Peristyle Square (Peristil)

Walk under Italian marble columns that frame the monumental entrance to the imperial Vestibul, a cavernous open dome above the ground floor passageway, and traverse the foyer that leads into the emperor's residential quarters. Explore the adjoining St. Domnius Cathedral, housed in an octagonal structure that was once the emperor’s mausoleum—an ironic end to a man who persecuted Christians. Explore the square as part part of greater Split on a half-day or full-day walking tour.

• Peristyle Square is suitable for solo travelers, couples, and families.

• Walking tours of Split usually require a moderate amount of walking.

• Due to uneven surfaces, walking tours are not recommended for those with walking disabilities or who use a wheelchair.

Peristyle Square in the heart of Split is about a 7-minute walk from Split’s main ferry terminal. Central Split is compact and easily navigable on foot and has limited public transportation.

PeristyleSquare hosts events throughout the year, most notably during the Split Summer Festival when the square transforms into an open-air opera theater. Go in the mornings for traditional klapa band performances in the Vestibule where the acoustics are pitch-perfect. The best time to visit Split is September and October when tourist crowds have dispersed, but the Adriatic Sea is still warm enough for a dip.

Roman emperor Diocletian (284 to 305) was an aficionado of all things Egyptian. He was so taken by the granite sphinxes of Luxor (circa 1,500 BC) that he brought over more than a dozen. Three sphinxes remain today in Split. One can be seen at Peristyle Square; the second (headless) stands guard at the entrance of Jupiter's Temple; and the third is displayed at Split Archaeological Museum.