The country of Croatia is situated along the Adriatic opposite the East coast of Italy. Croatia is the perfect country for a summer island hopping adventure. It’s picturesque coastline has attracted companies like The Yacht Week and Sail Week. It is also the ideal filming location for Game of Thrones and Netflix’s Ibiza. In this ten day Croatia itinerary, you can experience picturesque hikes, white water rafting, historical palaces and just some time on the water. We love exploring this amazing country and have put together an easy ten day itinerary to follow. This 10 day Croatia itinerary is perfect to soak up as much of this coastal paradise as possible.
One difficult aspect of visiting Croatia is that there are no direct flights from America. However, if flying to Split there are daily flights from Munich, Germany or Dubrovnik. There are also daily flights from Italy so therefore you should be able to get there with minimal layovers. We believe that flying into Split will set you up for the most success. Split is a major hub for visiting coastal Croatia and the start of our 10 day itinerary. Be sure to read our post on 10 Items Every Backpacker Needs before embarking on your trip!
Day 1: Land in Split and explore the Diocletian Palace
The Diocletian Palace was built by Roman Emperor Dioclesius. Upon completion of the palace, he decided to retire there which was unusual at the time. The water used to come right up against the palace’s wall facing the sea where the Promenade now sits with bustling with cafes and bars. You can easily spend a day wandering through the winding alleys, discovering stunning piazzas and exploring the daily market.
Day 2: Take a tour to Krka Falls and explore the waterfront town of Primosten
Rent a car and drive up the picturesque Croatian coastline to the small waterfront town of Primosten. This unique town is split into two peninsulas. One peninsula is all forest and beach and the other is the actual walled town of Primosten. Here you can discover more of Croatia’s history and find a nice spot to eat lunch right on the water. Since Primosten is also less touristy, you can typically find some delicious food at a bargain. After lunch, continue north for another 30 minutes to reach the Lozovac entrance to Krka National Park.
From here you can purchase your entrance to the park. This purchase includes a bus ticket to drive you down the winding roads to the falls. The bus will drop you off about a 20 minute hike away from the falls. We recommend following the path to the right into the woods. This is a more scenic trip down to the massive waterfalls. Weather depending, you can walk in and get within 20 yards of the falls for a swim. Once you are ready to depart, cross the bridge and follow the path back up to the top where the bathrooms are located. A little further up is where the bus will pick you up. The drive from Krka back to Split should only take an hour. This gives you ample time to shower before heading out for dinner and bar hopping for the night in Split.
Day 3: Take a day trip to Brac
You can either keep your housing in Split and just take the ferry to and from Brac or choose to stay in a new location for the night. If you choose to stay in Brac, we highly recommend staying in either Supetar or Bol. These are the two main ferry ports and will have the most to offer for both housing and restaurants. Whatever you decide, it is easy to find ATV rentals to explore all that the island has to offer. One of the coolest beaches in all of Croatia is Zlatni Rat located near Bol. Zlatni Rat is a peninsula beach that actually has the tip change direction based on which way the tide is going.
Day 4: Ferry to Hvar
It is super easy and cheap to catch a ferry ride over to Hvar Town. The first thing to do is hike up to The Spanish Fortress. The Spanish Fortress on top of the hill provides a beautiful view of the entire harbor. Next, you can take a walk along the coastline and find a good spot to take a dip.
Hvar Town is also home to one of the most famous beach clubs in all of Croatia, Hula Hula. It is just a ten minute walk from the town center and is constantly bumping with DJs. If you opt for an afternoon sipping on tropical drinks at Hula Hula, there are cheap pizza places for a quick dinner on your walk back. Or if you have a more low key day, enjoy a nice dinner at one of the ample restaurants in Hvar Town. After dinner, you can spend the night enjoying the epic bar scene in town.
Day 5: Explore the island of Hvar
Hvar is one of the longest islands in Croatia. There are tons of options to explore the island. You can rent a moped or ATV, sign up for a boat tour in the town center, or explore by foot and walk along the coast. Whatever you choose, there are ample beaches and you can take in all of the beauty of the island.
Day 6: Ferry to Dubrovnik
No 10 day itinerary in Croatia would be complete without visiting the southern fortress city of Dubrovnik. This is by far the furthest travel day at roughly 4.5 hours by ferry but definitely worth it. While in Dubrovnik, you must go see the real life King’s Landing from Game of Thrones. Depending on your budget, you can stay on the water outside of the city or within the walls itself. If you have enough time, enjoy a nice dinner and take in the city views. This will be a more low-key night of the trip.
Day 7: Spend the day exploring “Kings Landing”
For any Game of Thrones fans this will be the highlight day of your trip. You can put together your own walking tour by researching the sights or sign up for a professional tour. We opted to do our own tour and it was great! This day will be filled with true history and beauty as you walk the old walls that surround Dubrovnik
Day 8: Ferry back to Split
If you arrive back in Split early enough, take a walk to the beach fifteen minutes from the town center. Here you will find bars and restaurants lining the water in a beautiful cove. If you are looking for a sunset spot, hike up to the top of Park Suma Marjan. This park provides a beautiful view both of Trogir to the north and Split to the south as the sun sets over the water. It is a bit ok a trek to the top so wear comfortable shoes! After dinner, spend the night exploring the Diocletian Palace at night when all of the piazzas turn into fun bars. Of course, you can also opt t relax before gearing up for your big last day.
Day 9: Spend your last full day island hopping
Take a taxi to the island town of Trogir to embark on an island hopping tour. The first stop will be the Blue Lagoon which has some of the most picturesque open water in the world. Then the boat tour will take you to the small island of Solta. There is a beach bar right on the water ten minutes from the town center. From Solta you will go to another nearby beach for lunch right on the water. Here you can enjoy some time relaxing before stopping at one more beach on your way back to Trogir.
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Day 10: Head back home
We hope this 10 day Croatia itinerary will help you enjoy all that this beautiful country has to offer. Croatia is one our absolute favorite countries to visit and it certainly will not disappoint!
