My cruise and land based itinerary in Croatia

Read about my trip to Croatia in August 2023, where I traveled with my partner and joined a 4 day short roundtrip cruise from Dubrovnik, and then continued by ferry to the gorgeous island of Hvar. We then continued towards Split, Plitvice National Park and the country’s capital city, Zagreb.

Dubrovnik

We got to Dubrovnik via Naples, Italy. After a short one hour flight, we took the shuttle bus to the center of town, which was about 40 minutes away. We had booked a tiny apartment in the old town, where we stayed for one night before embarking. I usually recommend arriving in Dubrovnik at least one day prior to when the cruise starts, and I stand by my advise, as even if Dubrovnik is a small town, having some extra time there is always a good idea.
Typically old town accommodation is much more expensive than staying at a hotel outside the medieval walls, and if you are not staying not too far from the center, then hotel options are better priced and some even have direct access to the ocean.
Dubrovnik, also known as the "Pearl of the Adriatic," is a mesmerizing destination for sightseeing enthusiasts. Enclosed by imposing medieval walls, the town boasts a captivating blend of history and scenic beauty.

We spent the day getting lost in the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, walking around intricate baroque buildings, charming narrow streets, and ornate churches.
With extra time, you can pay the 15 Euros and get to walk on the renowned city walls, which offers panoramic views of the shimmering Adriatic Sea and terracotta rooftops below.

There are many restaurants, cafes and bars down Stradun, the main pedestrian road, and we also got to try some of Croatia’s famous gelato, which you can find pretty much in every corner.

At sunset, we found a little bar located next to the old wall, with a swimming platform from where to jump onto the crystal clear Adriatic Sea, the perfect way to end the day.

Embarkation Day

Today we were set to embark at 2pm, therefore we had one last morning at leisure wondering around the old town of Dubrovnik. We found a little at a square just outside the walled city and explored a few “beaches” nearby, which are mostly swimming areas and platforms, accessible to everybody and a great way to spend some free time when it’s 90F outside.
We took a 10 minute taxi to the port, and as the cruise company, Katarina Line, had sent us a WhatsApp message with the exact location of our boat, we went there directly. It is important to note that in Dubrovnik and most ports in Croatia, ships are all tied along the pier one next to the other. You typically would cross from one vessel to another to reach the one you are on.
Our vessel, the MS Markan is a modern vessel with a maximum capacity of 40 passengers, as most cruise ships in Croatia. We were booked on one of the lower deck cabins, which had two small porthole windows close to the ceiling, but due to the cabin's good size and the fact that the windows are above the water level, the room did not feel dark or dingy at all.

We were welcomed into the ship and our cabin by the friendly crew with a refreshing drink, to then relax for a little while before meeting our group again for a guided visit of Dubrovnik. In order to get to old town, we took a comfortable bus to town, where we met our local guide, Ana, who took us around for one final tour around this gorgeous walled city.

We were then treated to a dinner at a local fish restaurant, where we had some of the best food we tried in the whole tour.


Korcula

Day two of our cruise had an early departure towards Korčula, best known as the birthplace of Marco Polo, the famous explorer. Before we got there, we were able to enjoy a swim stop right next to a beautiful island nearby and lunch on board.
Korčula Town is commonly referred to be a “miniature Dubrovnik”, as it is encased by medieval stone ramparts and towers. We had a lovely guided walk, almost getting lost in this maze like town. In the late afternoon, we enjoyed a visit to a nearby winery, located inland, a 30 minute drive from the Port.

We had that evening at leisure, so we could try some of the local delicacies.

Slano & Ston

Day three of our cruise started with a great buffet breakfast onboard. Then we started cruising towards the small village of Slano on the mainland.
Before getting there, we had another chance to swim on the clear Adriatic waters and lunch on board afterwards. In the afternoon we arrived in Slano, a peaceful fishermen's village and our starting point to Ston, a once fortified small village, famous for its oysters. We took a small boat ride to a nearby beach to feast on the local oysters and learn more about this delicacy.
After the tasting, we took back the boat to then explore Slano: we had a choice to explore the old town or climbed the old city walls, which took us about 40 minutes and it was a great hike after all that food!. We then returned to the vessel and that night we were treated to the Captain’s dinner with live entertainment onboard.

Back to Dubrovnik

Today we had to say goodbye to our cruise ship and friendly crew: after a hearty lunch we disembarked and walked back to the Port from where our ferry was waiting for us to take us to the beautiful island of Hvar, famous for its 13th century walls and its hilltop fortress.
It is a unique fusion of luxurious Mediterranean nature, rich cultural and historical heritage, and typical tourist activities. Hvar found its glory and power during Middle Ages, being an important port within the Venetian naval empire. Today, it is the centre of island’s tourism and one of the favourite destinations in Dalmatian Riviera – a town of smiling and courteous people, who are almost solely dedicated to tourism.
We stayed a lovely boutique hotel “Villa Nora” with a great location right in the heart of the old town where we were steps away from some of the best restaurants and cafes in town.

Sea Kayaking Tour

This morning we were treated to a great sea-kayaking half day excursion, guided by an experienced local, who took us through the myriad of the Pakleni Islands, a divine collection of islets opposite the main town of Hvar, whose pine trees shade numerous idyllic coves. We also had a swim stop, at a lovely beach which we liked to call the “Croatian Caribbean” and where we also enjoyed a light lunch, before paddling back to Hvar.
That afternoon we were at leisure, and we used our time to visit some of the nearby beaches along Hvar’s promenade.

Traveling to Split

After a great breakfast at the Hotel, we walked 5 minutes to catch our ferry to Split. The journey took only an hour and once we arrived there, we were met by a lovely local guide who took us to our centrally located hotel, the Peristil Boutique Hotel.
Split is a stunning 1700-year-old city home to unique historical monuments, including Diocletian's Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Peristil, St. Doimus's Cathedral, and the Piazza. The City of Split has something for everyone, whether you prefer culture, fine arts, songs, music, sports, or recreation.
We were free to explore this awesome town our own, and visit some of the lovely cafes and bars located on the promenade. After a long walk, we were eager to recharge energy that night, as we had a big day the next day

Split City Tour

We met our awesome local city guide and enjoyed exploring this more than 1700 years old jewel. When visiting Split, it is impossible not to see our most prominent sight, the heart of the city – Diocletian’s palace. As the city emerged from the palace, so do our tours start with visiting this UNESCO-protected structure that has been home to people from the 3rd century BC till today. We got to visit the palace and learn more about the city’s colorful history.
We probably walked dozens of miles that day, but it was so worth it! I will always recommend adding a couple of extra nights in Split at the end or beginning of a trip, it’s a must-do in my opinion.   

Traveling to Zagreb - with a stop at Plitvice National Park

This morning we were picked up by our private driver and car, and started our journey from Split toward our next destination- Zagreb.
The drive took about 3 hours before our first stop, arriving at Plitvice lakes national park, the first Croatian National Park.


We met our local guide and spent a couple of hours exploring the oldest and largest national park in the Republic of Croatia and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site for its spectacular lakes. 
The park is primarily covered in forest vegetation, with its cascading lakes totaling just under one percent of the park area. Due to the geological substrate and specific hydrogeological conditions, the lake system has been divided into Upper and Lower lakes.

We took some of the best photos of out trips there, the landscapes are just mind-blowing!

After the guided visit, we had some time at leisure to have lunch, which was a lovely picnic by the lake, before we continued with our drive on to Zagreb (2.5h).


The city of Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, on the historic and political threshold between East and West, illustrates the continental and Mediterranean spirit of the nation it spearheads. Zagreb is the cultural, scientific, economic, political, and administrative center of the Republic of Croatia and is home to the Croatian Parliament, Government, and President. Over the centuries, the city was inhabited by people from all over Europe; in recent years, people from different parts of Croatia ensured a rich cultural life.

We got to our centrally located hotel that same evening, after a long day of sightseeing and transportation.

Last Day in Croatia

This was our trip’s last day, so we did take advantage of it! We walked around all day, and even joined one of the guided city tours available that morning. Zagreb is such a different city to the ones located on the coast: the grand architecture from the Habsburg times and the big city vibe was palpable. As we were there during the peak of Summer, the city felt almost empty, even though  we were luck to witness a couple of great events in the city, full of locals. Coming from a big city myself, I must say I felt right at home. Too bad that was our final day in this gorgeous country that we learned to love: Croatia is a friendly, beautiful and vibrant country that we can’t wait to go back to.