First Night on the Riva
It is the evening of February 7, 2027 — the 29th of Sha'ban in the Hijri calendar, the night the crescent is watched for. In Split, the sun has gone down behind Marjan hill and the Riva is full: families walking the length of the palm-lined promenade, the smell of grilled fish and fritule from the stands, the white stone of Diocletian's Palace glowing under the street lamps. Somewhere in the city, members of the local Islamic community are looking for the new moon. If it is sighted, Ramadan begins the next day; if not, Sha'ban is completed at thirty days and the fast starts one day later. Either way, you are in the right place to begin.
Watch for the Crescent and Mark the First Fast
Ramadan 1448 AH is projected to begin around February 8, 2027, with the first day of fasting falling on February 8–9 depending on the crescent sighting. In Croatia, as across Europe, the date is determined by astronomical calculation and regional committees, so the city's Muslim community — centred on the Islamic Centre in Split, with its mosque and cultural facilities — will confirm the start locally. The night before, the 29th of Sha'ban, is when the sighting is attempted after sunset.
If you want to be part of the moment, plan to be near the Islamic Centre around sunset on February 7. The confirmation comes through the community, not through any public ceremony, so the practical approach is to ask at the Centre or follow the local announcement. The first day of fasting then begins at dawn — in Split in early February, that means a pre-dawn meal (suhoor) taken in the dark, with the first light coming late enough that you are not rushed.
Eat Through the Night: Iftar and the City's Tables
The daily rhythm of Ramadan in Split runs from the pre-dawn meal to the sunset meal, iftar. In February, sunset comes early — around 5 pm — which makes iftar a late-afternoon affair rather than a night-time one. The city's markets and bakeries are where you feel it: the fish market (Ribarnica) on the edge of the old town, the produce stalls of the Pazar just inside the palace walls, the bakeries along the Riva and in the Varoš neighbourhood.
- Buy dates, dried figs and pastries at the Pazar in the morning — the market is at its fullest before noon.
- Look for fritule and other fried dough sweets at the stands along the Riva; they are a Split staple and appear throughout the year, not only in Ramadan.
- For a proper iftar, the restaurants of Varoš and the old town serve fish, pašticada and other Dalmatian dishes from early evening; book ahead if you want a table at sunset.
- Suhoor is your own affair — most restaurants close before dawn, so stock up the night before from the Pazar or a bakery.
Pray, Gather, and Walk the Old Town
The Islamic Centre in Split is the anchor of the month for the local community and for visitors. Taraweeh prayers — the extra night prayers held after the evening prayer throughout Ramadan — are the daily gathering point. The Centre is the place to ask about times, since they shift with the prayer schedule.
The last ten nights begin around February 27, 2027, and these are the most intense of the month. Laylat al-Qadr is likely to fall on one of the odd nights between February 27 and March 8; the 27th night of Ramadan falls approximately on March 6–7, 2027. If you are in Split for these nights, expect the Centre to be busiest and the atmosphere most concentrated.
Between prayers, the old town is yours to walk. Diocletian's Palace is a living neighbourhood, not a museum — people live in the apartments above the colonnade, and the Peristyle, the cathedral and the narrow streets of Varoš are all within a few minutes of each other. In February the crowds are thin and the stone is cool underfoot.
Time Your Trip Around the Month
Ramadan shifts earlier by about 10–11 days each year because the Hijri calendar is 354–355 days long, so 2027's February start is not a fixed slot. The month runs roughly from February 8 to March 8, with Eid al-Fitr projected around March 9, 2027. If you want the full arc — first fast to Eid — plan to arrive by February 7 and stay through the first week of March.
- First ten days (from about February 8): the quietest stretch, with the community settling into the routine.
- Last ten nights (from about February 27): the most devotional period, with Laylat al-Qadr sought on the odd nights.
- Eid al-Fitr (around March 9): the fast breaks and the city's Muslim community gathers to celebrate; the date depends on the same crescent sighting that opened the month.
February in Split is mild by northern European standards but wet and windy — the bura can blow down from the mountains — so bring a warm layer for the walk to and from the Centre at night.
Beyond the City: Marjan and the Coast
Split's geography gives you a natural way to break the day. Marjan hill rises just west of the old town, a wooded park with paths that climb to viewpoints over the harbour and the islands. A walk up in the afternoon, before iftar, is the local way to pass the last hours of the fast. The Riva itself, the wide promenade along the waterfront, is where the city comes out in the evening — in Ramadan as at any other time, it is the place to see and be seen.
If you have time after Eid, the islands are within reach from the harbour, though in early March the ferry schedules are still on their winter footing. Check times locally before you plan a day trip.
Start with the date: February 7, 2027, the night of the crescent watch. Book your accommodation in or near the old town so you can walk to the Islamic Centre and the Riva, and plan to stay through the first week of March if you want to see the month through to its close. The exact start of Ramadan and the date of Eid will be confirmed locally by the crescent sighting — so keep the first days of your trip flexible, and let the city tell you when the fast begins.