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Split is a party town. There is no denying that. There are bars everywhere, a decent number of which you should avoid. Whether that’s due to prices that are inflated for tourists and/or location or just bad service, you have to be careful. With that being said, there are also some really cool places to drink. It just so happens that the best places to drink in Split are in and around the old palace. The epicentre of both some of the coolest things to see and the best bars in Split.
7. Fabrique
Fabrique is not only one of the best bars in Split, but it’s a bar built for tall people. It’s amazing! A lot of the tables are super tall in comparison to the benches or chairs. Making it a dream for those tall people who are tired of always having to bend over at every. Single. Table. Ever.
Regardless if you are tall or short though the atmosphere is incredible and the drinks are reasonably priced.
6. Charlie’s Backpacker Bar
Often referred to as Charlie’s this bar is the busiest on most nights. Full of foreigners from all over the world packing both the bars on either side of the street and the small alley between them.
Charlie’s is almost always full of young men and women ages 18-22 drinking cheap 1-Litre cocktails in pails chatting it up with other travellers. One of the significant reasons this place is so packed and considered among the best places to drink in Split is due to its partnership with two hostels. One of which can be accessed through the bar itself.
If you enjoy large crowds of young, like-minded travellers this bar is the place to go.
5. Shotgun Shooters Bar
If shots are more your thing this bar is a goldmine. Located right inside the palace just around the corner from Funky George, Shotgun is always a good time.
Ante is one of the coolest bartenders in all of Split and he makes every night a party. It doesn’t matter if you’re having a couple of 26 kuna (3,50 EUR/USD) shots or attempting one of the many shot challenges. Ante keeps it real.
Between the cheap, uniquely named shots and the amazing staff Shotgun is definitely one of the best bars in Split. If you’re looking for a party after 11 on any night Shotgun is the place to be.
4. Sanctuary
Just down the street from Charlie’s, Sanctuary is a much chiller option when it comes to drinking. Not only will you find fellow travellers here, but you will also find some locals as well as long-time expats. Sanctuary is also home to the new rendition of Tower Pub Crawl.
This means you have the option between 65 kuna (8,70 EUR/ 8.90 USD) cocktails or, if you get there before 9, joining the pub crawl for 150 kunas (20 Euros/20.60 USD). The atmosphere at Sanctuary is always super social. Between that, the cheap drinks, and the pub crawl Sanctuary is one of the best places to drink in Split. It also doubles as one of the best cheap places to eat in Split.
3. The Daltonist
What can be said about The Daltonist that hasn’t already been said? Next to nothing. The Daltonist is an absolute gem that is located right outside the palace walls. Although a little bit more expensive, the drinks and cocktails at The Daltonist always hit the spot.
With a bit of a fancier flair and chill atmosphere, The Daltonist is one of those places that you can just lose time at. Whether you are sitting and chatting with some friends, new and old, or you just want to chill out with a drink and a book the Daltonist has you covered.
The Daltonist is one of the best places to drink in Split if you are looking to just chill.
2. Guitar Bar
Even though Guitar Bar looks to be super fancy and sophisticated it is one of the most chill bars I’ve ever gone to. The prices may be a bit more on the pricey side of reasonable, but it makes up for it with its chique decor, live music, and wicked bartender Luka.
Luka is one of the friendliest guys you will ever meet with a style that contradicts the fancy elegance of the bar, but yet somehow still fits. He is sure to make you feel right at home. If you ask nicely and there isn’t a live artist playing that night you might just be able to get on stage yourself to serenade the crowd.
Located across the park from the entrance to the palace, Guitar Bar is one of the best bars in Split to go to when you need a break from the party lifestyle that Split promotes.
1. Funky George
We’ve talked about Funky George before. In fact, Funky George was one of the winners of the 2021 Nomadic Inscriptions Restaurant/Bar of Choice awards. They earn it too. The food is great and gets even better the more that you drink. Not only are they one of the best among the cheap places to eat, but we would argue they might just give some of the best restaurants in Split a run for their money. This makes the pairing with the bar great as the more drinks you have the better their food gets and the second you say “Oh, I’m starting to get hungry” they can tell you to go around the corner to the food window.
Everything at Funky George is outside. The bar and food stations are both accessed via different windows that are just around the corner from each other. The staff is super friendly and always up to having conversations with any of their patrons when time permits. But is that enough to make it one of the best places in split to drink? Almost, but not quite.
So if the amazing staff, great food, cool patrons, and awesome location right in the palace don’t cinch its position as one of the best bars in Split, then what does? A combination of the alcohol choices and the prices.
Shots start as low as 9 kuna (~1 EUR/USD) and beers as low as 25 kuna (~3.50 EUR/USD) and go up from there. The variety of local beers they have, including a Funky George bacon-flavoured stout that is to die for, blows almost every other place out of the water. Plus their hard liquor selection is fairly large and includes some liquors that are no longer available such as Patron XO Cafe tequila. Yet most of the local expats that hang around here stick to absinthe believe it or not. It’s always a good time at Funky George.
In Conclusion
There are a lot of great bars in Split. The places you can go range from Harats, an Irish pub, to Splash, a rock and heavy metal bar. Yet when it comes to the best places to drink in split there are some that stand out amongst the crowd.
Are there any bars we missed that you think should be among the best bars in split? Which ones and why?
Until next time, stay authentic, stay nomadic, and let the world inscribes itself upon you as you inscribe yourself upon it.
