Coastal Croatia in a Week Itinerary
My husband and I did a week in Croatia and it is one of our favorite trips! This is our full itinerary of a week in Croatia!
A Week in Croatia: What to Do
Dubrovnik
Days 1 and 2: Croatia in a Week Itinerary
First, we flew into Dubrovnik. Definitely reserve an hour to get through customs. Croatia is gaining popularity so I imagine lines will get longer and longer. We then got a ride share via Uber or Lyft (we use them interchangeably so I honestly don’t remember). I would double check their websites to make sure they are still servicing that area when you go.
We stayed at one of the nicest hotels we have ever stayed at, Hotel Bellevue Dubrovnik. This was my husband’s dream Europe trip so we splurged on this hotel since we were only spending one night here. It was gorgeous. We could feel the luxury. The concierge called to get us restaurant reservations. Everything just signaled luxury!
It is outside of city center so if I went back with my kids and wanted to spend a lot of time in Old Town, I might stay somewhere closer if I wanted to avoid riding in cars. This trip was just my husband and I so it was easy for us to walk into city center since we weren’t lugging a stroller or diaper bags.
The view from our room was to die for!
My favorite part of our stay at this hotel was the deck! We spent the day on the deck before our ferry to Hvar. It was nice enjoying the beautiful weather with drink and food service provided by the hotel servers.
Old Town
Old Town Dubrovnik is what most people picture when they think of Croatia. Especially if you are a Game of Thrones fan. The red roofs, the limestone pavers, Old Town Dubrovnik is stunning with its location right on the water.
We chose not to do a Game of Thrones tour in Dubrovnik since we were so short on time there. However, if you’re interested, here’s a link.
It is beautiful and you do not have to have anything planned. Just walk around and see the sites. We spent our first evening in Dubrovnik just wandering around Old Town.
Old Town Dubrovnik City Walls
We bought tickets to walk the city walls. While we just did it ourselves but if you would like to do it as part of a guided tour, click here. Beware, the steps were steep and narrow. I saw several parents carrying strollers up and I am grateful we saw this before bringing the kids. When we go back with the kids, we will probably skip the city walls to be honest. Not saying it is impossible to do, but I would rather go back once they can both walk up the stairs themselves.
Definitely wear shoes with traction on the bottom! I made the mistake of wearing older shoes with worn-out traction. Let’s just say I provided some entertainment for fellow tourists when I slipped going down a staircase. Luckily, I did not hurt myself.
Walking the Dubrovnik city walls basically took up the morning and we spent the afternoon on the deck at our hotel.
Dining in Dubrovnik
We mostly ate at our hotel during our time in Dubrovnik. We wanted to skip formal dining during this part of our trip so we popped into a wine shop. Here we sampled some Croatian wines and enjoyed charcuterie for dinner.
Have an extra day in Dubrovnik? Something on my list for my next trip back is a day trip to Montenegro. It comes highly recommended by everyone I know who has been.
Hvar Island
Days 3-5: Croatia in a Week Itinerary
Hvar Island was our favorite part of our trip to Croatia. Considered the “party island” it has so much to offer travelers of all types. There are a lot of great options for accommodations including whole homes with water views.
Where to Stay in Hvar
We stayed at the Amfora Grand Beach Resort which is extremely nice. The outdoor space is incredible.
Things to Do in Hvar
We did a group charter to the Blue Cave from Hvar Island. Our captain was a local and he made the trip so fun and informative. Click here for the link to the boat tour we took! Unfortunately based on the reviews, I am not sure our captain Nikolai is still doing tours but all the reviews are phenomenal!
Some of the budget-savvy travelers brought lunch for the boat (smart). We are foodies so we opted to enjoy some food from a local restaurant for lunch.
Before dinner we stopped by Hula Hula Beach Club for a drink. It was packed, everyone was dancing and having a good time. That scene is a one drink and done for me, but if you’re into dancing the night away, it is definitely a fun spot with a beautiful view.
Our boat captain recommended the best restaurant for our dinner in Hvar, Lungomare. We never would have found it on our own as it is not listed in our guidebooks.
Best Restaurant in Hvar
Lungomare is tucked back in a neighborhood on Hvar Island. Not close to the hotels, downtown, and touristy area, it is truly a hidden gem. The hospitality of this restaurant was evident from the beginning.
I called and made a reservation but they were running behind. It did not bother my husband and I, we were used to popular restaurants in our hometown being delayed. The temperature felt perfect that night and we had had a lovely day out on the water. So we did not mind waiting a little. They offered everyone waiting a glass of white wine and were so apologetic. That never happens to us in America!
Then once we were finally sitting, the brought out a free appetizer to apologize for our long wait. Lungomare seriously had the best customer service of any restaurant I have ever visited. My husband got the lamb lungomare and loved it. I got the Hvar Gregada, fish speciality. We were both so happy with our entrees, the service, the whole experience. Seriously, we are so grateful to our boat captain for telling us about Lungomare because we had not read about it in any of the research for our trip.
Hvar Island is somewhere on my list to return. We only had one full day there and we spent it all on the boat. Not that I’m complaining about going to see the Blue Cave. That was amazing but I wish we had two whole days there. One for the boat trip and another day to walk around exploring Hvar and lounging at the wonderful pools our resort had to offer.
Split
Split is such a popular destination in Croatia. A major port city with so much to do, it definitely has a little something for everyone. We stayed at an apartment just outside of town. Since we kind of splurged on the first two places we stayed so we had to sacrifice a little in Split.
Things to Do in Split
Game of Thrones Tour
As Game of Thrones fans, we opted to spend our first morning on a Game of Thrones tour seeing some of the filming sites. We really enjoyed this but also appreciated it was only a half day so we still had time to do some exploring.
Our tour included a bus ride to Klis Fortress. Click here for a link for our private tour with up to 4 people. If you are not wanting to get on a bus and just stay in Split and save some money, click here!
I never buy much but I love popping into shops and seeing what they have to offer.
Bacvice Beach
The next day we spent the day at the beach. We mostly sat under the shade at the beach bar, ordering drinks because the beach is actually rocky and we did not have chairs. Honestly, this suited us perfectly.
Later, we walked up the hill for a beautiful sunset view.
Boat Tours from Split
Our last day we were booked for another boat tour but unfortunately the weather was bad and the company had to cancel. We were not too upset about it because our captain from Hvar had told us that the Blue Cave is more impressive than what we would have seen on this tour. Our flight got delayed so it probably worked out because we had time to change our travel arrangements.
Click here for the party boat we were supposed to take to Blue Lagoon. If I had to do it again I would probably choose a tour like this, click here, which goes to the Blue Lagoon and Trogir. Or maybe next time I’ll just stay in Trogir. If you get the chance to do either of these, let me know!
Luckily the rain cleared up and we were able to walk to a wine bar down the street to enjoy some more Croatian wine on our last day. And people watch, one of my favorite hobbies 🙂
Something else I would have loved to do as a day trip from Split is go see the Plitvice Lakes. My husband chose the boat tour over the lakes but when we go back it will be a must see! A friend of mine went and really enjoyed it. Keep in mind it is a full day trip.
Dining in Split
Now you know with my foodie husband, we had to hit some hot dining spots while in Split.
Our first night we ate at Konoba Matejuska. Per my Google search, it says temporarily closed but I hope this is not true because it was so good! I still think about their squid ink risotto. By far the best I have ever had.
The next night we ate at a Michelin star restaurant, Konoba Fetivi. Compared to some of the other Michelin star restaurants we’ve eaten at, it was not insanely expensive. So if you want to experience a Michelin star restaurant without breaking the bank, highly recommend.
Our last night was a recommendation from our Blue Cave boat captain who lived in Split. Matoni was another off the beaten path restaurant tucked into a more residential area. The decor makes you feel like you are in a rustic wine cellar. We really enjoyed it and loved feeling like we were somewhere locals dined.
For lunch we mostly just popped in where ever we were. We had a great brunch at Brasserie on 7 right on the water. Toto’s burger bar was a nice change from the traditional dishes we ate most of the trip. We loved Paradox wine bar so much we went twice. Monika’s wine bar definitely had a more laid back feel.
Coastal Croatia Itinerary
Croatia is one of the places we are really looking forward to returning to with our kids in tow next time. What are your favorite coastal cities in Croatia? Let us know in the comments below!
Bon Voyage,
Our Crew
