Exploring Split and Beyond with the 48-hour City Sightseeing Pass

When visiting Split, we wanted to make the most of our time without rushing from one place to another. The 48-hour City Sightseeing Split Pass turned out to be a great way to do just that. It included both city and regional tours, giving a good balance between history, local life and sightseeing.

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For those unfamiliar, City Sightseeing is a well-known open-top sightseeing bus operator that runs tours in over 130 cities worldwide. Along with their popular bus tours, they also offer boat tours, sightseeing train tours and guided walking tours, giving travellers a flexible way to see the best of each destination.

We used the City Sightseeing 48-hour pass, starting with the hop-on-hop-off bus and Old Town walking tour on Day 1, followed by the Blue Line (Big Historical Tour) on Day 2.

We were staying at Hotel Ambasador, and the meeting point for the tours was just a 10-15 minute walk from the hotel, which made things easy.

Day 1: Getting to Know Split

We began our day around 10 am with the hop-on-hop-off bus tour. It turned out to be a great way to get a feel for the city. The commentary was clear and informative, giving us interesting facts and stories about Split’s main sights.

We didn’t get down at any of the stops as we mainly wanted an overview of the city, and this tour gave us exactly that. Here are the main stops along the route:

1. Riva Promenade

The tour begins at the lively Riva, Split’s waterfront promenade lined with cafés, restaurants, and palm trees. This is also where the free guided walking tour of Diocletian’s Palace starts - included with your ticket. It’s a good place to grab a coffee before you begin.

2. Bačvice - Sandy Beach

Next is Bačvice, the city’s most popular sandy beach. It’s known for its shallow waters, lively beach bars, and the local ball game Picigin, which locals play in the sea.

3. Gripe Sport Centre & Maritime Museum

This stop highlights Split’s sporting history. The Gripe Fortress houses the Maritime Museum, which covers Croatia’s seafaring past and offers nice views of the city and port.

4. Archaeological Museum

A must for history lovers. The Archaeological Museum is the oldest in Croatia and displays artefacts from Greek, Roman, and early Christian periods, giving a real sense of the region’s ancient past.

5. Football Stadium “Poljud”

Home to Hajduk Split, one of Croatia’s most loved football clubs. You can take a short stadium tour, visit the trophy room, and learn about the club’s long history. Just note that it’s closed on match days.

 

6. Meštrović Gallery

Dedicated to Croatia’s famous sculptor Ivan Meštrović, this gallery showcases his works in what was once his family home. The stop also gives access to nearby Marjan Hill, Kašjuni Beach, and Sustipan, a peaceful park with beautiful coastal views.

7. St. Francis Church

The final stop brings you along Split’s scenic West Coast, ending near St. Francis Church and the charming Veli Varoš neighbourhood, known for its small streets and traditional taverns. 

From here, the bus loops back towards the Riva and National Theatre (pictured below), passing by Marmont Street, the main shopping area.

The hop-on-hop-off tour lasted a little over an hour and dropped us back at the starting point, where we joined the guided walking tour of the Old Town.

Walking Tour of Split Old Town

The Split Walking Tour is included in the 48-hour pass and runs several times a day in English. Our tour lasted about an hour and covered all the key historical and architectural landmarks in the Old Town.

Our guide was knowledgeable and friendly, sharing interesting stories about each place. It was fascinating to learn that Emperor Diocletian built his luxurious retirement villa here in 305 AD, and that today this ancient palace forms the heart of modern Split.

The tour took us through Diocletian’s Palace (pictured above), Peristil Square, St. Domnius Cathedral and past the famous Gregory of Nin Statue (pictured below), where we joined others in rubbing its big toe for good luck. We finished at the lively Riva waterfront.

The mix of old and new was what made it so special. You can walk through a 4th-century Roman basement and then come out to cafés, shops and street performers. 

After the tour ended, we revisited some of the spots we found most interesting and then spent more time exploring the narrow stone streets, soaking in the local charm.

Day 2: Blue Line - Big Historical Tour

The Blue Line Tour started early at 8:45 am and lasted the whole day. It covered several fascinating stops - Trogir, Salona, Stella Croatica, the Hidden Dalmatia Multimedia Centre, and Klis Fortress.

We felt that the tour made excellent use of time. Each stop was well planned, giving us enough time to explore without feeling rushed.

Trogir

Our first stop was Trogir, a small but incredibly charming town and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Despite its size, it’s packed with history and beautiful architecture. Walking through its maze of narrow stone streets felt like stepping back in time. The town is full of Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance buildings, all blending perfectly together.

We found Trogir very interesting and full of character. It’s one of those places that deserves more time, and that is why we decided to revisit it and spend a couple of nights later on during our trip.

Salona

Next was Salona, once the capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia. 

The ruins here are spread out, with remains of the amphitheatre, basilicas, and old city walls. Even though much of it is in ruins, you can still imagine how grand it must have been in Roman times. The site is peaceful and open, surrounded by greenery, making it a pleasant stop for history lovers. This reminded us of the ruins we saw in the ancient city of Perge in Antalya.

Stella Croatica

From ancient ruins to something much more modern, our next stop was Stella Croatica, a family-run estate that celebrates local food, crafts and traditions.

We enjoyed sampling their handmade products - olive oils, fig and prune cakes, candied lemon and orange peels - and also had a chance to try their natural skincare range made with lavender and immortelle.

The place is beautifully set up, and you can tell a lot of thought has gone into how everything is presented. It was an interesting stop of the day - a nice mix of learning, tasting, and shopping.

Hidden Dalmatia Multimedia Centre

This was a short stop but quite interesting. It offers a virtual reality experience that showcases the region’s cultural and natural heritage. It tied together the day’s experiences quite well, giving context to the history and sights we’d seen.

Klis Fortress

The highlight of the day was Klis Fortress. 

The climb up the hill rewarded us with incredible views of Split and the nearby islands. The guide was very engaging and shared a lot of interesting details about the fortress - from its strategic importance in defending against Ottoman invasions to its more recent fame as a filming location for Game of Thrones.

There’s something special about standing on those ancient stone walls and imagining the events that took place there centuries ago. 

Klis was one of our favourite stops and definitely worth visiting.

Final Thoughts

The 48-hour City Sightseeing Pass turned out to be a very convenient way to explore Split and the nearby attractions without having to plan too much in advance. It covered both the main sights in town and some of the most interesting places just outside the city. The mix of bus and guided tours made it easy to see a lot in a short time.

The Blue Line Tour was well organised and made excellent use of the time on hand. Each stop offered something unique - history, culture, food, and scenery. For us, Trogir, Stella Croatica, and Klis Fortress stood out the most.

The Red Line Tour (hop-on-hop-off) combined with the Old Town walking tour gave a very good overview of Split.

Overall, the 48-hour pass is a convenient and enjoyable way to see the best of Split and the surrounding areas without having to plan separate day trips. It gave us a good mix of local experiences and made our time in Split feel complete.

Practical Information

Departure Point for all tours: Obala Lazareta 3, Split (near the port)

Blue Line Tour Stops:
Trogir, Salona, Stella Croatica Olive Museum, Hidden Dalmatia Multimedia Centre, Klis Fortress.
Departure Time: 8:45 am (from the main meeting point near the Riva)
Tour Duration: Around 8 hours.
Languages: Live guide in English, with audio commentary in 10 languages.
Entrance Fees: Not included.
Tip: Start early, wear comfortable shoes, and carry water and snacks. 

Red Line - hop-on-hop-off City Tour
Departure Times: 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 14:00, 15:30 and 17:00
Route Highlights: Archaeological Museum Split, Marjan Hill, Ivan Meštrović Gallery, Bačvice Beach, Riva Promenade and Old Town Split.
Entrance Fees: Not included.
Tour Highlights: Audio guide in 10 languages, free Wi-Fi onboard, English-speaking tour leader.

How to Buy the 48-hour Pass

You can buy or activate the pass directly from the Apodos stand located on the Riva promenade, close to the main pickup point for the tours. It’s also available to book online through their website or partner tour platforms. Once purchased, the pass is valid for 48 hours from first use, so you can spread your tours across two days as we did.

Staff at the stand were friendly and helpful, explaining the different routes and timings, which made it easy to plan our days.

I will conclude by saying that for first time visitors, the  48-hour pass is a great way to get familiar with Split’s history, layout, and local culture. It gives you the freedom to hop on and off, join guided tours, and explore at your own pace. Whether you love history, pretty coastal views, or just want a relaxed way to see the highlights, this pass is well worth considering.