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Licensed Dalmatian guides · Split, Croatia
Cruise ship docked at Split harbor with the old town and bell tower in view
Private 5 hours Most booked

Split & Trogir Private Shore Excursion

Two UNESCO gems, one private guide, zero stress about the ship

€310 per private group (up to 8) 5.0 (12 reviews)

This is the shore excursion built for cruise passengers who want their half-day ashore to feel like a vacation, not a logistics exercise. Your driver-guide is waiting at the Split cruise terminal exit with a name sign the moment you step off the ship — no phone calls, no hunting for a meeting point, no taxi haggling. From there it is a short walk into Diocletian's Palace, the only Roman palace on earth where people are still living, eating, and running shops inside the 1,700-year-old walls. Your guide walks you through the Peristyle, the Cathedral of St. Domnius, the basement chambers, and the quiet alleys the day-trip buses never reach, giving you the story behind every stone. Next comes a scenic 30-minute drive up the coast to Trogir, a UNESCO-listed medieval island town of Venetian palaces and honey-coloured limestone. You cross the little bridge onto the island, wander past the Cathedral of St. Lawrence with its legendary Radovan Portal, and then have free time for a coffee, an ice cream, or a last shopping stop along the waterfront. Because it is a private tour you control the rhythm — slower at the palace, more time for lunch, an extra photo stop — and because your guide knows the ship schedule better than you do, getting back on time is simply not something you have to think about.

Highlights

  • Private driver-guide meets you at the cruise terminal with a name sign
  • Walk Diocletian's Palace — the world's only living Roman palace
  • Cross into UNESCO Trogir and its 13th-century cathedral square
  • Fully flexible itinerary — shift the schedule to match your interests
  • Air-conditioned private vehicle for the whole excursion
  • Back at your ship well before all-aboard, every single time

Photo gallery

Peristyle square inside Diocletian's Palace with the bell tower of St. Domnius rising aboveAerial view of Trogir old town on its UNESCO-listed island surrounded by the AdriaticNarrow honey-coloured stone alley in medieval Trogir bathed in afternoon lightSilver Gate entrance to Diocletian's Palace with original Roman brickwork

Your day, hour by hour

  1. +00:00

    Pickup at Split cruise terminal

    Your guide is waiting at the terminal exit with a sign bearing your name. Walk straight to the vehicle — it is parked steps away.

  2. +00:15

    Diocletian's Palace walking tour

    Enter through one of the four Roman gates. Explore the Peristyle, Vestibule, Cathedral of St. Domnius, and the basement halls with commentary from your licensed guide.

  3. +02:00

    Free time in Split

    A short break on the Riva promenade, at a café on Narodni Trg, or for photos at the waterfront before the drive north.

  4. +02:30

    Scenic drive to Trogir

    A 30-minute coastal drive through Kaštela Bay, with views across the Adriatic to the islands of Čiovo and Brač.

  5. +03:00

    Trogir old town walk

    Cross the bridge onto the island, see the Cathedral of St. Lawrence and the Radovan Portal, walk the Kamerlengo fortress waterfront, and step into medieval squares.

  6. +04:15

    Free time in Trogir

    Coffee, lunch, ice cream, or last-minute shopping along Trogir's waterfront cafés and artisan shops.

  7. +05:00

    Return to cruise terminal

    Back at Split port with a comfortable buffer before your ship's all-aboard time.

What's included

  • Private air-conditioned vehicle for up to 8 passengers
  • Licensed English-speaking driver-guide
  • Guided walks in Split old town and Trogir
  • Dockside pickup and drop-off at Split cruise port
  • All taxes, fuel, tolls, and parking

Not included

  • Food and drinks
  • Optional cathedral or museum entry tickets
  • Gratuities for your guide

What to bring

  • Comfortable walking shoes — a lot of cobblestone and polished Roman stone
  • Cruise ship card for re-boarding at the terminal
  • Hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen between May and October
  • A camera or phone with space for a lot of photos
  • A little cash or a card for coffee, gelato, or souvenirs

Questions about this tour

Where exactly does my guide meet me at Split cruise port?
Right at the terminal exit. Your guide holds a sign with your family name and is in position before your ship finishes disembarking. If your ship uses the tender port in central Split instead of the main cruise terminal, the pickup adjusts automatically — we track which berth you are assigned.
Will I make it back to my ship before departure?
Yes. On-time return is the whole point of a shore excursion. Your guide monitors your ship's all-aboard time for the day and builds a safety buffer into every drive back. In over a decade of running this route we have never missed a sailing.
Is this tour private or will we share the vehicle?
Fully private. The €310 price covers your group only — up to 8 passengers in one air-conditioned van. No other guests, no fixed group schedule, no standing around waiting for strangers.
How is this different from the small-group Split & Trogir cruise tour?
Same two cities, very different experience. The small-group version runs at €72 per person on a fixed schedule with 10–14 other cruise guests. The private version runs at €310 for the whole group, gives you a dedicated vehicle and guide, and lets you shift the timing. Families, couples, and anyone with mobility preferences tend to prefer private.
Can you adjust the itinerary?
Yes. Tell the guide what matters most — more time in Diocletian's basement, skip the cathedral entry, add a quick lunch stop, focus on photography, slow down for older travellers — and the route flexes. That is the main reason people book private.
What if my ship arrives late or leaves the port early?
Send us the updated time as soon as you know it. We adjust meeting time, and if arrival is delayed by weather we adjust the itinerary to keep the highlights in and cut the padding. If your cruise line cancels the Split call entirely, you get a full refund through the Bokun booking.

More shore excursions from Split

Still deciding? Here are the other options, same dockside pickup and on-time return.