Perfect 2 Week Itinerary Croatia
In 2019, I visited Croatia for the first time. I went to Dubrobnik and my big takeaway was that it was beautiful….but way too crowded for me. But the experience left me eager to come back and explore other parts of Croatia that were perhaps less touristy. Little did I know that only a year later I would be back!
2020 has left us Americans with very few places to travel. With the days of passport privilege in the past, Croatia was one of the few destinations allowing Americans in - and that seemed to have a decent hold on the virus. So I decided to make a trip back there in September/October. This time visiting a new slate of cities across the Dalmatian and Istria coast.
I’m glad I had the chance to come back and spend weeks in this beautiful country - as I feel like much of it’s beauty and charm comes out in time. One of my biggest takeaways this trip was how welcoming, accommodating and kind the Croatian people are. My Airbnb host picked me up from the airport, another Airbnb host picked me up and dropped me off at the bus station, and I was frequently checked up on by everyone I dealt with. Maybe it’s the lack of tourists currently in Croatia, that they savor each and every visitor….but something tells me this is more about their culture than simply situational!
After spending a month all together in Croatia, I wanted to put together an amazing 2 week itinerary - featuring my favorite places and activities the country has to offer. If you have more time to spend, you can surely add more days. This itinerary moves very quickly and doesn’t have much down time, if you’re the sort of person who likes to take your time more when on vacation - definitely add days.
But seeing and doing as much as possible is how I love to travel - I’ll sleep when I’m dead if my running philosophy :)
Day 0 - Depart Home
Arrive in Split Croatia
I recommend staying in Old Town which is near the harbor - here you’ll find easy transport to other areas of the country, ferries, restaurants, shops, etc.
Dinner along the water near the harbor - there are a lot of restaurant options that serve surprisingly good food (I know often times restaurants in prime locations cater to tourists and the food isn’t that good….but doesn't seem to be the case here!). We loved Antique Sushi.
Day 1 - Split
On your first full day in the city, spend some time getting oriented in the Old Town. I recommend a walking tour! This is a great way to learn a bit of the history of the place you’re in & better understand the country throughout your travels.
Afternoon: Cetina Canyon Rafting & Cliff Jumping
This was one of my favorite activities I did in Croatia - and you absolutely MUST book it with Ante. His tour is the only one that includes swimming through a cave & cliff jumping as well as the rafting portion!
After working up an appetite, have dinner at Bokamorro Pizzeria - for some of the best pizza I’ve ever had (and amazing cocktails too!)
After dinner, work off your meal with a walk through Marjan Hill & Forest (the entrance is RIGHT next door to the pizzeria).
Day 2 - Split
Day Trip to Krka National Park
Krka National Park features a stunning waterfall and pleasant overall vibes. Do note that swimming in the falls was set to end Oct 2020, so you can no longer swim.
Krka isn't the easiest to reach by public transit - only that the time tables can be very limited certain times a year - so definitely check times in person at the train station before departing. When I went - I connected Trogir to Sibenik and then to Krka. There was only 1 bus to Krka from Sibenik (11AM), and one return (5PM). So you had to be prepared to stay all day. The other thing you can do, is plan to take a taxi or Uber from Sibenik to Krka - which was easy.
Alternatively, you could book Krka as a tour and not worry about transportation OR use a rental car (there appeared to be ample parking).
NOTE: If you need to find places to cut, I would cut this over Plitvice Lakes National Park.
If you’re up for a glass of wine and some dinner, head to Zinfandel Wine Bar and/or Monika’s Wine Bar both in Old Town.
Day 3 - Split
5 Island Tour or 3 Islands Tour - you can’t visit Croatia without taking a boat trip or two! And these are two of the most popular trips.
What’s the difference? Well the 5 islands trip is all day and the 3 islands trip is a half day - but they both visit the Blue Lagoon. The 5 islands trip also goes to the Blue Cave and Hvar (but if you follow this itinerary you will already spend a few days in Hvar), so it might not be necessary to pay for the full day trip. Blue Cave is very cool, but it’s a very short experience - less than 10 minutes.
I booked the 5 Islands Tour with Providenca and had an amazing experience! The boat was SO pleasant….I loved just riding around between islands - listening to house music play - as much as the stops!
Check out Pandora’s Green Box for a healthy (but super yummy) dinner!
Day 4 - Split —> Dubrovnik
Drive or take the ferry from Split to Dubrovnik (3 hours)
As mentioned in the intro, Dubrovnik is VERY touristy these days with the success of Game of Thrones….so it wasn’t really my cup of tea. But it’s undoubtedly beautiful and I totally understand why people would want to visit! I would just recommend a short visit :)
If you want to use Dubrovnik as a base to do trips to Montenegro and Bosnia - this is also a good option.
You’ll find tourist agencies offering group tours OR you can rent a car OR take the bus (longer journey).
Day 5 - Dubrovnik —> Hvar
Take the ferry from Dubrovnik to Hvar (3 hours)
There are two companies that run ferries to Hvar: Jadrolinija and Kapetan Luka. You want Kapetan Luka - this is the faster catamaran option. Jadrolinija is a very large ferry & slower (you can take cars on board).
NOTE: The ferry may not be running in low season, so always double check with the ferry company ahead of time!
Once you arrive in Hvar, take some time to explore the old town area around the harbor. There are many nice restaurants, shops, and bars in close proximity - as well as a number of cool clubs in high season! Make sure to make the trek up the hill to the Fortress for some spectacular views.
In terms of accommodations: we stayed at the Adriana Hotel and loved it! It’s right along the water and features a rooftop bar and restaurant with great food, as well as indoor pool directly adjacent to the bar/outside. You can’t beat the location - next to the harbor and minutes walk to everything nearby.
In case you’re craving something that’s not pizza/pasta focused, check out Fig - a popular Mexican restaurant in Hvar!
Day 6 - Hvar
Hvar Island Tour - a common misconception people have is that Hvar is limited to the area about the harbor - and while this area is great, it would be a big shame for this to be your only experience! There’s a lot more to Hvar - but you need a guide or car to get there.
I highly recommend Grgo at Natural Hvar Tours! He put together a wonderful itinerary that took us to a ethno ghost village, Stari Grad (Unesco World Heritage site), fisherman village Vrboska, Jelsa, many vineyards & olive groves, and finally were welcomed at his 350 year old stone family home for a tasting of their wines & sweet treats. All in all, it was a fantastic day….one of my favorites while in Croatia!
For dinner, try out one of the top rated restaurants in the area, Dalmatino (with over FOUR THOUSAND POSITIVE REVIEWS).
Day 7 - Hvar
Beach day!
There are a number of cool pebble beaches in Hvar - The Common Wanderer lists out a number of great options in her article HERE, or alternatively you could take a boat to a nearby island such as Brac, Bol or Pakleni.
End the night with dinner and drinks at the cute little hole-in-the-wall bar & restaurant, Lola Street Food.
Day 8 - Hvar to Zadar
After a few days in paradise, it’s time to ferry back to Split and head north! Remember to check ferry/catamaran times tables ahead of time, as schedules can change without warning. The same two companies mentioned previously - Jadrolinija and Kapetan Luka - also operate to Split. As a reminder, Kapetan Luka is the fast ferry (takes approx 1 hour to Split), the Jadrolinija ferry takes 2 hours).
Once in Split, pick up a rental car and drive to Zadar (1 hour and 45 minutes drive)
I am an anxious driver and often resist renting a car when traveling; however, I found driving in Croatia to be very easy and pleasurable. I recommend it, as there are many places from here on out in the itinerary that will be difficult (or impossible) to reach without your own transportation.
Alternatively, the bus takes about 2.5 hours (and you could do Plitvice on Day 9 as an organized tour with transport)
On arrival in Zadar, get settled into your hotel or Airbnb and then go explore Old Town.
Donat Ice Cream - honestly had the best gelato I can recall to memory….SO SO SO good. 1200+ positive reviews on Google.
Sunset/Evening: Sea Organ & Light Show at Dark
No visit to Zadar would be complete without seeing their famous sea organ & light show (they are side by side).
Day 9 - Zadar to Pula via Plitvice
Get an early start, with a visit to Plitvice Lakes National Park (90 minute drive from Zadar) - this is one of the top tourist destinations in Croatia and not to be missed! Fun fact, Plitvice is the 2nd most visited destination in Croatia after Dubrovnik!
After several hours exploring the turquoise lakes and waterfalls, continue onto Pula (3 hours 16 minutes).
Overnight in Pula
Day 10 - Pula
Get up early and explore Pula! I recommend starting with the Colosseum and then working your way around Old Town (you can explore most of it in an hour or so). You may also want to stop into the Olive Oil Museum.
In the afternoon, go for an Olive Oil Tour & Tasting. I highly recommend THIS TOUR through Airbnb.
Alternatively, squeeze in a Sea Kayaking Tour around Pula’s surrounding bays & caves.
Day 11 - Rovinj
Drive to Rovinj (40 minutes from Pula)
Explore Rovinj, a charming little seaside town. Keep in mind that this small town can get quite busy in high season though!
In the evening, drive to Motovan; stay at Roxanich Hotel
Day 12 - Motovan
Morning: Truffle Hunting with Nikola Tarandek
One of our favorite activities in Croatia was going truffle hunting with Nikola! We met up with him in the morning and trekked into the woods with him and his 3 dogs. To our excitement, the dogs found a couple white truffles while we were with them!
Lunch at Zigante (Michelin Star truffle restaurant!)
It’s perfectly located for after truffle hunting with Nikola!
In the afternoon, drive up the hill and explore Motovan Old Town - for beautiful architecture and views - it will feel like you stepped back in time.
In the early evening, head to Aura Distillery to sample Croatian liquors and liqueurs.
Open 9AM-8PM; visit their website for more details
Overnight at Roxanich Hotel
Day 13 - Motovan
After a leisurely breakfast at the hotel, head out for a day of wine tasting!
Start out the day sampling Roxanich’s own homegrown selection of wines. Make sure to sample their orange wine!
Next up is Kabola Winery - a family run establishment in the CUTEST country house ever. Come early or stay late because you are definitely going to want to have a photo session here!
And lastly, finish off at nearby Kozlovic Winery - another gorgeous winery.
Day 14 - Return Home
Return to Zagreb for flight home (3 hours)
Return rental car
Fly home!
Well I hope this itinerary has given you some wonderful ideas for your own trip to Croatia!!! <3
xo
Lauren