for kids. Still, Split is one of the most popular destinations in Croatia. We started our tour of Croatia in this city and stayed there for a total of two days. We list the best activities in Split and the Split area with kids.
Split with kids #1: tour of the Inner City
Split has a beautiful old city center and it is definitely recommended to visit the city with your family in an afternoon or a morning and take a tour of the center. The most famous landmark in the city center is Diocletian’s Palace. It is part of the downtown and much of the palace you can view that way.
Within the palace are a number of sights of interest such as the Cathedral of Dominius, the large courtyard garden with columns and the golden gate. As far as that goes, you don’t have to spend hours here, but it’s fun to take a walk around here. Just a few minutes’ walk from this palace you have the atmospheric Republic Square located with atmospheric terraces and historic buildings for a bite to eat and a drink.
From Republic Square you can walk onto the car-free Riva Boulevard, where you can see the beautiful ships and where you can also enjoy a drink on a terrace. You can walk from this boulevard up the mountain towards Park Marjan in about ten minutes. Here you can climb further and further up the mountain by means of stairs, and of course the view gets better and better. As your kids endure, you can see how high you run. Along the way, you will be informed how many steps you have walked up.
Split with kids #2: Beaches
You can go to several beaches in Split with kids during the summer months when the weather is nice. So you walk from the city center to Bacvice Beach, where they have a sandy beach. Most beaches in this part of Croatia have a pebble beach, but here there is wonderful beach sand.
You can rent beds and an umbrella on this beach, and near the beach are plenty of catering establishments for a snack and a drink. For example, 100 meters from the beach there is a pizzeria. In the summer months, there are also play opportunities for kids here such as an air castle and trampolines. Just keep in mind that this is one of the few sandy beaches in Split and can be very crowded during the summer months.
Another popular beach in Split is Kashuni Beach located in the west of the city. You can walk to it from the old town, but it will take you over 45 minutes. By car, it takes just over ten minutes and you can park your car near the beach. The beach is a pebble beach and in terms of facilities it is quite limited. You do have a bar, where you can get some drinks, but that’s it. So bring your own food and drink in advance.
Split with kids #3: Fortress Klis
Unfortunately, for the rest of Split, there is not that much more to do and see than Split’s downtown and the various beaches and for more entertainment you really have to take the car out of town. Most families will not stay alone in Split and therefore have a (rental) car with them. We ourselves had rented a car in Split and took a whole tour of the country with it. We ended up returning the rental car near Pula (Istria).
If you drive your car slightly out of the center of town, you will soon see the ruins of a large castle on the mountain. These are the ruins of Fort Klis, where filming of the Games of Thrones series also took place. From downtown, you can drive to this fort in about twenty minutes.
The fortress overlooks Split and used to provide protection for the city. At the fort, you pay an entrance fee that is a bit on the hefty side for what you get to see. There is not super much to see, except for the ruins of a fortress and a beautiful view of the city of Split. There is a small museum, but in an hour you will have seen everything.
In the village of Klis, which is a few minutes’ walk from the castle, you can go to the restroom and get some food and drink, but this is not possible at the fort itself. It is also wise to keep an eye on your kids, as there are few fences and some sections are quite steep.
Split with kids #4: Omis
The town of Omis is a half-hour drive from Split and is the city for several fun outdoor activities you can do with kids. For example, here you can go rafting with kids as young as six (who are no longer afraid of water) on the Cetina River. For example, you can choose from different packages to go rafting with different companies.
You raft through a beautiful gorge and along the way there is also plenty of time to take a swim and jump off the rocks. One advantage is that the river only gets more violent during the course of the trip, so there is a buildup and allows your kids to get used to rafting. Of course, you also get to wear wetsuits against the cold. One such party that offers rafting here is Rafting Pirate.
Our daughter rafted for the first time when she was four years old. Of course she was excited, but afterwards she really enjoyed it. If your kids are six or older, it’s definitely doable!
Besides rafting, you can also visit caves here, you can take a trip through the water (Canyoning) and you can take a spectacular zipline course. This involves going down on a zipline 150 meters high. In all, there are eight different lines and the longest line is a whopping 2,100 meters. For more information on ziplining, take a look at this website.
Split with kids #5: Krka national park
From Split, we also visit Krka national park which is an hour’s drive from Split. This national park is a bit like Croatia’s biggest attraction, the Plitvice Lakes, only it is a lot less touristy. In National Park Krka, you can visit the waterfalls of the national park.
The park has several entrances, but most tourists enter through the Lozovac entrance. From this entrance you can take a walk through the park. The national park has quite a bit of elevation change, so naturally you will encounter many small waterfalls. In total, there are seven waterfalls you can visit in the park.
On that note, it’s a fun outing for a morning or afternoon with kids. We still enjoyed swimming in the water when we visited the national park, but since 2021, like the Plitvice lakes, this has been banned. Still, visiting the waterfalls remains a fun outing in the Split area with kids.
Split with kids: split card
You have a card in Split, as in many other major cities, which gives you free admission at various museums. Since most museums are not very interesting for kids, for most families the card will not be a benefit. If you and your kids do love museums then maybe the card can benefit you. Check the Split Card website to see which museums all participate.
Where to stay in Split with kids?
You can find plenty of accommodations in Split with kids that are suitable. The city has plenty to choose from, and we list the best options in different price ranges below.
Budget hotel: Hotel Elu Iris
Mid-range hotel: Hotel Pax
Luxury hotel: PRIMA Life Spalato
For a list of all accommodations in Split with kids, take a look here.
