Croatia is a true coastal paradise with stunning landscapes, a rich history, and a vibrant culture. In 2024, over 21 million tourists visited this picturesque country, exploring its countless treasures. From breathtaking coastlines to charming old towns, Croatia promises an unforgettable experience. Over the next ten days, you will journey through key regions, including iconic cities, stunning national parks, and idyllic islands. This itinerary covers everything from the lush trails of Plitvice Lakes to the ancient walls of Dubrovnik. Here you will discover the beauty of Croatia.
This guide will provide a detailed daily plan, highlights, and tips for visiting. But, first, you need to decide where you’re landing when you arrive in Croatia. We came from Venice, so we looked at options to take a ferry across the Adriatic Sea to land in Rovinj or Pula, for example. But we found the options so restrictive, that we opted to fly from Venice to Zagreb. If you have your heart set on visiting Rovinj (and many people do), then prioritizing your trip to include Rovinj will limit your time in other parts of Croatia because it takes a while to get there. Driving to Rovinj from Zagreb will take you three hours. And then getting to Plitvice Lakes from Rovinj will take about four hours. Fortunately, there are quieter, less crowded, picturesque beachfront towns along the coast as you drive south toward Dubrovnik.
Zagreb: The Heart of Croatia
Suppose you land and depart in Zagreb, at the Franjo Tudman International Airport, Croatia’s main international airport. In that case, you can choose to explore Zagreb at the beginning or end of your ten days. Although we did a couple of the highlights in Croatia, I found this video to be the best at describing most things people might want to see, so I’m including it. But you should plan to devote a day to Zagreb.
Upon landing in Zagreb, we found the airport to be immense, immaculate, and empty, except for passengers from our flight and maybe one other. I walked around baggage claim several times to get steps while waiting for our luggage. Once the luggage arrived, we headed over to get our rental car.
We had a long conversation with the attendant about insurance. It seemed English was not as well spoken/understood here as in Italy. Regardless, we got full insurance coverage. This, of course, becomes important later on.
Eating in Zagreb
Because we landed near dinner time, we were hungry; so, we found a place to eat called “A Taste of India,” and boy was it good! My Google review said: The food was exceptional. Loved our server. I had the chicken seekh kabab, which was very flavorful. Hubby had the chicken tikka masala which was sweet but delicious. We shared spiced vegetable rice and naan. It was so good! On our return to Zagreb, we sought it out again even though we were staying closer to the airport for an early morning flight at that time.
Here are some photos of dinner, the sights we saw on our walk from the apartment we stayed at, going to get something to eat for breakfast, checking out the city, and looking for bottled water for our trip to Plitvice Lakes.
After finding water at a small grocery store, we hopped back in the car and started the journey to Grabovac. Grabovac is where we were staying during our stop to see Plitvice Lakes National Park. If you’re looking for a place to stay, we highly recommend Zrinka House. You can tell from the 5-star reviews of 167 people, that Zrinka and Barbara strive for perfection and achieve it every time. Their place is listed on booking.com. Here’s what the inside looks like.
Grabovac – Zrinka House
Rastoke
But first, Rastoke. Whet your waterfall whistle before you get to Plitvice with this amazing little mill town. The trip from Zagreb to Grabovac takes about an hour and forty-five minutes. You can stop long enough to walk around the entire town of Rastoke in about an hour. It is right on the way to Grabovac and Plitvice Lakes. Here are some photos of this beautiful little spot, although it was flooding while we were there, which you can see from the photos.
Plitvice Lakes National Park: A Natural Wonder
We went to Plitvice Lakes National Park in May. Not being familiar with Croatian weather, I planned four days in the area. I did this because if rain came in, surely one day out of the four would give us decent enough weather to take some great photos. This turned out to be a great decision. If you decide to do this, you will need backup plans for two or three days on which you do not go to Plitvice Lakes. With a ten-day itinerary, you need these extra days. You can still stay in the Grabovac area and drive to these Beyond the Crowded Hot Spot locations.
Tickets
I purchased two-day tickets for the beginning of our stay. Ultimately, those two days had so much rain the park flooded and caused closures of many places in the park. We were able to change our tickets to the last two days, which worked out much better. Sadly, some places were still flooded, the boats weren’t running, and the buses weren’t going to all the places they normally do. You need to email the ticket office to change your tickets. But to buy tickets in advance, go to the Plitvicka Jezera ticket site.
Timing
We highly recommend choosing the 7:00 AM timeslot and getting there at 7:00 AM. Why? Because the tour buses start arriving around 8:00 AM. The tourists will inundate the park, coming from the buses by 8:30 AM.
Photography
If you take a professional camera (and if you have one, you should), prepare to have an audience composed of the tour attendees. I’ve never had more people try to follow me or get in my exact space while taking photos than at this park. One woman crawled through a crowd gathered on an overlook and under my tripod to get in front of it while I was taking photos with slow shutter speeds. She succeeded in smacking my tripod repeatedly with her jacket as I was taking pictures, which of course, ruined those images.
Photography Equipment
A tripod is essential. I took only my Canon R camera. As far as lenses go, I have a Canon RF 24-240mm f4-6.3 that I use while traveling because it’s versatile without being too heavy, and it takes decent images, so I brought that and used it extensively. I never leave home without my Canon EF 10-22mm f3.5-4.5 lens, and I used that one plenty. I have variable ND2-ND400 ND lens filters (1-9 Stops) for both lenses, which I brought and left attached to the lenses. And, of course, rain gear is crucial, e.g., a rain cover for your backpack or camera pack, something to put on top of the camera that covers the lens like a small umbrella, and several lens cleaning cloths. Those will be soggy by the time you’re done if it rains like it did while we were there.
Hiking the Lakes: Trails and Viewpoints
Plitvice Lakes National Park spans over 73,000 acres and is visited by nearly 1.2 million people annually. Visitors can enjoy marked trails that guide them through breathtaking landscapes. A lot of people ride the buses and/or the boats to see the sights of this park, but if you’re able to, you will be immersed in beauty if you walk the trails. We were able to walk to the other side of the park to capture some incredible shots where there were far fewer people because the buses weren’t running over there. This is the kind of beauty you will find, beyond the waterfalls, at Plitvice if you walk.
Waterfalls and Cascades: The Park’s Iconic Beauty
The park is famous for its cascading waterfalls, with Veliki Slap being the largest. Visitors often share how the tranquil sounds of falling water create a soothing atmosphere. The trail leading to the waterfall offers panoramic views, making it a favored spot.
Here are some of the photos I got of the waterfalls and the obnoxious woman next to my tripod.
Now, if you happen to have weather like we did and you only planned the one day, where that one day was the rainy/foggy one, your pictures would look more like these.
Flora and Fauna: Unique Biodiversity and Preservation Efforts
Plitvice is home to diverse flora and fauna. Conservationist Dr. Anja Toma emphasized, “Preserving this national park is vital for its rare species and unique ecosystem.” Visitors can find informative signs throughout the park detailing its ecological significance. In addition to the beautiful flora on the hiking trails, I captured these images.
Beyond the Crowded Hot Spots
These are some options in case you overallocated time in Plitvice and you have extra time. You can see the Nikola Tesla Birthplace and Zadar in one day. Seeing the waterfalls in Bosnia and Herzegovina is another full day.
Smiljan: Birthplace of Nikola Tesla
When we went to the Birthplace of Nikola Tesla, they did not allow photography inside the buildings. So I found a video to show you what you’ll see.
For me, the drawers the woman in the video pulls out were the most interesting. They contained many fascinating, futuristic quotes and insights into Tesla’s life. For example, I had no idea Tesla gambled away his family’s savings. Only when his mother gave up trying to convince him to stop gambling, did he then stop.
Tesla’s Predictions
One of his observations about the future shocked me:
“When wireless is perfectly applied the whole earth will be converted into a huge brain,” Tesla said, in a 1926 interview with Colliers reprinted by Wired. Tesla predicted that wireless devices would eventually be simplified, with many transmitters and receivers operating without interference. He described livestreaming and FaceTime, saying that in the future people would remotely witness events, such as a World Series game, as if they were present.
Tesla predicted that wireless technology would one day allow people to communicate and send documents, music, and videos worldwide. Not only did his prediction come true with the invention of the Internet in the 1980s and Wi-Fi in the 1990s, but he even described the Internet of Things (IoT). “Domestic management—the problems of heat, light, and household mechanics—will be freed from all labor through beneficent wireless power,” Tesla said.
You can find more of Tesla’s predictions that came true at NOW.
Demonstrations
One thing you can do here is to participate in wireless transmission of electricity — if you don’t have a pacemaker, that is. This isn’t covered in the above video. The video below shows the same demonstration but it’s done at the Tesla Museum in Belgrade, Serbia. The one that’s done at Tesla’s birthplace is smaller and more intimate.
Zadar: Roman, Byzantine, and Medieval Architecture and Picturesque Harbor
Zadar is the oldest, continuously populated city in Croatia. The first thing that struck me was Old Town’s marble streets. However, there are many structural examples of the various periods of rule over Zadar. If you download GPSMyCity, you’ll find two walks you can take of Old Town that will elaborate on the buildings from each period. But first, you need to know where to park. The parking area highlighted below is closest to the bridge that you can use to walk over the marina waterway and into Old Town. But there are a few parking areas along the marina in the same area farther away from the bridge. Driving in Old Town can be an exercise in frustration.
Following the GPSMyCity walk called the Zadar Introduction Walking Tour, with a little wandering thrown in, we saw some interesting sights. We found the walls that in earlier Zadar history protected the city, to be wonderful to walk on and around.
We ended our afternoon in Zadar with dinner at Restoran Bruschetta, which Zrinka recommended. It was delicious if a little pretentious. Perhaps the staff attitude had to do with us not having made a reservation. I don’t know. They seemed put out.
Bihać, Bosnia and Herzegovina
If you want to add another country to your bucket list, you can wander over to Bihać from Grabovic. It’s a short drive, but you do have to go through Customs/Passport Control because Croatia is part of the European Union but Bosnia and Herzegovina are not yet. Here you will see remnants of the devastatingly bloody war of the Republics’ of Yugoslavia independence from Yugoslavia. We have a Bosnian friend who lived through it. He and his brother were conscripted into service. They have experienced a lifetime of extremely negative consequences as a result.
But Bosnia and Herzegovina do have beautiful places to visit too. We went to see the Hotel Kostelski Buk which faces the beautiful waterfall, the Kostelski Buk. Well, normally, it does. While we were there, the flooding was intense, swelling the river that feeds the waterfall to such a degree, that the water was coming up on the patio of the restaurant. Driving was dubious at best. Had we been comfortable driving further south, we would have added the Štrbački Buk in Orašac and Martin Brod and Great Una waterfalls, but we were afraid the authorities would close the highway back to Croatia. Here’s what the Kostelski Buk looked like at the Hotel Kostelski and the roadways through Bihać.
Island Hopping in the Dalmatian Archipelago
Split: Diocletian’s Palace and the Riva Promenade
Split is home to Diocletian’s Palace, attracting over 1.5 million visitors annually. The palace is a massive structure that once housed the Roman Emperor. Stroll along the Riva Promenade to enjoy lively cafés and sea views. You should allow two full days in Split.
But if you drive into Split’s Old Town, beware, dangers await. First, parking is difficult to find. Streets in one town are named the same as streets in nearby towns; hence you will be misled on navigation. It is easy to go the wrong way on a one-way dead-end street, with no way to turn around. License plates on rental vehicles can be easily removed, and you will end up paying the price for stolen plates even if you have “full” coverage and even if no one mentions it at the rental car shop upon switching vehicles. The price to replace the stolen license plate, or at least the price we were charged, was USD 250.
Split is a scenic place to walk, however. You can explore Diocletian’s Palace and/or hike to Telegrin Peak in the Marjan Park forest for fabulous views. Later, have a lovely meal at Portofino, a block off the Riva Promenade, and then watch the boats come and go in the Harbor. It’s a fabulous place to people-watch!
Split is also a great place to take an island tour, especially if you want to see the Blue Cave. It’s about a 90-minute speed boat ride to the Blue Cave from Split.
We spent three days in Split, two the first time and one on the way back from Dubrovnik. Here are some photos I took while walking, hiking, eating, and people-watching during both visits.
Boat Tour to Blue Cave and Islands of the Dalmatian Archipelago
You can take a boat tour from Split or Dubrovnik, but we chose to take this tour from Split, and we’re so happy we did. We loved our captain who told us about the history of the islands we were seeing and got us to the Blue Cave before it closed for the day. We were the last ones in, in fact.
Timing
The authorities in charge of the Blue Cave close it if the waves are such that boats will likely hit or scrape the walls. In the days leading up to our tour, the Blue Cave had been closed multiple days in a row. Taking this tour, which left Split at 7:30 AM, meant that we got there very early — in time to see it before they closed it. So make sure you choose a tour that will get you there early.
Eating
If you want to save money, take something to eat with you. Not only will you save money, but you’ll save time waiting for service too. Once the boats land in the harbor at the island stops, the cafes and restaurants will be inundated with other tourists. We opted to get a drink in Vis before walking all over the island. And we ate lunch in Hvar. But had we known we could take food with us, we probably would have.
Motion Sickness
Remember your motion sickness remedies. You will bounce around in the boat for much of the tour. Remember to take along your remedies, as they will wear off before you finish the tour.
Island Destinations
The islands you visit will depend on your tour and the availability of access to the docks when your boat arrives. Whether you will go to the Blue Cave depends on the roughness of the water at the Cave.
Blue Cave
As mentioned earlier, we got to the Blue Cave right before they closed it. The wind had kicked up and the waves were increasing in size. To get into the cave, the boat has to time its entrance precisely to avoid hitting the walls around the very small entrance. We watched other boats attempt to get in and out while we were waiting our turn to get in. These other boats had to have captains from other boats assist them with getting in or out without hitting the sides of the cave walls.
If you bring a regular camera, make sure you have a way to wrap it in something waterproof. There is a high likelihood that it will get wet. Some of the people in our boat were soaked upon our entrance to the cave. Once you’re in the cave, the water is calm, so there’s no need to worry about your camera. But the light is low. What makes the cave blue is the reflection inside of the blue sky outside. Here are some pictures I got.
After the Blue Cave, you will sail around the islands, some of which you stop at. We stopped and got off the boat in Vis, Palmižana, and Hvar.
Vis
Vis has a fascinating history. There was a point in time when the people of Vis minted their own money and survived as an independent island. But most of its history concerns who controlled the island as a result of wars or conflicts. The people of the island mostly persevered, except those who were sent to Egypt during WWII because they were unfit to fight. We found the people to be very interested in visitors to their island. Here are some of the pictures we got while walking around the island.
Stiniva Beach
In 2016, European Best Destinations voted Stiniva Beach the most beautiful beach in Europe. Consequently, it is packed with people. It’s hard to get to from land but is best accessed by boat. Here’s the only photo I got of the beach. You can see the two motors of boats in the foreground. The bay in front of this beach was crowded with boats.
Palmižana
Palmižana is located in the Paklinski Islands archipelago. It’s a small island you can walk all around. Rick enjoyed swimming in the bay in front of Palmižana. Here are some photos I got while walking all over the island.
Hvar
Fortunately for us, we have a friend who’s Croatian. She guided us on our itinerary and one of the places she told us not to miss was Hvar (pronounced Huhwahr). Hvar is where Croatians go on holiday. So when we were looking for an excursion we knew we needed one that went to Hvar. We stopped in Hvar for two and a half hours, ample time to explore.
First, we had lunch at Spice Asian Restaurant, which was very near the harbor. I had Yum Woon Sen, a shrimp and calamari salad and Rick had Pad Woon Sen, a shrimp and calamari Pad Thai. After lunch, we hiked the hill up to the Fortica Fortress, which affords spectacular views of the Adriatic. We walked around the town square and the Cathedral of St. Stephen. And we walked over to the Franciscan Monastery. It’s a very beautiful stroll. Here’s what it looked like.
Exploring Dubrovnik: A Pearl of the Adriatic
Walking the City Walls: Historical Significance and Breathtaking Views
The city walls of Dubrovnik offer a full-circle view of this UNESCO World Heritage site. You can walk along the ancient stone walls while learning about their historical importance. Visitors often share how walking the walls at sunset transforms the experience into something magical, with views of the Adriatic Sea glowing in golden light. You need two days at a minimum; three are better.
Parking
The place we stayed was just outside the Old Town’s City Walls. There was no parking next to the apartment. But the owner has a parking place that she parks her car in and if the person renting her place arrives with a car, she then moves her car from that space so you can park there. I think she has a parking space at her house where she then parks her car. It’s a very doable walk from the parking lot to the apartment, and you just leave your car there the whole time you’re in Dubrovnik.
Tickets to walk the City Walls
You have choices regarding walking the City Walls. You can take one of many tours, which appear to be cheaper than getting independent tickets. But I recommend getting the independent tickets if you want to take your time. When we did the walk, you had to have printed tickets, but now you can save the tickets to your phone, and those will be checked at multiple points along the walk. So, keep them handy.
If you want to wait until you get to Dubrovnik, You can buy the tickets in person at any of the three gates.
Walking the City Walls
You must walk in the counterclockwise direction. If you don’t, you’ll be corrected. If you do the walk in the summer, start early or late in the afternoon to avoid the heat. Take bottled water with you. This activity requires navigating stairs; there are no elevators. So, while strollers are allowed, they’re not practical. These can be stored at the Gates, however.
There is also no information about what you’re looking at as you go. I recommend downloading an audio guide, like this one from VoiceMap.
Or you can create your own using GPSMyCity. But you will need to create two separate walks using their map. It doesn’t differentiate between what’s on the City Walls and what isn’t. So it would have you getting off route (leaving the City Walls) and visiting sites in the main Old Town and returning to the City Walls, which isn’t allowed. Once you leave, you can’t return with the same ticket. But you could create two walks, one for things on the City Walls and one for things just in the Old Town. Either way, to use your audio to listen to it, you’d need to either start a free three-day trial or pay $14.99/year. Here’s a picture of the walk I created of just the highlights of the City Walls. And, here’s a PDF of what the sights are on the map.
Here are the images we captured during our slow walk of the City Walls.
Exploring the Old Town: Must-see Landmarks and Hidden Gems
The Old Town is a maze of cobbled streets. Key landmarks include:
- Pile Gate: The main entrance has impressive fortifications.
- Rector’s Palace: A mix of Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque styles.
- Fort Lovrijenac: Famous for its plays and its resisting Venetian rule.
- Franciscan Monastery & Museum: Founded in 1235, it was an essential visit for pilgrims traveling between Europe and the Holy Land.
- Minceta Tower: Minčeta, the highest point in the Dubrovnik defense system, is a large round fort with a massive base in the form of a huge covered outer wall.
- Saint Blaise’s Church: A Baroque Church, one of Dubrovnik’s major sights.
- Saint Ignatius Church: The Church of St Ignatius is a single nave with side chapels and a semicircular divided apse. It is decorated by magnificent Baroque frescoes painted by Gaetano Garcia depicting scenes from the life of St. Ignatius de Loyola. The frescoes fit perfectly in the ambiance of the church and are simply breathtaking at first sight.
- Stradun Street: The limestone-paved pedestrian street runs some 300 meters through the Old Town, the historic part of the city surrounded by the Walls of Dubrovnik.
- Dominican Monastery: The Dominican Monastery is one of the most important architectural parts of Dubrovnik and a major treasury of cultural and art heritage in Dubrovnik. The monastery museum exhibits many paintings, artifacts, jewelry, and other items from the city’s rich history.
Hiking (or Riding to) Mount Srd for More Stunning Views
You can take the cable car up to the top of Mount Srd and view a stellar sunset, but you can’t buy a one-way ticket back from the top at the lower cable car station if you want to hike up and ride back. They told us this is because they can’t guarantee that the cable car will run. So you must wait until you get to the top and buy a ticket in the gift shop. We, of course, opted to hike up. If you’re waiting for the sunset, then by the time you head back down the path, it will be dark. You do not want to hike back down in the dark due to the terrain. We posted the path on AllTrails so that you can see it there. Here’s a visual of the path though, which will tell you a lot. This is a 3.56 mile, 1,191 ft elevation gain hike which took us 1 hour 42 minutes to get to the top.
Panorama Restaurant and Bar
We highly recommend taking time to at least have a drink and/or appetizer at this establishment. The ambiance is exceptional. The views are spectacular. But you’ll need to make a reservation well in advance (e.g., a month or more for a weekend evening in the off-season or two months or more during the summer) or take your chances at slipping in when they’re not busy. It’s easier to get a reservation for lunch than it is for dinner. The ambiance and views are better during an early dinner, of course.
Here are some photos we got of the hike, the sunset, and the restaurant, which we got into after the sunset without reservations.
Lokrum Island Escape: Nature, History, and Relaxation
Just a short boat ride from Dubrovnik, Lokrum Island is a serene haven. Visitors can enjoy lush gardens and historic ruins. According to biologist Dr. Luka Vuković, “Lokrum’s unique ecosystem makes it a haven for biodiversity, providing a perfect escape from the city.” You can walk around the entire island and if you don’t have kids with you, experience the nude beach (large granite slab rocks). But you’ll need to stash your phone/camera and your clothes to go. Also, tour boats float by to let their tourists take a gander at the nudists, so you’ll have company. We came to the nude beach from the trail toward where the dock is, which is reverse from the intended path. Because of this, we got to the signs after the beach. There was no one on the “beach” so I did take pictures of it and those are included below.
If you have kids or you’re just not interested in the nude beach, there are lots of other things to see, a clear lake to swim in, loads of peacocks, play parks for kids, and ruins to wander through. If you choose to hike the island’s paths and rain comes in, there are some lovely restaurants you can escape to. We ate at the Lacroma Snack Bar. Rick had the Sendvic Dalmatinski, which is a prosciutto and cheese with lettuce and tomato sandwich. I had the Sendvic Piletina, which is a chicken sandwich.
Here are some photos we took of Lokrum.
Conclusion: Your Croatian Adventure Awaits
In summary, Croatia offers a plethora of experiences, from historic cities to stunning natural wonders. Use this ten-day itinerary to explore these highlights and create lasting memories. In summary, if you arrive via plane in Zagreb and depart via plane in Dubrovnik, the itinerary would be:
- Zagreb: 2 days
- Plitvice Lakes (stay in Grabovic): 4 days
- Split: 2 days
- Dubrovnik 2 days
With this itinerary, you’d need to pick up the rental car in Zagreb and drop it in Dubrovnik. If you prefer to arrive and depart in Zagreb, you’d need 11 days, one to drive back from Dubrovnik to Zagreb, or you could drop one of the four days in Plitvice Lakes, without substituting another place, and that would give you ten days total.
If you have more than ten days, there are more places to add like Rovinj and Pula or Kravica Falls in Bosnia and Herzegovina or Montenegro, all of which are worthwhile.