ULTRA Europe and Split

ULTRA Europe is the Croatian edition of the Ultra Music Festival, the electronic music brand that started in Miami. It has been held in Split since 2013 and draws a large international crowd, many of them travelling from abroad for the weekend.

The main event runs over several days at Park Mladeži, a sports stadium and park outside the old town. In past years the wider festival week has also included parties and events on nearby islands such as Hvar, Brač and Vis. The programme changes from year to year, so check what is planned for your dates on the official ULTRA Europe website.

For a few days in July, Split is one of the busiest cities on the Adriatic. Expect:

• Hotels, apartments and hostels to fill early, often months ahead
• Higher prices for accommodation and some transport
• Long queues for taxis after the stages close
• Crowded ferries and catamarans to the islands
• Busy streets in and around Diocletian's Palace late into the night

The airport, bus station and ferry port all see heavy traffic. If you are flying in, allow extra time for every connection, including the transfer to the marina. Our guide to getting to the marina in Split covers the usual options.

There are two common ways to combine the two.

Whichever you choose, look at the dates and prices page alongside the official festival dates before you book either.

Buy tickets only through the official organiser or the sellers it lists. Festivals of this size attract fake tickets and resale scams, especially on social media.

The organiser sets the entry rules, including minimum age, ID requirements, what you can bring in and how wristbands work. These can change between editions, so read them before you travel.

Budget for the festival separately. Tickets, food and drink inside the venue, taxis and extra nights of accommodation are not part of a sailing week unless your booking confirmation says so. The cost of a sailing holiday in Croatia guide explains what a sailing week usually covers and what it does not.

July in Split is hot, even at night. Drink water steadily through the day and between drinks, wear a hat in the afternoon queues and find shade when you can. Earplugs protect your hearing over several long nights.

Agree a meeting point with your friends before you go in, because phone signal can struggle in large crowds. Keep cards and phones in a zipped pocket. Plan how you will get home before the last set ends, and allow for long taxi queues.

If you are already on board, take care getting back to the yacht at night. Walk the pontoon slowly, use the passerelle with a free hand and never swim after a night out. Read alcohol and safety on board before the week starts.

Split is a working city with residents who live in and around the old town. Diocletian's Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and people live inside its walls. Keep noise down on residential streets late at night, dress appropriately away from the beach and use bins and toilets. Local rules on public behaviour apply during festival week as they do the rest of the summer.