Although Split has gained a reputation in recent years as a party destination—largely due to the sudden and meteoric rise of tourism following the launch of Ultra Europe Festival—at its core, Split’s actual party offering is rather limited to party boats, pub crawls and a couple of mainstream clubs around the city center. In fact, many young locals lament that the night life in the city was much better and much more diverse before ‘ultra-fication’ in the recent years, particularly in the post-Covid years.
The unfortunate side-effect of the current state of Split’s night life is that many young tourists pass through the Old Town late in the night, on their way to their apartments, taxis, or boats, not respecting the quiet hours for local residents still living within the Old Town. It is easy to forget that the Old Town, with its ancient stone alleys an UNESCO protection is not a theme park for nightlife, but a home to generations of Split’s residents.
In May 2023, Split City Council adopted the new Public Order Act, introducing fines for inappropriate behavior in public spaces. The act officially came into effect in July 2023, with enforcement starting shortly after signs were posted across the city’s central areas.
According to the the Act, a 300 euro fine will be issued for various offences against the public order. This fine is usually reduced to 150 euros if payed within 3 days.
Alcohol in public areas, the most common way to get fined
The most common mistake to make is to consume alcohol in public areas within the Old Town, which includes the entire UNESCO-protected area of the Old Town within the Baroque ramparts and Riva Promenade. If you want to drink outside, you can do it legally at Matejuška Pier—a place traditionally frequented by locals for precisely those purposes.
Unbeknownst to most foreigners, the most common way to get a ticket for drinking alcohol in public is if you purchase alcohol in a bar, but drink it in the street in front of the bar. This is the unfortunate side effect created by the sudden emergence of many small alcohol-oriented bars that have little to none interior space for people which started popping around the Old Town in recent years. They gather large crowds of patrons out in the streets, who then make noise late into the night, block foot traffic an often urinate in the public area.
Apart from alcohol, other common misdemeanors include defecating, urinating or vomiting in public areas, loitering in front of restaurants and bars after the end of working hours, climbing on monuments, jumping in water fountains, etc.
No swimwear in the city center
The regulation also prohibits walking around the city center in swimwear, being partially dressed, or nude. This includes popular public spaces such as the Riva promenade, Marmontova street, Prokurative, and the narrow alleys of the Old Town.
A fine of 150 euros will be imposed for sleeping in public parks, squares, parking lots and other public spaces, and construction and installation work from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. to prevent noise.
See the official summary of the offenses in this LINK.
Finally, as we tried to explain. These measures were not implemented as a part of conservative politics to stomp out nightlife. They were, in-fact, voted in by the then-ruling liberal party Centar as a measure to ensure Split’s city center remains livable for its local residents and welcoming to its tourists. Remember, behind Old Town’s picturesque green window shutters live real people, many in their ancestral homes, and most working regular jobs.
So respect the locals, enjoy Split and do not scream and shout on your nightly walk through the Old Town.