Cathedral of St Domnius bell tower

The climb and the view

The slender Romanesque bell tower rises straight out of Diocletian’s Palace, and from the top you get what is comfortably the best view in Split — the terracotta tangle of old-town roofs, the Riva promenade and the harbour with the islands beyond. Getting up there is the price of admission, literally and physically. The stairwell is steep and narrow, and the upper flights are open metal steps that feel airy and exposed; if you have vertigo or shaky knees, this is the honest moment to decide it isn’t for you. There is no lift, and the same tight stairs carry traffic both ways, so it can become a slow shuffle when it’s busy.

Entry is usually bundled into a combined cathedral ticket from about €10, covering the cathedral interior and crypt as well as the climb — though ticket combinations change, so check the official site for the current options and prices before you go.

Timing it right

The single most useful thing to know is go early. Split’s old town is a fixture on cruise-ship itineraries, and from mid-morning the lanes and the cathedral fill with day-trippers, turning the narrow tower into a hot, congested climb. By the middle of the day the open stairwell bakes in the Dalmatian sun, which is genuinely unpleasant on the way up. Arrive close to opening and you get cooler stone, room on the steps and cleaner light across the roofs.

Allow around 45 minutes to an hour for the climb, the view and a look at the tiny, ancient cathedral below — once Diocletian’s mausoleum, now one of the oldest cathedral buildings still in use. Is it worth it? For the view, yes — provided the open stairs don’t faze you. If they do, the palace itself, free to wander, still delivers plenty without the climb.