Croatia is the Adriatic by boat: Roman Split, the walls of Dubrovnik and islands such as Hvar, Vis and Korčula in between.
Croatia has more than a thousand islands along its coast, and the Dalmatian stretch between Split and Dubrovnik is where most holidays happen. Split has a Roman emperor's palace at its heart. Hvar is the fashionable island, Vis the remote one, and Korčula has a small walled town and good local white wine.
We plan most trips as a line down the coast, starting in Split and finishing in Dubrovnik, with ferries or a private boat between islands. Further north, Istria is a different country in feel: hill towns, truffles and Italian-influenced food.
The honest caveats are summer crowds and ferry timetables. Dubrovnik's old town fills when cruise ships are in, and August is busy everywhere. Fast catamarans between islands run most often in summer and far less in winter, so shoulder-season plans need care. June and September strike the right balance.
The experiences we plan most often, with the months they are at their best.
The walls of Dubrovnik run for nearly two kilometres around the old town, with views over terracotta roofs to the sea. Go at opening time or late in the afternoon, when it is cooler and quieter. Take the cable car up Mount Srđ for sunset, and cross by boat to the island of Lokrum for a swim among the pines.
Vis was a military base closed to foreign visitors until 1989, and it is still the quietest of the main islands. A private boat from Hvar or Split takes you to the Blue Cave on Biševo, where morning light turns the water bright blue, and to the cove at Stiniva. Lunch is grilled fish in a konoba in Komiža.
Split grew inside the walls of a Roman emperor's retirement palace, and people still live among its columns. Explore the cellars and the cathedral with a guide, then walk up Marjan hill for the view over the islands. Eat black risotto and pašticada, a slow-cooked beef stew, in the side streets away from the waterfront.
Hvar town has a Venetian square, a hilltop fortress and the Pakleni islands just offshore for swimming. Lavender fields cover the interior in June. Korčula, further south, is quieter, with a walled old town laid out like a fishbone to catch the breeze and vineyards growing the local grk and pošip whites.
Plitvice Lakes National Park is a chain of sixteen terraced lakes joined by waterfalls, walked on wooden boardwalks through beech forest. It is inland, a long drive from Split, so it works best on the way between Zagreb and the coast. Arrive at opening to walk the lower lakes before the tour groups.
An hour north of Dubrovnik, Ston has medieval defensive walls climbing the hillside and oyster beds in the bay. Eat oysters straight from the water, then drive along the Pelješac peninsula for red plavac mali in the Dingač vineyards, which drop steeply to the sea. It makes an easy day from Dubrovnik.
In Dubrovnik, stay just outside the old town for sea views and quieter nights. On the islands, Hvar has the widest choice of hotels, while Vis and Korčula suit small guesthouses and villas. A crewed yacht or gulet is a good way to see several islands without packing.
We match each trip in Croatia to hotels, lodges and villas chosen for the way you travel. Tell us what matters and a specialist will suggest two or three that fit.
Ask for hotel suggestionsThe Croatian coast has a clear season from May to early October. June and September are the months to aim for: warm water, long days and room on the ferries.
July and August bring the crowds, the highest prices and full boats between islands. Out of season, many island hotels close and catamarans run less often, but Istria and Zagreb stay open, and autumn in Istria brings the truffle season.
A week down the Dalmatian coast by ferry and private boat: Split, Hvar, Korčula and Dubrovnik, flying in and out of different airports. 7 nights.
Fly into Split and stay by the palace. A guided walk through Diocletian's Palace and an evening on Marjan hill.
Catamaran to Hvar town. A private boat day to Vis, the Blue Cave and Stiniva, and swimming in the Pakleni islands.
On to Korčula for a night in the walled town, with a wine tasting of local pošip in the island's vineyards.
Transfer via Ston for oysters to Dubrovnik. The walls at opening time, Lokrum by boat and sunset from Mount Srđ.
A short transfer down the coast to Dubrovnik airport and the direct flight home to London.
Practical notes checked against their sources. For entry and safety, the FCDO advice for Croatia (opens in a new tab) is always the authority.
Dubrovnik is about 2 hours 50 minutes direct from Heathrow, and Split also has direct London flights. Flying into Split and home from Dubrovnik saves retracing your steps.
Between islands, fast catamarans and car ferries run most often in summer. We check timetables when they are published and keep a private boat as a fallback.
Croatia is in the Schengen area. UK passport holders can visit without a visa for short stays, and new Schengen border checks are being introduced. Read the FCDO entry requirements for Croatia (opens in a new tab) before travel.
Read the FCDO entry requirements for Croatia (opens in a new tab)
See the TravelHealthPro page for Croatia (opens in a new tab) and the FCDO health page. The summer sun on the water is strong, so plan swims and walks for mornings and late afternoons.
Croatia has used the euro since 1 January 2023. Cards are widely accepted, but carry cash for small konobas, island taxis and market stalls.
Surcharge-free roaming in the EU is no longer guaranteed for UK customers, so check your provider's charges. On boats, switch off data roaming, as Ofcom warns phones can connect to costly networks at sea.
Tipping in Croatia is voluntary rather than expected. Leaving a little extra for good service in restaurants, or for a helpful skipper or guide, is appreciated.
Hvar for choice of hotels, restaurants and some nightlife. Vis for a quieter island with clear water and good food. Korčula for a small walled town and wine. Brač has the best-known beach at Zlatni Rat. Combining two islands gives you contrast without spending too long on ferries.
In the middle of the day in summer, when several cruise ships are in, the old town can be very busy. Stay overnight, walk the walls at opening or in the late afternoon, and spend the middle of the day on Lokrum or the Elafiti islands. It is far calmer in May and October.
A crewed yacht or gulet lets you anchor in quiet bays and reach islands without timetables, and suits families and groups. Ferries and catamarans are simpler for couples staying in hotels. Many travellers do both: hotels on two islands with a private boat day in between.
From June to early October. It is at its warmest in August and early September, and still pleasant well into the month. In May it is bracing, though many hotels have heated pools for the early season. Sheltered coves warm up first.
Tell us a little and a specialist will reply with ideas, dates that work and a price. Best months: June and September.
Montenegro packs a fjord-like bay, walled towns and wild mountain canyons into a country you can drive across in a morning.
Greece is really a choice of islands: the Santorini caldera, quieter Paros and Milos, the gorges and palaces of Crete.
Italy rewards choosing one region well: lemon terraces at Amalfi, Tuscan hill towns, lake villas and the lagoon light of Venice.
