May 26, 2021
Luckily this morning my ankle is nearly fine. Last night, I asked Anamarija how to buy bus tickets and she suggested the website GetByBus. I bought a ticket to Split from the Dubrovnik bus station at 11 am. The most popular times sell out early so be sure to buy a bit in advance.
You can get to the bus station by taking city bus 1A from Pile Gate. You can buy your ticket from the machine or the shop at the station, but just make sure it is validated, or you could get fined. That goes for most places in Europe.
I made it to the bus station with time to spare. Then I paid to have my luggage stowed (unfortunately), and I was off to Split! I sat next to an older lady who didn’t speak English, but we shared an annoyed glance halfway through the ride when the English girl sitting diagonal from us wouldn’t stop talking loudly on her phone for what seemed like an hour.
I was worried about this trip because in order for foreigners to arrive in Croatia, they need to pay for their accommodations in advance. They didn’t ask me about that when I arrived in Dubrovnik so I hope it won’t this time. You also need a COVID test to enter Bosnia and Herzegovina. Why does this matter you ask? If you didn’t know, after the war Bosnia and Herzegovina wanted to keep a piece of the coastline so that they could have access to a port. This small piece of coastline exists between Dubrovnik and Split, so when you take the bus between the two you must cross two borders. I passed the first border with no problem, and for the second time on this trip I was in a country I shouldn’t actually have been able to enter. This time though, I would have been more likely to take the offer because I really wanted to go to Mostar but I was too cheap to pay for a COVID test. There was no opportunity to get off the bus however, so I continued to Split. Again there were no problems at the Croatian border. The borders here are very relaxed because of frequent crossings, so it’s really just a pain because you have to get off the bus and everyone has to get their passport checked.
The Split bus station is much like the Dubrovnik one. There are about 20 slots that are regularly serviced and an awning to provide some shade. The Split bus station is right near the pier, and to get to the Old Town it’s not a bad walk (well…it’s a little up hill but nothing terrible).
I had already messaged Old Town Hostel on Facebook to reserve my room. It seems like there aren’t any hostels that are fully booked due to COVID so I’m not worried about booking in advance, and messaging on Facebook allows me to save $1-3 on booking fees per day. The choice for which hostel to stay at in Split was easy because Old Town Hostel is the only one that sits inside the dreamy ruins of Diocletian’s Palace.
It’s a small hostel, and certainly not the most luxurious. There’s not many outlets or common space. You also have to walk up a lot of stairs to get to the hostel, which was only annoying when I arrived and departed.
After I dropped my stuff in the hostel, I was starving, so I set out to find a taco place. Je Te Tako had the typical Mexican taco styles, but with a Croatian twist. I ended up getting a pollo de tinga burrito and a draft IPA Mirakul for 100 Kuna. The restaurant was not open for seating due to COVID, but they offered me a cushion to use on the steps nearby so I took it.
Moments like this are what I travel for. I sat on the ancient stairs of Diocletian’s Palace eating a burrito and sipping a delicious beer, with a view of the clock tower through the alley in front of me and the narrowest street in Croatia to my right (a landmark you may want to visit). The weather was absolutely perfect. I am in love with Split (Edit: I think I can also pinpoint this as the moment I started liking beer).
After I have some real food in me, I wander through the old town and emerge to see that there is a massive Zara just outside. I need some new jean shorts, so I go inside and find the most perfect pair of light wash cuffed denim shorts. After that I go back to exploring, which doesn’t take that long since the old town is not all that big.
May 27, 2021
For breakfast, I stopped at Bajamina Pancakes and Crepes. I asked for a strawberry and Nutella crepe (not on the menu). There was way too much Nutella, so I feel like one of the crepes on the menu with ice cream would be better because of the proportions, but I wasn’t interested in eating something that sweet so early.
Next I head to the market. I grab some strawberries and cherries to eat for lunch. The market is open every day (except Sunday?) and it’s huge. This is my favorite market I’ve ever been to. You can choose exactly how much of something you want, and they weigh it out. I’m even more in love with Split than before. I wish I lived here because the produce is so good and priced fairly. Many of the older people don’t speak English and it’s cash only.
Today I’m heading to the famous Krka waterfalls. I took the bus from the Split bus station and arrived at 11:30 am. It cost 100 Kuna for adults, but I showed my student ID and got in for 80 Kuna. This wasn’t listed on the website so make sure to always try to get a student discount even if it isn’t explicitly stated!
From the bus stop at Skradin, you’ll walk through a small market and a few restaurants on the way to the entrance. You must take a boat to Skradinski Bok or walk very far. I took the boat both ways because it was faster, and I figured the view couldn’t be that much different on the walk since it’s all covered by trees.
The Park is small and boat tours cost extra. I’m not sure how far you have to hike to see the other attractions. The whole trip is kind of expensive (19-euro bus + entry) for what it is so I would recommend either:
- Renting a car and making a stop for a few hours here to just see the Skradinski Bok. It would also be easier to see other things in the park with a car because you can drive to the closest points.
- Stopping by on the way between Split and Zadar for a few hours. I think I saw some signs for luggage storage just as I left the bus stop. Depending on the price of that it might not exactly pay off, but it could be the same as the roundtrip bus and be more convenient than coming back to Split and then traveling North again after.
- The unicorn tour is probably the best way to see Krka for backpackers, but it wasn’t available due to COVID. Ask the reception at Old Town Hostel if you are interested.
The last bus I was willing to take home was at 5 pm, so I got to work exploring Skradinski Bok. It turned out to be more than enough time to explore because the “hike” is basically all paved or made out of wooden boardwalks. I stopped in the shade to eat lunch and met some cats who wanted to steal my fruit. There’s also food and souvenirs to buy in the park but it’s expensive.
Like I said, I was supposed to leave at 5 pm, but the bus came 30 minutes late. I think this was uncommon though because the bus driver got stopped by the police, according to a local man we talked to.
When I finally made it back, I went to Sexy Cow for dinner. It isn’t super fast for take out, and it’s not the cheapest especially for Split, but it was a decent amount of food. I got the Skinny Chicken, but I didn’t like the sliminess of the cucumbers. In short, it was a memorable name for the restaurant but not a memorable meal.
When I had arrived in Split, I immediately ran into Caitlin who I had met in Dubrovnik, and there were some friendly Erasmus’ers in the hostel too, so we all headed out to Charlie’s Backpacker Bar for some beers. I think this bar was run by an American woman who is easily my least favorite person I have met during this trip. We just wanted some beers but she yelled at us to get out of the bar even though we had masks on and just wanted to see the menu. She told us to look at the menu outside which only had cocktails (aka the expensive drinks). Finally we got our huge steins of beer which cost 25 Kuna.
When the curfew starts at 10 pm all bars have to close, but that doesn’t stop young people from partying. We all drunkenly head to the pier where there’s supposed to be a party. Make sure to buy beers before the stores close to bring with you!
I met a lot of interesting characters here, including some boys from UPenn, some Israelis who were having a jam session and then invited us to their orgy (which we admittedly considered but then declined), and a pair beautiful huskies (who probably shouldn’t have been living in Split). Besides the unusual people I met, I had a great time with the people I had come with.
May 28, 2021
This morning I am heading to Split Coffee Roasters. This coffee shop has no WiFi or tops for take away (or ice). My matcha latte was not well mixed either, but they probably do coffee better to be fair.
For lunch I head a bit further down the coast to Pizzeria Bokamorra. For 60 Kuna I get a neapolitan style margherita pizza. I really enjoy this style of pizza but some people may have found it undercooked.
I head back into town stopping for ice cream at Emiliano’s. I get a scoop of hazelnut for 12 Kuna and it’s delicious. Then I stop at Studenac Market to stock up on beer for tonight (4 beers for 27 Kuna).
It’s Charlie’s and the pier again. We see some familiar faces and some new faces, and we celebrate our Brazilian friend’s birthday by singing to him at midnight.
May 29, 2021
For lunch today I’m heading to Sandwich Bar Rizzo. I paid $4 for a sandwich that was delicious. This is where all the locals go for sandwiches so you know it’s good. I’d say it’s even better than Pile Sandwich Bar!
For dinner my new friends and I go to Bokeria. It has a nice vibe, and a delicious burger. This is a step up from the other places I’ve been, but I’d say I still prefer cheap food just because of the value you can get.
After dinner we stop at the tobacco shop to buy alcohol after the markets close. We’re tired of the pier so we head to Charlie’s for a bit but then get distracted by a rave that’s happening outside the palace walls. We watch a drunk guy perform for us for a bit while finishing our beers. Then the boys head to the pier, but I head to bed.
Check Out My Guide to Split ⧉
My Google Maps Guides have all the important locations I mention in my blogs, and you can open it right in Google Maps to make it easy to plan your own trip!
Cheers!