Not all cafés are conducive to work
Not all cafés are alike. Some you sit in for hours, stirring a coffee or sipping a glass of wine, watching the world go by and scribbling in your journal or talking with friends. Others, you can pull out your laptop and get some work done without throwing off the vibe. I love both kinds of cafés, but in this post, we’re talking about the latter, with my three favorite cafés to work from in Split, Croatia. A map below includes all the information you need to find them, including websites so that you’ll know their current hours.
Cafés to work from in Split
3 Cafés to work from in Split
Split has a growing digital nomad community and you can find coworking spaces easily. I found the day rate for the closest coworking space a bit prohibitive, and so I stuck with cafes when I needed to get out of my apartment but still needed to get some work done. During my month in Split, I found three that I truly loved and returned to frequently for work. The three are different, and I found them suitable for different types of work.
A note about wifi: Most cafés in Split have wifi, but I use a personal hotspot when I travel for security purposes. I didn’t use café wifi to work from, and I don’t necessarily recommend it. However, these cafés do have wifi available, and my understanding is that it is sufficiently fast for working.
D16 coffee: perfect place to get sh*t done
Why you’ll love it: A lovely space made for coworking, great coffee, non-smoking, accepts cards, open seven days until 21:00
To consider: More expensive than other places, can get very crowded
Perfect for when you need to work
If you really need to get something done and you need to get out of the house to do it, get thee to D16 Coffee in Old Town (there is another outpost just outside the gates that doesn’t have much by way of seating). When I really needed to focus and enforce a little accountability with myself, I headed to D16. A nomad I met while on the tour where I learned how to open pomegranates pointed out the Old Town location to me, and I was most grateful.
Excellent coffee, and nonsmoking, too
The coffee is excellent, if considerably more expensive than other cups you’ll get in Split, but what’s even better is that, across the street, there are several tables with comfortable chairs where you can sit and concentrate. Big windows open onto a courtyard, and the space is airy and light, filled with people like you, sitting at laptops and getting sh*t done. Bonus: it’s nonsmoking.
D16 is open seven days a week, too, until 21:00 every day, so if you can find a spot, you’re in business. They also take credit cards. Do note that it can get crowded during peak times, so plan accordingly.
Caffe Bar Teak: perfect for creative work
Why you’ll love it: Unique location, cheap, doesn’t feel like you’re in a workspace
To consider: Cash only, can be smoky even on the terrace, much more of a bar in the evenings (which is nice when you just want a beer), closed on Sundays
Oh, Teak. I miss it. Nestled against the north wall of Diocletian’s palace on a quiet little street that’s not the easiest to find and therefore not always packed with tourists, I spent many happy hours nursing a coffee or a beer and writing. The interior is cozy, but I found myself mostly on the terrace. Here, you’ll hear a lot of Croatian along with English and German, some patrons working and others just wiling away the hours and smoking. The coffee is cheap, yet good.
Teak is closed on Sundays, and does turn lively in the evenings, when it wouldn’t be the best spot for working. Bring your cash: Teak doesn’t take cards.
Kava2: an oasis for light work
Why you’ll love it: Outside the Old Town and less touristy, outstanding coffee, great staff, cool terrace, takes cards
To consider: Closes in the afternoons; terrace is small and gets crowded
My favorite café in Split
Kava2, located a stone’s throw from where I stayed in Split, became my favorite café . . . when I could get a spot. Kava2 has outstanding coffee and is very popular with locals and nomads in the know. The small terrace, graced by pomegranate and lime trees, is a little oasis in an otherwise utilitarian neighborhood outside of Old Town. There’s a small space indoors, too, but I never sat in there, preferring the terrace.
Croissants, too
It’s a lovely spot to work for the morning and best for tasks that won’t take you too, too long but that need to get done. Get a croissant—they’re really good.
Closes in the afternoons, head back in the evening for a cocktail
The only real drawback to Kava2 in my mind is also one of its most charming features: they close in the afternoons. They reopen in the evenings with cocktails, and, if you like an Old Fashioned as much as I do, then get thee there immediately, because they have an excellent one.
Cafés to work from in Split: Map
What are your favorite cafés to work from in Split?
Did I miss your favorite work spot? Let us know in the comments!
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