Do Split in the right sequence
1. Start with Diocletian's Palace before breakfast crowds build. The palace is an inhabited district, not a single ticketed monument: its gates, lanes and Peristyle are free to enter at any hour. Give it 60 to 90 minutes for the route from the Golden Gate through Peristyle to the Riva. Then choose one paid interior, such as the substructures or cathedral complex, rather than trying to treat every doorway as an attraction. Opening times and tickets for individual sites vary.
2. Climb the bell tower only if heights and narrow steps are fine. The view is good, but this is a short, steep add-on rather than an essential stop. Follow it with the Riva and the market by the eastern palace gate, which makes a logical, level route. For lunch nearby, use the Split food guide rather than settling for the nearest menu in the palace lanes.
3. Use Marjan for a half-day reset. Walk west from the Riva toward the hill and allow at least two hours if you want viewpoints and a swim stop. The paths are exposed in places, so go early in hot weather and take water. It is a better choice than a beach-only afternoon if you have already spent the morning in stone alleys.
4. Treat the islands as a full-day commitment. Split's ferry port makes Hvar, Brač and other islands accessible, but the schedule, port transfer and return cut-off matter more than the map distance. Buy from the official operator, check the same-day timetable and do not book an overnight room assuming the last catamaran will wait. If an early departure is likely, choose a base using where to stay in Split.