Split is a regional transport hub and port adjoining its chief attraction of Diocletian's Palace. The port is a collection of passenger and car ferry terminals, bus stops and railway station with all of the attendant hub-bub and concrete that could be expected of such facilities.
The Bacvice beach across the road from our hotel looked OK from the treed terrace. On closer inspection it was comprised of wet dirt, no waves and the turbid water was replete with non-specific floating objet-d'detritus. Grafitti covered walls along its edge was where the local young-and-hormonal hung out. Perhaps I'm being unfair; Split was not a highlight of Croatia but compared to a lot of crummy places around the world it's not that bad.
A very worthwhile place to explore for a few hours while passing through Split rather than wasting 3 days there as we did. Roman emperor Diocletian built a large palace in preparation for his retirement in 305 AD, 10 kilometers from Salona the then capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia. Inside the Roman walls it's a collection of Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture styles introduced after the Palace had been abandoned for several centuries until about 700AD. It's a living city within a city. Ignore the ground level moden day tourist retail and it gives an impression of a bustly, middle ages township.