7 days Dalmatia: Split, Hvar, Dubrovnik — the classic coast in a week

Trip map

Click each numbered marker to see the corresponding day.

Day by day

1. 1

   Day 1

   Arrival Split

   Direct flight Paris-Split (2h10, Croatia Airlines, Transavia or easyJet, €120-280 round-trip depending on season). On arrival, two transfer options: Pleso Prijevoz bus (€6 one-way, 30 min) dropping at Riva or bus station, or taxi (€35-45 to centre, negotiate or use Bolt which works well in Split).

   Settle in an apartman inside Diocletian's Palace (€80-150/night) to live within the Roman stones, or in Bačvice/Manuš (€60-110/night) for better value at 10 min walk. First mandatory ritual: sunset stroll along the Riva (palm trees, terraces, view to Brač in the distance), then dinner at a traditional konoba — try Konoba Marjan or Villa Spiza (booking essential, €30-45/pers. with whole grilled fish by the kilo and a carafe of pošip, Dalmatia's flagship white wine).

   Tips

   • · Bolt and Uber work in Split, often 30-40% cheaper than the white station taxis — useful for late airport transfers.
   • · Inner-palace apartman (Booking, AirBnB): €80-150/night in May-June, €180-280 in July-August. Book 3 months ahead for summer.
   • · Grilled fish at konobas is sold by the kilo (300-500g per person is enough): gilthead bream (orada) €50-70/kg, sea bass (brancin) €60-80/kg, dentex (zubatac) €80-110/kg.
   Split →
2. 2

   Day 2

   Split: Diocletian's Palace + Trogir

   Morning Diocletian's Palace (built 305 AD, UNESCO since 1979): enter through the Golden Gate (Zlatna Vrata), descend into the basement (substructures, €7, 9am-8pm in season) that supported the imperial apartments — intact vaulted labyrinth used as Game of Thrones backdrop. Climb back up to the peristyle (central columned square), ascend the Saint Domnius bell tower (€3, 360° view) — converted from the emperor's mausoleum, narrow staircase not recommended for those with vertigo.

   Light lunch on Fruit Square (Bokeria, Brasserie on 7) then bus n°37 or Promet bus to Trogir (UNESCO, 25 min, €4) — medieval islet between coast and Čiovo Island. Saint Lawrence Cathedral (€5) with the Radovan portal (1240), an absolute Romanesque masterpiece. Climb the bell tower (€5, narrow) for views over the ochre roofs. Return to Split by bus late afternoon. Aperitif at Bačvice beach (rare sand in Dalmatia) then late dinner at Matejuška, the fishermen's port.

   Tips

   • · Trogir before 10am or after 5pm: cruise buses leave around 4pm, the islet becomes calm again in the evening for photos and a crowd-free dinner.
   • · Palace basement: prefer online tickets (split-croatia.com) to skip the queue in high season — fast-track for €1 extra.
   • · Split-Trogir bus: line n°37 (regular, 30 min, €4) leaves from Sukoišanska — not the main bus station. Double-check on Google Maps.
   • · To save time, a guided Split + Trogir + Pakleni boat tour (€45-65/pers., 6h) combines city and islands in one day if you're rushed.
   Split →
3. 3

   Day 3

   Split → Hvar (ferry 1h)

   Early start at Split port: Jadrolinija or Krilo passenger catamaran, Split → Hvar Town in 1h, €6-30 depending on operator and season (Jadrolinija €6-12, Krilo €20-30, 4-6 daily crossings in summer). Booking essential in July-August (jadrolinija.hr, krilo.hr) — sailings sell out by 7am, otherwise wait until the next day. For cars, vehicle ferry to Stari Grad (north port, 1h45, €50-80) — but we recommend coming as a foot passenger: Hvar Town is pedestrian, apartmans rent scooters for €20-30/day.

   Arrive Hvar Town around 10-11am, drop bags at the apartman (€90-160/night, port view extra). Afternoon dedicated to the Pakleni Islands: taxi-boat from the quay (€50-100 for 6-8 pers., negotiate), swim stops at Palmižana or Jerolim (pebble beaches, turquoise water, beach restaurants like Toto's at €35-50/pers.). Back around 5-6pm. Mandatory sunset at Spanish Fortress (Fortica, €10, open until 9pm in summer) — 30 min walk up behind the cathedral, unbeatable panorama over Pakleni and Vis. Dinner at Konoba Menego (traditional Dalmatian cuisine, €35-50/pers.) then a drink at Hula Hula Beach Bar to feel Hvar's nightlife spirit.

   Tips

   • · Jadrolinija = cheap (€6-12) but standing room possible in high season. Krilo = more expensive (€20-30) but more comfortable, guaranteed seats. Pick based on comfort vs. budget priority.
   • · Pakleni by taxi-boat: negotiate as a group of 4-6 (€50-80 total = €10-15/pers.) rather than per person (€30) — most pilots accept grouping.
   • · Hvar Town is pricey: €8 for a coffee facing the port, €12 for a mojito at Carpe Diem. To save, shop at Konzum on Vela porta and have aperitif by the harbour.
   • · Hvar nightlife lasts until 4-5am at Carpe Diem (private island, boat shuttle), Pink Champagne or Kiva Bar — inner-town apartmans can be noisy, choose Križna luka or Pod Stine for sleep.
   Hvar →
4. 4

   Day 4

   Hvar: Stari Grad UNESCO + lavender fields

   Bus Hvar Town → Stari Grad (25 min, €6) or scooter rented the day before (scenic road via Pitve pass, single-lane tunnel 1.4 km with traffic lights). Stari Grad is Hvar's other face — old town founded 4th c. BC by Greeks from Paros, pale stone alleys, intimate port, far less touristy than Hvar Town. Visit the Tvrdalj Palace (residence of poet Petar Hektorović, indoor fish pond, €3) and Saint Stephen's Church.

   The main reason to come: the UNESCO Stari Grad Plain (Ager, listed 2008) — original 4th-century BC Greek land division, still farmed along the same lines (olives, vines, lavender). Allow 1-2h by car or bike to explore the hamlets of Vrboska, Dol, Velo Grablje (semi-abandoned stone village, sea view). In June (mid-June to mid-July), the lavender fields of Brusje and Velo Grablje are in bloom — intoxicating scent, striking photos, artisanal distillation to buy on site (essential oil €8-15, dried sachet €4-6).

   Lunch at Konoba Kokot (Vrboska) or Konoba Mate (Stari Grad) — octopus or lamb peka to order the day before. Back to Hvar Town late afternoon, quiet evening at apartman + Riva.

   Tips

   • · Lavender bloom mid-June to mid-July (varies by altitude/exposure). Late August = fields already cut, just stone and sky. Check with local hosts 1 week before departure.
   • · Scooter in Hvar Town: €20-30/day (Navigare, Pelegrini), €35-45/day for 125cc. B licence (car) sufficient up to 50cc, A1 required beyond.
   • · Peka (cast-iron bell, 2-3h cooking): order 24h ahead (4-6 pers., €25-35/pers. octopus or lamb). ABSOLUTE Dalmatian speciality to try once.
   • · Velo Grablje in June: photos at dawn (6-8am) or sunset (7-8:30pm) — golden light on purple fields.
   Hvar →
5. 5

   Day 5

   Hvar → Korčula → Dubrovnik

   Strategic maritime transfer day: Krilo catamaran, Hvar → Korčula Town, 1h30, €35-50 (morning departure around 8-9am, 1 daily rotation in May-June and September, 2 in July-August). Booking essential (krilo.hr) 2-3 weeks ahead in summer — the Hvar → Korčula → Dubrovnik route fills up with travellers following the same path.

   Arrive Korčula around 10:30am. 3-4h to visit Korčula Town (tiny fortified peninsula nicknamed "little Dubrovnik"): Saint Mark's Cathedral (€3, view from tower), purported Marco Polo House (€3, memorial more than real museum), walk the ramparts (free). Lunch at Konoba Mate or Filippi (fish, fuži with truffles, local grk wine — rare white variety grown only in Lumbarda). Walk the walls, grk or pošip tasting at PZ Lumbarda or Bire Winery (5 km south, taxi €10-15).

   Resume Krilo Korčula → Dubrovnik catamaran, 2h15, €40-60 (departure around 2-3pm). Arrive Dubrovnik Gruž port around 5pm. Key decision: where to sleep? Intra-muros = unique experience but luggage to carry up stairs (no cars, cobbled alleys), prices x2 (€200-400/night); Lapad (residential peninsula, bus n°6, 20 min) = good value (€80-150/night), beaches, quiet; Ploče (just outside east walls) = ideal compromise (€120-200/night), 5 min walk from Ploče Gate.

   Tips

   • · Krilo Hvar-Korčula-Dubrovnik: single combined ticket possible (€75-100) via krilo.hr — practical to lock in schedule and seat at booking.
   • · If direct Krilo is full, alternative: Jadrolinija ferry Hvar → Korčula (Vela Luka) then bus Korčula → Dubrovnik (3h, €20-25). Longer but doable.
   • · At Gruž (Dubrovnik arrival port), take bus n°1A or 3 (€1.75, 15 min) to Pile Gate or Ploče. Taxis ask €15-25 for the same trip.
   • · Korčula: grk wine (local variety, dry, mineral) to taste at Bire Winery in Lumbarda — €15-25/bottle, unavailable outside the island.
   Dubrovnik →
6. 6

   Day 6

   Dubrovnik: walls + old town

   Walls opening at 8am is essential (€35 adult, €17 student/child, 2 km circuit, 1.5-2h with photos) — heat after 11am on the stone is suffocating and the cruise crowd arrives mid-morning (Dubrovnik receives up to 4 simultaneous cruise ships in July-August, i.e. 15,000 visitors/day for 1,200 inner-town residents). Mandatory anti-clockwise direction. 360° view of the orange roofs, sea, Lokrum island, Mount Srđ. Three fortress waypoints: Minčeta (north high point), Bokar (Pile Gate guardian), Saint John (harbour).

   Post-walls brunch on Stradun (Gradska Kavana, Festival Café) or picnic from Gundulić market (fruits, cheeses, local prosciutto). Afternoon: Rector's Palace (€15) with Renaissance courtyard, Franciscan Monastery (€6, Europe's 3rd-oldest still-active pharmacy, 1317), Cathedral of the Assumption (€5 for the treasury). If the heat is intense, escape to Lokrum island (ferry from old port, €27 round-trip, 15 min) — pines, wild peacocks, Benedictine monastery, swimming.

   Late afternoon: Mount Srđ cable car (€27 round-trip, 4 min) for sunset — panorama over the old town, islands, the entire Adriatic. Panorama Restaurant at the top for a drink (pricey, €10-15 cocktail but unmatched view) or descend for dinner at Pantarul (Lapad, €45-60/pers., booking essential) or Konoba Dubrava (on the mount, rooftop view).

   Tips

   • · Dubrovnik Pass (€35/day, €45/3-day, €55/7-day): includes walls + 9 museums + city bus. Pays off from day 1 if you do walls (€35) + Rector's Palace (€15).
   • · Cruise calendar at cruisetimetables.com: pick a 0-1 ship day if possible. Monday-Tuesday statistically calmer than weekends.
   • · Mount Srđ cable car: last departure 10pm in summer, 8pm off-season. Book the sunset slot (around 7pm in June) online (dubrovnikcablecar.com) — 1h queue in high season.
   • · Free alternative to cable car: Mount Srđ trail (Way of the Cross, 1-1.5h up, 5 km, 400 m elevation) — set off early morning or late afternoon to avoid heat.
   Dubrovnik →
7. 7

   Day 7

   Dubrovnik: Elafiti Islands or departure

   If late afternoon or evening flight: Elafiti Islands day boat excursion (€40-70/pers., 8:30am-5pm) — archipelago of 13 islands of which 3 are inhabited (Šipan the largest and wine-growing, Lopud pedestrian with Šunj beach, Koločep the closest). Departure from Gruž port or old harbour (check on the ticket). Most excursions include onboard fish lunch and 1-2h on each island. This is the real taste of Dalmatia away from cruise ships: no cars, pine forests, crystalline water, family-run restaurants.

   If morning flight: last coffee on Stradun (Gradska Kavana, €4-5 espresso with cathedral view) before airport transfer. Platanus bus n°11 or Atlas, €8, 30 min from Pile Gate or Gruž port. Taxi €25-40 (Bolt also works in Dubrovnik). Allow 2.5h before an intercontinental flight — DBV is small but controls can be slow at peaks.

   Final tip: gastronomic souvenirs to buy before departure — pošip or plavac mali (wines, €12-25), Brač olive oil (€15-25 for 0.5 L), vacuum-packed Dalmatian prosciutto (vidaccia, €8-15). Avoid Stradun shops (prices x2-3), prefer the Gundulić market or Konzum supermarket at Gruž.

   Tips

   • · Elafiti independently (no guided tour): Jadrolinija line 9807, Gruž → Koločep → Lopud → Šipan, €4-7 one-way, 4-5 daily rotations. Lets you stay longer on your favourite island.
   • · Lopud: rent an e-bike on arrival (€15-20/day) to cross to Šunj beach (sand beach, exceptional) without the 30-min walk.
   • · DBV airport: no public night transport — if flight after 10pm, plan taxi or Bolt (€35-50).
   • · Pošip to bring back: Korta Katarina, Stina, Saints Hills are recognised producers, €18-30 per bottle. Avoid €6-8 supermarket bottles (industrial quality).
   Dubrovnik →

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