Located on a peninsula, Split is surrounded by the sea on three of its sides. Despite its significant population and a history of industrialization, the town does offer a number of attractive beaches, scattered all around the town. While you definitely do not want to find yourself swimming in the city’s port or around the shipyard and the industrial zone, located in the northern section of the city, there are plenty of options to try out during your stay in town. From popular pebbled or sand beaches to pristine coves around the Marjan Hill — Split just has it all.
To make it easier for you, we selected seven of the most popular beaches in town. From the most popular Žnjan Beach area, to the secluded cove of Lubinski Porat, we got ’em all. Check them all out by clicking on our map with the profiles of each individual beach or keep scrolling down to see them all in one place.
So without further ado, we present: the seven best beaches in Split by SplitCurated.
The 7 BEST Beaches in Split
(Click on the name or the picture to see the beach’s location.)
Žnjan Beach
Žnjan Beach Area is Split’s most popular beach zone, consisting of a number of beaches which stretch uninterrupted all the way from Zenta Marina up to Dujilovo. Though all the beaches in this stretch are pebble beaches, they do vary significantly in the types of seabed in deeper waters as well as in access quality. The area is dotted with bars and cafes that offer a much needed refreshments and they come with a large gravel parking lot, making Žnjan one of the rare few beach areas in Split that is easily accessible by car.
Though Žnjan is currently awaiting redevelopment that will transform its desolate moon-like surface now used as a parking lot, into a lusciously green public park with a significant recreational zone, it remains uncertain when this reconstruction is set to take place.
On the Dujilovo end of the Žnjan beach stretch, lies Split’s only dog-friendly beach: a perfect place to get your furry friend some much needed cool-off in the hot summer days.
Bačvice Beach
Bačvice Beach is one of the most popular beaches in Split. Located just around the corner from the Ferry Port it is the closest beach to the Old Town, making it a number one choice for all travelers staying in and around the area. It is particularly famous for its sandy shore and shallow water, an otherwise unusual sight in the region, that draws crowds of swimmers and sunbathers alike.
The beach is locally most known as the birth place of the famous local game of ‘picigin’, an invention of a group of Split students returning from their studies at Prague back in 1908, who, by trying to recreate the game of water polo, have inadvertently created the new game, which became known as picigin. It is a non-competitive game, where all players work together, trying to keep the ball, usually crafted out of peeled tennis ball, in the air by resorting to quick slaps set to propel the ball up into the air.
Firule Beach
Best described as a little sister to its bigger brother Bačvice Beach, Firule is a a small sand-covered cove spreading under the protruding cliffs dotted with cafes. Generally, Firule are much less crowded than the nearby Bačvice, and they come with the added possibility of having plenty of room for having your towel set on the cement walkway that goes around the beach, thus avoiding getting the pesky sand all over your belongings.
Kaštelet (Obojena & Ježinac)
A healthy twenty minute walk westwards from the Old Town, Kaštelet Beach is a popular destination among the younger local crowds. It includes two separate beaches per se, which are divided by a protruding horn: Ježinac on the eastern side, which usually draws older crowds and families and Obojena on the western side, named after an iconic bar adjacent to it, which is popular with younger crowds. Apart from the classic combination of swimming and sunbathing, Ježinac in particular is a popular cliff jumping place that has a wide array of natural jumping spots with literally all levels of difficulty, from the easiest to the most dangerous. The beach is also accessible by cars with a large parking lot adjacent to it.
Kašjuni Beach
Kašjuni are a tranquil beach snuggled under the southern slopes of the lusciously green Marjan Hill. They are more peaceful and less crowded than Split’s main beach areas like Bačvice and Žnjan, though still drawing crowds. Out of all the beaches in Split, Kašjuni offer the most breathtaking views, because from its shores you have a fantastic look on the Marjan Hill in its full beauty, from its lusciously green pine forest, to the overhanging cliffs and historical buildings like the church of St Jerome and the Renaissance tower of Caripeo (Karepić) family. The beach has a gravel parking lot associated with it, though finding parking can on occasion be difficult.
Bene Beach
Bene are a secluded beach on the northern side of the Marjan Hill, overlooking the Bay of Kaštela. The beach is located inside the Marjan Park area and is surrounded by a recreational center consisting of several tennis courts, a small football ground, a playground for children and an open-air gym. Since car traffic is forbidden in the Marjan Park area, Bene remain only accessible by foot or by public transport (either bus number which starts from Riva or the small tourist road-train). At the site is also a restaurant with a bar and several street vendors selling snacks and refreshments.
Lubinski Porat Beach (Treća Voda)
Lubinski Porat (also known as Treća Voda) is a small natural cove whose sandy bottom was in the past a spawning place for the sea bass, as reflected in its name (cro. Lubin = eng. ‘sea bass’). Though sea bass has long abandoned the tranquil bay, its natural and uncommercialized beauty, with plenty of natural shade and fantastic sandy bottom (though not at its entrance, sic!), makes Lubinski porat one of Split’s best kept secrets.