Best Islands Near Split, Croatia: 6 Ferry and Boat Day Trips
Four of the islands near Split, Croatia, have direct public connections from the city: Šolta, Brač, Hvar and Vis. The Pakleni Islands are a short taxi boat ride from Hvar Town and can also be included as a stop on an organised boat tour from Split.
Biševo and its Blue Cave require a separate boat connection, usually from Komiža on Vis or as part of a full-day excursion. Šolta and Supetar on Brač work well for a half-day or a relaxed full day, while Hvar and Vis require more time and careful attention to the return sailing.
Public ferries return to Split City Port, from where the seafront continues towards our Pizzeria Skipper at ACI Marina Split.
How to Reach the Islands Near Split
Three types of service leave Split for the islands. Car ferries and passenger catamarans run on published timetables, while organised excursions follow their own schedule.
Car ferry, passenger catamaran or organised boat tour: what to choose
Car ferries are the slower option and are designed for both vehicles and foot passengers, while passenger catamarans carry foot passengers only and generally make the crossing faster. The two services can also arrive at different ports on the same island, sometimes requiring another thirty minutes of road travel after you get off the boat.
For drivers, the ferry route is usually the practical choice, while foot passengers can often save time by taking a catamaran and, on Hvar, arrive much closer to the historic centre. On the routes to Rogač, Supetar and Vis Town, both types of service can use the same port. Organised tours sit outside the public network and are particularly useful for trips like the Blue Cave, where public transport alone would take up most of the day.
Where public ferry routes depart in Split
Public services leave from the city port immediately east of the Riva, within walking distance of the old town and the bus and train stations. Car ferries load from the numbered piers at the main terminal, while catamaran berths are assigned separately and vary by operator and season, so check the departure boards on the day.
How to check departure points and return schedules
Jadrolinija covers most car ferry lines and several catamaran routes, while Kapetan Luka (Krilo) and TP Line run fast services year-round, with many more connections in summer. Sailings thin out sharply from November to April, and strong bura or jugo winds can delay or cancel crossings at any time of year. Check the return timetable before buying an outbound ticket, since late sailings are limited on several routes.
Islands You Can Reach Directly from Split
Four islands are reachable on public sailings without an intermediate stop. Crossing times below reflect the main year-round routes. The operator, the exact route and any intermediate stops can all affect the journey time, most noticeably on the Vis sailings.
1. Šolta: The quickest island escape from Split
Jadrolinija’s car ferry on the Split to Rogač line takes about an hour, and passenger-only services on the same route are quicker, taking roughly half that time on a fast sailing. Rogač is a small harbour rather than a town, so most visitors continue by local bus or car to Stomorska or Maslinica, both about fifteen minutes away.
Sailings run year-round, with more departures in summer. Šolta suits travellers who want olive groves and quiet coves and works well as a half-day trip when the return sailing lines up.
2. Brač: Supetar for convenience and Bol for Zlatni Rat
The Split to Supetar car ferry crosses in around fifty minutes and runs frequently all year, landing you in a walkable town with beaches on either side of the harbour. Fast passenger services can reduce the crossing to approximately twenty to thirty-five minutes, depending on the sailing.
Reaching Zlatni Rat, the shingle beach at Bol, means taking a bus of about an hour across the island from Supetar, or a direct catamaran from Split to Bol, which takes about one hour and five minutes, with frequency varying by timetable period. Anyone with a car should count the drive across Brač’s interior into the day, while visiting Vidova Gora requires a separate detour. Supetar works for a short visit on foot, while Bol suits travellers whose main goal is the beach itself.
3. Hvar: Historic Hvar Town and a lively seafront
Hvar has two ports that matter to day trippers. Catamarans from Split reach Hvar Town in around an hour, arriving beside the main square, the Renaissance cathedral, the Arsenal and the fortress above the harbour.
Car ferries instead sail to Stari Grad in roughly two hours, about thirty minutes by road from Hvar Town, with buses timed to the ferries. Foot passengers should compare the catamaran with the ferry and bus through Stari Grad. Both routes run year-round, with far more summer sailings, though outside summer a catamaran departure does not always come with a usable same-day return.
Drivers use Stari Grad, the only direct car ferry from Split, unless they drive south to Drvenik for the Sućuraj crossing. Hvar is perfect for a full day of old-town streets, harbour cafés and swimming.
4. Vis: A longer crossing for a full-day adventure
The furthest of the four takes about two hours and twenty minutes by car ferry. Catamarans run from around an hour and ten minutes direct to close to two hours when the boat calls at Milna or Hvar. Boats dock at Vis Town, and buses reach Komiža in fifteen to twenty-five minutes, with some departures coordinated with ferry arrivals. Service continues through winter on a reduced timetable. Vis rewards a full day: military tunnels, two contrasting towns, vineyards and beaches such as Stiniva all sit some distance apart.
Island Add-Ons and Boat Excursions
Two of the six trips are not standalone crossings. Both require a second boat once you reach the island group.
5. Pakleni Islands: a short boat trip from Hvar Town
The archipelago lies directly opposite Hvar Town. Taxi boats leave the harbour through summer and reach Palmižana on Sveti Klement in fifteen to twenty minutes, with other boats serving Jerolim and Stipanska. No year-round public service exists, so the trip works from roughly May to October.
From Split, you need either a catamaran to Hvar Town first, adding an hour each way, or an organised full-day tour that includes the islands as a swimming stop. The trip suits travellers already spending a day on Hvar.
6. Biševo and the Blue Cave: a dedicated boat excursion
Biševo sits southwest of Vis, and the Blue Cave in Balun bay glows an intense blue when late-morning sunlight enters through a submerged opening. Only licensed small boats may enter, and everyone boards at Mezuporat.
Reaching that jetty independently means taking a ferry or catamaran to Vis Town, a bus to Komiža, then a fifteen- to twenty-minute hop by local boat. This only works as a same-day trip when all three timetables align. Most visitors take a speedboat excursion from Split instead, running ten to eleven hours and pairing the cave with stops on Vis, Hvar or the Pakleni Islands. Those tours operate roughly from April to October, while boats from Komiža run more widely through the year.
However, reaching Biševo does not by itself guarantee entry to the cave, which depends on sea conditions and the licensed boats running that day. Admission may be included in the tour or charged separately, so check the booking conditions. Calm seas are essential, so cancellations can happen. It suits travellers willing to trade a long day at sea for one natural landmark.
Which Island Near Split Is Best for You?
Most people choosing between these six are weighing three things: how many hours they have, whether the day is about a town or the sea, and whether a second boat on top of the crossing is acceptable. The shorter the day, the more the choice narrows to Šolta or Supetar, since the other options require more time on the sea.
| What you want | Best match | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A relaxed nearby island escape | Šolta | Direct connections and a quieter atmosphere |
| A famous beach | Brač | Access to Bol and Zlatni Rat |
| History and a lively town | Hvar | Compact historic centre and active waterfront |
| A quieter full-day experience | Vis | Distinctive towns, food and island scenery |
| Swimming near Hvar | Pakleni Islands | A short onward boat ride from Hvar Town |
| A natural landmark | Biševo | Home of the Blue Cave |
How to Plan an Island Day Trip from Split
A day trip succeeds or fails on timing rather than distance. The four direct routes can put several hours of the day on the water, and the return timetable, rather than the crossing itself, often determines how much of the remaining time you spend ashore. Ticket rules, island bus times and the wind can narrow that window further.
Build your itinerary around the last return sailing
Start with the final boat back to Split and work backwards. Winter timetables can leave a single evening sailing, and even in August the last catamaran often departs earlier than people expect. Aim to be back at the island port well before the final sailing.
Book the correct route, port and departure time
Ticket conditions vary by operator and route. Catamaran tickets are normally tied to the selected sailing, while car-ferry rules differ: Jadrolinija currently treats Split to Rogač, Split to Stari Grad and Split to Vis as reservation routes, while a Split to Supetar ticket is valid for any departure on the printed date and does not reserve a particular crossing. Check the port and departure time on the confirmation, and allow extra time for vehicle queues in summer.
Check whether you need local transport on the island
Onward transport depends on where you are heading, not just which port you land at. Supetar is walkable from the port, while Rogač and Stari Grad can be visited without needing further transport. If you want to continue to Maslinica, Stomorska or Hvar Town, you will need to take a bus or drive. Some island services are coordinated with ferry arrivals rather than running frequently, so a missed connection can mean a long wait.
Pack for a full day away from Split
Shade is limited on boats and at small harbours, so bring water, a hat and sun protection, plus swimming gear even for a town visit. Card payments are widely accepted, though small konobas and taxi boats sometimes prefer cash. If the wind cancels your sailing, the best beaches in Split make a straightforward substitute.
Where to Eat After Returning to Split
You return to Split in the evening, when the Riva is at its busiest. Walking west opens up quieter options, from konobas in the back streets to wood-fired pizza and pasta by the marina.
Continue along the seafront toward ACI Marina
From the ferry port, the coastal path runs past the Riva, Matejuška and the West Coast towards ACI Marina. The seafront section is mostly flatl, with only the final approach rising above the marina, so the entire walk can be done easily without needing a bus or taxi. Our location and contact details show exactly where the path ends.
A relaxed meal at Pizzeria Skipper after your island trip
Our pizzas are baked in two wood-fired ovens, served in both Roman and Neapolitan styles. If you’re arriving in a group, our metre-long pizza with three flavours across it is ideal to share after a day on the sea.
Alongside our pizzas, the menu offers homemade pasta, grilled specialties, burgers, and fresh salads, with our kitchen open daily from noon until midnight.
Tables on our seafront terrace are in high demand during summer evenings, so book a table by the marina before you set sail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Brač via Supetar, because the town, its beaches and its restaurants are all within easy reach of the berth. Šolta is just as simple to reach, but less simple to explore once you land.
Yes, but only on dates when the outbound and return sailings leave enough time ashore. Some sailings between June and September allow six or seven hours ashore, while winter timetables rarely do.
Book summer catamarans ahead, in both directions for a day trip. For car ferries, check first whether the route takes reservations, since a ticket does not always guarantee a particular departure.