What to See in Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia

Split-Dalmatia County is the vibrant heart of Croatia’s Adriatic coast, named after the ancient Dalmatae tribe and shaped by Roman heritage, rugged mountains, scattered islands and a bustling coastal strip. It offers a mix of historic sites, natural landscapes and lively towns that together show why the region is Croatia’s fastest‑growing destination. Neywo provides a free audio guide for the county, covering 6 cities, 113 narrated places and 7 walking tours that play automatically as you reach each spot, letting you explore at your own pace with no group and no schedule.

Exploring the region

Name and early history

The county takes its name from the Dalmatae, an Illyrian tribe that lived along the eastern Adriatic in the first millennium BC. After their revolt was suppressed in 9 AD, the Romans created the province of Dalmatia, which stretched inland across the Dinaric Alps and along much of the eastern Adriatic shore.

Diocletian’s Palace

Emperor Diocletian, born in Dalmatia, built his monumental palace at the core of what is now Split. Today the palace remains a vivid link between modern Split‑Dalmatia County and its Roman past, forming the historic centre of the county’s largest city.

Geography: hinterland, coast and islands

The region divides into three distinct zones. The Dalmatian hinterland, known as Dalmatinska zagora, is an elevated area marked by numerous karst fields. A narrow coastal strip follows the sea, where most of the population lives. Beyond the coast lie the islands of Brač, Hvar and Vis, whose settlements are smaller due to high emigration but retain an urban character. Mountains such as Dinara and sections of the Dinaric Alps form the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, while Kozjak, Mosor and Biokovo separate the coast from the hinterland.

Modern character

Split‑Dalmatia County is described as Croatia’s most rapidly urbanising and developing region, with economic opportunities and living standards comparable to Zagreb and Istria County. Tourism now drives the local economy, alongside agriculture, manufacturing and fishing; before privatisation and EU accession, shipbuilding was a notable industry. The county is linked to the rest of Croatia by a four‑lane highway from Split through Zadar and Karlovac to Zagreb, the Lika railway and Split Airport, the busiest airport in the region.

Towns and cities on Neywo

• Bol – on the island of Brač, features the Galerija umjetnina Branislav Dešković, the Crkva Sv. Vida, the Cross on Vidova gora and scenes of local fishermen.
• Hvar – offers the Hvar Cathedral, Napoleon Fortress, the Španjola Fortress and other sites that reflect the town’s layered history.
• Makarska – highlights include the Spomenik revolucije, the Makarska Co‑catedral and the Queen of Peace parish church.
• Omiš – centres on the crkva svetog Petra and the Mirabella Fortress overlooking the Cetina river.
• Split – beyond Diocletian’s Palace, the audio guide points to Fortress Gripe, the Cathedral of Saint Domnius and the crkva Gospe od Dobrića.
• Trogir – presents the Trogir Cathedral, Ćipiko Palace, Kamerlengo Castle and the Church of St. Barbara.

Each of these locations is covered by Neywo’s narrated stories, which you can trigger simply by walking up to the site.

Explore with Neywo

Download the free Neywo app and choose one of the seven walking tours available for Split‑Dalmatia County. As you move through the streets of Bol, Hvar, Makarska, Omiš, Split or Trogir, the app tells the story of each place exactly when you reach it, letting you set your own pace without a guide or a fixed schedule. With narration in eleven languages and 113 total stops across the county’s cities, Neywo turns every stroll into a personal discovery of the region’s Roman roots, natural contrasts and lively towns.

For more information about Croatia as a whole, see the Croatia country page.

Bol
Hvar
Makarska
Omiš
Split
Trogir