Tours/Split/YOUR BEST PRIVATE TOUR - amazing Split and Diocletian's palace
Viator · Private tour

YOUR BEST PRIVATE TOUR - amazing Split and Diocletian's palace

4.9(86)Split1 hour
VIATOR4.8(24)TRIPADVISOR5.0(62)

Description

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Croatia’s #1 rated Private Tour with 100% excellent guest reviews on TripAdvisor! Step into 1,700 years of history on Split’s most acclaimed walking tour! Join a top-rated local guide for a 2 to 2.5-hour private journey through the hidden corners of Emperor Diocletian’s 4th-century palace — one of Europe’s most fascinating UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Explore underground cellars, Roman gates, medieval squares, and secret alleys as you uncover how this ancient palace evolved into the vibrant city of Split. Hear captivating stories of emperors, warriors, and daily life that shaped the city across the centuries. This tour blends exclusive insights, stunning sights, and immersive storytelling for a deeper connection to Split’s rich past. To sweeten the experience, you will also enjoy a tasting of locally crafted chocolates — a delicious pause in your cultural journey. Book now and discover the real Split with a passionate local expert!

Tour Options

YOUR BEST PRIVATE TOUR - amazing Split and Diocletian's palace
  • Pickup included

Itinerary

10 min

Please note, this is YOUR PRIVATE TOUR, so our whole itinerary is completely flexible, up to your preferences. Below please find our suggested itinerary / suggested sights: We are starting our tour at the Riva, the famous coastal promenade of Split - our city's living room! Your guide will introduce you to Croatia, Split and to our itinerary.

10 min

From the Riva promenade we will have a 10-minute introduction to one of the best preserved Roman monuments from the 4th century AD - an impressive palace built for the Roman emperor Diocletian. The palace initially served as Emperor's luxury retirement home, and later, in the 7th century, it was converted into the medieval city - the city of Split. We will enter the Palace through the Southern gate and explore its main parts in the following 90+ minutes.

Admission not included30 min

From the Riva promenade we will enter the Palace through the Bronze gate and visit the most incredibly preserved 1700-year old basements / Diocletian's palace substructures. Your will learn in the basements about the life of Diocletian: how he became emperor, how he ruled, about his years of glory and about his final abdication and "retirement". We will talk about the construction of his Palace, about its ingenious architectural concept and about the precious stone from the island Brac that was used to build the Palace. We will explain why the nearby Roman capital town Salona was so important for the development of the town of Split in the 7th century and how the invaders from the north destroyed Salona and "helped" to convert the Palace into the medieval town - Split.

15 min

The central square of the Palace. It is surrounded by the most diverse architectural styles and monuments from the 3000-year old Egyptian, through ancient Roman period, different medieval styles (cathedral bell tower, noble palaces...), until the modern and contemporary ones...

7 min

This is a beautiful circular building, which served as Diocletian's lounge - it was the entrance to the Emperor's private chambers. And sometimes we would have opportunity to enjoy amazing Dalmatian choirs - "Klape" - singing here!

2 min

Easter Palace gate and the beginning of the main Decumanus street

Admission included7 min

A great local chocolate producer. We will treat you with a couple of sweet treats, with Mediterranean fruit / herbal flavors.... *Unfortunately, closed on Sundays, when we'll have to skip this visit*

5 min

The biiiiiig statue of the famous Croatian archbishop from the 10th century - a work by the most famous Croatian sculptor, Ivan Mestrovic.

15 min

We will visit the 16th century-Medieval Jewish Ghetto. Also, if you are interested in visiting, there is a 3rd oldest operating synagogue in Europe here in Split...

5 min

The main entrance to the Palace. We will talk about the "people trap" Gate's concept, about the Roman streets Cardo and Decumanus, and about the road to Salona, the ancient Roman capital town.

8 min

The main square of the Medieval town Split. The City Hall building and many other beautiful palaces can be seen around this square.

8 min

Vocni trg (Fruit's Square) is the second most important square of the medieval Split. It is the former market place. At the center of the square stands a statue of Marko Marulic, a prominent Croatian poet and humanist from the 15th century - the "Father of Croatian literature".

3 min

Prokurative Square in Split, Croatia, is a beautiful open space surrounded by neo-Renaissance buildings, often hosting cultural events and outdoor performances. With its elegant architecture and bustling atmosphere, it is often compared to St. Mark's Square in Venice, Italy, known for its stunning palaces and historic landmarks.

Highlights

Custom-made program & tour organization
The company and services of a flexible top-level licensed tour guide

What's included

Included
Custom-made program & tour organization
The company and services of a flexible top-level licensed tour guide
Not included
Entrance fees

Pickup Locations & Times

Please note, this is a walking tour in the Split Old town, so your guide can pick you up at your hotel, but ONLY if you are staying in the Old town Split accommodation (not if your hotel is away from the Old town) If you are coming by a cruise ship, we will pick you at the port, at the cruise ship dock exit gate. If you are staying away from the Split city center / Old town, lets meet in the Old town meeting point please: at the Model of the historical core of the city of Split, address is: Obala Hrvatskog narodnog preporoda 23, 21000, Split, Croatia The precise location: By the bronze model of the city at the City coastal promenade - Riva - see the precise GPS location, below. The bronze model of the city at the City coastal promenade - Riva - is located 20 m / 70 ft towards the sea, from the Southern Palace gate / exit from the Diocletian's basements.  Address: Obala hrvatskog narodnog preporoda 23

Traveller Ratings

4.9
86 reviews
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Important Information

  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult (children under 11 y/o tour free of charge)

Reviews(86)

P
plmatt4
July 4, 2026
Flawless execution and unforgettable memories. Highly recommended!

We booked the “Amazing Split and Diocletian’s Palace” private tour with Your Best Private Tour for our large family group of 10 (including young kids, teens, and grandparents) during our recent Norwegian Cruise Line port day in Split, and it completely exceeded every expectation. From the moment our excellent guide met us right at the port with a comfortable, air-conditioned van that easily accommodated our whole crew, we knew we were in great hands. The tour was perfectly paced and incredibly insightful. Our guide brought ancient history to life with engaging stories about Emperor Diocletian, the palace’s remarkable architecture, and Split’s vibrant living history—it’s not just ruins; people still live, work, and run shops inside this 1,700-year-old UNESCO wonder! We explored the stunning Peristyle, the Cathedral of Saint Domnius, the Temple of Jupiter, and wandered the atmospheric narrow streets filled with hidden gems. The kids were captivated (no small feat on a hot summer day), and the grandparents appreciated the manageable walking with strategic breaks and shade. What made it truly special was the personalized attention. Our guide tailored the experience to our family’s interests, shared practical local tips (including the best gelato spot nearby), and handled everything with professionalism and warmth. The private format meant no rushing or large crowds—we had time to truly soak it all in without any stress. If you’re docking in Split, do yourself a favor and book this tour. It transformed a regular port stop into one of the most memorable cultural experiences of our entire Italy-Croatia cruise. Professional, knowledgeable, family-friendly, and worth every penny. We can’t recommend Your Best Private Tour highly enough—thank you for making our family vacation magical! Peter Mattei Lakewood Ranch, Florida – July 2026

M
Mark_N
June 25, 2026
First Visit to Split

It's an informative short walking tour, perfect for first visit to Split. We stayed at a hotel in the palace so very convenient. Since we landed early in Split at 7am, it was a good way to stay awake and efficient way to use the day before retiring early to bed.

D
Doug_B
June 23, 2026
Enjoyable.

Enjoyable and interesting. A bit of a wander but enjoyable. Had a good time and my son and daughter in law really enjoyed it. Nice museum of Dalmatian history as well

J
Judith_S
October 20, 2025
Waste of money

The guide seemed very disorganized and didn’t seem very interested In doing her job. We were very disappointed in this expensive tour that was one of the worst tours we have experienced. The tour was supposed to be 2 hours but the guide left us after 90 minutes.

Operator response

This is a fake review. Our company has been operating for more than 25 years and works exclusively with the very best licensed Croatian guides. During this time, over 99.5% of our guests have given our tours excellent ratings. We have never received a rating below “Very Good.” For Ms. Judith’s tour, we assigned one of the most respected, friendliest and most experienced guides in Croatia. Throughout her long and successful career, this guide has consistently been loved by guests and has never received less than a 5-star review. Because of her exceptional professionalism, she is regularly hired by the City of Split and the Ministry of Culture to guide high-level delegations and distinguished visitors. Unfortunately, Ms. Judith arrived to the tour completely disengaged. From the very beginning, she showed no willingness to participate. Each time the guide suggested visiting a landmark, Ms. Judith replied, “I’m not interested. I already saw that yesterday by myself.” After approximately 90 minutes, when the guide attempted to continue with the next part of the tour, the guest refused and said, “I don’t want to continue sightseeing. I want to finish now.” Despite this, Ms. Judith later claimed in her review that the guide ended the tour early of her own decision, which is simply not true. We attempted to contact Ms. Judith after the tour to clarify any misunderstandings, but she did not respond to any of our messages. Unfortunately, we were therefore unable to learn what or who might have motivated her to post such a negative and inaccurate review. We nevertheless wish her all the best and hope she finds something positive to enjoy in the future.

K
Kenneth_K
September 30, 2025
Highly recommend

The guide was knowledgeable. Helped me understand the development layered on top of Diocletian’s Palace.

Operator response

Thank you so much for your kind words, Ken! We're thrilled to hear you had a great experience exploring Diocletian’s Palace with Matt. He'll be delighted to know his knowledge helped bring the layers of history to life for you. We also want to compliment you—it’s rare to meet someone as genuinely curious and well-informed about Roman history as you are. Your enthusiasm and insight truly enriched the tour, and it's always a pleasure to share this incredible heritage with someone who appreciates its depth as much as you do. We hope to welcome you back for another dive into the past sometime soon!

B
Bob_R
September 16, 2025
Great guide to educate us on Split.

Gythe (and dog Mala) was very knowledgeable about the history of Split. We also weee exposed to local life, including the green market! Love those mandarin oranges. Thanks Gythe.

Operator response

Thank you so much — Mala (Malena) is wagging her tail in agreement! 😊 We’re thrilled you enjoyed the tour (and the mandarin oranges... nature’s candy, right?). Exploring Split’s history and squeezing in a bit of local flavor at the green market is the perfect combo. Come back anytime — we’ll save you some fruit and a spot next to Mal(en)a!

S
Sara_B
September 15, 2025
Outstanding tour with Matt

Informative and brilliant overview of region and palace grounds. Matt gave an excellent tour for our family, sharing history, culture, travel tips, and more.

Operator response

Dear Sara, thank you so much for your kind words! We are thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the tour and found it both informative and engaging. It was a real pleasure showing you around and sharing the rich history and culture of the region. Wishing you all the best in your future travels – and hope to see you again sometime!

R
Rita_R
September 13, 2025
Natasa - Amazing local...

Natasa - Amazing local knowledge. Great pace. Connected us with a wonderful lunch experience afterwards

Operator response

Thank you, Rita. All the best!

S
sugravi265
September 3, 2025
Highly recommend

Amazing guide. His food recommendations for Split and all of Croatia were phenomenal. would recommend to anyone looking for short beautiful tour of Split area.

Operator response

Dear Suganthi, thank you for kind feedback. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed your tour and our Dalmatian cuisine ;)

M
Max_P
September 1, 2025
Great Experience!

This was an excellent tour! Our guide was on time, extremely knowledgeable and friendly. He was flexible and tailored the tour to our interests and schedule. There was no rushing but he was very efficient in packing in as much as possible. We highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Split and interested in learning about its history!

Operator response

Thank you very much, Max, for touring with us! We hope to see you some time in our beautiful country again! :)

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