Walks on Marjan Hill, Split – Viewpoints, Churches & Countryside

There are many options for a walk in Split, Croatia, including many walking routes on Marjan Hill. Marjan Hill is a beautiful place west of the city centre, with many walking trails. We enjoyed a few walks on Marjan Hill in Split, including a longer circular hiking route.

About Marjan Hill in Split

Marjan is a 178 m tall hill on the peninsula in Split with magnificent views of the entire city. The hill is covered in a dense Mediterranean pine forest and surrounded by the city and the sea. The citizens of Split have used the park since the 3rd century. It is a popular destination for both locals and tourists.

Marjan Hill has many beaches, walking trails, and a zoo, which are all surrounded by the scenic forest. As well as views of the city, you can also see the surrounding islands and the mountains of Mosor and Kozjak.

Walks in Split – Marjan Hill Circular Route

We enjoyed a fantastic day out exploring Marjan Hill, including a lovely walk along the coast, returning to the start. Marjan Hill Forest has many viewpoints overlooking the city and the Adriatic Sea. Our hike was 5.6 miles long, plus deviations to see things. If continuously walking, it should take about 2.5 hours, but there are lots of distractions on the way. We made it a full day out with time by the sea, drinks, and a meal out on the route.

What To See on This Circular Hiking Route

The key features of our hike on Marjan Hill include many things to see.

Climb Marjanske stube

To start a hike on Marjan Hill from the city centre, you can climb Marjanske stube. These are a series of stairs leading from the city to a fantastic viewpoint. There are over 300 steps, and it is quite the leg-burner to climb; however, the views are well worth it. They built the steps between 1919 and 1924 to make it accessible to the residents of Split. There are fantastic views all the way up.

Prva vidilica na Marjanu: A Fantastic Viewpoint Above Split

At the top of the stairs is Prva vidilica na Marjanu, the viewpoint of Split. This is a fantastic place to see Split city centre from above on a platform. There is also a lovely cafe-bar, Restoran Vidilica, with outdoor seating.

Restoran Vidilica is a great place to catch your breath after climbing the steps and to enjoy the views of Split. They serve great coffee and have some interesting beer options, including local lager and German wheat beers.

Stairs By The Old Jewish Cemetery

From this viewpoint, there are more rugged stairs leading up to the Old Jewish Cemetery. These steps are large and much more rugged than those from the city. However, the area is beautiful with some lovely shade under the nearby trees.

St Nicholas’ Church

Once up the stairs, the walk levels out at St Nicholas Church, a beautiful, tiny church on the south slope of Marian Hill. There is also a water fountain at the church where you can top up your water bottle or the dog’s bowl.

They built St Nicholas Church in the 13th century; it is Catholic by denomination now. It is a single-nave stone building that they built in the Romanesque style. The church has a rectangular apse containing an old stone censer. Next to the apse is a Romanesque-Gothic bell tower. The church is a lovely place to visit, and there are some fantastic nearby seats to enjoy views of the Adriatic Sea.

Walking Trails

Next up is following the dedicated hiking trails, which offer options to reach the top of the hill or visit the Split Zoo. The trail we followed is above Varos, a beautiful area of Split, and the views between the forest trees were very special. The trails here have many places to sit and enjoy the views and eventually led us to the Church of Our Lady of Bethlehem.

Church of Our Lady of Bethlehem

The Church of Our Lady of Bethlehem, or Crkva Gospe od Betlema, is a lovely church, and it is nice to have a mooch around its grounds. They built Crkva Gospe od Betlema around 1500. As with most churches on Marian Hill, it was built of stone and has a simple rectangular shape.

It’s a lovely place to have a mooch around, and some views from the churchyard are spectacular.

Crkva sv. Jere & Hermitage Caves

Crkva sv. Jere, or St Jerome’s Church, is another 15th-century stone church on the hill. St Jerome’s Church is next to some very nice cliffs with hermitage caves at the rear. There are some rather steep steps to climb to reach the church, making it a splendid viewpoint. There is also a well and a terrace to sit on, and the Hermitage Caves are fascinating to see.

Like the other churches on this hike, this church has a small, rectangular floor plan, and above its façade stands a Gothic bell tower on a pediment.

In the rock next to the church, there is a hermitage cave dating to the Middle Ages. They know this as the oratory of St Cirijak.

Walk Down From Marjan Hill

The hike is downhill from here and passes some interesting features. There are a few more hermitage caves carved into the cliffs to see. The cliffs are a popular spot with rock climbers, and if you time it right, you can see free climbers in action.

The views on the way down are splendid. The trails lead to a road that leads to Kasjuni Bay and its beach. This is a nice place for a break or a paddle in the water.

Coast Road

The coast road takes you from Kasjuni Beach to Ježinac Beach, where you can get onto the coastal path that leads to Split. The coast road takes you past some interesting sights, including Villa Dalmacija and Meštrovićeve Crikvine-Kaštilac, a 16th-century estate.

Ježinac beach in Split

Ježinac beach is a lovely place to hang out or have a dip in the Adriatic Sea. It has some nice benches on a tiny peninsula in the sea. It has a few pleasant features: a shower and a bar. This beach is also shingle, so it’s best to wear rock shoes if planning to spend time on the beach.

Coast Path on the Marjan Peninsula in Split

From the beach, you walk along the coastal path towards Split. The path is rather nice, with some great viewpoints and features. The path takes you along the sea to Adriatic Port, where there is a rather nice seafood restaurant, Kavana Zona. Kavana Zona is a glorious spot for a meal out, and we enjoyed some shellfish and a few beers on their terrace.

Walk along the coast back to the centre.

The walk back to Split centre takes you through Playground Zvončac, a lovely dog park with seating and a play area. From there you head along the Split seafront into the city centre.

Overall, this walk was pleasant and not too strenuous. There were loads of nice things to see and some magnificent spots for refreshments on the way. There are countless other routes possible on Marjan Hill for hikers to enjoy.