Croatia 2013

On of the key issues, for backpackers and other younger people visiting Split, is of course to find out what kind of Nightlife Split has to offer?

So here is my version of how a good evening program could look like, at the end of my tour you can find a map of the locations I have mentioned as well as a price guide and some links to some very very nice pictures from the different clubs.

Nightlife tour:

After finishing dinner, I would go down to the Riva and have a drink in one of the numerous coffee bars along the Riva, my personal recommendation would be ST – Riva

ST-Riva: Is situated on water side of the Diocletian Palace, like all other bars ST-Riva has tables and chairs on the Riva, but the real charm of the place is to get a seat at the first floor balcony overlooking the Riva.

At around 10 PM I would move in to the palace where the following places can be recommended

Gaga: in one of the small streets leading from the piazza square, you find the bar Gaga, Gaga is as you will see, not very big, but extremely popular in the summer season. If you want a place to sit and enjoy a cocktail from the outdoor bar, you should arrive no later then 11 PM.

Red room: in the northern part of the old town on a large square you find the bar Red room, once you enter the bar, you will know why it is called red room. Red room and the other bars situated at the square, have furnished the square with living room chairs, so if you are looking for a comfortable sit, while enjoying a beer or cocktail, this is the place to go.

Luxor: how does this sound? You sit in the centre of the old town on the Peristil square and enjoy a glass of red wine while listening to some of Splits best young musicians, if that is how you like to spend your evening, Luxor is for sure the place to go.

Puls: Less the 100 meters from the Riva you will find maybe the most popular area for the early evening hours, the 3 bars Puls, Fluid and Ghetto, especially the narrow street in front of them, is packed almost every evening during summer. When you head to the area from the Riva, the first bar you will find is Puls, the charm of the place is the small tables and chairs placed on the stairs outside of the bar.

Fluid: If you manage to move up the stairs in front of Puls, you will end at fluid which is a very small bar. The outside area is limited to 6 or 8 small tables and lots of people standing, what you should do, is to stick your head inside and check out the round room, which is built into the palace wall.

Ghetto: A few meters after Fluid, you find the place Ghetto which if situated in a courtyard, where live bands often are playing, the audience, the music and the interior design of Ghetto gives the place an atmosphere like an underground club.

I you still are up for party after midnight, it is time to move on to one of Splits discotheques, best time to go is around 1 AM.

Vanilla Club: Is situated behind the Poljud Stadium which is a 20 minutes walk or 5 minutes drive in a taxi from the old town, Vanilla is a popular place, which is often packed during the summer month, but do to the large terrace you can always find a corner where you can enjoy a cocktail. Live music acts, mostly by local artist, several times a week

• Capacity: 2000 people.
• Audience: 20+, you have to be relatively well dressed, don’t expect to get in wearing beach clothes.
• Entrance fee:  if there is live music you will have to pay entrance fee around 30 to 50 kuna.

You can see program for upcoming event on Vanilla clubs homepage

Hemingway Split: Is the Split branch of the Hemingway clubs, which also can be found in Zagreb, Opatija and Rijeka, the place is the most exclusive club you can find in Split, the outside area, which is directly at the water, was complete renovated a few years ago and now include outside VIP lounges and the longest bar in Split. During summer month you have international artists (bands and Dj’s) on the program several times a week.

• Capacity: around 2000 people
• Audience: 20+, you have to be relatively well dressed, don’t expect to get in wearing beach clothes.
• Entrance fee:  if there is live music you will have to pay entrance fee around 30 to 50 kuna.

You can see program for upcoming event on Hemingway’s homepage

Bačvice bar: If you spend a day on the Bačvice beach you might notice the buildings on the left side of the beach, in the evening this place turns in to a party “mile”, one of the most popular places, especially among the younger audience, is the Club Bačvice, here you have techno beats and cave dancers to speed up the party.

• Capacity: around 500 people – bar is not in a closed area.
• Audience: 18-25, older people are of course also welcome.
• Entrance fee:  Normally no fee

Tropic: the round building which you can see from the beach, turns in to the tropic bar in the late evening hours. The place is relative small and has no outside area, so expect the place to be full from around midnight.

• Capacity: around 500 people.
• Audience: 20+, again here you might not get in if you are wearing beach clothes.
• Entrance fee: As far as I know, there is no entrance fee.

O’Hara: If you are more in to Rock music, you would have to go to O’hara the place is situated in the second bay after Bačvice, it would take you about 15-20 min. to walk there, taxi is around 40 kuna from the Riva. In the summer you have live bands and DJ’s playing.

• Capacity: around 1000 people
• Audience: 20+, normally no dress code
• Entrance fee: 10 kuna on normal nights, if there is live music you will have to pay 20 – 40 kuna.

You can see program for upcoming event on O’hara homepage

Other things you need to know for your Split nightlife tour:

Map: on the map below you can find all the bars and discotheques mentioned above, if you need taxi to move around between the clubs you should call +38521970, they have English speaking radio operators. Remember always to ask for price before jumping in the taxi, as you see I have marked several taxi stations on the map, use the closed!

Prices: he is rough indication of the drink prices for your budget planning:

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Pictures: All the pictures you see above, I have borrowed from a friend of mine who runs a portal about the nightlife in Split, unfortunately page is currently only available on Croatian, but there is some very nice picture galleries from most of the above mentioned bars, which you can see here.

• Picture gallery Hemingway Split
• Picture gallery Vanilla club
• Picture gallery O’hara
• Picture gallery Gaga
• Picture gallery Club Bačvice
• Picture gallery ST riva
• Picture gallery Tropic club

Hope our small guide, will help you find your way around in Split by night!

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