How to Spend a Week in Croatia
Ah Croatia. This was a place at the top of our list for as long as we’ve known each other. As we were planning out the week, it was difficult to narrow down our route. In the end, we had an absolute dream trip, so I will confidently tell you how you should spend a week in Croatia. Don’t argue.
Day 1 (Friday): Fly to Split, Croatia
Based on recommendations from friends and our desire to maximize our time in Croatia, we decided to simply pass through Split. We had some time to kill before catching our ferry, so we enjoyed dinner at Konoba Lucac and it was delicious! Just walking through the old town of Split, it was obvious the restaurant scene is really thriving. TimeOut has a great article if you find yourself in Split a little longer.
Getting to downtown Split from the airport:
There is a shuttle bus that very conveniently will take you as far as the ferry port. The bus is to the left when you walk out of baggage claim – The cost is 30 krn pp or 5 euro pp (they accept either) and you can pay on the bus. If you are heading to the ferry port and have time to explore, there are lockers there to store your bags.
Getting to Hvar, Croatia:
There are 3 companies that serve the ferry route from Split to Hvar – Kapetan Luka, Jadrolinija and Krilo. Jadrolinija the company we used, but you can check the full timetable here.
The ferry port was way larger and far more complicated than I expected (could have been the wine). Pro tip: Get there early or you’ll find yourself lost, sprinting through the docks in search of your ferry, which happens to be the last one to Hvar. Then again, that could just be us.
Day 2 (Saturday): Hvar
We wanted to celebrate our 1 year anniversary of living in Amsterdam with something special. Since we were in Croatia, that had to be on a sailboat.
After researching which company to use, we settled on Hvar Adventure. They offered a few different tours, but we wanted to optimize our time on the water and chose the 10 hour Sailing Experience.
It was pretty clear from the start that our skipper was jaded toward the overtourism in Croatia, but it was easy to ignore at first. The view was too distracting.
We snorkeled and swam in the Pakleni Islands, explored the island of Vis and tasted all the wine at a local winemaker’s shop. Then, we finished the day with more wine on the boat and another swim at one of the skipper’s favorite spots.
Luke living his best life
Views from Vis Island
By the time we were on the way back to Hvar, our skipper stopped paying attention to us and hit Luke in the head with the boom. Luke got pretty sick, which shot the rest of our night unfortunately. I will say, in spite of this incident, we really enjoyed the day. If you’re looking for a sailboat excursion though, this might not be your best option. As beautiful as Vis was, this trip wasn’t worth the money – I would recommend doing Vis on your own and investing in a shorter sail trip around the Pakleni Islands. This was the best part of the day!
Day 3 (Sunday): Hvar
Get breakfast at Fig Cafe Bar
Hop on a taxi boat near Hvar main square, pay 60 kuna for a Pakleni Islands return ticket, and head to Jerolim, one of the major islands in the archipelago.
Grab a drink at the beach bar then find a chair or one of the flat rocks spanning the edge of the water. Be free and strip down…or don’t. You do you! Super chill vibe and cold beer. We loved it here the most.
Jump back on the taxi boat and head over to Stipanska. Here you’ll find the popular Carpe Diem Beach Club. It kind of feels like a Vegas pool party, but this is the place to be if you like flamingo floaties and flaunting money! If nightlife is your thing, this is where the party will be.
After a long day of sun bathing, make your way back to Hvar for dinner. Snag a table on the steps outside of Casablanca. A local spot, owned by the family who also ran our Airbnb. Order some skewers and homemade wine, and don’t be alarmed when the Grandpa of the family pulls up a chair and joins you with his own glass.
Start the night in a classy way, and take a stroll towards Central Park Club to join the after-dinner crowd for live jazz and more Croatian wine.
Then flip the experience and end the night with beers and a dance party at a buzzing hole in the wall, Kiva Bar.
Day 4 (Monday): Hvar
Nurse your hangover with breakfast back at part of the reason for said hangover, Central Park Club, and prepare for the best day ever!
This was strongly recommended by a friend and I will return the favor: Rent quads and ride around the island! This was my favorite thing we did in Hvar.
The company you use will provide a map, and there are a few beaches highlighted, but be patient and ride a little further to Dubovica Beach. Once you park, you have a bit of a hike down, but it is clearly a local spot and well worth the trek!
Watch the clock and make sure you have enough time to visit Stari Grad – A beautiful and quiet city, and a much welcome escape from the party raging in Hvar. One of the oldest towns in Europe, you’ll enjoy exploring the narrow, cobblestone streets, wandering into small shops tucked into the walls. Stop for lunch at Antika and splurge on the fresh burrata. You won’t regret it.
Before you journey back to Hvar, walk to the harbor and order ice cream to stay cool as you assess the sailboats parked along the edge.
Our best meal in Hvar was at Dalmatino. It was an early dinner in order to board the ferry in time, but 100% worth the stop. The word is out, so you have to make a reservation, but they are super accommodating. Order everything.
Getting to Dubrovnik, Croatia:
Catch the last ferry for your 3.5 hour journey to Dubrovnik, while keeping in mind this particular ferry route is notorious for taking longer than expected. (You can book your tickets here.) Then wave goodbye to P Diddy’s super yacht and the swarm of drunk influencers. Next up: the cultural leg of our week in Croatia.
Day 5 (Tuesday): Dubrovnik
Where to stay:
Multiple people recommended we stay within the old defensive walls that surround Old Town, and that turned out to be a great tip. Most of what you want to do is located here, and both the buses and uber are easy to access for exploring other parts of Dubrovnik, such as Babin Kuk. Airbnb has plenty of options within the walls. It is worth noting that we naively paid 7 euros for a coffee, so maybe don’t make that mistake.
Purchase a Dubrovnik Card:
Order the card online to receive 10% off, and pick it up at tourist office outside of Pile Gate. This will include your entrance to the wall and the fort, as well as discounts for various restaurants and museums and free local bus rides. Even if we couldn’t find the restaurant on the card, we simply mentioned it to our server and still received a discount.
Day trip out of Croatia:
Your best options are either a Mostar Day Trip or a Montenegro Day Trip. We knew we wanted to visit Montenegro on a separate holiday, so we joined a small group to Bosnia and Herzegovina. This company was excellent and able to get us across the border quickly, which is the main concern for the day trip to Bosnia. It is also a reason you should go opt for the organized group trip rather than renting a car and driving yourself.
On the bus, our tour guide discussed the Bosnian War in depth and it was heartbreaking to hear. Even in Mostar, which has really benefited from the overtourism in Dubrovnik, the walls are riddled with bullet holes.
You will stop in a small village along the way for the opportunity to buy beautifully handmade items and local fruits.
In Mostar, we did a walking tour through the city, drank local wine and ate enough food for a family of 4.
While we ate, we watched professionals jump from the Mostar Bridge, “Stari Most”. Diving from Stari Most is a badge of honor for many of the town’s young men, and is a major stop on the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series.
When we got back to Old Town, we visited the War in Pictures Museum to dive a little deeper into the Yugoslav Wars. Would highly encourage dropping into this museum, but you will need to follow this up immediately with an uplifting activity.
Cue pizza: Grab a table in the square at Oliva Pizza. Highly recommended by our Airbnb host and has great google reviews but, more importantly, it was the perfect place to people watch and sit in the middle of the buzz of an old town so rich in history.
Day 6 (Wednesday): Dubrovnik
Eat breakfast on the pier at Dubravka 1836 – just outside the wall, really affordable and gorgeous sea views. It was so magical we ate breakfast here two days in a row. We were never super early and were still able to score a table with a view both times. This is also on the Dubrovnik Card.
Get away from the hoards of tourists and take a 15 minute ferry from Dubrovnik’s Old Harbor to Lokrum Island. Spend your day cliff diving, swimming in their miniature Dead Sea, exploring the monastery, and nerding out at the GoT display.
Continue your trend away from the tourists and end your day in Babin Kuk. Just a short, 2 mile bus ride away from old town with great restaurants and solid spots to watch the sunset.
Uvala Lapad Beach
If you are lazy and spent from your day in the sun and want to post up in one place, Hotel More is here for you. There is a beach bar with tables along the water, perfect for catching the sunset with a drink in your hand. A Cave Bar, which is exactly what you think it is…a bar inside of a natural cave below the hotel. And, Restaurant More is just a few floors up with excellent reviews and beautiful views.
Cave beers
If Restaurant More is out of your price range, there are plenty of restaurants to choose from – Restaurant Komin also comes highly recommended. We ate dinner on Uvala Lapad Beach at Sunset Beach Trattoria and watched the sunset there before ending our night at Cave Bar.
Day 7 (Thursday): Dubrovnik Old Town
Morning
Walk the wall as soon as it opens for two reasons – 1) It will be less busy 2) You won’t die of heat stroke
There is a fun, self-guided GoT walking tour if you’re hard core. We are easily distracted and stumbled into most places by accident, but it was entertaining to make it a part of our day in Old Town.
Head through the western entrance of the walls and walk to the Fort Lovrijenac (AKA The Red Keep for you GoT fans) for even more spectacular views of the city.
Back within the walls, visit the Old Pharmacy in the Franciscan Monastery. It is one of the oldest pharmacies in Europe, dating back to the 1300s and still operating. The monastery is also a beautiful place to walk through.
Wine time: Take a vino break at D’vino. They offer wine tastings ALL. DAY. You’re welcome.
Make your way to BUZA Bar for drinks and another prime sunset view. We got there around 18:00 and if it had been any later we would have struggled for a table. The entertainment factor is high while you wait for the sun to set – boats, kayaks, and drunk cliff jumpers. This would also be a fun place during the day to swim if you have a late flight the following day!
An absolute must: Taj Mahal for dinner. Outstanding Bosnian comfort food. If you don’t make a reservation they will turn you away because it is that amazing. There are two locations (the other is in Babin Kuk), but we went within the walls.
(Friday) Day 8: Fly from Dubrovnik
Head down to the Old Town Harbor and eat breakfast by the water at Gradska Kavana. An inexpensive and delightful meal with a beautiful view.
Getting to the Dubrovnik Airport:
The shuttle bus was super easy, and there are a few different stops from where you can access. On the bus, you can plan your next trip to the Balkans because there is so much more to see! Until then, you’ll have plenty of photos from Croatia to keep you smiling.
