The nucleus of Split’s compact Old Town, the palace is not only the world’s most complete, best preserved Roman palace ruin, but also was an important inspiration for the neoclassical architecture movement that took hold in Europe beginning in the 18th century. No new construction has been allowed within this seven-acre (three-hectare) rectangle (though some additions were made in the past, such as the Baroque Cindro Palace), and it is a truly extraordinary experience to stroll amid its architecture – alternately monumental and intimate – shoulder to shoulder with the locals who make it more than a mere museum. It’s no wonder this was one of the various locations along this coast that appeared in the hit TV series Game of Thrones (including Daenarys Targayen’s throne room and the streets of Meereen).

Highlights in here include the main plaza, the colonnade-flanked Peristil (check out the original Egyptian sphinx statue); the Temple of Jupiter; and the octagonal Cathedral of St. Domnius, built in the 7th century adapting the mausoleum of Diocletian (many of the mausoleum’s details remain, but the sarcophagus of the Christian-persecuting emperor was destroyed). The world’s oldest cathedral structure is a delightful mix of well-preserved classical Roman and later Romanesque; you can also climb the belltower for an inspiring view out over the old city as well as some of the newer city beyond.

Read more in my post A Split Decision is a Knockout.

Ballota