I’m back from a week away in Croatia! My best friend and I travelled to a very sunny Split last Sunday to start our week of island hopping across Brač, Hvar, Korčula and ending in Dubrovnik. Wow, I wish I could go back in time and do it all over again! This was a very spontaneous holiday, and for this trip we put together our itinerary on the go, which I’ve detailed below for anyone looking to island-hop across the Dalmatian Coast like we did.
After looking back over our week, I also have a few recommendations to propose for the best itinerary when spending a week Croatia! Obviously, this also depends on the type of holiday you’re looking for – we went for the sun, sand, and fine dining, but if you’re looking for more outdoorsy activities it’s worth mixing things up a little. Have a read of our week’s itinerary below, and our top tips for a seven-day holiday in Croatia.
How To Go Island Hopping in Croatia
Croatia is a beautiful country located in South Europe, bordered by the Adriatic Sea. It’s home to over 1,000 islands, of which 48 are inhabited. If you’re looking to island hop in Croatia between Split and Dubrovnik, the top recommended islands are:
- Brač
- Elaphiti Islands
- Hvar
- Korčula
- Lastovo
- Mljet
- Vis
For an extended island hopping adventure, you could also travel south from Rijeka to the islands of Krk, Cres, Lošinj, and Rab.
The easiest way to island hop in Croatia is via ferry. There are a number of reputable ferry lines operating between the islands, including Jadrolinija, Krilo, and TP Line. We booked our ferry tickets online ahead of time using Ferryhopper, and as we were travelling in high season, there were multiple crossings to choose from each day. However, if you’re looking to visit some of the less popular islands, or are travelling in low season, it’s worth checking ferry operators’ crossing times, as they may be less frequent or at less convenient times.
Which Islands Are Worth Visiting in Croatia?
On our island-hopping adventure in Croatia, we prioritised islands with sun, sand, and fine dining. From Split, we travelled to Brač, Hvar, and Korčula, before finally landing on Dubrovnik. For a seven-day trip, it’s possible to visit three or four islands, with ferry trips taking between 45 minutes (Split to Hvar Town) to 2 hours 30 minutes (Korčula to Dubrovnik).
Each island has a different flavour – Brač is a well-rounded start, with small restaurants, rocky coves, and beaches. Hvar is more glamorous, with award-winning restaurants, fancy beach clubs, and a buzzing nightlife. And Korčula is steeped in history – being the birthplace of Marco Polo – with beautiful jewellers and rooftop bars dotted about the old town. For more outdoorsy activities, you may prefer Lastovo (especially Lastovo Islands Nature Park), Mljet (Croatia’s greenest island) and Vis (Croatia’s most distant island).
7-Day Itinerary for Island Hopping in Croatia
Day 1: Split
On our first day in Croatia, we flew into Split in the morning. It took us around 45 minutes to travel via taxi from the airport to Split Old Town. (Tip: during our trip, it was usually cheaper to travel via Uber than with a conventional taxi company). There, we checked into our Airbnb and had lunch in the Old Town at a restaurant called Kavana. From there, we headed to the coastline for a spot of sunbathing and swimming, before taking dinner and heading to bed.
Day 2: Split → Krka National Park
On our second day, we took the Krka Waterfalls Tour, operated by Pelican Tours. While Krka National Park may be in-land rather than out to the islands, this was an unmissable part of our holiday and I can’t recommend it highly enough! Our tour kicked off at 10:00am and we travelled by air-conditioned coach to Krka National Park, arriving just before midday. (Tip: the tour itself costs around 20€, and it does not include the entry fee to the National Park. Be sure to bring enough cash with you to pay this – the entry fees were 15€ for students, 30€ for adults, and free for young children).
Here, we were given the freedom to tour the National Park and waterfalls as we pleased. From the park, there is a free boat ride to Skradin Town, where we took lunch and sat out on the beach. We met the rest of our party at 4:15pm, and arrived back in Split by 6:00pm. For dinner, we visited AE Kitchen, where we enjoyed contemporary interpretations of traditional Croatian dishes.
Day 3: Split → Brac
On Day 3, we visited Brač for the day. (Tip: while we visited Brač for the day and returned to Split in the evening, I’d actually recommend staying on Brač for the evening and save yourself two ferry trips). Brač was our first island experience, and it was a great way to kick off our island hopping adventure! We had made the conscious decision to head to Bol as the south coast reportedly has better beaches than the north. Here, we strolled from the port directly to Zlatni Rat (aka the Golden Horn beach) and stopped just short of the horn itself, opting for a slightly quieter beach.
Day 4: Brac → Hvar
On Day 4, we headed to Hvar. (Tip: be sure to check where in Hvar your ferry lands – Hvar Town is the most popular area but it can be confusing as the town shares its name with the entire island). Hvar Town is sparkling with bars, restaurants, and beautiful views, having a slightly higher elevation than Bol or Split. We checked into our apartment around lunchtime (up hundreds of flights of stairs in the midday heat… so be sure to check how best to reach your accommodation if staying on the island) and then hit the beach. If you’re looking for a little White Lotus action, head to Beach Club Hvar, a very fancy, very expensive sea-side club with cabanas and a restaurant. Unfortunately for us, the beach club was fully booked, so after lunching there we wondered down the coast to find a more secluded sundeck with loungers and an idyllic uninterrupted view of the sea.
In the evening, we were lucky enough to get on the waiting list at Mediterraneo, a Michelin Guide-featured restaurant, and enjoyed strolling about the Old Town until about 9:30pm before heading to dinner. At Mediterraneo, I had the Sea Bream in Black Truffle Pesto, and it was one of the best dishes I ate across our entire trip.
Day 5: Hvar → Korcula
On Day 5, we took another ferry to Korčula. Again, we travelled by ferry in the morning and checked into our hotel around lunchtime. After visiting Split, Brač and Hvar, Korčula’s Old Town felt quite small, and we quickly discovered that the beaches were slightly further out of the city. Instead, we busied ourselves finding the best bars and restaurants (which, for us, were G&T Club Lounge and LD Garden).
Day 6: Korcula → Dubrovnik
On our penultimate day, we took the ferry from Korčula to Dubrovnik. We had kept this day open as we were debating a possible return to Hvar (where we would have ideally spent two days) or a day-trip to Mljet, but instead decided to make life easy on ourselves and go directly to our final destination. The ferry from Korčula to Dubrovnik takes 2 hours 30 minutes, and as with all the previous ferries, was efficiently on-time and comfortably air conditioned. Upon arrival in Dubrovnik, we took a 15-minute Uber ride to our final apartment and dropped our bags, before walking to the Old Town. We took lunch at Above 5, a fine dining restaurant located on a rooftop terrace overlooking the Old Town, before heading to St Jacob’s Beach for a swim. Our timings on this weren’t great if I’m honest – it was an unbearably hot day, and with so many steps up to the restaurant, which had fans but no air conditioning, and then almost 200 steps down to the beach, I’d really recommend both destinations when it’s not above 30°C!
Day 7: Dubrovnik
On our final day, we stayed in Dubrovnik and blew the budget on a beach club and a Michelin-starred restaurant. Having learned our lesson in Hvar, this time we booked the beach club in advance, reserving two sun loungers at the Coral Beach Club for the day. There, I swam in the sea and finished my book while my friend drank piña coladas in the sunshine and danced to the live music performances. Life really couldn’t get any better!
Then we headed home to freshen up and walk out into the Old Town for the final time for a reservation at Restaurant 360, which had been recommended to us by our host. I’m so glad she did, because the restaurant provided incredible views and memory-making moments across the three à la carte courses. We floated back to our apartment on a cloud, and then spent a moody Sunday flying out of Dubrovnik Airport, and away from paradise.
5 Tips For Island Hopping in Croatia
If you’re planning to island hop in Croatia like we did, these are my top tips!
1. Book your ferries in advance. On our first island hop – from Split to Brač – we actually almost missed our ferry, thinking we could buy our tickets at a ticket office at the port. We ended up running hurriedly from one berthe to the next, then onto two different boats, before a friendly passenger advised using Ferryhopper. Our ferry arrived within minutes of us booking, and we were very lucky to get out to Bol on time.
2. Book your accommodation even further in advance. This is especially true for Hvar, which is one of the more popular islands on the Dalmatian Coast. Before our trip, we booked accommodation in Split and Dubrovnik alongside our flights. However, for the few days in the week, we made the naïve assumption we could quite literally stroll into a hotel and book a room when arriving on each island. Thankfully, we decided to check Airbnb and Booking.com a day before setting off from Split and realised that options were limited, so ended up booking then and there.
3. Travel in the mornings. We got into a good routine of island hopping in the mornings, so we could enjoy lunch on a different island each day and then would spend a good part of the afternoon and evening on a beach. This also worked well with check-in times, as most places would provide check-in from 2pm or 3pm.
4. Book (fancy) restaurants ahead of time. If you want to go to some of the fancier restaurants on the Dalmatian Coast like we did, it’s really worth booking these ahead of time. As two travellers, we were able to get onto waiting lists or show up as late walk-ins and be seated, but for larger parties this is unlikely.
5. Travel light. Finally, try to pack light! This will save you lugging large suitcases to the ports and back each day. We had one bag and one cabin-size suitcase each, and honestly I don’t think I could have done this trip with anything more. Travelling with lots of bags can also be pretty nightmarish in places like Hvar and Dubrovnik, where you’ll be facing lots and lots of steps.
Happy island hopping!
