Split Saint Jerome Airport

Split Airport isn't enormous, but it punches well above its weight when it comes to feeding hungry travelers before they board. The main terminal's airside dining area has expanded considerably in recent years, and you'll find a handful of options that genuinely reflect Dalmatian hospitality rather than the generic airport-food mediocrity you might dread. Grab a window seat, watch the Adriatic light shift across the tarmac, and let yourself settle into the pace of the coast one last time.

The standout stop for most seasoned travelers is the Dalmatia restaurant and café concept near the central gate area, where you can order a decent peka-inspired meat dish or a plate of prŝut — the region's prized air-dried ham — paired with local sheep's cheese. Fresh seafood brodetto, a slow-cooked Adriatic fish stew, occasionally makes an appearance on rotating menus, and it's absolutely worth ordering if you spot it. Alongside the sit-down options, the café bars serve strong espresso and cold Ožujsko draft beer, because in Croatia, no departure is complete without one last round.

For quicker bites, the food court-style counters stock burek — flaky, savory pastry filled with cheese or meat — alongside decent sandwiches built on crusty bread that actually tastes like bread. Prices, as you'd expect in any European airport, run a step above town, but not offensively so. Pick up a small bottle of local olive oil or a bag of fig-and-walnut sweets from the retail shelves nearby; they make far better souvenirs than anything sold at the gift shops, and you'll be glad you grabbed them at the gate.