Croatia has been a bit of a hot bed for tourist activity in recent years and it’s easy to understand why. Stretching the Adriatic Sea, it’s a country that people visit for three reasons: sun, sand and lots of island hopping. Although, if you’re like me and a bit too old for the whole drunken, ‘Sail Croatia’ experience, where do you start? If you’re looking for an alternative way to see all that Croatia has to offer (without breaking the bank), the good news is that you don’t need to spend a week stuck on a crowded yacht with no air con. You won’t even need a car. It takes a bit of planning, but this is how we did it.
Day 1: Split.
Although never a core focus of our trip, we found it a perfect springboard for everything that Croatia has to offer and the ferries made it that much easier. After settling into our apartment, we didn’t get to spend all that much time exploring Split, but the old town and stunning promenade made it a worthwhile, yet whirlwind stop.
Split's promenade
Views from Hvar Fortress
Days 2-3: Hvar Town.
Kapetan Luka runs daily ferry services between Split and Dubrovnik, stopping off at all the must-see islands along the way. Our budget (or lack of) restricted us to choosing just the one, so Hvar Town it was! Just an hour from Split, it is well worth spending a night or two (you could even do it in a day trip if you’re stuck for time!). With much of the beautiful old town remaining intact, its secluded beaches, cobbled streets, not to mention the medieval fortress that overlooks Hvar and the Pakleni Islands, Hvar is a vibrant little town with so much to explore by day. By night, it transforms into another beast entirely, with just a pinch of glamour. There are a heap of waterfront bars and restaurants to keep you occupied well into the evenings, or the nearby Carpe Diem Beach Bar if all night raves are your type of thing.
Days 4-6: Dubrovnik.
Buza Bar, Dubrovnik
Walking Along The Walls of Dubrovnik
Perhaps the biggest draw card of all is the picturesque old town of Dubrovnik. Before we booked this beautiful Airbnb overlooking the old town, nobody told us about the steps…the bloody steps. 800 of them in total (yes, we counted…) every time we had to walk back to our accommodation. I’m pretty sure this is why everyone there is so bloody toned – they literally spend their entire lives climbing steps. Although our journey home each night was filled with plenty of colourful expletives, having a drink or two on that balcony still stands out as a highlight, and something that I would do again in a heartbeat.
Don’t leave without:
- ·Walking the Dubrovnik walls – my biggest piece of advice would be to get it out of the way early in the morning. You’ll not only beat the crowds, but the heat too…Don’t worry though, there are ice cream breaks along the way, thankfully!
- Having a drink at Buza Bar – probably the coolest bar in the world, literally.
- Taking a ride in the Dubrovnik Cable Car – cocktails and a view!
- Hiring kayaks and paddling out to Lokrum Island – I just don’t recommend going around the entire thing. That island is so much bigger than it looks!
- Getting lost in the labyrinth of beautiful alleys that make up the old town.
Panorama Restaurant and Bar, Dubrovnik
Lokrum Island, Dubrovnik
Day 7-8: Mostar.
It might not be in Croatia, but if you’re visiting Dubrovnik, then don’t go home without taking a day or two to explore Mostar. Only a three-hour bus journey to reach, Mostar is a place that will hit you hard and steal your heart. It’s the only way to describe it and spending just 24 hours here is still one of my biggest regrets after four years in Europe. I recently wrote a post about our fleeting visit to Bosnia, here.
Stari Most Bridge, Mostar
Split, Croatia
Day 9: Split.
Reluctantly, we made our way back to Split (only because it was so much cheaper to fly out of at the time), although if we knew how terrible it would be, I’m sure we’d have tried something different. Buses over this side of the world can be hit and miss at the best of times and this one was particularly uncomfortable. If you imagine 40 degree heat, an overcrowded bus with no air con, broken seats and plenty of delays and you’ll soon understand the day we had…
Like all popular European destinations in the height of peak season, there’s no escaping two things in Croatia: expensive flights and hoards of people. If you’re planning on heading that way, I would definitely recommend trying a shoulder season. If we were to do it all over again, we definitely would make some changes but sometimes that inconvenient friend called a budget gets in the way of all the fun!
SG