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Boats in the calm harbour of Komiža on the island of Vis, with stone houses and green hills behind

Sample journey · 11–14 days

Croatia from Istria to Dubrovnik, island by island

Istria, Plitvice, Split, Vis, Korčula & Dubrovnik

Photo: Ian Mackey / Unsplash

Illustrative journey ideas — not bookable packages. No prices, dates or accommodation are implied.

Croatia's coast is long, and each stretch has its own character. In the north, Istria feels close to Italy, with hill towns, olive oil, truffles and Malvazija. Inland, the Plitvice lakes step down through the forest, and in Dalmatia life moves out to the islands, where the day is set by the ferry timetable and dinner at a konoba.

This sample route travels north to south without doubling back. Each island has at least two or three nights, stays are in stone houses and small family-run hotels, and there's time for swimming, markets and long lunches. It suits a couple, and adapts easily for a family with children.

The route

The journey

  1. Pula
  2. Istria (Rovinj)
  3. Plitvice Lakes
  4. Split
  5. Vis
  6. Korčula
  7. Dubrovnik
  1. The hill town of Motovun above vineyards in inland Istria

    01Days 1–3 · Istria

    Hill towns and olive oil

    After flying into Pula, three nights in Rovinj or at a farmhouse stay nearby. Mornings in Rovinj's old town, as its coloured houses reflect in the still harbour, and days inland: Motovun and Grožnjan on their hills, an olive-oil estate and a Malvazija tasting. In autumn you could join a truffle hunt in the forests of the Mirna valley.

  2. A wooden boardwalk over the turquoise pools and small cascades of the Plitvice Lakes

    02Days 4–5 · Plitvice Lakes

    Lakes that step down through the forest

    Around three hours' drive into the mountains of Lika. A night near the park puts you on the wooden walkways early in the morning, before the coaches arrive. A loop around the lower and upper lakes, with a short crossing by electric boat, takes a few hours, and after lunch the road leads south to Split.

  3. Polished stone paving and passers-by in a narrow old-town street in Split on an early summer morning

    03Days 5–9 · Split & Vis

    A palace in the city, an island beyond the horizon

    Two nights in Split: an early morning in the lanes of Diocletian's Palace, the market by the eastern gate and an evening on the Riva. Then a ferry or fast catamaran out to Vis, for decades a closed military zone. Three nights on the island: the fishing town of Komiža, a small boat to coves you can only reach by sea, and dinners in konobas over grilled fish and local wine.

  4. Korčula old town and its cathedral tower above calm morning water

    04Days 10–11 · Korčula

    Defensive towers and vineyards

    Korčula's old town fills a small peninsula, its streets laid out like a fish skeleton to catch the cooling breeze. Two nights let you see it on a quiet morning and in the evening, when on some summer nights the moreška sword dance is performed. A day could go to the island's vineyards, where Pošip and Grk grapes are grown, or to cycling between villages.

  5. Stone steps, greenery and succulents in a narrow lane of Dubrovnik's old town

    05Days 12–14 · Dubrovnik

    The old city in its quiet hours

    To Dubrovnik by fast catamaran, or by ferry to Orebić and the road along the Pelješac peninsula, stopping in Ston for oysters. The final nights belong to the old city: walk the walls right at opening while it's still cool, and in the evening the stepped lanes fall quiet again. With time to spare, you could take a boat to Lokrum or the Elaphiti islands.

Experience highlights

  1. 01

    Istria's hill towns

    Motovun and Grožnjan, olive-oil estates and, in autumn, truffle hunts.

  2. 02

    Plitvice early in the morning

    Wooden walkways over lakes and waterfalls while the park is still quiet.

  3. 03

    The coves of Vis

    A small boat to coves and konobas that can only be reached by sea.

  4. 04

    Pelješac and Ston

    A wine peninsula and oysters from Ston's bay on the way to Dubrovnik.

First, we listen. Then, we explore what's possible.

Make it your own

  • With children

    Shorter transfers, Hvar instead of Vis for more frequent ferries, and more time in shallow, rocky coves.

  • A few days on a gulet

    Replace the ferries with a few nights aboard a small gulet between Split and Dubrovnik.

  • Shorter

    An eleven-day version: fly into Split, leave out Istria and give the time to the islands.

  • Further south

    From Dubrovnik you could carry on down the coast into Montenegro and Albania.

Practical considerations

  • May–June and September–October are usually the most pleasant: the sea is generally warm, and towns are calmer than in July and August.
  • Out of season, ferries and catamarans between the islands run less often and some routes stop altogether; we'd shape the route around that year's timetables.
  • A car suits Istria and the drive to Split, while on the islands local transport, a bike or a small boat is usually enough.
  • In Dubrovnik and at Plitvice, summer visits are best planned for early mornings, with tickets bought ahead.

General guidance only. Seasons, weather and wildlife are never guaranteed, and travel requirements are always worth checking before you go.

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