Split & Diocletian’s Palace

Split is not simply a city built around a Roman ruin — it is a city within one. When Emperor Diocletian retired here in the 4th century, he constructed a palace of marble and columns, a sprawling residence by the sea. Today, remarkably, those same walls and gates form the living heart of Split. People still live, work, and celebrate within its embrace, making it one of the most extraordinary urban continuities in the world. The Golden Gate remains the ceremonial entrance, guarded by statues, leading into a maze of courtyards, alleys, and colonnades. The Peristyle, once the emperor’s court, now hosts weddings, concerts, and late-night gatherings, its marble steps filled with locals and visitors alike. Egyptian sphinxes, brought centuries ago, still stand sentinel, watching as klapa singers harmonize under the stars. Beneath the palace, vaulted basements — once used for storage — now house artisan workshops, galleries, and boutiques, their stone arches echoing with both history and commerce. Above, medieval houses lean against Roman walls, their balconies filled with flowers. Cafés spill into courtyards, and at any hour you might sip coffee with your hand resting on a column carved seventeen centuries ago. Beyond the palace walls, the Riva promenade pulses with Mediterranean life. Palms line the marble walk, ferries dock and depart, and conversations spill from cafés into the sea breeze. Here, the Adriatic rhythm is unmistakable: unhurried yet vibrant, ancient yet modern. Split is not a city that preserves history behind glass; it wears it openly, breathes it daily, and invites you to live within it, if only for a while.