The city of Split on the Dalmatian coast is an excellent choice for your next holiday. Its wide offering of gorgeous beaches can make choosing the perfect beach to spend your holiday on difficult, however. Sandy beaches, wonderful pebbly beaches, beaches well-suited for children or for various water sports. Split, Croatia’s second-largest city, has it all. Moreover, we can’t forget that those crystal-clear waters, sparkling sun and a gentle sea breeze make Split the perfect destination for your next beach holiday.
Discover the best beaches in Split
You can find plenty of wonderfully sandy and pebbly beaches just a stone’s throw from the city centre. All you need is your towel, a chilled drink from the beach bar, and you’re ready to sit back and relax on your sun lounger. If you’d rather stay active on your holiday, many beaches offer rental jet-skis and other possibilities to engage in various water sports. Bringing the family? Splashing along in the shallow water will delight small children.
1. Bacvive beach
The sandy Bacvive beach is one of the most popular beaches in Split, located only a 10-minute walk from Diocletian’s Palace. Its central location provides a vast variety of nearby bars and restaurants, so it’s easy to stay hydrated and well-nourished in the heat. You can also play sports at Bacvive beach, including football, rugby, or picigin, an amateur water sport apparently invented in Split. Its rules are simple: don’t let the ball touch the water. Why not give the game a try?
2. Ovcice beach
If the busy Bacvive beach is too crowded for you, keep walking a little bit further east. Soon you’ll reach Ovcice beach tucked away in a little cove. It’s on the smaller side, with more seaweed and deeper waters than Bacvive. But that’s why Ovcice beach also attracts fewer tourists, ensuring a bit more peace and quiet. A beach bar, showers and toilets will take care of your immediate sunbathing needs, and the pier that stretches into the ocean is a popular place from which to jump into the sea and cool off.
3. Firule beach
Keep walking to the other side of the bay from Ovcice beach and you’ll soon see the sandy beach of Firule laid out in front of you. It’s shaped like a little cove, keeping the swimmers protected from the rough sea. This makes it a great place for young children to play in shallow water or improve their swimming skills. There’s also a tennis court right next to the beach, but it’s not just any tennis court – many word-famous players, such as Nicola Pilic and Goran Ivanisevic, have used it to practice.
4.Jezinac beach
Jezinac beach lies around 3 miles west of the city centre, in an area where many of Split’s luxury villas and apartments are situated. However, we strongly recommend taking the 25-minute walk along the coastal promenade instead to enjoy the sun and sights. It’s popular among locals and visitors alike, with its surrounding pine trees offering some welcoming shade from the sun. It has other amenities too, like beach bars and showering facilities, as well as playgrounds for children. It’s a great place to spend a day swimming in the turquoise water and watching the palm trees sway in the gentle breeze with the majestic castle of Mestrovic Kastilac in the background. Our tip: bring good shoes with you for a more comfortable walk on the stony beach.
5. Kaštelet beach
While at Jezinac beach, you could also visit Kaštelet beach, situated only a few hundred metres away. Beachgoers will enjoy a vast array of activities whatever their age, from bouncy castle slides and a beach bar to kayak rentals. Remember though, if you’d rather sit on a sun lounger than lie on your towel, you’ll need to bring your own beach chair. The beach is also a popular spot in the late evening, when the beach bar turns to a dancefloor. Kaštelet is truly a beach on which you can spend the whole day before partying into the night.
Here are the best beaches near Split
The beaches in Split won’t stop as you get further from the city centre. By venturing to the outskirts of the city, you’ll discover even more wonderful beaches than you can imagine. At many of them, you can relax amidst beautiful, more rural nature Croatia is so well known for. Just hop on the bus, rent a car or put on some good walking shoes, and head out to the following gems:
1. Trstenik beach
Further east from Firule beach lies Trstenik beach. It is often called the “Radisson Blue beach”, as part of the beach belongs to the Radisson Blue Resort in Split. Despite its proximity to some hotels, Trstenik beach feels peacefully secluded. It’s a calmer spot, favoured by the locals, with beach bars, cafés and showering facilities nearby. You can also rent a boat for a little sea trip, or even try parachute flying. The beach is a 10-minute drive from Split’s centre, but if you’re feeling energetic it’ll only take 30 to 40 minutes to walk there. Diving into the sea will feel twice as good after some exercise!
2. Žjan beach
The relatively recently constructed pebbly Žjan beach takes you to even further east from Split, past Trestenik and along a beautiful seaside promenade. The beach is popular among families with children, as well as young adults, due to the number of restaurants, bars, cafés, playgrounds and trampolines surrounding it. It’s only a 15-minute drive from Split’s centre, and is on many bus routes. If you’re staying a bit further east from the city centre, Žjan is a great place to have a beach day.
3. Stobreč beach
Stobreč beach lies almost outside of Split, just shy of 6 miles to the east, but despite its location the beach itself is in no way isolated. There are plenty of beach bars, cafés and restaurants nearby, as well as an outside fitness area for those who like to break a sweat. The calm waters are great for small children or those who aren’t that comfortable with swimming in big waves. Stobreč beach is also relatively long, so even during peak season there is plenty of room for everyone’s towels. If it does get too busy and you feel like taking a break from the crowds, you can rent a boat or a paddleboard and head further out to sea.
4. Kašjuni beach
Lying at the foot of the Majuni Hill, the (both pebbly and sandy) Kašjuni beach is a stunning location for a beach day. It’s located around 2 miles west of central Split, past the beaches of Jezinac and Kaštelet. Kašjuni beach surrounds you with crystal-clear water, but also has important amenities like showers, a changing area and a beach bar for staying refreshed in the summer heat. Take a swim in the ocean and admire the majestic view that you get of Majuni Hill from the sea.
5. Bene beach
Bene beach lies almost at the farthest tip of the Split peninsula, on the other side of Kašjuni beach. It’s worth a visit despite its distance from the city, as it’s perfect for beachgoers, active holidaymakers and history buffs alike. The shallow waters are perfect for families with small children. The nearby outdoor gym, tennis courts and trekking paths enable you get plenty of exercise on your holiday. The picnic facilities, bars and restaurants ensure you can spend the whole day at Bene beach, on occasion seeking the cooling shade of the pine trees. Those into history should definitely venture out further into the trees, as they hide the ruins of the ancient Church of St. Benedict. Can you locate them?
The Split beaches are truly a perfect example of Croatia's versatile offering for holidaymakers, young and old. There is plenty to see and do, but always something new to discover on your next visit. See you there!
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