We absolutely loved our time in Croatia. We have now spent 6 months exploring this beautiful country, which I’d highly recommend if you have the time, but for a holiday this can be done in a much shorter period. Here’s a 3 week Croatia Itinerary that will take you from Croatian Islands to beach cities, from stunning national parks to the capital city.
Croatia Itinerary Map + Overview
Croatia Itinerary Destinations: Dubrovnik | Korcula | Hvar | Brac | Split | Plitvice Lakes National Park | Zagreb (Printable PDF Map at the end of post)
Day 1-4: Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is the perfect place to start your Croatia Itinerary. Dubrovnik is absolutely beautiful and there’s no place like it. But it turns out everyone is aware of this because Dubrovnik is one of the busiest tourist destinations I’ve been too.
As long as you go prepared for crowds, it shouldn’t be too much of a shock. There are also many areas to stay in Dubrovnik that are more peaceful.
Highlights
- Exploring the streets of the Old Town
- Spending the day at Banje Beach
- Walking the city walls
- A drink at Buza Bar (there is Buza I and Buza II – we preferred Buza II)
Where To Eat
- Nautika Restaurant
- Nishta for lunch (vegetarian)
- Mlinar Bakery for a snack or light meal
- Dolce Vita Ice Cream
Where To Stay
There are so many different areas to stay in Dubrovnik, that there’s really an area to suit everyone. We go into detail about the areas and hotel options here, but some of my favourite hotels in Dubrovnik include Villa Dubrovnik, Hotel Excelsior and Hotel Kompas.
Read More: Where To Stay In Dubrovnik Croatia: Our Dubrovnik Accommodation Guide
How Long To Stay
I feel like 4 days is a good amount of time in Dubrovnik to see and do the main things, as well as have a relaxing beach day. But having said that, you could easily spend more time exploring and at different beaches and areas. You could easily spend a week here if you have the time.
How To Get To Your Next Destination
Next stop… Korcula! You can get to Korcula on a ferry from Gruz Port area in Dubrovnik. We took a Jadrolinija Ferry which was simple. See Jadrolinija timetables and prices here. Other options are: Krilo ferry | Nona Ana
Day 4 – 8: Korcula
Korcula will be your first island experience in your Croatia Itinerary. There’s something about Korcula that makes it special. I feel like it’s underrated when compared to some other islands, but it has so much to offer.
Korcula Old Town has beautiful little cobblestone streets to explore, delicious restaurants and stunning water views. There’s also so much to explore all over the island, as well as smaller islands surrounding it.
Highlights
- A day trip to Badija Island
- Riding Bicycles to Lumbarda
- Eating at amazing restaurants overlooking the ocean
- Korcula Old Town
Where To Eat
- Restaurant Filippi
- Nonno
- Silk Street Food
- Wine Bar Bokar
Read More: Where To Eat In Korcula Croatia: Cafes, Restaurants, Desserts & Drinks
Where To Stay
Korcula is a fairly large island with so many beautiful areas. But for a first-time visit, I don’t think you can beat staying in Korcula Old Town or nearby. Some of my favourite accommodation options in Korcula include Lesic Dimitri Palace, Hotel Korcula and Tara’s Lodge Hotel.
Read More: Where To Stay In Korcula Croatia: Our Korcula Accommodation Guide
How Long To Stay
I feel like if you’re visiting an island you’re there in part to relax. For this reason, I think 4 days would be a good length, just so you can explore and relax. We spent a week here and loved every minute of it. Having said that, if you’re stretched for time, you could get away with 3 days.
How To Get To Your Next Destination
Next stop… Hvar! You can get from Korcula to Hvar by ferry. We went with Jadrolinija again, and this worked fine. See Jadrolinija timetables and prices here. Another option is the Krilo ferry.
Day 8 – 12: Hvar
Hvar is often seen as the party island, but it’s so much more than that. Hvar Town is beautiful with amazing architecture and things to do. The water is holiday blue, the food is delicious and there are even smaller islands to visit from here (and they’re amazing).
Highlights
- Visiting the Pakleni Islands
- Lunch at Zori Restaurant
- Views from Hvar Fortress
- Exploring Hvar Town
Where To Eat
- Zori Restaurant
- Fig Cafe Bar
- Dalmatino
- Green Goodness
Read More: Where To Eat In Hvar Croatia
Where To Stay
Hvar is a large island with lots of different towns and areas to stay in. For a first-time trip, I would recommend staying in Hvar Town. Some of my favourite Hvar accommodation options are Hotel Adriana, Amfora Hvar, Hvar Riva Rooms and Pharos Hvar Hotel.
Read More: Where To Stay In Hvar Croatia: Our Hvar Accommodation Guide
How Long To Stay
If you can spend 4 nights on Hvar that would be great. Of course, you can probably see and do a lot in 2 – 3 days, but it’s always nice to have more time to relax when you’re on an island if possible.
How To Get To Your Next Destination
Next stop… Brac! We got a ferry from Hvar to Brac. There are two main ports on Brac Island, so make sure you pick the one that’s best for where you’re staying. We chose to stay in Bol, so got a Jadrolinija Ferry to Bol.
Day 12 – 14: Brac
Brac is another beautiful Croatian island. We stayed in Bol and loved it there, but I feel like it’s a great place to hire a car so you can explore more of the island. As much as I enjoyed Bol, I feel like there wasn’t as much to do there when compared to the previous islands without having transport.
Highlights
- Zlatni Rat Beach
- Stina Winery
Where To Eat
- Pizzeria Topolino
- Argola Sandwich Bar
- Fruitland for a smoothie (Zlatni Rat Beach)
- B058 Gelato
Where To Stay
We stayed in Bol, which is a great area to stay. It’s near a port and also walking distance to Zlatni Rat Beach. It’s a great base, especially if you don’t have a car. Some of my favourite Brac accommodation options are Bluesun Hotel Elaphusa, Boutique Hotel Bol and Hotel Kastil.
How Long To Stay
If you’re not planning to hire a car I feel like 2 days would be enough time. If you’re planning on hiring a car, I would add on a couple more days, depending on how much you’re exploring.
How To Get To Your Next Destination
Next stop… Split! We got the Jadrolinija Ferry from Brac (Bol) to Split.
Day 14 – 17: Split (Trogir + Krka)
There are so many things to do in Split itself, including Diocletian’s Palace, the Old Town, the beaches and Marjan Park. And then you have some great options for days trips to places like Trogir and Krka National Park.
Highlights
- Diocletian’s Palace (and underneath)
- Split Old Town
- Green Market
- Marjan Park
- Krka National Park
- Trogir
Where To Eat
- Bokeria
- Kantun Paulina
- Articok
- Apetit
- Paradox Wine & Cheese Bar
Read More: Where To Eat In Split Croatia: Cafes, Restaurants, Desserts & Markets
Where To Stay
For a first-time trip to Split, I would stay in the Old Town or nearby, for example, in the neighbourhoods of Varos or Bacvice. Some of my favourite Split accommodation options are Abokamento Boutique Rooms, Piano Nobile Rooms, Murum Heritage Hotel, Palace Judita Heritage Hotel and Hotel Park Split.
Read More: Where To Stay In Split Croatia: Our Split Accommodation Guide
How Long To Stay
If you’re not planning on doing any day trips than 2 – 3 days in Split would be great. But if you want to do Krka National Park, that will take a full day, and Trogir will take a half day, so I would add that onto your time.
How To Get To Your Next Destination
Next stop… Plitvice Lakes National Park! We got the bus from Split to Plitvice Lakes National Park, which took about 4.5 hours. We did this through Prijevoz Knezevic which you can book online at getbybus.com or buy your tickets at Split bus station.
Day 17 – 19: Plitvice Lakes National Park
There’s a lot of hype about Plitvice Lakes National Park, but it’s all completely warranted. It’s absolutely stunning. Plitvice Lakes is one place we were so happy was part of our Croatia Itinerary.
We stayed nearby in Rastovaca, and as we arrived in the afternoon after 4.5 hours on a bus we decided to stay 2 nights. We got up early the next morning to visit Plitvice Lakes, had a relaxing night then moved on the next day.
Highlights
- Plitvice Lakes National Park
- Staying in peaceful Rastovaca
Where To Stay
There are many villages surrounding Plitvice Lakes National Park. We stayed in Rastovaca as you could walk to entrance 1 in about 25 minutes. Search for places to stay near entrance 1 | entrance 2 | entrance 3.
How Long To Stay
Plitvice Lakes National Park can technically be done as a day trip. I would only consider it as a day trip if I was coming from and returning to Zagreb, as this is closer. I wouldn’t do this as a day trip from Split as it takes 4.5 hours on a bus to get there, which I think would take away from your experience, and it’s also best to get there when it opens.
Staying the night before you go is great as you get to experience the peaceful countryside near Plitvice and you can also get there when it opens and hopefully avoid some of the crowds. We stayed two nights, which was really only one full day, and loved this.
How To Get To Your Next Destination
Next stop… Zagreb! We got to Zagreb by bus. We booked this online through Autotrans and it took about 2.5 hours.
Read More: Plitvice Lakes National Park: Our Experience and 6 Things You Should Know
Day 19 – 22: Zagreb
The last stop on your Croatia Itinerary. Zagreb is often overlooked but it absolutely shouldn’t be. Zagreb is the Capital of Croatia and a beautiful city. There’s a lot to explore, eat and do, I have such amazing memories of my time here.
Highlights
- Saint Marks Church
- Tkalciceva street
- Ilica street
- Botanical Gardens
- Dolac Market
- Tomislav Park
Where To Eat
- Vinodol
- Dezman Bar
- Yellow Submarine
- La Struk
- Mundoaka Street Food
Where To Stay
Staying in the city centre or nearby is best. Some of my favourite Zagreb accommodation options are Esplanade Zagreb Hotel, Sheraton Zagreb and DoubleTree by Hilton Zagreb.
Read More: Where To Stay In Zagreb Croatia: Our Zagreb Accommodation Guide
How Long To Stay
2 – 4 nights is a good amount of time to see the main sights in Zagreb. Although 2 days would be fine, I feel like Zagreb reveals itself slowly, so the longer you stay the more you might enjoy it.
How To Get To Your Next Destination
That’s the end of your Croatia Itinerary! You could, of course, choose to continue, in which case you could explore more of Croatia or its neighbouring countries. In Croatia, some other places that would be great include Istria, Zadar and other Croatian Islands.
Montenegro and Bosnia & Herzegovina are also neighbouring countries that are definitely worth exploring and spending some time. From Zagreb, we continued to Slovenia. Have a great time in Croatia!
Read More: What To Pack For Croatia Carry-On Only + Printable Croatia Packing List
Printable Croatia Itinerary Map
Get your free printable Croatia Itinerary Map here.
Hi! Thank you so much for this post! It was so helpful and fun to read. If I will be traveling solo and do not have a car, will this whole itinerary still be possible for me to do by using public transportation?
Hi Ida, so happy to hear that :) Yes, absolutely, we did this itinerary entirely with public transportation. Croatia has a great public bus system, and the ferries in between the islands are also a great option. Keep in mind the ferries may not run in low season and have more limited schedules in the shoulder seasons. Have an amazing time :)
Hi there, my husband and I are in the process of planning a roadtrip down the coast of Croatia in mid August of this year. Our plan is to fly in to Pula, rent a car and then spend the next 7 days exploring making our way to Dubrovnik where we will fly out of. We were thinking of renting the car then driving to Rovinj to spend our first night, but we are looking for a recommendation for a place to visit between Rovinj and Split.
Any guidance is greatly appreciated! We want to enjoy the beaches, we also love wine and food and exploring new places. Were in our thirties and have traveled all over, but could use some help here :)
Our itinerary right now looks something like this-
Night 1- Rovinj
Night 2- ??
Night 3- Split
Night 4-Hvar
Night 5-Hvar
Night 6-Dubrovnik
Night 7-Dubrovnik
Hi Alexis, how exciting, Croatia is such a beautiful country! There are a few options for a place to stop on the way between Rovinj and Split, for nature, Plitvice Lakes National Park is stunning, but will also probably be pretty busy during August, or for more coastal, you could try Zadar. The only thing I would say is that if you can, add a few days to your trip so you have a little more time to explore each place. Have an amazing trip and let us know if you have any other questions :)
Most insightful posting about Croatia and where to check out. We were thinking about month+ there and don’t like to move too fast as we work and school while traveling, so having 5ish locations to stay 1-2 weeks each sounds perfect. THANK YOU for adding information about the ferry services- the island idea sounded intimidating but after looking into it, it appears to be really easy!
Question if you still check this post: We want to go when we can swim but I typically hate high season. Curious if early June or late August would be better?
Hi Jess, Croatia is beautiful you will love it! The ferry services are great, but just check the timetables for when you are wanting to go as the schedule becomes more limited in the shoulder seasons. About the swimming, I would guess that it is warmer in the post-summer months than beforehand. But having said that, August is one of the busiest months, so September would most likely be better for less tourists, although it will still be busy. And on our last trip to Croatia we were in Dubrovnik in mid-June and actually thought it was a lot less busy then July and swimming was great!
Thank you so much for this, I am going to do it! I’ve already booked my places in those places as I did this past year for Portugal as I love booking.com and I got all free cancellations. It works out so well. I was a little concerned on how to get from one place to another as I will not have a car so I especially appreciate your info. Thank you, I may be back in touch! Sandy
Hi Sandy, so happy you found our blog useful :) Croatia is such an amazing country, we are actually back in Croatia again now! It’s pretty easy to get around without a car, buses are great here. Hope you have an amazing trip and definitely let us know if you have any other questions :)