Croatian Coast travel recs

From my planning for a 2017 trip to southern Croatia, I recall I did not see any train options. There were buses between mainland cities. But we did not want to use trains (or buses) to get around anyway, when island hopping is the best part of seeing Croatia.

We flew into Dubrovnik from Rome, ferried up to Hvar, Vis, and Split, and then flew from Split to Naples.

You may want to rent a car or take a bus to see Plitvice. That plus taking buses to get to ferries is about the only driving part of the trip I think you would want to take.

Croatia

When flying either to the EU or within the EU to Croatia, I would advise that you bring with you the following things:

Proof of paid accommodation
A print out of the confirmation from entercroatia.mup.hr
A copy of the latest IATA rules for flying to Croatia
LINK /




PCs nasal swab test valid 48 hours before arrival

These persons are not subject to a quarantine / self-isolation measure if they present a negative PCR result of a nasal and throat swab for SARS-Cov-2 at the border crossing point, which is not older than 48 hours (counting from the time of taking the swab to arriving at the border crossing point).

If third-country nationals have a test older than 48 hours when entering Croatia, they will be allowed to enter Croatia, however, they will be obligated to self-isolate and re-test themselves in Croatia at their own expense. The above can be applied to passengers and crew members on yachts.

Persons who do not present a negative PCR result are subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine / self-isolation measure.

Enter Croatia form

LINK /



Dubrovnik (2days)



UNESCO World Heritage site

Its popularity has only grown following its use as a film location for “The Game of Thrones” series.

Stradun main thoroughfare

Old town

Go to Lokrum 15 minutes from Dubrovnik on its rocky shoreline. The island is covered in thick pine forest, with plenty of walking trails between beaches and other points of interest. small island, Lokrum plenty to do and see, including a monastery, the French Fort Royal castle, and a botanical garden

The journey from Dubrovnik to Split takes around 4 hours, depending on traffic and costs around 125 HRK.
You can buy tickets at the bus station, but if you’re visiting in high season I recommend buying them onlinebeforehand to make sure it’s not sold out.
Coaches run throughout the whole day so you can take it at whatever time suits you best, depending on whether you want to spend more time in Dubrovnik or Split.







SPLIT (2 -3 days)

How we get there: The ferry to Split departs from the town of Stari Grad On HVAR and takes about an hour and 15 minutes.

Diocletian’s Palace, which was constructed for a Roman emperor. Today, it is lined with trendy bars and shops and serves as the heart of the Old Town.

The palace walls feature four ornate gates on each cardinal direction: the Golden Gate, Bronze Gate, Silver Gate, and Iron Gate. For a superb view of the palace complex, climb up to the bell tower of the Cathedral of Saint Domnius.

Split old town stay

Meateovic gallery

If you don’t have time to continue on to Zadar and visit the picturesque Plitvice Lakes National Park, consider making the one-hour trip from Split to Krka National Park. Krka features walking paths that pass by seven dazzling waterfalls. And although Krka is much smaller than Plitvice, visitors are allowed to swim under the Skradinski Buk waterfalls here.

Day trip to plitvice lakes national park If not enough time to visit zadar

Rent a car, bus or tour



Visit cascading waterfalls and turquoise pools at Plitvice Lakes National Park sit atop many travel bucket lists.

UNESCO World Heritage site can be reached by car in just one-and-a-half hours from Zadar.

16 interlinked lakes are formed from mountain runoff, and majestically tumble downhill via a network of waterfalls. An 18-kilometer trail of wooden footbridges and paths meanders throughout the beautiful landscape.



park )

LINK /


HVAR (2 days)



How to get here : island of Hvar can be reached via a three-and-a-half-hour ferry from Dubrovnik during the high season, which runs from April to October.


Hvar town for an evening out,

Španjola fortress for superb views over the town and out to the Pakleni Islands.

Best party island in Croatia

Fuel up on some local rakija and hearty fare at the Dalmatino. Hvar’s most famous club, Carpe Diem, offers the chance to dance until the sun comes up.

Blue cave

Hvar town

cobblestoned streets, adorable stone homes, gardens, and vineyards.

Check out town of Stari Grad, which is situated on a marina and features walking trails leading to pebble beaches.

Stari Grad Plain, a UNESCO World Heritage site that consists of an ancient patchwork of



Rovinj
The crown-jewel of Croatia wine country is Rovinj. Located on the coast, the city is a picture-perfect spot to base your explorations of the countryside. With boutiques, art shops and wine bars ,hilltop villages in the surrounding countryside—especially when it comes to food and wine.
Rovinj’s old town is without doubt the most impressive marble cobblestone streets and pastel-coloured houses, this part of Rovinj is renowned for its beautiful Venetian architecture.
Great wine country seafood and beautiful views
In the Old Town, you’ll find the town hall clock. The clock is from the mid-19th century and has a Venetian lion, a symbol of Serenissima, on the side. You’ll find it at the square, surrounded by lots of restaurants and cafees – perfect for enjoying while you grab a glass a wine.
Grisia is a popular street in leading uphill through the old town to St Euphemia. The cobbled street is lined with galleries and souvenir stores, and it’s quite characteristic.
Church of St. Euphemia
Rovinj is not only beloved for its charming streets and architecture; it’s also located by the Adriatic Sea which makes it popular for swimming and tanning. Although it doesn’t have white sandy beaches as in Thailand, the water is very clear and the cliffs serve as a great jumping spot and add a little drama to the scenery.

Watch the epic sunsets at Rovinj Marina

Do a wine tour
Dining and wining is an absolute must when you’re in Istria. Croatia has THE best wine in the world (next to Italy), and it’s super cheap. To get a thorough introduction to the best wines in Istria, I highly recommend a wine tour. It’s worth it.


ZAGREB

How we get there: Rent car from split to (zadar?) to plitvice lakes national park and back to Zagreb?

With one full day in Zagreb, be sure to make your way up to Zagreb 360 for incredible views of the city, to visit Ben Jelacic (Zagreb’s main square), to step inside the beautiful Zagreb Cathedral, to check out the beautiful St. Mark’s Church, and to eat your heart out at some of the city’s incredible restaurants (we haven’t had a bad meal in Zagreb).


Go to Kaptol Lower Town Jelacic Square Go out in Tkalciceva Street

We have been 9 times, last time was oct 2019, so pre covid. If you just want to go from city to city or island, ferries and buses are great and easy to use. If you want to get out in rural areas you will need a car.

We're booked for May/June.

For those that have been, would you do both Plitvice and Krka or just Plitvice?

Picking an island is a PITA. Gets me every time that's an issue in a country that has options.

Was thinking I'd rent car from Zagreb to Dubrovnik. Does anyone recommend not doing that and maybe ditching the car at Split?

Good deal. I had planned both but was curious.

I believe swimming at Krka was banned at the beginning of 2020 but that's alright. The main falls, not all of it.

quote:

---

Was thinking I'd rent car from Zagreb to Dubrovnik. Does anyone recommend not doing that and maybe ditching the car at Split?

---

Was thinking about this initially but we opted to just fly directly to the coast.

Let me know what you end up doing.