Split

Where to stay

Most hostels sit inside or just outside the walls of Diocletian's Palace, or in Varoš, the old residential neighborhood directly west of the palace. Both put you within a 5-minute walk of the Jadrolinija ferry terminal and the Riva waterfront promenade.

Getting around

• Pick up breakfast and cheap produce at the Pazar market, just outside the Silver Gate on the east side of the palace walls. Prices are a fraction of what the cafes on the Riva charge.
• Bačvice beach, a 10-minute walk southeast of the palace, is free and less squeezed than the small patches of sand right in the center.
• If you plan to island-hop to Hvar or Brač, go to the Jadrolinija terminal window early on the day of travel. The passenger catamaran to Hvar sells out by mid-morning in summer, and there is no workaround once it is gone.

When to go

Hostels are cheapest from October through April. In July and August, prices can double or triple as Diocletian's Palace fills with visitors and a steady stream of day-trippers passes through on the way to the islands.