Split for the Nightlife Lovers

Split Croatia has a thriving nightlife and party scene, set against the backdrop of historic architecture and warm sunny beaches. In summer months, pub crawls happen every night of the week, and locals and tourists alike party until dawn. If you want to get a taste of the nightlife in Split, here are some things not to be missed:

What to drink

Wine. Croatians are rightly proud of their local wines, and enjoy them liberally. Situated just across the Adriatic Sea from Italy, Croatia has the perfect climate for wine. The varietals are genetically similar to better-known European grapes, but with some more difficult Croatian names.

• Plavac Mali is the favored red wine of Croatia, grown along the Dalmatian coast near Split, and is very similar to a zinfandel.
• Pošip is a crisp, full-bodied white wine that once was only grown on the island of Korčula, but is now cultivated more widely in Dalmatia.
• Malvazija Istarska is a refreshing white wine, sometimes called Malvasia Istriana due to the similarity to Italian Malvasia varietals.
• Croatians often mix wine with water, and it’s ordered as “spritzer” (wine and soda water), “gemist” (wine and mineral water), and “bevanda” (wine with a splash of tap water).

Beer. Of course you would be remiss to not try the local beers. Ožujsko beer is the oldest beer in Croatia, first brewed in 1697, Tomislav is the local dark beer, and Hajducko is the partner beer of beloved Split football club Hajduk.

Rakija. Rakija is a very strong Croatian fruit brandy, often homemade, and is particularly favored before meals as an apertif, or for slow sipping afterward. Varieties of rakija include “sljivovica” (plum brandy), “travarica” (herb brandy), and “viliamovka” (a special pear brandy). These are typically about 40% alcohol, so enjoy them with caution.

Where to go

Locals typically start a night out in the old town at around 9 or 10 pm, gradually moving toward the late-night clubs on the beach. Tourists often start and end a night out on the beach, moving from club to club, scene to scene, terrace to terrace.

ST- RIVA. Located on the city walls, ST- RIVA is a favorite spot to start the night out, with sublime views and a relaxed atmosphere. At ST- RIVA, evening coffee gradually transitions into cocktails before locals seek out a livelier spot.

Quasimodo. Quasimodo is a very small club, improbably located in an office building just outside the old town, and extremely popular. Part dance club, part bar, part indie music venue, Quasimodo becomes a youth hostel during the height of tourist season. The rest of the year, it hosts alt bands, DJs, quiz nights, standup comedy, and spoken word performances, and is a favorite for locals and tourists of all ages.

Split Circus Monty Python. This tiny club is open year round and has outdoor seating. Besides featuring young, up-and-coming local bands, they also have listening nights that feature jazz and other genres. It’s a popular night spot near Bačvice, particularly for their Christmas festivities.

Make sure you check out these places

If you’ve spent the day on Bačvice beach, then you should spend the night there as well. In the evenings, the beach is transformed into a “party mile” with clubs just meters from the ocean, featuring everything from the latest techno beats to Croatian alt-rock to jazz music. As the clubs in the old town close down around midnight, partiers gradually move toward the beach and keep going until the early hours.

While much of the night life scene in Split is focused on warm summer nights and tourist party spots, students and locals of all ages keep the late night scene active all year long, so there is no bad time to visit Split and let your inner party animal come out to dance.