We figured out that most of you busy travelers stay in Split for 3 days on average – and you want to see as many islands, natural landmarks and Split locations as you can – but you are overwhelmed with the amount of different day tours on offer. So, we gave ourselves a task to create a perfect 3-day tour plan for you!
It took us some time to come up with the list we believe is spot on!
First – we listened. We talk to over 12.000 guests each year, and this is what they want: as many islands and natural sites as possible in three days with no overlapping locations and some time to relax. You’re not the easiest crowd to please, but we get you!
There is so much to see in the Spllit city: Diocletian’s Palace, vibrant cafes, restaurants, Marjan Hill…On top of this, some of the most popular islands and natural landmarks are so close to Split – you can see FIVE islands on one tour in one day! No wonder there are so many day tours on offer. It gets overwhelming even for us locals. How do you choose which tours to go to and which places to visit?
For the beginning, you let us do a research for you!
We rolled up our sleeves, packed our beach bags and did the ‘work’: we went on more than 50 day tours from Split! We even tried the same tours with different organizers to get the full picture. Some tours we liked – some we didn’t! But, hey, we have plenty of time to get it wrong, and we know you don’t!
After trying more than 50 tours with different organizers, and talking to over 12.000 guests each year, we created a perfect plan for your three days stay in Split:
Islands hopping day – your vitamin Sea day
The Blue Cave Tour is a must! It covers so many beautiful places in one day – even many locals haven’t seen them all! People usually ask us – is it really worth it? Yes, it is! If you can handle a speedboat, this is the tour where you will see those marvelous secluded bays, remote islands, and all the beauty that makes Croatian coast one of the most attractive in the world.
Honestly, when I first went on this tour, I believed it would be rushed. But I came back to Split relaxed and overwhelmed with the beauty of the scenery I’ve seen (I am one of the locals who have never been to Blue Cave or Vis island before this trip). You do hop from one island to another all day, but you get enough time to get a feel of each place.
The places you visit are: Biševo Island (home of the Blue Cave), Vis, Budikovac, Ravnik, Pakleni Islands, and Hvar. The tour includes seeing the Stiniva beach – voted the most beautiful beach in Europe, famous Hvar town, Green cave, and some hidden bays you can only get to by boat.
Speedboat is as comfortable as can be, and although you go really far, the only long part of the trip is from Split to the Blue Cave first thing in the morning (1h 40 min). Others are just short rides from one place to another.
Don’t plan much after this trip as you will be tired from all the sun and sea. Best leave this evening for a nice dinner in the Old Town, a walk through the streets of the old Roman palace, and a nice gelato.
We suggest: check the weather (especially wind) and choose the best day weather-wise for this tour. Don’t forget to check the weather for all the locations – as you will be going far away from Split. Tip: ‘Windy’ app is great for this : https://www.windy.com
Please note: in this text we suggest the ideal sea trip to see the most – however if you are uncomfortable with the speedboat or can’t use it due to medical or other reasons, there are other lovely trips for you! Check our other blogs for those!
Naure day – the day you find your zen
Croatia is known for its stunning natural parks, and most of our guests want to visit one of them while in Split. The most asked question is: Plitvice or Krka? Our suggestion is : definitely NP Krka. Plitvice lakes are stunning, but the park is further away from Split, and you spend 2/3 out of your 12-hour day tour on a bus.
NP Krka is only 1.5 hrs from Split, and you will be back in Split around 5.30 pm. This means you will still have time to go to the beach, explore Marjan Hill, or do one of the Walking Tours in the evening .
Second most asked question: which Krka Tour to choose -there are so many. It took us a while to get this one right. Long story short: most of the cheapest tours are just bus transfers. This means you will have to line up and buy your tickets when you get there, and you will not get the group discount – ending up paying more overall at the end of the day.
So, it is worth paying a bit more initially, and go with a company who will pre-book the tickets for the whole bus. You get cheaper tickets and skip the lines. And you get extra services.
We discovered a Krka tour that really blew our minds. You get a guided tour in the park (plus the guide talks about the places you drive pass on your way to Krka which was really great), a visit to beautiful Skradin town, a scenic boat ride on the river Krka, a bottle of water – and you will travel in a clean, air-conditioned wi-fi equipped bus.
After the 1 hour guided tour, you have 4 hours of free time to see NP Krka, swim, walk and visit Skradin if you wish. You can skip the guided tour if you want to – but please don’t! It’s great and you will hear some fantastic facts, including how Krka played an important part in history and your life too!
After this tour, you will still have lots of time to explore Split, or even do a Split Walking Tour or Split Food Tour if you wish. If you haven’t had enough of the beautiful Croatian sea with the Blue cave tour, you will also be able to do the Sunset sailing because it starts at 7 pm.
Adventure day – the day you break free!
For your third day in Split, we suggest you do something adventurous! We find that the ideal tour everyone loves is the Rafting on Cetina river. The scenery of Cetina near Omiš is breathtaking, the air is clear and the activities are suitable for all age groups!
Rafting on Cetina River is an adrenaline-filled activity in the most beautiful setting you can imagine. There is a family option suitable for children and extreme rafting for those who want more ‘action.’ You can even combine rafting on Cetina with Zip Line (both are half-day activities), so you can see this fantastic canyon from all perspectives and make this a day to remember!
If you don’t fancy the active holiday and you need more vitamin Sea – we suggest you check the Golden Cape beach. It is located on the Brač island – the one that is not covered with the Blue Cave Tour. We suggest the Day trip to Bol tour. You will enjoy a comfortable boat where you will be served drinks, dinner, and will get to spend a day on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
We hope we helped you! If you want to talk more, personalize your 3-day plan and ask more questions – we will be happy to chat!
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