Split or Dubrovnik: Which Coastal Croatian City is Right for You?

Home to stunning coastline, picturesque cobblestone streets, tasty food, and a gorgeous smattering of terracotta rooftops, there’s no doubt that both Dubrovnik and Split are gems of Croatia’s Dalmatian coastline.

If you’re trying to decide whether to visit either Split or Dubrovnik on your trip to Croatia, you have your work cut out for you.

We have visited both cities several times and love them both, but for very different reasons!

Here’s how we suggest choosing whether to visit Dubrovnik or Split during your trip to Croatia!

Choose Split if…

… you want easy access to an abundance of island day trips.

Split is in a prime location to visit some of Croatia’s most popular islands via day trip!

Options include, but aren’t limited to, the iconic Hvar, the Pakleni Islands, and Brač, whose Zlatni Rat beach is one of the most famous and arguably most beautiful beaches in Croatia.

A multi-stop 5 Islands Tour like this is one of the most popular excursions in Split, and well worth your time when visiting!

Book your 5 Islands Tour from Split today!

… you want to save (a little) money.

While Dubrovnik’s status as King’s Landing in Game of Thrones was only one of several factors to propel it to insane levels of international fame (and therefore tourism) over the past couple of decades, Split has escaped some of that infamy.

Split is also a larger city than Dubrovnik is, both by are and by population.

That naturally gives tourists more places to stay, and the combination of its less famous status and larger footprint makes Split a bit cheaper to visit than Dubrovnik (and you’ll have plenty of choices when deciding where to stay in Split).

Make no mistake, though: Split is also a cruise port, also incredibly popular, and also a Game of Thrones filming location.

Whether you ultimately decide to visit Split or Dubrovnik, you’ll be visiting a very touristy place.

… you want to go chasing waterfalls.

Split is an excellent base for a day trip to the famous Krka National Park, and a less-ideal-but-still-physically-possible location for a day trip to the even-more-famous Plitvice Lakes National Park.

If exploring some of Croatia’s most beautiful waterfalls is on your list, Split is the Dalmatian city for you!

If you’d like to visit Krka National Park, you can opt to do so either independently (via rental car or by bus) or through an organized excursion like this. We personally booked a day trip and had an excellent time!

If you’re visiting Plitvice Lakes, we recommend booking an organized day trip, as the park is much further away from Split, as well as much bigger and harder to do justice to on a day trip.

Here are some of the most popular excursions from Split to each park:

• Krka Waterfalls, Food & Wine Tasting From Split (9,000+ reviews!)
• Plitvice Lakes National Park Guided Tour From Split

… the wonder of Diocletian’s Palace catches your eye.

In the 4th century, the Roman Emperor Diocletian retired and built himself a very nice retirement home along the Dalmatian coast.

While many palaces around the world are visited on tours and as standalone tourist attractions, Diocletian’s Palace is… not like that.

The palace, more or less, is Split’s Old Town, and you‘ll find many of the best things to do in Split within its walls.

The cobblestone streets, temples, and other buildings that a Roman Emperor once called home are chock full of visitors shopping, having lunch, devouring gelato, and touring some of the palace’s ruins… some of which, a bit more recently in time, were home to Dany’s dragons (the palace played Meereen in GOT).

Choose Dubrovnik if…

… phenomenal city views are high on your list.

The views of Split from Marjan Hill and the Saint Domnius Bell Tower are beautiful and all, but they don’t hold a candle to the views of Dubrovnik’s Old Town and the Adriatic Sea from the Dubrovnik City Walls.

In pure looks alone, Dubrovnik is one of the most stunningly beautiful cities we have ever seen from above.

We’d rank walking the City Walls as the best thing to do in Dubrovnik, despite the fact that it can get very crowded (if you can visit in the offseason, or at least on a day when cruise ships aren’t in town, you’ll have more elbow room).

For an even higher viewpoint, don’t miss visiting Mount Srđ, either!

… you’d like to take an international day trip.

Want to add a visit to either Montenegro or Bosnia and Herzegovina to your itinerary?

That is fairly simple to do from Dubrovnik, and well worth the effort!

The charming town of Kotor, Montenegro, for example, offers many similar attractions to Croatian cities like Split or Dubrovnik, with comparatively fewer crowds and lower prices.

Meanwhile, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, offers a different kind of inland beauty along with its compelling history (and even lower prices).

We’ve personally visited both cities, and loved our experience in each of them!

If you’re not driving yourself in a car that you’ve confirmed you can cross borders with, you’ll likely want to book an organized day trip for these outings–and don’t forget to pack your passport!

Here are a couple of popular day trips to consider:

• Montenegro Full-Day Trip From Dubrovnik (with optional boat ride!)
• Mostar Day Tour From Dubrovnik (includes the gorgeous Kravice Waterfalls, too)

… you’d like to stay in a more compact city.

Dubrovnik is simply smaller than Split, and if you stay in or near the Old Town, there’s an excellent chance that you won’t need to do anything other than walk to get around town or to Dubrovnik’s beaches during your stay.

In Split, however, this is not necessarily the case.

Ferries, buses, and taxis are much more likely to be a regular part of your trip to Split.

… you want access to better swimming within walking distance of town.

While the best swimming in Croatia can undoubtedly be found on the islands, Dubrovnik does have a few lovely pebble beaches within easy reach of the Old Town.

Split’s beaches tend to be a bit further away and garner more mediocre reviews (but then again, that’s what your 5 Islands Day Trip is for!).

Visit Both Dubrovnik and Split for…

… beautiful Dalmatian architecture.

Particular details aside, Split and Dubrovnik boast a similar style of architectural beauty.

Both cities are home to delightfully charming terracotta rooftops and smooth stone buildings, with plenty of colorful shutters and cozy outdoor cafes visible as you look up and down the streets.

Whether you choose to visit Split or Dubrovnik, you’ll be visiting a typical and beautiful Dalmatian city.

… delicious seafood.

I’m sure it comes as no surprise, but as cities that sit right along the Adriatic, choosing to visit either Dubrovnik or Split will give you access to some incredible Croatian seafood!

Jeremy tends to order all the squid ink dishes he can get his hands on around here, and has enjoyed every last one of them.

… the need to contend with the annoying reality of cruise ships.

While Dubrovnik has developed quite a reputation for the uncomfortably intense crowds that descend on the city when cruise ships are in town, the truth is that Split has the same issue.

Yes, in Split the crowds are a bit more spread out (in other words, every. single. person. isn’t trying to walk the city walls at once), but you can still very much feel the impact in Split the moment the cruise ship passengers disembark for the day.

It is, unfortunately, simply the reality of traveling to Split or Dubrovnik, especially during the summer.

If you want to try to avoid the crowds, check the cruise ship schedules ahead of your visit to see how many ships–and how many passengers per ship–will be in port during your trip (and to plan around them if you can).

You can see Dubrovnik’s cruise ship schedules here, and Split’s cruise ship schedule here.

Should you visit both Split and Dubrovnik?

Yes, yes, absolutely yes!

In fact, if you have more than a week in Croatia, we heartily recommend not deciding whether to visit Split or Dubrovnik, and instead visiting them both.

Our recommended Croatia itinerary for first-time visitors includes stops in both cities.

Both cities are fairly small, and their major tourist highlights can be seen in a couple of days, so why not visit them both?

If you have less than a week in Croatia or prefer to base yourself in one spot for your entire trip–that’s when the hard decision of whether to visit Dubrovnik or Split comes into play.

Split or Dubrovnik: Which is Our Favorite?

At this point, we’ve visited both Split and Dubrovnik several times, and we fully intend to keep revisiting them both as long as we continue returning to Croatia (which, ideally, will be forever).

If we absolutely had to choose a favorite, we’d choose Dubrovnik for the city itself–it’s just simply too beautiful not to love, and we don’t mind the crowds much–and Split for the location.

Split’s easy access to beloved favorites like Hvar makes it the perfect base for wider explorations in Croatia, and gives it an edge over Dubrovnik for visitors looking for a base for multiple day trips.

Ultimately, whether you choose to visit Split or Dubrovnik, you’re bound to fall in love with an absolutely gorgeous slice of the Croatian coast!

Home to stunning coastline, picturesque cobblestone streets, tasty food, and a gorgeous smattering of terracotta rooftops, there’s no doubt that both Dubrovnik and Split are gems of Croatia’s Dalmatian coastline.

If you’re trying to decide whether to visit either Split or Dubrovnik on your trip to Croatia, the bottom line is that you can’t make a bad decision.

Read More About Visiting the Balkans + Beyond

Planning a sun-soaked trip to Croatia… and maybe some other Balkan destinations along the way?

If you found this Split vs. Dubrovnik comparison guide helpful, we’d love to continue to be part of your travel planning here at Our Escape Clause!

You can find all of our Croatia blog posts here, or browse these guides:

• The Perfect One Day in Zagreb Itinerary
• The Ultimate Packing List for Europe: Summer Edition (+ What to Wear)
• How to Spend 10 Perfect Days in Croatia (Itinerary + Travel Guide)
• Greece in 7 Days: Itinerary Ideas for Island Hopping + Beyond
• The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia