With the rugged Dalmatian mountains as a backdrop and the azure Adriatic Sea lapping its shores, Split is emerging as one of the must-see cities of Europe.

Come for the scenery and fall in love with the people who know how beautiful their city is and are proud to show it off.

It’s a magnificent blend of antiquity and modernity, with the relics of its time as part of the Roman Empire celebrated as much as the al fresco wining and dining that tourists expect.

Don’t miss the islands dotting its coastline; they’re easy to get to from the mainland – even for a day trip – and truly stunning.

1. THE RIVA, SPLIT

There’s always a buzz on this wide, palm tree-lined promenade abutting the Adriatic but it certainly ramps up come late afternoon. That’s when the locals venture out to chat about the day and watch the tourists. If you’re lucky, they’ll sing.

We were serenaded with Croatian classics by a merry band of elderly Splicani who would take up residence at the same bench overlooking the water on the western end of the Riva near our apartment every afternoon.

Their zest for life kept the smiles on our faces as we sashayed along the 250m esplanade, choosing an outdoor cafe from which to sip a cocktail and watch the sun go down. Or, save your kuna and buy a gelato or a pastry and kick back on one of the many benches by the water’s edge.

2. DIOCLETIAN’S PALACE

So, you’ve watched Game of Thrones? Then you may recognise some of the architecture – Papaliceva Street for instance, the scene of the slave rebellion – as you wander through this living museum. (Walking tours of GoT sites are offered.) The thing to know about the 4th-century palace, built as a retirement home for the Roman Emperor Diocletian, is that it takes up about half of Split’s Old Town, meaning you can wander inside its gates without realising you’ve entered the UNESCO World Heritage site.

People live within the palace walls – you can too, at a few hotels – and much of its western half is filled with cafes and shops that have burrowed into the cobblestoned streets. Every day at noon, actors re-enact the arrival of the Emperor and his wife, surrounded by Roman soldiers, at the courtyard known as the Peristyle.

3. THE BELLTOWER

This is the place to get your bearings, 60m above Split with stunning views over the city’s red roofs and out to the Adriatic and its islands, or inland to the Dalmatian mountains.

It’s a windy, narrow hike to the top but there are plenty of places on the way up to stop for a breather. Next to the tower is the Cathedral of St Domnius, which holds the Emperor’s mausoleum, constructed of the same local marble and limestone that makes up much of the Palace. Lovers still tie the knot in this spectacular church.

4. IVAN MESTROVIC GALLERY

Just outside of the Golden Gate on the northern wall of the Palace is the towering statue of Gregory of Nin, a medieval bishop regarded as a hero by the Croats. Visitors flock to this 6m-high bronze work to rub its big toe for luck.

If intrigued by this work, by celebrated sculptor Ivan Mestrovic, take a short bus trip along the waterfront to the gallery named after him. Built as Mestrovic’s personal residence in the 1930s, this imposing building, inside sprawling grounds, is now the showcase for the stunning work of a sculptor renowned as one of the greatest of the 20th century. He was the first living person to have a one-man show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

5. BEACHES OF SPLIT

Take your swimmers with you to the gallery and, once you’ve finished marvelling at the artistry, head down to the pebbly beaches for a dip in the Adriatic. A favourite was Kastelet with its distinct protrusion into the sea, at the end of which sits a very relaxing cocktail bar. The water is calm, cool and surprisingly clear and small change shelters are dotted about. Leave time to walk the 3km back to Split’s Old Town via the beaches and past rocky outcrops, where sunworshippers lie before diving into the water to cool off.

6. THE ISLANDS/THE TRANSPORT HUB

A visit to Split must include one of the islands off its coast – Hvar, Solta, Brac, Korcula or Vis – and this is when you can really appreciate the convenience of the city’s transport hub. The Jadrolinija ferries that service the islands dock just beyond the eastern end of The Riva – you see the boats come in and out all day – which is where the train and bus stations are also located.

Even better, there are several kiosks along the waterfront that will hold your baggage for a small fee, meaning you can lighten your load for the trip to an island, pick your bag up on return and get the bus to the airport or train to Zagreb without hassle. A laundromat behind the train station adds to a traveller’s stress-free joy.

7. HVAR

Pinch yourself as the boat pulls into the natural harbour at Hvar town. No, you’re not dreaming, it is a wonderland. Yachts bob about in impossibly blue water in the middle of this bay which, on either side, boasts wide promenades filled with restaurants.

Nestled into the hills above the waterfront are quaint stone buildings and cobbled streets, some harking back to when this town was a vital naval base of the Venetian Empire. At the very top is the fortress, Fortica, from which you are rewarded with 360-degree views taking in the nearby Pakleni islands and even the coves on the north side of the island.

And that’s just the start of Hvar. The towns of Stari Grad, Jelsa and Sucuraj – and the hillsides of vineyards – await exploration.

8. THE CAVES

One of the most popular day trips from Hvar town is to the Blue and Green caves on the islands of Bisevo and Ravnik, with tours easily booked from one of the many kiosks along the waterfront. The limestone Blue Cave is stunning; the refraction of light through holes in the top of the cave giving you the sensation of floating in a Blue Lagoon cocktail.

It costs about $10 to transfer from your tour boat to one of the little wooden boats captained by a guide, who turns off the motor on entering the cave and poles his way around the 24m-long, UNESCO-protected site. You can’t swim in it, but you can in the Green Cave, and legend has it that if you dive through a beam of light reflected from the roof of the Green Cave you will live 100 years. You can put that to the test by climbing to the top of the cave, and jumping off, making sure to dodge the host of tour boats that circle the cave.

9. SAILING

With its many islands dotted off the coast, Croatia is a sailing hot spot offering sail-yourself or skippered charters from Split and Dubrovnik. But if time is short, book a day or sunset sail while on Hvar.

We booked our sunset cruise through Fontana Tours who took us around the Pakleni islands, just off Hvar town, stopping off in a secluded bay for a swim, before arriving at another little bay with a cute seaside bar. The skipper of our zippy, racing mono was happy to let us take control of the tiller to experience sailing the Adriatic.

10. BLACK SQUID INK RISOTTO

It’s a Croatian speciality, best eaten with a crisp glass of local Grasevina wine.

The best I had was in a small cafe on the island of Vis: black as black, plenty of cuttlefish (the traditional seafood used) and the company of the local cats who could not resist the fishiness. For a more sophisticated touch of Adriatic heaven, head to Restaurant Poseidon, inside the Iron Gate of Split’s Diocletian Palace, where black squid ink pasta is combined with a rich brodetto (fish stew) and topped with lobster.

When too much seafood is never enough, Bokeria restaurant just outside the Palace does a magnificent octopus salad with potato pieces, capers, pickled onion and a capsicum tapenade on bread.

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