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Destinations & ItinerariesBy Clever Tourists · Published
Seven days covers Zagreb, Plitvice, Zadar, Split and Dubrovnik; ten adds Šibenik and Krka and slows the pace. Fly into Zagreb and out of Dubrovnik, and travel north to south down the coast. This is our suggested cut of the 17 days we spent in Croatia, 3 to 20 August 2023: Zagreb 4, Osijek 3, Zadar 3, Šibenik 2, Split 2 and Dubrovnik 3. For a shorter trip we drop Osijek, which is a long way east of everything else, and add a night at Plitvice Lakes, which our route did not include.
• Zagreb, 4 days (3 to 7 August): the Upper Town, Dolac market and the Lower Town parks. We arrived from Venice. See how many days in Zagreb.
• Osijek, 3 days (7 to 10 August): Slavonia's capital and its Habsburg fortress town, Tvrđa, about 3 hours east of Zagreb by car or train. See our Osijek guide.
• Zadar, 3 days (10 to 13 August): the Roman Forum, St. Donatus and the Sea Organ. See how many days in Zadar.
• Šibenik, 2 days (13 to 15 August): the stone cathedral, the hill forts and Krka National Park. See our Krka guide.
• Split, 2 days (15 to 17 August): Diocletian's Palace, free to walk. See Diocletian's Palace.
• Dubrovnik, 3 days (17 to 20 August): the walls, Lokrum and Srđ, then on into Montenegro. See how many days in Dubrovnik.
The order was right; the detour was Osijek. It is a good city, but on a one-week coastal trip it costs two travel days.
• Days 1 to 2, Zagreb. Upper Town and the noon cannon on day one, Dolac market and the Lower Town on day two.
• Day 3, Plitvice Lakes, sleep at Plitvice or go on to Zadar. Plitvice sits between Zagreb and Zadar: buses take about 2 hours from Zagreb and about 2 hours more on to Zadar. Stopping on the way saves a return trip.
• Day 4, Zadar. The old town and the Sea Organ at sunset.
• Day 5, Split. Diocletian's Palace early and late, the Riva in the evening.
• Days 6 to 7, Dubrovnik. Walls at 8am, then Lokrum or the Srđ cable car. Fly home from Dubrovnik.
It is a fast week with a move every day or two. If that is too much, drop Zadar and give Split or Dubrovnik the extra night.
• Days 1 to 2, Zagreb.
• Day 3, Plitvice, with a night near the park so you can walk the lakes at opening the next morning.
• Days 4 to 5, Zadar, with a slow second day for the islands or Nin; see day trips from Zadar.
• Day 6, Šibenik and Krka. Skradin, where the park boat starts, is about 20 to 25 minutes from Šibenik. Krka costs €40 (≈ $45) in June to September, €30 (≈ $33) after 3pm.
• Days 7 to 8, Split, with an island day by ferry if you like.
• Days 9 to 10, Dubrovnik.
With 2 weeks, follow our real order and add Kotor in Montenegro after Dubrovnik; our Balkans itinerary covers the border.
There is no railway between Split and Dubrovnik, and trains are slow on the rest of this route, so it runs on buses, a rental car or, between Split and Dubrovnik, the seasonal catamaran.
• Zagreb to Plitvice: buses about 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours 20 minutes.
• Plitvice to Zadar: about 2 hours by bus.
• Split to Dubrovnik: buses about 4 to 4.5 hours; seasonal catamarans in the warmer months, about 4 to 5 hours, with island stops such as Korčula. The Pelješac Bridge, open since July 2022, keeps the road inside Croatia instead of crossing Bosnia at Neum.
A car makes Plitvice and Krka easier, but parking in Split and Dubrovnik is hard and expensive. If you rent one, return it before Dubrovnik or check cross-border rules before Montenegro: see driving across Balkan borders.
Coming from Italy as we did: there is no direct Venice to Zagreb train, and buses take roughly 6 to 7 hours. Our Italy itinerary covers the part before.
June and September are the best months for this route: warm sea, every ferry and catamaran running, and fewer people than in high summer. We did it in August, which is the peak: the highest room prices, the busiest Plitvice boardwalks, Dubrovnik's walls only comfortable at 8am, and the longest queues at the Montenegro border.
May and early October work well for walking and sightseeing, with cooler water. Croatia uses the euro and is in the Schengen Area; see do I need a visa for Croatia and, for the coming entry systems, ETIAS and EES explained.
Most of this route is free to walk: Zagreb's Upper Town, Zadar's Sea Organ and forum, and Split's Diocletian's Palace, where only the cathedral, bell tower and cellars need tickets, sold singly or in bundles. The big tickets, per adult in 2026:
• Krka National Park: €40 (≈ $45) from June to September, €30 (≈ $33) after 3pm, €20 (≈ $22) in April, May and October, €7 (≈ $7.8) in winter. The Skradin boat is included.
• Dubrovnik City Walls: €40 (≈ $45), including Fort Lovrijenac, or the same price for a 1-day Dubrovnik Pass that adds museums and buses.
• Plitvice Lakes: priced by season and at its highest in summer; check the official park site and buy ahead for July and August.
Budget accordingly in July and August, when every one of these is at its peak rate.
• Flying in and out of the same airport. Zagreb in, Dubrovnik out saves a day of backtracking.
• Seeing Plitvice as a return day trip from Zagreb when you are heading to the coast. Stop on the way.
• Adding Osijek to a one-week trip. It is about 3 hours east of Zagreb, the wrong way for the coast.
• Trying to see everything in August at midday. Plan the walls, Diocletian's Palace and Plitvice for early morning.
Yes for Zagreb, Plitvice, Zadar, Split and Dubrovnik at a fast pace. Ten days adds Šibenik and Krka and a slower day in each coastal town.
North to south: fly into Zagreb, stop at Plitvice, then Zadar, Šibenik, Split and Dubrovnik, and fly home from Dubrovnik.
Seventeen days in August 2023: Zagreb 4, Osijek 3, Zadar 3, Šibenik 2, Split 2 and Dubrovnik 3, then on to Kotor in Montenegro.
No. Buses take about 4 to 4.5 hours, and seasonal catamarans run in the warmer months, taking about 4 to 5 hours.
June and September. August, when we went, is the hottest, busiest and most expensive month on the coast.
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