This is your meeting point. Your guide welcomes the group at the famous statue of Gregory of Nin, a 10th-century bishop known for fighting to hold church services in the Croatian language. Rub his golden toe for good luck, as local tradition says, before the tour begins

Your guide begins with the fascinating story of Emperor Diocletian, a commoner from nearby Salona who rose to become the most powerful man in the Roman Empire and then voluntarily gave up his throne. After the storytelling buildup, your guide personally fits each guest with a Meta Quest 3 VR headset. The ruins dissolve around you. The Golden Gate appears as it looked in 305 AD with towering marble walls, red Egyptian granite columns, and massive wooden doors reinforced with iron. Roman soldiers in full armor stand guard as Emperor Diocletian arrives at his newly completed palace. You stand safely in one spot while navigating the scene using handheld controllers. The real ancient stones remain visible beneath your feet through mixed reality passthrough. After the scene, headsets come off and your guide answers any questions before leading the group on foot into the palace.

Standing before the Cathedral of Saint Domnius, you are looking at the oldest Catholic cathedral in the world still in use in its original structure. It was built as Emperor Diocletian's personal mausoleum, which makes for one of history's greatest ironies: a man who violently persecuted Christians now rests inside a church dedicated to Saint Domnius, one of his own victims. Notice the Roman columns and Egyptian sphinxes flanking the entrance, remnants of the original mausoleum that survived seventeen centuries of transformation from imperial tomb to place of worship.

Welcome to the Peristyle, the grand ceremonial heart of Diocletian's Palace. For centuries, this is where the Emperor addressed his people. Take a moment to look around at the ancient columns and arches that have stood here for 1,700 years. Now headsets go on for the second VR scene. The Peristyle transforms into its full Roman glory. Marble columns rise to their original height. The Protiron entrance stands complete with its triangular pediment and flanking Egyptian sphinxes. Citizens in Roman dress fill the courtyard. Empress Prisca watches from the colonnade. Emperor Diocletian himself steps forward to address his people as the crowd chants "AVE DIOCLETIANE" around you. You stand in one place and navigate using handheld controllers while the real Peristyle remains visible beneath your feet. Headsets come off and there is time for questions before continuing.

Descend into the palace underground chambers, one of the best preserved Roman interiors anywhere in the world. These massive halls are a mirror image of the imperial apartments that once stood directly above, giving you a rare sense of the true scale of Roman architecture. Walk through rooms where goods were stored, servants worked, and the palace machinery kept the Emperor's life running above. While everything upstairs was destroyed and rebuilt countless times over seventeen centuries, these chambers survived almost fully intact, hidden beneath the city until their rediscovery in the 20th century.

The tour ends on Split's iconic Riva waterfront promenade. This is where your guide wraps up the story of Diocletian and Split, connecting everything you have seen from the Golden Gate to the Peristyle to the underground chambers. Take in the views of the palm-lined promenade, the Adriatic Sea, and Marjan Hill in the distance. Before saying goodbye, your guide shares personal recommendations for restaurants, beaches, and hidden spots around the city.