In early September 2023, my husband and I went to Croatia for the first time on our honeymoon. It’s our favourite trip to date and I can’t recommend Croatia enough, specifically part of the Dalmatian Coast. We spent 3 nights in Split, 4 nights in Hvar, 2 nights in Korčula, 4 nights in Dubrovnik and 1 night in Zagreb. Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast has history, beautiful towns, turquoise water and great food. I hope you enjoy my guide to the Dalmatian Coast!
GETTING THERE
The most popular airport/starting point on the Dalmatian Coast is the Split Airport. However, there are very few flights, if any, that are direct from North America. We hate connecting flights, especially on a red-eye, so we chose to fly direct to Zagreb Airport. Zagreb is the captial of Croatia and in the middle of the country. This also saved us half the cost compared to flying to Split! The downside is that we had to rent a car at the airport and drive 4 hours south to our hotel in Split. This wasn’t great after a 9 hour flight but it was nice to see other parts of the country. There may be other options, such as a bus or private driver but we didn’t look into it. If you are coming from elsewhere in Europe, you will most likely be able to fly directly to Split.
If you need to stay overnight in Zagreb before and/or after your flight, we stayed at Hotel Dubrovnik and it was great. Located in the main town square, it was perfect to walk around and see the city when we arrived.
A huge perk of driving to and from Zagreb is that we were able to stop at Krka National Park. This was an amazing way to spend our last full day in Croatia! Due to limited time, we only explored the most popular part of the park, Skradinski Buk waterfall. We drove to the town of Skradin where you can take a beautiful boat ride through the park to the waterfall. Once you get past the main waterfall at the beginning, the path is more peaceful with tons of photo opportunities! It was incredible but keep in mind it is a bit pricey.
For more information and tickets: https://www.npkrka.hr/hr/
WHERE TO STAY AND WHAT TO DO
Split
Split is the largest and most popular city on the Dalmatian Coast. We spent one night in Split at the beginning of our trip and two nights at the end. At the beginning, we stayed at Azur Palace Luxury Rooms. This hotel is lovely and we had a nice, modern room for a great price. At the end, we stayed at the Cornaro Hotel, a 5 star hotel with a great rooftop terrace and a spa. We loved it! My opinion is that you only need 1-2 nights in Split.
We spent our time in Split walking around the city center and old town. Make sure to visit Diocletian’s Palace, specifically the Peristyle central Square and St Domnius Bell Tower. You should also walk along the Riva Promenade. The Peristyle is also a must-see at night. There is one restaurant in the square that will serve you drinks while you sit on the square steps and listen to their live music! So fun.
If you have more time in Split, some other things to do are the Prva Vidilica Na Marjan viewpoint, Putalj Winery, Klis Fortress, Znjan Beach, and day trips to Trojir, Omis and Makarska.
Hvar
After one night in Split, we took a ferry to the island of Hvar for our friend’s wedding. We stayed at the Amfora Hvar Grand Beach Resort where we had a very small room for a steep price. However, the views are stunning and there is a pool, which is nice if you don’t love the ocean. They also have a small rocky beach but you have to pay for a lounge chair. There are definitely more affordable accommodation options in the old town.
In the old town, St Stephen Square and the harbour are the places to be. You can also find great swimming spots.
I highly recommend taking in the views of Hvar from above at the Fortica Fortress. The climb is steep but quick. It’s a bit tough to find – keep walking up the town stairs and you’ll eventually find some signs.
Hvar is definitely a great place to swim and relax and there’s no better place to do that than at Hvar Beach Club. You can rent a cabana or single lounge chair and the price is steep but I think it’s worth it for a day of relaxation and beautiful water!
Korčula
From Hvar, we took a ferry to Korčula, another island and the name of the old town. We stayed at the Aminess Korčula Heritage Hotel, which was beautiful and had a great terrace but our room was not so great. It looked like a room in an attic with a very small window, a broken ceiling blind and broken AC. I don’t dislike the hotel but I recommend upgrading from the standard double room.
Korčula is a very small, charming town and you don’t need much time here unless you plan on exploring more of the island. If you prefer less touristy, more quaint spots, Korčula is the place for you! Make sure you go to the top of St Mark’s Cathedral bell tower. Visit Cocktail Bar Massimo, which is on the rooftop of a tower turret with great views of sunset!
On our second day in Korčula we did an E-bike winery tour! We mainly checked out the area called Lumbarda and stopped at Bire Winery and Vela Pržina beach. It was so much fun! I highly recommend visiting the winery even if you aren’t up for a bike tour. You can ask your hotel or visit the Korčula Tourism Office to sign up for a bike tour.
Dubrovnik
After 2 nights in Korčula, we took our final ferry to Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik is one of the most well known cities on the Dalmatian Coast, especially because Game of Thrones was filmed there. We decided to stay at an affordable studio Airbnb overlooking the Old Town – what an incredible view! The Airbnb was also very safe and clean. The only downside is the climb back up from the Old Town but it was worth it for the view. Keep in mind that if you do stay in the Old Town, vehicles are prohibited.
For more information and to book the Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.ca/rooms/6478883
Dubrovnik is our favourite place that we visited in Croatia and one of our favorite places that we’ve been to date! The Old Town is very well preserved and encircled with a city wall, which makes you feel like you’re truly back in the Middle Ages.
When you enter through one of the town’s gates you’ll eventually find yourself at Stradun, the main street bustling with activity. From here, the town is made up of narrow, charming side streets that you should get lost in. Make your way to Buža Bar or Bard for cliffside cocktails with a great view of sunset (reservation recommended). Check out the town’s port as well!
Dubrovnik’s main attraction is to walk the city walls, and I highly recommend walking the entire loop. The best time is around sunset and it takes about an hour. It is one of the coolest things I’ve ever done! Before or after you head up to the walls, check out the Franciscan Monastery, which is right beside the entrance to the walls. It has a beautiful cloister and courtyard as well as an old apothecary. Purchasing the Dubrovnik City Pass is a great option because it includes the price of the walls and several other attractions.
I also highly recommend visiting Fort Lovrijenac, which is included in the City Pass. The Fort has incredible views of Dubrovnik and the sea.
We also went up the Dubrovnik Cable Car, which has a restaurant at the top and an amazing view. However, it is quite expensive and not a must do.
If you want to get out of the city and go swimming, take the ferry to Lokrum Island. Check out the ruins of a monastery and if you’re up for a challenge, hike up to the island’s fort for a beautiful view. Reward yourself with a swim in the island’s “dead sea” and/or the regular sea! The best spot is where the boat dropped you off. Something that makes this island so special is that there are peacock’s everywhere!
WHERE TO EAT
In Split, you must go to St Burek and get a meat burek, so delicious and a great cheap lunch! For another affordable lunch, visit Kantuna Paulina for a cevapi sandwich. We had a delicious dinner at Konoba Marjan. Kinoteka has small portions for the price but a stunning courtyard in Diocletian’s Palace. For dessert, Gelateria Emiliana and Luka’s Ice Cream hit the spot.
In Korčula, we had an unforgettable Michelin star lunch at LD Restaurant. For more affordable lunch and dinner, Konoba Adio Mare and Konoba Mate are great. For dessert, visit Marco Homemade Ice Cream.
In Dubrovnik, try an octopus burger at Barba (better than it sounds!). Restaurant & Bar Rudjer has a beautiful courtyard with a great vibe. Proto Fish Restaurant, Restaurant Marco Polo, and Bistro Tavulin. Nautika is the sixth most romantic restaurant in the world with amazing food. We had an amazing Michelin star dinner at Restaurant 360. For dessert, try Peppino’s Gelato.
In Zagreb, we highly recommend ordering a traditional Croatian peka at Konoba Didov San. You must order at least a day in advance. It was delicious!
I hope you enjoyed my guide to Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast!
To read my blog post, “A Complete Guide to the Amalfi Coast, Italy,” click here.
To read my blog post, “A Day Trip to Capri, Italy” click here.
