10 Days in Croatia: Split, Island Hopping & Dubrovnik Guide
Croatia is such a beautiful country filled with history, stunning sights, and some of the clearest water I’ve ever seen. Think yachts, adorable towns with orange roofs, and over 1,000 islands, so island hopping is a must.
We spent 10 days in Croatia, splitting our time between Split and Dubrovnik, and it ended up being the perfect mix.
Split
Day 1 Arrive in Split
We flew from Florence to Rome, then Rome to Split, on the smallest airplane I think I’ve ever been on, but it was super quick. We met my sister, her husband, and my niece there and checked into our Airbnb. It was modern, spacious, and had the best deck overlooking the city and sea.
We kept it simple, grabbed groceries from a local market, cooked dinner, and played games for the rest of the night.
If you arrive earlier in the day, I’d recommend heading into Old Town or checking out a beach. Otherwise, settling in and having a relaxing first night is perfect.
Day 2 Explore Split
We started the day at Diocletian’s Palace in Old Town. We explored the cathedral, checked out the treasures, and climbed to the top of the bell tower. Fair warning, this climb is tight and steep, so if you’re claustrophobic, skip it. But the 360° views at the top are incredible.
On our way out, we stumbled upon a live performance in the square, people dressed in historical outfits acting out a scene. I’m not exactly sure what it was, but it was entertaining and apparently happens pretty often.
Afterward, we grabbed lunch and headed to the beach. The beaches in Split are more rocky than sandy, and not super “beach club” vibes where we were, so definitely bring water shoes (lifesaver).
That night we went to dinner at Bokamorra, you have to try this place! It’s such a fun, cute pizza spot and honestly some of the best pizza I’ve ever had. Make a reservation though, it’s popular.
Day 3 Boat Day
This is an absolute must.
We met our skipper, Joseph, at the port and set off on a full-day private boat tour. We decided to go all the way to Vis (where Mamma Mia 2 was filmed). I’m a huge fan, so this was high on my list.
About 30 minutes in, we stopped at a tiny island for coffee, then continued on. The ride was about an hour and 20 minutes, and we even saw dolphins, our skipper turned the boat around so we could follow them for a bit.
As we approached Vis, Joseph started playing Mamma Mia… I almost cried. It was such a surreal moment. He pointed out filming locations and dropped us off to explore. We walked around, grabbed food, and visited spots like Jastozera Lobster Restaurant (where Harry gets tied up in the movie).
We also explored caves around the island, the water here is unreal. So blue, so clear… I’ve honestly never seen anything like it.
After Vis, we stopped at a tiny island nearby to swim (barely anyone there), saw fish, crabs, even jellyfish, an eel. Apparently this was a private island owned by a communist, lol. Our skipper dropped us off and left for like an hour! Thankfully he did come back, while he was gone we did enjoy the beautiful sites and water this island had to offer.
Mama Mia 2 Filming Spots
This day was perfect. Being out on the water, exploring islands, it’s easily the best thing to do in Split. If I went back, I’d do multiple boat days.
Day 4 Krka National Falls
We rented a car and drove about an hour and a half to Krka National Park, entering through Skradin (usually less busy). We grabbed lunch before taking the ferry into the park.
The park is so peaceful, even with tourists. It feels untouched, with tons of greenery and wildlife. The water is incredibly clear, and the whole walk is just beautiful.
You can’t swim at the falls anymore, which is a little disappointing, but I understand why, and it’s still 100% worth visiting. There are also restaurants and cafes inside the park if you need a break.
For dinner, we went to Restaurant Adriatic (recommended by our skipper), and it was amazing. Beautiful harbor views, great wine, and incredible food. I tried monkfish for the first time, it tasted like a mix between crab and scallops. Definitely recommend making a reservation.
Day 5 Beach Day & Relaxation
We drove about 45 minutes to Omiš for a beach day. The drive was beautiful, and we spent the day swimming, laying out, and relaxing, until it randomly started pouring.
After heading back, we returned the rental car, cooked dinner at the Airbnb, and had a chill night playing games.
Honestly, unless you really want to explore, I’d just stay in Split for beach days. The difference wasn’t huge, and the islands are really the highlight anyway.
Day 6 Hvar Beach Club
This day was perfect.
We took the ferry to Hvar and spent the day at Hvar Beach Club. I booked the peninsula section—four lounge chairs, umbrellas, and a big daybed. It felt so luxurious.
We had champagne, mimosas, swam, and just had the best time. The water here is that bright, crystal-clear blue you picture.
A few hours in, we walked over to a nearby inflatable water park (to the right of the beach club). It was so fun, we felt like kids again. Bring cash if you go.
We had lunch back at the beach club (sushi and steak, so good), then spent the rest of the day relaxing before heading back to Split.
Hvar was easily one of our favorite days. If anything, I’d spend more time doing island days and less time in Split itself.
Dubrovnik
Day 7 Headed to Dubrovnik
We took a ferry from Split to Dubrovnik, it was a little over 5 hours and not the most enjoyable ride. Ours didn’t have food, so definitely bring snacks.
Pro tip: ginger pills for motion sickness = lifesaver.
Once we got to Dubrovnik we headed to get lunch and then checked into our Airbnb, we had an awesome place! We were just outside the old town and had the most amazing views of the castle and the sea. We had a hot tub and a pool, plus we were close to a little market, overall it was a really great place. This day was pretty long due to the travel getting here so we really just relaxed, settled in, and enjoyed some wine in the hot tub at night with our awesome view.
Day 8 Elaphiti Islands
We booked another boat day to the Elaphiti Islands.
First stop: Lopud. We explored the botanical gardens and then headed to the beach (you can take golf carts there, highly recommend if you’re short on time). The beach had cute coastal restaurants, swings, and beautiful views.
Next was Šipan, where it started pouring as soon as we arrived. We ran into a small winery our guide recommended and ended up buying one of the coolest bottles of wine ever, a 2015 red aged underwater for two years, covered in shells and calcium. So unique (and about $100).
Last stop was Koločep, where we swam for a bit before heading back. The tour included food and drinks, which made it even better. This day was really fun but the islands of off Split were better (in my opinion).
We relaxed a little more at the airbnb before heading to our dinner reservations at Taj Mahal. Taj Mahal has authentic food, it was really good and the atmosphere is very charming. Highly recommend this restaurant!
Day 9 Kayaking Tour
This was one of my favorite experiences of the trip.
We did a kayaking tour (just the five of us + our guide) and explored Lokrum Island, Betina Cave, and the Dubrovnik walls from the water. The views are unreal from this perspective.
We stopped at a cave on Lokrum Island where we swam and did cliff jumping (I LOVE CLIFF JUMPING). There were multiple heights, so it’s great for all levels. I even jumped from the highest one (about 13 meters).
The water here is insane, so clear and so blue.
We kayaked past a nudist beach (lol), learned about the “cursed” history of Lokrum, and eventually made our way to Betina Cave, definitely a must-see. The water is crystal clear, and it’s such a cool spot to swim and snorkel.
Lunch was included and really fresh. Overall, I highly recommend this tour, if you only do one excursion in Dubrovnik, make it this. A sunset version would be amazing too.
For dinner, we went to Bota Sushi & Oyster Bar in Old Town, then watched the sunset at Buža Beach Bar, such a cool spot built into the cliffs (you literally walk through a hole in the wall to get there). Buža Beach Bar is also where you go for the cliff jumping in Dubrovnik.
Day 10 Beach Day & Dubrovnik Wall
Our last full day in Croatia!
We spent most of it relaxing at Banje Beach, grabbing lunch and soaking it all in. Later, we went back to Buža Beach Bar for cliff jumping, and honestly, this might be the best cliff jumping spot I’ve ever experienced. The energy is unreal, tons of people, multiple jump spots, and amazing views. There’s different spots to jump off of but always remember to be safe!
To end the trip, we walked the Dubrovnik walls (about 1.5 hours). The views over the city and sea are incredible, definitely one of the top things to do here.
We finished with dinner at Banje Beach Restaurant, fresh fish, amazing service, and the perfect final night.
We loved Dubrovnik, good food, stunning views, and the cliff jumping was a highlight. I’d recommend about 3–4 days here, though you could do it in less time if needed.
Overall, Croatia completely exceeded expectations. If you go, prioritize time on the water and exploring the islands, that’s where the magic really is.
Summary
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Summary ~
Overall Croatia was absolutely beautiful. It’s the clearest/cleanest water I’ve ever seen so far in my life. The cities are charming, I love the white stone buildings and orange roofs. You have views of the sea and mountains which I love. The islands are stunning and probably the highlight of Croatia (for me at least), there’s so much beautiful, untouched nature here. The food is good but not the best in the world. I enjoyed the seafood and some of the local meats. They also have good wine!
I would totally come back to Croatia. Yacht week would be super cool, exploring north Croatia would be awesome as well. You could honestly spend weeks just roadtripping across the country because it truly is so beautiful. If I were to do it again I would spend more time on the different islands like Hvar, maybe even stay a few nights. You guys have to come check out Croatia, people aren’t lying when they say it’s one of the most beautiful countries in the world!