Diocletian’s Palace and the old town

Approaching Split via the coastal D8, the city comes into focus about 25 km after Resnik Airport, between Mount Mosor (1,339 m) and the Adriatic. The drive skirts Kaštela Bay and drops you by the southern access to the ancient core, where 4th‑century stones of Diocletian’s Palace touch medieval facades. In the Peristyle, Egyptian granite columns still line the court; below, the substructures mirror the footprint of the emperor’s private apartments. To the north, the Golden Gate anchors the old Cardo, while the Riva, reshaped under Austro‑Hungarian works in the 19th century, frames the waterfront.

From there, it’s seamless: hotel pickup, a Mercedes at your disposal, and a pace set by you. While you taste a warm slice of soparnik at Pazar, your driver keeps the car close and glides along the Riva to drop you by the Peristyle for near‑door access to the pedestrian zone; a French‑ or English‑speaking guide can join on request. In Split, your private chauffeur times the Saint Domnius bell tower climb to avoid queues, waits during visits, then loops to the Silver Gate for a final espresso under the palms.