Experience the Adriatic with a campervan hire in Split and explore Croatia's stunning coastline, ancient cities, and island-dotted waters. Drive north along the Dalmatian Coast toward Zadar and the Plitvice Lakes, head south to Dubrovnik's walled city and nearby bays, or venture inland to Krka National Park's cascading waterfalls. Choose from Indie Campers' California, Active, or Comfort range, all with unlimited kilometres, flexible one-way options, 24/7 online support, and extras like kitchen kits, outdoor furniture, or beach gear. Backed by a Europe-wide fleet and 4.8-star reviews, Indie Campers makes exploring the Croatian coast simple, comfortable, and unforgettable.
Split's central position on the Dalmatian coast gives you access to islands, national parks, and historic towns. Here's what you can reach:
The roads vary dramatically. A1 motorway (toll) makes long distances quick. The coastal Magistrala (D8/E65) is slower but stunning—winding clifftop road with constant Adriatic views. Island roads are narrow but well-maintained.
Here's what sets us apart:
May through October is ideal. May, June, September, and early October are especially popular, you get excellent weather without peak July-August crowds and heat. Sea temperatures stay warm through September.
Spring (April to May)
Temperatures: 15-22°C | Sea: 15-18°C
Mild weather, wildflowers blooming, lavender starting to grow on Hvar. Perfect for national parks (Plitvice waterfalls at full flow) and hiking without heat. Fewer tourists—Dubrovnik and coastal towns are manageable. Occasional rain in April. By May, beach weather arrives but sea still cool for swimming.
Best for: National parks, hiking, sightseeing without crowds, exploring islands peacefully, lower campground prices (30-40% less than summer).
Summer (June to August)
Temperatures: 25-32°C | Sea: 23-26°C
Peak season. Split gets crowded—especially July-August when Europeans holiday. Coastal towns (Dubrovnik, Hvar, Trogir) are packed. Ferry reservations essential. Longer days (sunset around 8:30pm) mean extended exploring. Sea is warmest for swimming. Book campgrounds 2-3 weeks ahead. Afternoon heat can be intense—plan morning activities, afternoon beach/rest.
Best for: Beach life, island hopping, swimming, nightlife (Hvar), sailing, warm-water activities, summer festivals (Split Summer Festival, Dubrovnik Summer Festival).
Autumn (September to November)
Temperatures: 18-25°C (September), cooling to 10-15°C (November) | Sea: 20-23°C (September)
Shoulder season. September is perfect—still warm, sea still pleasant, crowds disappear after mid-month, prices drop. October brings autumn colours to Plitvice. Harvest season—grape and olive festivals. November gets rainy and many coastal businesses close until spring. Ferries reduce frequency after September.
Best for: Swimming without crowds, hiking in comfortable temps, wine/olive harvest experiences, lower prices, peaceful island exploration, photography (softer light).
Winter (December to March)
Temperatures: 8-14°C | Sea: 13-14°C
Lowest hire prices (40-50% less). Many coastal campgrounds close. Coastal towns are quiet—some restaurants/shops shut until spring. Plitvice and Krka are beautiful but cold. Occasional bura wind (strong northeast wind) can make coastal driving challenging. Dubrovnik Christmas markets (December). Ski resorts in inland mountains.
Best for: Budget travellers, Dubrovnik without crowds, Plitvice in winter beauty, exploring Split's museums and Diocletian's Palace, skiing in Croatian mountains (Sljeme near Zagreb).
Most popular months: June, September, and October.
3 to 5 Days
Split and Islands (minimal driving, 3-4 days)
Split to Krka & Šibenik (250km return trip, 4 days)
Makarska Riviera & Biokovo (200km loop, 4 days)
7 to 10 Days
Dalmatian Coast Classic (600km, 8 days)
Split → Trogir (27km) → Krka (90km) → Zadar (150km) → Paklenica National Park (40km) → return via Plitvice Lakes (180km inland) → Split (260km)
Split to Dubrovnik Coastal Route (700km return trip, 9 days)
Split → Makarska (80km) → Ploče (60km) → Dubrovnik (100km) → Korčula Island (ferry) → Hvar Island (ferry) → Split
Croatia Highlights (850km, 10 days)
Split → Krka → Plitvice Lakes (260km north) → Zadar (130km) → Islands (Brač, Hvar, Vis) → Dubrovnik (230km south) → Split
14+ Days
Grand Croatia Tour (1,400km, 16 days) Split → Dubrovnik (via Peljesac Bridge) → Plitvice → Zagreb → Istria (Rovinj, Pula) → islands → Split
Most travellers find 7-10 days gives the right balance for Split + islands + national parks or Split + coastal drive to Dubrovnik.
Fuel Stations
Dump Stations
Most campgrounds along the coast allow non-guests to use dump stations for €4-6.
Helpful Apps
Requirements
Booking
What's Included
Parking in Split
Important: Split's Old Town (Diocletian's Palace) is pedestrian-only. Don't attempt to drive in.
Parking Spinut - Uvala Baluni 8 | €1.50/hour, €18/day | No height limit | 15-min walk to Old Town or bus #17 (€1.20)
Parking Poljud (Stadium) - Ulica Zrinsko Frankopanska | €1/hour, €12/day | Good for campervans | Bus #17 to centre (10 min)
Parking Žnjan - Uvala Žnjan | €1/hour, €15/day | Beach car park, height OK | Bus #16 (20 min)
Best strategy: Stay at campground (Stobreč or Split Camping), use buses to city centre. Parking + hassle not worth it.
Croatian Toll System
Motorways (autocesta): A1 is main route, runs Split → Zagreb → Ljubljana. Tolls collected at exit booths.
How it works:
Costs from Split:
Budget €0.05-0.07 per kilometre on motorways.
Coastal road (D8/E65): Free but much slower. Scenic trade-off.
Border Crossings
Split to Dubrovnik: use the Peljesac Bridge (opened 2022), a €10 toll bridge that keeps the route fully within Croatia.
Slovenia: Crossing at Plovanija/Sečovlje. Usually quick. Slovenia requires vignette (highway toll sticker, €15 for 7 days). Buy at border or petrol stations.
Speed Limits
Speed cameras everywhere (fixed and mobile). Fines €40-800 depending on speed.
Coastal Road Challenges
D8/E65 Magistrala: Narrow, winding, clifftop road. Beautiful but demanding. Buses and trucks use it too. Pull into viewpoint areas to let faster traffic pass. No guardrails in some sections—drive cautiously.
Hairpin turns: Common on mountain roads (Biokovo, routes to interior). Use low gears, don't ride brakes.
Summer traffic: July-August coastal road gets very congested. Morning drives are easier than afternoon.
Alcohol Limit
0.05% BAC. Fines start at €300 + possible vehicle confiscation. Police checkpoints common summer evenings.
campervan-Specific
Height: Know your vehicle height (2.7-3.2m typical). Old town gates and some tunnels are low (marked). Ferries have height restrictions but standard campervans always fit.
Parking: Blue zones = paid (buy ticket at machine). Yellow = residents only. White = free but time-limited. Check signs.
Wild camping: Officially prohibited in Croatia. Tolerated in remote areas if discreet (not on beaches or near towns). Better to use campgrounds or ask farmers/landowners. Parks strictly prohibit it—fines €200-500.
Beach parking: Many beaches have height barriers (2.1m) to prevent campervans. Park at designated campervan spots instead.
Narrow villages: Old coastal towns (Trogir, Ston) have extremely narrow streets. Park outside, walk in.
Bura wind: Strong northeast wind, especially winter. Can make driving challenging on coastal roads and bridges. Check forecasts.
Campervan hire: €700-1,400 (varies by vehicle/season)
Fuel: €150-280 (diesel €1.35-1.50/L, 600-800km typical)
Tolls: €25-70 (depending on routes—coastal is free)
Ferries: €80-180 (if island hopping, 2-4 ferry crossings)
Campgrounds: €175-385 (€25-55/night × 7)
Food: €150-350 (cooking vs restaurants, seafood is pricey)
National Park entries: €40-100 (Plitvice €20-40, Krka €10-20)
Total estimates:
Split → Zagreb (385km, 4 hours via A1) - Drive the full length of coastal Croatia inland to the capital. Most popular routing stops at Plitvice Lakes en route.
Split → Athens (1,100km, 11 hours via A1/E65 through ferry from Split to Igoumenitsa then 470km to Athens) - The ferry route is strongly recommended: Jadrolinija or Minoan Lines operate Split to Igoumenitsa (9-19 hours overnight), then drive south through Epirus and central Greece to Athens.
One-way fees vary.
Split combines Roman history with access to Croatia's best destinations, islands within an hour, waterfalls within 90 minutes, Dubrovnik within three hours. You're not starting in a remote location with limited services. Split has excellent infrastructure, multiple ferry connections, and you can be swimming in Adriatic waters or hiking national parks within an hour.
Most importantly, Split sits at the heart of the Dalmatian coast. Drive north to Zadar and Plitvice, south to Dubrovnik, or island-hop to Hvar, Brač, and Vis. One-way hire mean you can drive the coastline without doubling back.
Over 9,400 travellers hired from Split last year. Find your campervan and start planning your Croatian Adriatic adventure.
In general, a special licence is not required to hire our campervans in Split. However, a valid driving licence is required to operate our vehicles. For some non-EU citizens, a IDP is required, in addition to their home country's driver's licence. Other considerations such as a valid vehicle licence to the vehicle type (manual or automatic) will also be required. For more information regarding our licence requirements read this.
Yes, our campervans are pet-friendly. Just make sure to purchase the extra cleaning service during your booking. This service includes professional anti-allergic cleaning after your trip. Please note that only one pet is allowed per motorhome, and it must weigh no more than 30kg. Keep in mind, we are not responsible for any legal fees related to travelling with your pet. For marketplace bookings, check the "vehicle rules" section for the pet-friendly icon to confirm if pets are allowed in that specific vehicle.
The number of people who can sleep in our campervans will depend on the size of the vehicle and the model. In general, our class C motorhome models can sleep up to 4-8 people, whereas our class B motorhomes can sleep up to 2-4. For cars with a rooftop tent, around 2 people can sleep in this vehicles. More details on our models and sleeping capacities can be found here.
If you are travelling in a campervan, motorhome or caravan around Split, it is important to understand official camping rules of the country you are visiting. As natural areas are generally protected by laws, using an official campsite or designated overnight parking area is highly recommended. This helps protect local communities and ensures you can all enjoy safely. Read more safety tips and protocols here.
We offer three protection plans to cover incidents and damages during your hire period. All Indie Campers motorhomes come with insurance for third-party vehicles and property damage (valid insurance will depend on the country). For marketplace vehicles, insurance options may vary based on the host.
Learn more about our protection plans here.
Yes, our search filter allows you to find a campervan near your location using a 60km radius system. This means depending on the location you are searching from, you will be able to find an Indie campervan hire pick-up centre near you.
Yes, a selected number of Indie Campers campervan hire in Split include unlimited kilometres, allowing you to explore freely and make the most of your road trip! Please note that unlimited kilometres applies exclusively to Indie Campers campervans and is subject to responsible use.
Campervans, Motorhomes & Campervans for Every Kind of Traveller
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“Super mooie reis gehad bij Indie Campers. De gastheer Lovre was heel vriendelijk ”
“Buenas experiencia 100% recomendable para moverte por Croacia.”
“Despite some bad reviews we had an amazing time and this was an incredible way to see Croatia. The staff are friendly and helpful and despite a few small lighting and fixture issues in the van, it all worked as we needed. We picked up our van and drove using ACSI cards at various stops. We went to Dubrovnik, Krka national park, Zadar, Pula, Trieste, Venice and then back to plitvice lakes. Would recommend to others especially using the ACSI card. ”
