Dr Charlotte Russell, Clinical Psychologist & Founder
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Croatia is a relative ‘new kid on the block’ when it comes to Mediterranean holiday destinations. The country has a complex history and gained independence in the 1990s. The history in itself makes the region interesting to visit, before you even add in the beautiful towns, rugged coastline, stunning lakes and awesome cuisine. Not to mention being one of sunniest destinations in Europe.
In this itinerary I’ve tried to capture the best the country has to offer. I took this trip recently (2025) and so it is fully tried and tested. This itinerary is perfect if:
- You are interested in history and culture
- You don’t mind splurging a little; there is no getting away from the fact that Croatia is expensive particularly for eating out. However bakeries are affordable and plentiful so it is possible to balance out the cost.
- You want a mixture of activities on your trip; Croatia is fantastic for this.
To summarise I’m going to recommend that you spend 3 nights in Dubrovnik, 4 nights in Hvar and 3 nights in Split. You can do this in either direction, but I preferred to start in Dubrovnik and I’ll explain why as we go. In each stop I’m going to recommend one organised trip and one nice restaurant for a special evening meal.
Day 1: Arrive in Dubrovnik
Arriving in Dubrovnik is like landing in a fairy-tale. You will probably want to explore a little once you have checked in, but the old town is small so you will not need too much time to orient yourself a little.
This afternoon, I’m going to suggest taking the cable car for the opportunity to get a panoramic view of Dubrovnik. This is an absolute must do.
Some of the Dubrovnik blog posts will recommend that you take the cable car at sunset and have dinner Panorama restaurant at the top. I am not going to suggest this, partly because the restaurant is expensive, and partly because if you follow my itinerary you’ll be back up on that hill at sunset on a different night. Instead, to take in the great views I’d suggest that you have a drink at the restaurant (their Aperol spritz is very nice) and head back down for some dinner in town.
For dinner, I’m going to recommend Lady Pi-Pi which is good value (for Dubrovnik). This is a down to earth, family run restaurant that serves barbequed meat and fish. You can’t book a table so you will need to queue outside until one becomes available. When we visited in May this took around half an hour, which was fine as service was quick once we got inside.
One thing to note if you like white wine; Croatia produces the most delicious variety called Pošip which you will see on many restaurant menus. It’s what the locals bring out if they are having a celebration or just want a nice wine. If you like Sauvignon Blanc you will probably enjoy it.
Day 2: Dubrovnik
Your first full day in Croatia is going to be a great one! You will need to wake up early to be ready to walk the city walls at when they open at 8am. This way you will beat the crowds and have some uninterrupted wall-time to yourself. Don’t fear though, there are several coffee stops along the way so you don’t have to walk the entire distance without refuelling your caffeine levels.
The full walk takes around 2 hours which includes a coffee stop, time to take pictures and a short stop at the Maritime Museum along the way. It is worth getting the Dubrovnik Pass for 24 hours, which includes entry to the walls and other attractions. It also gives you 10% off in some restaurants.
Your pass will also give you access to the Lovrijenac Fortress, which is well worth a visit. It has spectacular views over the city and was a filming location for Game of Thrones. I personally haven’t watched the show but if you have, you may want to consider a Game of Thrones Tour.
This afternoon you can spend the time exploring the city further or having a little siesta after your early start.
For your evening entertainment I’m going to suggest this sunset ziplining experience. I absolutely LOVED this experience and I can’t describe how amazing it was to have that view while ziplining. I’ve never ziplined before, and they fully walk you through everything you need to know. So you can zip away knowing that you’re in very safe hands!
As well as being fun and a bit different, the experience was also interesting because our guides took the time to tell us a little about the history of the city. At the end of the ziplining, they took us to the most beautiful spot to watch the sunset. They even provided a small bottle of wine to enjoy, which was a nice touch. I will remember this experience much more vividly than a posh dinner watching the sunset. Hopefully now you’ll understand my recommendation from yesterday.
Day 3: Dubrovnik
Your final full day in the city is going to be a little more chilled out. Start the day with a brunch at Soul Kitchen, which has a great menu and is frankly a cool place. It was also right outside my apartment so is also very handy if you stay there too (I’ll say more about this later).
After brunch, take a relaxed walk to the port, which takes around 40 minutes from the Old Town. Here you will find the Red History Museum which walks you through Croatia’s history within Yugoslavia. I found this museum fascinating and thoughtfully presented. I liked how it offered information about that time without any judgement. More in a kind of ‘this is what happened’ way, which I appreciated.
This museum is the reason that I suggest that you start your trip in Dubrovnik rather than Split. The museum will give you the foundation to understand the country and it’s turbulent history.
On the way back from the museum I would recommend a stop at the Wine Museum, although just for a tasting. We paid for the tour of the museum and in my opinion it wasn’t really worth it unless you are super interested in the history of Croatia’s wine. The tasting itself was fantastic though, and our waiter was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. What’s more the tastings take place on a terrace overlooking the Pile gate, so it’s a beautiful spot.
For dinner, I’m recommending Restaurant Rudjer which is a gorgeous garden restaurant within the old town. The food and service were really top notch here and worth the price tag, which was certainly not the priceist in Dubrovnik. We shared the Croatian plate, and I had chicken for main (which was plentiful) and tiramisu for dessert. It was a fantastic way to end our stay in this beautiful city.
Where to stay in Dubrovnik
If you’re going to stay in Dubrovnik, it’s worth staying in the old town. That means everything is on your doorstep and you can pop back to the apartment whenever you need to. We stayed at the Festa apartments and I can’t recommend it highly enough. As well as the fantastic location, it was clean, comfortable and surprisingly quiet. Each room comes with it’s own kitchenette so you can make yourself a coffee in the morning before you head out exploring. It is also possible to prepare simple meals if you want to save some money in a very expensive city.
At this point it’s worth saying that the tap water is safe to drink in Croatia so ensure you take your re-usable water bottle. This will save you money as well as saving the planet!
Day 4: Travel to Hvar
Travel to Dubrovnik’s port to catch the ferry to Hvar, which takes around 3 hours. It’s always worth getting an early ferry, which means there is time to explore once you reach the island.
I chose to visit Hvar and to stay in the main town, after doing a fair amount of research. It is known for having a strong Venetian influence, making the town super picturesque, especially when you add in the large promenade and beautiful coastal scenery. It also has great restaurants and has a reputation as being a bit of a party town in the summer months. This was not really my cup of tea but there were plenty of great options if you wanted a cocktail in the evening.
When you arrive in Hvar I’d recommend checking into your accommodation and then heading straight for the beach. If you’ve followed my itinerary you will have had a busy few days, so some down time will be much needed. The beaches here are stony, so you may want to bring some rock shoes, or you can buy them from the local kiosks for 10 euros. They are not the coolest footwear ever, but are kind of necessary for the rocky beaches!
If you are looking for the perfect reading recommendation for your time in Hvar, I’d recommend The Olive Grove by Eva Glyn. This is set on the nearby island of Korcula, so perfect for the setting. You’ll learn more about Croatia whilst reading. It also has interesting themes around personal growth, mental health and friendship which I very much enjoyed.
Day 5: Hvar boat trip
Today you are going to have the best day out on the Adriatic sea on this speedboat tour.
The tour is meant to include the blue cave, but sadly when we visited the blue cave was closed due to high tides. We did get to go inside the green cave, which was pretty cool.
In the end, not visiting the blue cave this didn’t spoil the experience at all. Instead, we actually visited a World War 2 military tunnel on Vis Island. In my opinion this was probably more unique and memorable than the blue cave would have been.
We spent the day visiting a few different places, swimming and enjoying the beautiful coastline. I’m not a speedboat expert but it seemed like a really nice boat for the price we paid, and the group was small so we had more than enough space.
For your food this evening, you might want something quick and Let’s Taco about Hvar is a great option for this.
When you are in Croatia you will notice that there are a lot of people eating gelato! The quality is great here and you’ll find that desserts in many restaurants are 10 euros plus, and so I think many people choose to opt for a gelato instead. My favourite was Aroma gelato located on Hvar port, but they have branches around Croatia, including Dubrovnik and Split.
Day 6: Hvar
This morning get up early to head up to the ‘Fortica’ or Fortress overlooking Hvar. This was built when the area was under Venetian rule, and like many buildings in Croatia has had several iterations over the years. If you’re not too interested in the history, there are great views over the town. The walk up is actually not as strenuous as you might think, and includes a long pathway which is not too steep.
After your visit to the fortress, you might fancy a nice coffee. There are two great options in Hvar; Coffee Snob and Kava. Now this doesn’t happen very often, but Mr Travel Psychologist and I disagreed about which was our favourite. He liked that Coffee Snob’s drinks were super strong and I preferred the setting of Kava. Luckily this didn’t cause problems for our marriage and we took turns visiting each. You can decide which one you preferred and let me know!
In the afternoon, take a boat taxi to one of the nearby island beaches. This usually costs around 15 euros each and you can spend a few hours there. For most of the boat taxis, you can return at either 4pm or 5pm.
For a special dinner on your final night I’m recommending Paradise Garden. I must admit I feel a bit silly recommending this, as it’s already number one on TripAdvisor so it’s a bit of an obvious choice. However, it did really live up to the high expectations that we had for it. The food and service were exceptional and worth the price tag. We actually ate out most nights during out stay in Hvar and we never had a bad meal, but at the same time the other restaurants didn’t blow me away. Paradise garden definitely did so I’d recommend giving it a try.
Where to stay in Hvar
We stayed at Apartments Old Town Hvar Sea View which were exceptionally good. The clue is in the name, and they really do have a great view over Hvar. The apartment itself was amazingly clean and new and included so many thoughtful touches, such as a little blanket to use on the balcony and a drying rack for clothes. We enjoyed making breakfast in the kitchenette and we really felt like it was a little home away from home.
The only downside was needing to carry our luggage up the steps from the port, but it was totally worth it for that view!
Day 7: Ferry to Split
The ferry from Hvar to Split takes only around an hour, so you’ll be checked into your accommodation in no time.
Split is an interesting city and has a large airport, so is a great place to end on. It is a little cheaper than Dubrovnik (thankfully) and maybe a big more rough around the edges. However it has some interesting history, the option of great day trips and some great restaurants. So it’s definitely worth stopping there, even for a couple of nights.
In the afternoon, head over to the Green market just outside the city walls. Here you will see local people getting their produce, and lots of different tourist stalls if you want to get some souvenirs.
At the edge of the market you will also find a great option for lunch, if you eat pork that is. Gudin Pigeria is a cool little restaurant and bar on the edge of the market. I liked it because it was totally unexpected and like nowhere I’ve eaten before. Food (mostly pork) and drinks are served on the heavy duty market tables with mismatched furniture.
You can try Ćevapi here, which is a small skinless sausage, made from minced meat. This is a typical food of the Balkan nations inlcuding Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Croatia.
It’s I enjoyed the food at Gudin and it was totally memorable so I’d recommend it with the caveat that you’re probably not going to want to eat for the rest of the day!
Day 8: Split
Start the day with a Free Walking Tour which starts at 10am, just outside the palace walls. This lasts around 2 hours and is a great introduction to the history of Split, and you will learn about all of the main sights. Our guide Marija was a history gradate and was great at making the tour both informative and fun. Most people tipped at around 10 euros each if you are unsure, but some tipped more than this.
After the tour we chose to visit the Bell Tower and to walk up to the top for the spectacular view. If you stay in the apartment I’m going to recommend you’ll also get a great view of your own roof terrace from here. You can buy a combined ticket with the Cathedral but we did not choose to do this because religious spaces are never a highlight for us.
If you are a therapist like me, you may be interested in seeing the plaque that commemorates Sigmund Freud’s visit to the city.
In the afternoon you may want to take a walk up to Marjan Forest Park, which is a beautiful green space that overlooks the city. If you have already walked up to the bell tower, your legs might not thank me. However it really is a beautiful place to spend an afternoon and has great views over the city. There are also plenty of benches so your legs can have a rest.
For your special evening meal in Split, I’m recommending Bokeria Kitchen and Wine which completely blew me away. This place is really special and the food was amazing. Yes it’s a little pricey, but worth it.
Day 9: Day trip from Split
Today I’m recommending a visit to Krka waterfalls and wine tasting. This tour is a perfect way to end an incredible trip!
The bus journey to the waterfalls is around 2 hours but totally worth it. You’ll be dropped off in the National Park and will have plenty of time exploring on your own. Sometimes the fear with these kinds of tours is that you’ll be in a massive group and will need to stick together, which wasn’t the case at all. We had a lot of time to explore independently.
When you’d finished exploring the park, you board a small ferry to Skradin (a nearby town) where you’ll have more free time. There is the option of swimming at the lake beach, climbing to a small fortress or going for a coffee. We walked up to the fortress and still had time for a drink on the beautiful port.
After that it’s a short bus ride to a family run winery for a tasting. If you want to you can buy a charcuterie plate to go with your tasting; when we visited it was 8 euros for a small plate (shown below) and 16 for a large. The wines were tasty and it was a nice experience, and was totally worth it for the price of the tour.
We returned to Split just after 5pm so there is time for an evening meal if you want.
Day 10
It’s time for your flight home. A final note that Split airport is modern and massive, and was probably the smoothest check in experience we’ve ever had. It’s a small point but always nice to end a trip smoothly!
Where to stay in Split
We stayed in the Banica apartments which were right at the heart of the old town. I’ve already mentioned the roof terrace which overlooks the bell tower, and is probably the main highlight of staying here. The room was large and comfortable and surprisingly quiet given it’s excellent location. There was also a shared kitchen which was handy for making a coffee in the morning.
When is the best time to visit Croatia?
Croatia is a popular destination and gets very busy in the summer months. So, there is a balance to be struck between having good weather and visiting when it is relatively quiet (unless you like big crowds that is!).
We found that May was a great time to visit and I hear from locals that September is similar. The weather was great 90% of the time, and it was quiet enough to enjoy exploring without it feeling overly busy. We also didn’t have to queue for entry to the green cave in Hvar, and for the Krka National Park near Split. I hear that in the summer months the queues for each can be over an hour.
Final thoughts
Croatia is a beautiful country and I thoroughly enjoyed this trip. It would be a great trip to take if you are going on honeymoon or celebrating a milestone because of how memorable the experiences. If you follow any of my recommendations (or not!) I hope you have an amazing time.
