Some people prefer to take it easy on their holiday, regardles of their age. For those ‘carpe diem’ means: breathe and feel every moment, use every opportunity to relax, to enjoy the nature, the ambiance, the food, the music, the art, meet the locals…rather than throwing themselves off the mountain hanging off the zip line, or jumping over the river rapids. This blog is for those who are still young at heart and who want to see new things, but in a relaxed, ‘take it all in’ manner.
I am so happy to write about this – as I like to travel this way myself. Age is really not so important here, but rather our preferences. However, I decided to name this blog this way to attract the attention of the ‘wise’ who know the value of taking it easy and being comfortable.
I thought for a long time which tours to include – to find the perfect three. There definitely needs to be one sea tour – because Croatia is a sea destination! We must have a tour for those who like to stay in the city and enjoy history, art & good food. And one for those who prefer green natural sites, birds chirping and waterfall relaxing sounds. Lucky, Split has it all – now I just need to think really well, and narrow it to three best options!
For the past five years, I’ve been so lucky to have the opportunity to try most of the tours on offer in Split as a part of my job! I discovered that sometimes the tour seems one thing on the leaflet, but is actually something very different in practice! Giving you the full picture is my number one priority. I know your holiday is limited to a short time, and you want to use it in the best possible way. So, let me take you through 3 amazing tours where you will be able to take it easy, explore, visit stunning natural sites and meet interesting locals.
The food & history tour for those who want to explore Split
I am starting with the food tour. Not because one tour deserves the first spot over the other, but because it is the morning now, and I don’t eat in the evenings due to my quarantine summer figure issues. As these pictures of tasty food look so delicious and tempting, I think it’s safer for me to get this one out of the way now. Hence, let’s do it first -thanks for understanding!
There are many impressive and creative walking tours in Split, that include visiting historical locations, hearing the ‘gossip’ about Split and its past and present residents, and trying local delicious food.
In my oppinion, the ultimate food tour in Split is the Historical & gastro treasures tour you can do every day during the season (May to October). You will see all the most important historical highlights in the Old Town and Diocletian’s Palace, and try so much food – don’t plan much afterwards!
On this tour, you will get the opportunity to taste the most delicious and scrumptious food while taking a tour of the 1700 years old Roman palace with the tour guide. Strolling the streets of Split and hearing the interesting stories, meeting local people, chatting with restorant owners and chefs, and getting a good feel of the city is what this tour is about. Our tour guide was lovely. She knows the history and the food well! She will show you some places in the city that you would have surely missed if you went exploring on your own. I’m from Split, and I’ve learned new things on this tour.
But more importantly, here is a list of some amazing tasty meals you will try: fish plate with anchovies,octopus, famous ‘peka’ bread, local prosciutto and cheese, the famous handmade pasta ‘macaroni’ , seafood risotto, two kinds of the traditional ‘soparnik’, ‘Viška pogača’, traditional Split cakes made by hundred years old recipes in Split’s oldest and most famous pastry shop, ice cream…and of course this is all acompanied with local wines from south Croatia. I told you you’d need a nap after this tour!
Sometimes meals change depending what time of the season you are in Split, and what is available – so it may differ a bit from what I’ve tried – but generally it is an amazing food spread every time!
Getting to know Split history in a relaxed manner, trying local food & meeting local people and restaurant owners is such a great way to spend the day – you will hold the memory forever. This is the tour I want to go on again!
The beautiful leasure boat sea tour where you can sit in the shade and enjoy the island views
I had no trouble choosing the sea tour for this theme. There is only one boat of this kind in Split where you will get comfort, excellent service and family atmosphere – and it takes you on a day tour to Bol on Brač Island.
On top of this, there is a delicious meal prepared freshly on the boat – and you can choose between fish, meat or vegge menu, coffee, morning croissant and a big variety of unlimited drinks. Let me tell you more about the Bol and Golden Horn cruise.
This is a family-owned boat loved by its staff/family members who will make you feel at home from the moment you step on it. You will get a coffee and a croissant on your arrival, and choose a spot to sit and relax for your journey. You can sit inside (the windows are big and you still enjoy the panoramic view), on the lower deck where there are armchairs and lots of shade, or upper deck with chairs and sunbeds and more sunny areas. My advice is: get there early and catch the spot that suits you (you can board 1/2 hour before departure and even before that).
The journey to Bol lasts about two hours, but it goes very quickly. Between being overwhelmed with the panoramic views of Croatian islands, Adriatic sea, Split from the sea, reading a book and sipping drinks they generously provide all the way – time will fly.
Once you are in Bol, you can walk the small picturesque island town, visit the monastery, visit the famous Golden Horn beach, relax in the shade…or do it all – you will have enough time. Your meal on the boat will be served around 4 pm when you get back from exploring – so plan a meal in Bol. You can buy something in the supermarkets, but you can also eat in one of the beautiful Bol restaurants. The crew on the boat will be happy to give suggestions for restaurants and cafes. I opted for a supermarket, got some snacks and sandwiches and headed to the Golden Horn Beach. The meal on the boat is really lovely, and I didn’t want to spoil it.
Golden Horn is only about 25 minutes walk from the centre, but there is a little tourist train you can catch if you don’t feel like walking. Once there, you can sit in the sun or in the shade provided by pine trees. My favorite shade that comes with extras: the sound of crickets and the aroma of pine trees. Feeling the Mediterranean.
Your early dinner on the boat will not disappoint: juicy grilled chicken, big tuna steak or grilled veggies accompanied with some salad, potatoes, and of course – cakes. Delicious!
The lunch is served inside – plenty of food and space for everyone.
This is the tour where you can really see the beauty of the Croatian coast and meet the local people without jumping from one place to another. This is your easy-going Dalmatian style tour! That includes some delicious food -of course!
The amazing nature & history tour to fill your memory with stunning pictures
The two most famous national parks in Croatia are Krka and Plitvice. Both equally beautiful! Although Plitvice is spectacular, I decided to go for Krka this time. The reason is, we are talking about day tours from Split – and NP Krka is much closer to Split than Plitvice. We are talking 1.5 hours vs. 4 hours drive. And as we like to be comfortable – I believe Krka suits better.
There are numerous Krka tours, and one of the most popular ones is Krka Waterfalls Tour that includes a visit to Skradin, a boat ride on the river, a 1 hour guided tour and 4 hours of free time in the park. Check this tour out here.
But, I opted for Krka & Šibenik tour this time. You will spend about 3 hours in the park on this tour compared to the 5 hours on the one above. But, I believe 3 hours is quite enough. What I found on the above Krka Waterfalls Tour is that there was more walking than on Krka & Šibenik tour, and it was a very hot day (most of the days are very hot from May to October). After the one-hour walking tour, the walk back to the waterfalls was also quite lengthy. On the Krka & Šibenik tour, there is less walking, but you still see everything you need to see at the Np Krka.
On top of this, you will have the opportunity to visit Šibenik on your way to NP Krka. Šibenik is the oldest native Croatian town on the shores of the Adriatic Sea, and the third-largest city in Dalmatia. Šibenik was the first city in the world to have the street lights powered by electricity – that came from the Krka hydroelectric plant. It is also the home of the UNESCO protected St. James Cathedral – an impressive place to see. We did not go into detail , but I’ve learned enough interesting information on this day.
Photo credit: https://www.sibenik-tourism.hr/lokacije/katedrala-sv-jakova/1.html
It is a nice mixture of culture and nature, and the tour is not too long. You are back in Split around 6 pm, so you still have time for a little siesta, and an evening in the city.
If you can’t pick which tour you wish to go on, you can do all three.
Depending on how much time you have in Split – you could do all three tours and enjoy the sea, nature and fantastic city atmosphere for a full picture. I hope you get to try at least one of these amazing tours – and if you do, let me know what you think!
Happy travelling!
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