Split

Not a palace you visit but a whole living quarter you wander — the emperor Diocletian's vast 4th-century retirement complex, its Roman walls, gates, temples and colonnades now woven through with homes, cafés and shops. A UNESCO wonder and utterly unique; just lose yourself in the marble labyrinth.

The world's oldest cathedral still in use, ingeniously converted from the emperor's octagonal mausoleum — a tiny, ornate interior, and a slender Romanesque bell tower you climb for the best view over the palace rooftops and out to the islands. Small but remarkable; brave the steep tower for the panorama.

Split's grand palm-lined seafront promenade, running along the sunlit south wall of the palace — the city's living room, where everyone strolls, sips coffee and watches the ferries come and go. Come for the evening passeggiata and a drink as the sun sets over the harbour; the beating heart of Split life.

The pine-covered hill rising above the city — the locals' beloved park, laced with walking and cycling trails, tiny hermit chapels and lookouts with sweeping views over the red roofs, the sea and the islands. Climb the steps from Varoš for the classic panorama, then explore the forest paths and hidden coves.

The monumental colonnaded courtyard at the centre of the palace, where the emperor once appeared to his subjects — flanked by a sphinx brought from Egypt and the cathedral steps, and now a café-strewn stage where you sip a drink among 1,700-year-old columns. The atmospheric heart of the palace; magical when lit at night.

Split's famous sandy city beach — a rare sandy strand on this pebbly coast, shallow enough to walk far out, and the birthplace of picigin, the local game of splashily keeping a small ball off the water. Join in, or just swim and sunbathe a stroll from the old town; buzzing all summer, day and night.

The vast, atmospheric Roman cellars beneath the palace — a cavernous network of stone halls that once supported the emperor's apartments, now hosting craft stalls and (as fans will know) the throne room and dragon-dungeon of Daenerys in Game of Thrones. Cool, evocative and easy; a quick descent into the ancient underbelly.

A dramatic medieval fortress straddling a rocky pass in the hills just above the city, guarding the route inland for two thousand years — ramparts to roam, a fierce history against the Ottomans, and (yes) more Game of Thrones locations, with a stunning view down over Split and the sea. A quick bus up; wild and windswept.

The Adriatic on a plate — grilled fresh fish and octopus, black cuttlefish risotto, and the slow-cooked meat-and-veg 'peka' baked under a bell of coals, with a crisp local white. Eat it in a stone-walled konoba in the palace back-lanes; hearty, sea-fresh and delicious, and cheaper than the coast's resort towns.

The seafront villa and gardens of Ivan Meštrović, Croatia's greatest sculptor, on the Marjan side — a superb collection of his powerful bronze and stone figures in the home he designed, with sea views. A calm, cultured pause west of the centre, and a lovely spot; pair it with the nearby Kaštelet chapel of his carvings.

Beyond the palace walls, the old town spills into lovely stone squares — the Pjaca (Narodni trg) with its clock tower and cafés, the atmospheric Fruit Square with its Meštrović statue, and a maze of marble lanes full of bars and shops. Wander them with a coffee or a glass of wine; the social stage of the city.

The loveliest beach near the city — a pebbly cove tucked under the pine slopes of Marjan on the western side, with clear water, a cool beach bar and a more laid-back feel than busy Bačvice. A short bus or a walk round the hill; the place for a proper swim and a sundowner away from the crowds.

Split's nightlife concentrates in the multi-level 'bačvice' complex right by the beach — a warren of bars and clubs that go till dawn in summer, plus the old-town's cocktail bars in the palace lanes. Start with a sundowner on the Riva, then head to the beach clubs; lively and unpretentious.

The open-air market pressed against the eastern palace wall — a colourful, chaotic sprawl of fruit, vegetables, flowers, cheese, olive oil and local honey where Split does its shopping. Come in the morning for the buzz, the seasonal produce and a cheap, authentic slice of everyday Dalmatian life.

The old fishermen's district of tightly packed stone houses climbing the slope west of the centre — narrow, quiet lanes, tiny churches, cats and washing lines, and a handful of the city's best traditional konobas. A lovely, atmospheric wander a few steps from the tourist crowds; the real, lived-in Split.