Old Town / Diocletian's Palace

The Old Town is Split's Roman palace core where people live inside the walls. Safe, walkable, busy atmosphere from morning through late evening. Lots of cafes and restaurants. Watch for pickpockets in summer crowds.

The Old Town sits inside a 1,700-year-old Roman palace where about 3,000 people live and work. They've converted Roman chambers into apartments and cafes, which creates an odd mix of UNESCO site and functioning neighborhood. Peristyle square fills up from morning through late evening - tourists taking photos, locals getting coffee, street performers, everyone sitting on old temple steps. The marble streets are pedestrian-only, so you walk through a maze of shops, restaurants, and ruins. Sitting alone at cafes is common here - you'll see women with books or laptops. Restaurant staff speak English since they deal with international tourists year-round. The area stays busy with foot traffic, has decent lighting, and tourist police around. After dark it thins out but main squares and the Riva stay active past midnight. Pickpocketing happens in crowded spots during peak summer - watch your bag. The palace layout is confusing at first but you're never far from the waterfront or a main gate.