For many people, a holiday home in Kaštela first looks like a compromise: not Split, not Trogir, but whatever lies in between. We see it differently – we live and work here, and our three villas are in Kaštel Stari by choice. This page briefly explains what the place is, why the promenade matters so much, and who will be happier staying here rather than in one of the two old towns. You'll find the full portrait of the village, with its history and background, in our guide Kaštel Stari: what this place is – and what it isn't.
Kaštela in three sentences
Kaštela isn't a town in the classic sense but a string of seven villages along the bay between Split and Trogir – each one grown up around its own castle. Kaštel Stari lies right in the middle; its castle was built in 1476 by the Trogir humanist Koriolan Cipiko, and the lanes around it still follow the right-angled grid laid out by the first settlers. And by the way: the Crljenak kaštelanski grape from this area is considered the origin of California's Zinfandel.
The promenade: the real reason
If Kaštela has one main attraction, it's the continuous waterfront promenade linking the seven villages over several kilometres. From our villas it's about 10–15 minutes' walk (around 1 km).
- Flat and paved – easy with a pushchair, balance bike or dog.
- Before eight in the morning it belongs to the locals; from seven in the evening it fills up with families, older couples and joggers.
- Between the village centres you can wander without a plan – after two hours you're three villages further along.
- On your first evening we tell all our guests: don't drive into Split, walk along the promenade to the castle instead. After that, it's clear why people live here.
Why stay here rather than in Split or Trogir
- Everyday life, not a stage set: people live in Kaštela all year round. Bakeries are open in November too, supermarkets charge normal prices, and there's a small fruit and vegetable market.
- Location: Split Airport approx. 10 minutes, Trogir approx. 10 minutes, Split approx. 25 minutes by car.
- To Split without a car: from Kaštel Stari station, the train takes you to Split in 10–15 minutes for €1–2.
- Space: villas with their own pool, garden and parking practically don't exist in the old towns – here they do.
- Hiking on the doorstep: Kozjak, rising behind the village, has waymarked trails with views over the whole bay; from October to May, one of the finest outings in the region.
What Kaštela isn't
To be honest: it's not a postcard town. Between the historic centres there are ordinary residential areas and roads that nobody photographs. There's no nightlife – for that, you head to Split. The beaches are pebbles and rock, not sand. And the airport is close; at our houses, air traffic isn't a dominant sound, but depending on the wind you may occasionally hear planes or the road.
Our three holiday homes in Kaštel Stari
All three villas offer five bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms for up to ten guests, a heated saltwater pool (end of March to October) and a hot tub heated all year round, an outdoor kitchen with barbecue, air conditioning and heating in every room, fast Wi-Fi and self check-in.
- Villa Just be Alive – new build with sea views, gym, trampoline, EV wallbox, four parking spaces.
- Villa Just be Light – bright, five king-size bedrooms, workspace with monitor, four parking spaces. Right next door to Just be Alive – up to 20 guests together.
- Villa Just be Happy – at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac, terrace with views over the bay, four parking spaces.