Lvxor

The café takes its name from the Egyptian sphinxes that Emperor Diocletian had brought from Luxor to his new palace in 305; one still stands on the Peristyle. The building has grown in layers: a temple of Venus, a Gothic column from the old town hall, and the palaces of the Grisogono and Cipiko families. Architect Josip Kodl designed the interior in 1941, and it has largely survived. Contemporary work by the painter Petar Grimani now hangs inside.

Breakfast runs from 08:00 to 11:30, with dishes such as eggs Benedict, and then the full menu takes over. The house pizza is the Lvxor, and both black cuttlefish risotto and Skradin risotto are on the menu. For something sweet, try the date cake or splitska rožata, Split’s caramel custard. There are around 30 cocktails for the evening.

ACI Marina Split is on the south-west side of the harbour, about a kilometre from the palace in a straight line. Allow 15 to 20 minutes on foot along the Riva, the seafront promenade, then walk into the palace and up to the Peristyle. The palace is a pedestrian zone with no parking, so taxis drop you outside.

Lvxor is open daily from 08:00 to midnight, with last kitchen orders at 23:30. From April to October live music plays on the steps every evening from 20:00 to 23:00; from November to March it moves indoors on Fridays and Saturdays. Walk-ins are welcome, but book for summer evenings and arrive early if you want a place on the steps.