For one of many important beautiful stretches of Mediterranean shoreline, with glittering islands, splendidly well-preserved medieval cities, pristine nationwide parks and fabulous delicacies, head to Croatia.
Starting in Zagreb and ending in Dubrovnik, this seven-day itinerary is right for first-time company. You’ll uncover the Croatian capital along with UNESCO World Heritage-listed outdated cities on the Dalmatian coast, hopping on a catamaran or ferry between stunning islands alongside one of the simplest ways. We’ve included some stunning seashores, breathtaking construction, delicious meals and wine, some wonderful museums, and sunsets to swoon over. What are you prepared for?
Ready to start planning? Time your go to good with our seasonal data
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When to succeed in: Late spring and early fall are good events to go to Croatia, on account of good temperatures and fewer crowds. Nonetheless, for the smoothest connections out to the islands, you’ll want to go to Croatia inside the high-season months of June to August, when ferries are working most likely essentially the most frequent corporations.
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Discover ways to get to/from the airports: It is a 40-minute bus expertise from Zagreb’s airport into the city coronary heart bus station and tickets shall be bought on-line prematurely or from the driving force. Taxis may be discovered outside the terminal. In Dubrovnik, bounce on the airport shuttle bus on the first bus station, Grawe station, on the Outdated Metropolis cable automotive stop or outside One Suite lodge. Buy tickets on the stops or on-line.
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What to pack: Swimming sneakers are extraordinarily advisable for seashore visits. It is not acceptable to walk spherical seashore cities in your swimwear, so it’s best to positively pack non-beach clothes too. Embody some smarter outfits for evenings out and clothes which will cowl bare shoulders and thighs when visiting religious web sites.
First time in Croatia? Listed below are the problems it’s best to know sooner than you go
Day 1: start your week in Zagreb
Many Croatian itineraries merely stick to the coast and islands – nonetheless in missing the Croatian capital, you’re truly solely seeing half the nation. Zagreb has varied great museums and galleries to go to, fabulous bars, cafes and consuming locations, and a fantastically preserved outdated metropolis coronary heart full of Secessionist-style construction.
Discover ways to spend the day: Start with a strolling tour of the Larger Metropolis (Gornji grad), which services on the enduring St Mark’s Church. Don’t miss the great (and distinctive!) Museum of Broken Relationships. Then head downhill and go to the large open market and the attractive Gothic cathedral. From bustling Ban Jelačić Sq., wander through the parks and squares that run down within the course of the precept railway station.
Take a break: When you actually really feel like a espresso or a drink head alongside Tkalčićeva, a slim, pedestrianized highway teeming with vibrant cafes.
Day 2: watch the sunset from the waterfront in Zadar
Morning: Take an early bus to Zadar, spherical a 3.5-hour journey. When you occur to’re driving by your self, take note of stopping off on the unforgettable Plitvice Lakes Nationwide Park on one of the simplest ways.
Discover ways to spend the day: Zadar’s outdated metropolis is a horny cluster of slim streets and medieval church buildings, all organized alongside a slim peninsula with jaw-dropping sunsets from its waterfront. Go to the Cathedral of St Anastasia and the distinctive Church of St Donatus, subsequent to the Roman Dialogue board.
Take a break: Stop for an ice cream, or sit on the seafront by the excellent Sea Organ (a quayside stone “instrument” that makes haunting noises powered by the tide), as you admire the view over to the islands.
Dinner: Sooner than settling in for a standout dinner at Foša, which serves top-notch seafood and has an attractive waterside terrace (bookings recommended), watch the sunset from the Greetings to the Photo voltaic arrange on the waterfront.
Touring additional from Croatia? Proper right here’s our data to getting spherical
Day 3: soak up the ambiance in Break up
Morning: It’s spherical 2.5 hours by bus to your base for the following couple of nights: Break up, a coastal metropolis with unimaginable construction and popping nightlife.
Discover ways to spend the day: The energetic coronary coronary heart of Break up is Diocletian’s Palace. This UNESCO World Heritage Web page was constructed inside the 4th century as a really magnificent retirement palace for the Roman emperor Diocletian. The superior is full of a lot of of buildings which have been added all by means of the ages and as we converse is dwelling to spherical 3000 people. Start your sightseeing proper right here and don’t worry about getting misplaced – that’s half the pleasing.
Uncover your choice to the center of the palace to admire the well-preserved colonnaded Roman Peristil (courtyard), and the octagonal Cathedral of St Domnius, which was initially Diocletian’s mausoleum. Beneath ground, the palace’s substructures are a wonderfully atmospheric place to find. Don’t be shocked if you happen to occur to get the feeling dragons might be lurking: when filming Sport of Thrones, these substructures stood in for the home of Daenerys’s… er… kids.
Dinner: You’ll uncover a great deal of cafes, consuming locations and bars inside the outdated metropolis for as soon as you start to actually really feel peckish. Nosotromo, all through from the fish market, is no doubt one of many most interesting areas to take pleasure in latest Adriatic seafood. Inside the night time, take a stroll and seize a drink in town’s Riva waterfront promenade.
Day 4: relax on the enduring Zlatni Rat seashore near Bol
Morning: Take a fast catamaran from Break as much as Bol on Brač Island. This stunning little metropolis is most well-known for Zlatni Rat seashore, a superb spur of simple white pebbles and shingle that extends 500m (1640ft) straight out into the Adriatic, reached by a mile-long stroll alongside a pine-shaded waterfront promenade.
Discover ways to spend the day: The seashore is vastly trendy, and may be a great place for windsurfing on account of its common winds. For astounding views all through to Hvar and previous, take a two-hour hike as a lot as Vidova Gora. At 778m (2552ft), that’s the finest degree inside the Adriatic Islands. Don’t overlook to take water, sunscreen and a photo voltaic hat, as there’s nearly no shade on the trail up.
Planning tip: When you occur to’re touring outside of extreme season, you gained’t make it to Bol by means of direct catamaran as they solely run from June to September. Nevertheless no worries: you could take the frequent ferry from Break as much as Supetar after which the bus all through the island to Bol – merely allow adequate time on one of the simplest ways once more, as a result of the bus typically will get caught in guests prepared for the ferry outside Supetar.
Inside the night time: If in case you’ve time inside the night time, take a neighborhood bus to see UNESCO-listed Trogir and its great Thirteenth-century cathedral.
Day 5: loosen up in Hvar Metropolis, and uncover Korčula’s outdated metropolis
Morning: In extreme season (June to September) you’ve got a variety of alternatives of catamaran when touring from Break as much as Korčula Metropolis, and it’s easy adequate to stop off at Hvar Metropolis for some chill-out time on one of the simplest ways. (Phrase that catamarans between Break up, Hvar, Korčula and Dubrovnik within the summertime do get completely booked up, so make sure you buy your tickets prematurely. )
Discover ways to spend the day: The glittering capital of Hvar Island, Hvar Metropolis is no doubt some of the glamorous spots in Croatia, well-known for a vibrant nightlife scene blended with historic construction in a surprising setting. Wander the slim streets of the outdated metropolis earlier pretty church buildings and squares; if you happen to occur to fancy a swim, take a ship expertise out to the Pakleni Islands. Then, take a day catamaran to Korčula – or if you happen to occur to fall in love with Hvar and may’t bear to go away, depend on taking a catamaran on to Dubrovnik tomorrow.
Korčula Metropolis is a picture-perfect walled settlement on a boat-shaped peninsula jutting into the Adriatic. Tightly clustered inside a hoop of partitions and towers, the outdated metropolis services on the Fifteenth-century St Mark’s Cathedral, which houses artworks by Tintoretto and Ivan Meštrović. The island is believed for its wine; sample some at one in every of many wine bars inside the lanes near the harbor.
Dinner: There are lots of alternatives for meals and drinks in Hvar Metropolis. Macondo on the harbor serves fresh-off-the-boat fish and steaks full of seasonal and native substances like olives.
Day 6: put collectively to be wowed by Dubrovnik’s outdated metropolis
Morning: Catamarans run from Korčula Metropolis to Dubrovnik in extreme season (June to September), nonetheless at totally different events of the yr it’s best to catch a automotive ferry from Dominče to Orebić (on the Pelješac Peninsula) and proceed on to Dubrovnik by bus. Your first glimpse of Dubrovnik’s UNESCO-listed outdated metropolis – its magnificent white limestone partitions standing proudly above the turquoise waters of the Adriatic Sea – will take your breath away. You’ll want to spend not lower than two days exploring this excellent metropolis and its atmosphere.
Discover ways to spend the day: Wander the marble streets all through the partitions, stopping by the city’s various palaces, church buildings and museums. It’s most interesting to walk the partitions very very first thing inside the morning, so preserve them for tomorrow if you happen to occur to’ve merely arrived from Korčula. The Battle Image Restricted gallery is a really extremely efficient experience, with a eternal assortment of pictures from the battle in former Yugoslavia, along with short-term shows on totally different worldwide conflicts.
Dinner: Be part of locals on the taverna-style Glorijet by the water for a hearty seafood meal or try Nishta with its ingenious vegan and vegetarian menu that makes most likely essentially the most of Croatia’s abundance of latest produce.
Inside the night time: Finish your day off with a cable automotive expertise up Mt Srđ, which rises immediately behind the outdated metropolis, to look at the sunset glint off the rooftops, then dip into the Adriatic sea.
Day 7: stroll the city partitions of Dubrovnik, and head to Lokrum for a swim
Discover ways to spend the day: Start your second day in Dubrovnik with a stroll throughout the excessive of the outdated metropolis partitions; it’s most interesting to go as shortly as they open to avoid the crowds. That’s the conventional Dubrovnik experience and it will take you not lower than just a few hours to try all the various towers, taking in views of the outdated metropolis rooftops and glittering Adriatic on one of the simplest ways.
Inside the afternoon it’s best to have time to exit of metropolis for a refreshing swim, each on Lokrum Island, a 10-minute ferry expertise away, or at one in every of many native seashores. Carry your journey to an in depth with a sunset drink at one in every of many tiny bars on the rocks outside Dubrovnik’s metropolis partitions.
