After experiencing a free tour in London with Strawberry Tours, I knew I had to check to see if Split was also an available destination! And just our luck, it was! In fact, there are multiple Croatian city tours available, allowing you to explore more of the country if you have a longer stay. Our stay was on the shorter end, although that just meant every moment would be precious and spent accordingly – as all trips Leena and I plan for are!
Split was beautiful. From the cobblestoned Old Town to the panoramic views from the top of Marjan Hill. The city looked picturesque with its clear waters surrounding the harbor and sky. It’s a destination that grew on me within the short amount of time we spent exploring the city, and for that reason, it’ll have to go on the list of places I would re-explore.
Once again, here’s everything you need to know about booking a free Split tour, and beyond!
All about Strawberry Tours
Strawberry Tours is a travel company specializing in free walking tours and guided city experiences worldwide. They operate as a “free” walking tour service, although participants typically tip the guide at the end based on their experience and as a token of appreciation for their service. Some may argue this isn’t truly free, although, for the time and effort these local-based guides are taking to volunteer their expertise, it most certainly is worth it.
The company’s main focus is to bring people together and to share local gems. You will find tours geared towards local history, culture, and popular landmarks – providing any traveler with an overall wholesome experience. The walking tours will also vary in duration, based on number of people, weather changes, etc.
P.s. Unfortunately, I am not paid for any recommendations I provide on my blog, simply sharing for the sake of sharing and love for making travel accessible for all!
Walking tour attractions
Much of the Old Town of Split is actually built directly inside and around the walls of Diocletian’s Palace – a massive fortress-palace constructed by the Roman Emperor Diocletian at the turn of the 4th century AD. The tour highlighted many of the structures and history of the palace, so much of the tour will be walking around this area.
The attractions we visited included:
- St Domnius Cathedral
- The Peristyle
- Diocletian’s Palace
- Jupiter’s Temple
- People’s Square
- Golden Gate
- Statue of Gregory of Nin
- Waterfront
For a better visual of all the landmarks, where they are located within the city, and further information, I recommend checking out the tour link here.
The experience
Overall, I’d say our experience was a solid 9/10, only because there was a delay to the start of our tour. Our tour started around 2pm, and by that time the sun was starting to feel more intense. Luckily, the tour was well-paced and we would frequently find shaded areas within the palace walls. If your tour guide is generous enough like ours, they may even extend your tour experience. Our tour guide, Ana, was very knowledgeable about the history of Split. She would occasionally make dramatic sound effects to accentuate her storytelling, and it made the experience quite entertaining. Ana also shared recommendations for local cuisines, along with reminders to enjoy the calm and relaxing culture. It was giving me “ladies of leisure” – and indeed that is who we are.
Recommendations
- Wear comfortable shoes and layer up on sunscreen (if your visit is during the warmer season)!
- Bring liquids.
- Tipping the tour guide after the tour is highly recommended.
As always, happy travels!
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