Diocletian's Palace
A Roman palace from AD 305 in which three thousand people still live.
Duration
2 hrs – 4 hrs
Best time
Early morning
Open
Every day
Entry price
Free
Diocletian had this palace built around 305 for his retirement — he is the only Roman emperor to have abdicated voluntarily. It is a military work as much as a residence: thirty-eight thousand square metres, twenty-metre walls, four gates.
In the seventh century, people from Salona fleeing invasion took refuge inside and never left: they built their houses in the courtyards and against the walls. Three thousand people still live there, and the palace is an inhabited quarter, not an archaeological site — you walk in freely, at any hour.
Getting there
In central Split, between the Riva and the market. Four gates give access, including the Golden Gate to the north.
Rules on site
The walled area is free and always open; only the cathedral, the bell tower and the cellars are ticketed. It is a lived-in quarter: keep your voice down in the lanes at night.
