A Day in the Dalmatian Hinterlands: Guided Tour from Split, Croatia

Trip overview

I love history, and Croatia is a part of Europe that was rarely mentioned in any of my history classes. We signed up for a guided tour of the nearby area to learn more. Our guide met us at our hotel in the morning and off we went!

Klis Fortress

Our first stop was the Klis Fortress, the seat of Croatian kings and later a major source of defense against the Ottoman Empire. The view of Split and the Adriatic from the top of the Klis Fortress is breathtaking, and helped me appreciate the strategic importance of the city throughout the centuries. As a history geek, I particularly enjoyed exploring the collections of uniforms and weaponry.

If you have a car, the fortress is about a 20 minute drive from Split. The site requires a good amount of walking, and I would not recommend it for those with any mobility issues.

Olive oil tasting & tour

The next stop was for a leisurely lunch and an olive oil tasting at Stella Croatica, topped off with some delicious, locally made sweets.

Afterwards, we toured the impressive Mediterranean botanical garden, with hundreds of different plant species. If you visit on your own, a tour of the “olive museum” is included in your ticket for the Klis Fortress.

Sinj

Our last stop was the charming town of Sinj. We visited the Church of the Miraculous Madonna of Sinj, built in the early 1700s, and the Alka Museum.

Alka Museum of Sinj

The Alka knightly tournament has been held in Sinj since 1725, and this award-winning small museum is dedicated to this 300 year-old sporting event. We watched several videos of the competitions in recent years, giving us a sense of the community spirit that goes into the tournament—it made me want to come back for the event itself!

The museum included life-sized displays of the knightly parade preceding the competition, including a display of the uniforms, livery, and equipment worn by the horses and competitors. Building on our visit to the Klis Fortress, the museum enhanced my understanding of the history of the region.

Church of the Miraculous Madonna of Sinj

• We learned from our guide that Croatian students study English every year of their schooling, which explains why it was so easy for us to have in-depth conversations with the local residents. Our day spent with a local guide helped us really get a sense of the place and the people.

• I would not recommend the Klis Fortress to anyone with mobility challenges.

• While we took a guided tour, travelers who have a car would have no trouble finding these locations, all less than an hour drive from Split.

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Croatia page.