Dubrovnik and Split are two of Croatia’s most well-known coastal cities. Dubrovnik has a beautiful setting and an old town surrounded by well-preserved city walls. Split is the largest city on the Adriatic coast and is known for its beaches and Roman ruins. If you are trying to decide between visiting Dubrovnik and Split, here is the ultimate guide to help you decide which city to visit.
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Dubrovnik or Split Overview
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a coastal city with just under 45,000 people living there. It is one of the most visited cities in Croatia and is also one of the most iconic cities on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
Dubrovnik is known for its old town and its well-preserved fortifications and city walls. The Old City of Dubrovnik is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has been the filming location for many major productions like Game of Thrones and parts of Stars Wars: The Last Jedi.
Split
Split is the second-largest city in Croatia, only behind Zagreb, with just under 200,000 living in the city and 350,000 in the metro area. It is also the largest city on the coast of the Adriatic Sea.
Split is known for its well preserved old town and its beautiful coastline. The old town is home to some of Europe’s best-preserved ancient Roman ruins. Split is also has a great location as a starting point for exploring the islands off the coast of Croatia.
Things to See
Dubrovnik
The City Walls are some of the best-preserved in Europe. You can walk on these old walls for a fee.
Stradun is the main street in Dubrovnik.
Fort Lovrijenac is a fortress perched on a cliff that is responsible for helping to protect the city for centuries.
Dubrovnik Cathedral is a large Baroque cathedral in the old town.
Banje Beach is a pebble beach with an incredible view of the old city.
Split
Diocletian’s Palace is an ancient Roman palace constructed in the 4th century. What remains of the palace still covers much of the old town.
Saint Domnius Cathedral was constructed in the 7th century. It is considered to be the oldest Catholic church in the world with continual use and without major renovations.
Split Promenade is a must to explore the beautiful waterfront of the city.
Klis Fortress was built in the 3rd century and is located just outside of Split. It was also featured in Game of Thrones.
Split Old Town was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Food
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is known for its fresh seafood, which is no surprise considering its location of the Dalmatia Coast. You really can’t go wrong ordering fresh seafood when you go out to eat here. Oysters here are especially tasty. A classic dish that isn’t seafood is pašticada which is a dish of stewed beef. One of the traditional desserts in Dubrovnik is Rožata which is a caramel flan dish.
Split
Being the largest city on the Adriatic coast, you can expect an abundance of fish and other kinds of seafood. Crni rizot, or black risotto, can be found at basically any restaurant serving seafood and is a must-try when you are in Split. Another traditional dish you might want to give a shot is Dalmatian Brodetto which is a Croatian fish stew that can be made in many different ways, with many different sorts of seafood. For a snack or for a dessert, you should try Dalmatian Fritters!
Getting Around
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is not a large city and most of the attractions are within the walls of the old town so getting around the city is not difficult. Public transportation here only consists of a system of buses which makes getting around pretty simple. A single bus ride will cost you 1.59 Euros but you may want to buy the 24-hr pass for 3.97 Euros. Unlike most cities in Europe, biking around Dubrovnik is not recommended because of how pedestrian-friendly it is.
Split
The city center is extremely pedestrian-friendly so you won’t have a problem explore most of the sights on foot. Walking the promenade around the waterfront is another great way to see the city. The public transportation in Split is made up of a system of buses. You can download the Split Bus App to make using public transportation a little easier. If you want to call a taxi you will have to go to one of the taxi stations where there will be taxis waiting to take you. Uber is also an option in Split.
Nightlife
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik has a pretty lively nightlife for a city of just over 40,000 people. With an abundance of tourists, the city has delivered with the options for anyone to have a great night out. The largest concentration of bars is in the old town. Outside of the old town, you can find quite a few bars and cafes with incredible views of the city and the sea. If you are interested in going to nightclubs, the best clubs in the city are Culture Club Revelin and Skybar Dubrovnik Nightclub.
Split
Split has one of the best, if not the best, nightlife scenes in all of Croatia. A big reason why Split has become such a haven for party-goers is that the music festival Ultra Europe started coming to Split in 2013. Bacvice beach is a great place to drink and have fun during the day because there are beach bars and younger people all having a good time. There are also nightclubs right by Bacvice beach like Tropic Club and Night Club & Beach Bar Zenta.
You should also consider joining one of the bar crawls (it’s worth it!). Other places you should check out is inBOX Bar, Zenta Club, Bačvice Club, and Academia Club Ghetto. Arguably the best club in all of Croatia is Central the Club.
Day Trips
Dubrovnik
The Island of Lokrum is located just off of the shores of Dubrovnik and makes for an excellent day of hiking and exploring.
Cavtat is a small town just outside of Dubrovnik.
Kotor is just a 2-hour drive from Dubrovnik. It is a city known for its beautiful setting and its impressive fortifications.
Split
Hvar Island is just a short ways away from Split and is known for being a vacation spot because of its beautiful beaches.
Brac Island is another popular island to visit from Split.
Krka National Park is one of Croatia’s most famous attractions. It is stunningly beautiful.
Just to the north of Split is the city of Zadar, which is worth considering as well.
Overall
Dubrovnik and Split are two of Croatia’s most beautiful cities. Dubrovnik is a smaller city with an incredible setting and a beautiful old town surrounded by well-preserved walls. Split is the largest city on the Adriatic Sea and is known for its impressive Roman ruins, nice beaches, and the best nightlife in Croatia. If you want to go to islands off the coast of Croatia, Split is the best place to hop on a boat to go to these islands. Dubrovnik is more picturesque than Split BUT it is much more expensive and has an abundance of tourists.