Two Week Detailed Croatia Itinerary

The best advice I can give you about Croatia?  Go.  Croatia is a fascinating country filled with beautiful landscapes, delicious food, and warm and open people.  Our Croatia was filled with things to do and amazing places to see, and we barely even scratched the surface.  The Croatian economy is heavily reliant on tourism, so I recommend that you skip the cruise and spend time in this beautiful country.  Our guides were so thoughtful and thorough. The food was fresh and flavorful.  When I started planning our Croatia itinerary, I was amazed at how most itineraries only recommended day trips with very little time spent in cities like Dubrovnik and Zadar.  That is not my travel style.  Instead, we immersed ourselves in the city, connected with local guides, and made day trips within the Istria region.  

We’re already planning our next trip back because there is still so much to see.  

Disclosure:  This post contains affiliate links for tours and products I love at no additional cost to you.  You can read my full disclosure policy here.

Croatia Itinerary Tips

Book an Open Jaw Ticket within Croatia

One of my best Croatia travel tips is to book an open jaw ticket.  This is my favorite travel hack for long trips.  An open jaw ticket flies into one city and out of another city.  Because Croatia is so large and so long, it will save you a lot of backtracking and time.  I would recommend flying into Zagreb and out of Dubrovnik – or try the reverse.  If you don’t want to make the 8+ hour drive along the Dalmatian coast, there are smaller airports in Zadar, Split, Pula, and Rijeka.  Those could help if you are looking for a shorter Croatia itinerary. (You could do one half of this itinerary in either direction for one week.)    

For reference, we flew DFW-MAD-DBV via American and Iberia Airlines (using miles!) and ZAG-FRA-DFW on Lufthansa and United.  Our layover in Madrid was pretty long, and Madrid is NOT my favorite airport, but we survived.  Landing in Dubrovnik felt SO good.  Despite a LONG travel day, I felt energized by the cool coastal breezes and beautiful views. 

Driving in Croatia

Public transportation in Croatia can make for long travel days.  The most popular ways to get around are by boat, car, or bus.  We opted to drive so that we would have the most flexibility with our Croatia itinerary.  It was very easy to drive in Croatia; the roads are new, smooth, and easy to navigate.  We have driven in Italy extensively, taken road trips through the Alsace in France and on multiple itineraries to visit European Christmas Markets, so driving in Croatia definitely felt easy! 

Croatian drivers are not aggressive.  There are speed cameras in small towns, but most drivers do not speed.  They may pass you, but it is so much more relaxed than driving in the US.  Our rental car included GPS that had a speed monitor on it.  That was a nice bonus.  We usually just rely on Google Maps when we take road trips.

I booked a one-way rental car that we picked up in Dubrovnik and dropped off in Zagreb.  You don’t need a car in Zagreb. I booked through Enterprise for this trip, but I find that Priceline usually has the best deals on one-way car rentals.  Like Italy, opt for a smaller car.  Our little Clio served us very well.   

Originally I planned that we would just drive from Dubrovnik to Istria in a single day.  It is more than eight hours though.  I decided to break up the long distance by booking a couple of nights in Zadar.  (Split is also a great option.)  I’m really glad that I did.  Zadar has the most gorgeous sunsets in Croatia and it is completely fascinating.  We spent about a week in Istria and ended our Croatia road trip in Zagreb.        

4 Days in Dubrovnik

Since we arrived in Dubrovnik so late, we added an extra night to our Dubrovnik itinerary to make up for our travel day.  I wouldn’t spent less than 3 days in Dubrovnik, especially if you plan to spend time on the beaches or head to the islands.  Words cannot express how beautiful I found Dubrovnik to be.  I really expected it to be overrated, honestly.  It surpassed all of my expectations, though at times, I can’t imagine returning because there’s no way that it will ever be as magical it seemed on that first trip.  (I still want to go back though.) 

Wandering around Dubrovnik at blue hour made me sad for all the people who only come to the city as a cruise port and only spend one day here.  The way the light reflects of the white stone is absolutely stunning in the evenings, and especially after it rains.  We spent hours walking through the city, exploring the tiny alleyways, photographing the cats, and appreciating the beauty.  

We stayed at the Hotel Stari Grad in Dubrovnik in the city center, and I don’t think I would stay anywhere else.  They were so very kind.  I have a full review of the Hotel Stari Grad, along with my Dubrovnik hotel research on the blog.

Things to Do in Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik Old Town Walking Tour

Book a walking tour of Dubrovnik on your first morning in town.  NOT A GAME A THRONES TOUR.  A tour of Dubrovnik.  Elvis is an incredible guide.  As a native, he offers a vast amount of knowledgable and is extremely candid about his life experiences and the changes he has seen in Croatia.  (His daughter does offer a Game of Thrones tour if you insist.)  Elvis walks you through the history of the Dubrovnik republic to present day Croatia.  Dubrovnik is relatively compact, but it has a fascinating history.  He covers a lot of information in his tour and provides the perfect introduction to the city.

One of the things that makes Croatia fascinating to me is the Roman and Venetian influence that you will see throughout the country.  This tour was essential for me to better understand the Venetian influence on Croatia. Dubrovnik was a rival of the Venetian republic because of its unique position and wealth.  This tour gave me a better understanding of the history between the great European powers of the days – the Romans, the Venetians, the Austrians, and the Croatians, all of which came up throughout our time in Croatia.  Perhaps what surprised me the most is how progressive the republic of Dubrovnik was, even as early as the 1400s.

Elvis was in Dubrovnik during the Homeland War and he was able to share more about his experiences during that time. It is incredibly enlightening to hear first-hand knowledge about the former Yugoslavia and the current situation in Croatia.  As Americans, we have very little knowledge of Homeland War and how the present-day countries were formed.  It is staggering to realize how little history we are taught about how parts of Europe were settled after World War II.  Our understanding of world history is so limited and so far from complete. After spending just a few hours with Elvis, I almost find it imperative that we stretch world history far beyond a single course or two if we are ever wish to understand the world as we presently know it. 

PLAY: Dubrovnik walking tour

Croatian Wine Tasting in Dubrovnik

We ordered a meat and cheese plate. We were served a combination of goat and sheep cheeses (I loved the herb cheese!), and various meats, including a Slavonian wild boar and pork sausage, smoked prsut (Croatian prosciutto). It was complemented by delicious olives. 

We could have been content if eating and drinking here every day.  There are wine tasting tours from Dubrovnik that you can book if you prefer to experience the vineyard.

GOURMET: D’Vino Wine Bar for a Croatian Wine Tasting

Dubrovnik Churches to Visit

As part of our daily walks, we created our own DIY tour of the many churches of Dubrovnik.  I was absolutely stunned to walk into St. Ignatius and realize it was completely ignored by our guidebooks.  It is a stunning burst of color that I did not expect.  The Church of St. Blaise, named for the patron saint of Dubrovnik, has the most stunning stained glass of all the churches, especially in the evenings.  I thought that the Church of the Holy Annunciation, a Serbian orthodox church, had the most stunning altarpiece in Dubrovnik.  Disappointingly, we missed the Dubrovnik Synagogue. It is the second oldest synagogue in Europe, following the New-Old Synagogue in Prague.     

We also visited the Franciscan Monastery and Old Pharmacy.  It was interesting, but I really wish we had a guide for the experience. 

Dubrovnik Places to Visit

We visited some of the main attractions in Dubrovnik, but I feel like our experiences were so much less rich since we didn’t have a guide.  Our other experiences – where we were able to connect with individuals who shared their stories, interests, and knowledge – were far more important to our Croatia itinerary.  

• Rector’s Palace
• Dubrovnik Cable Car and Mount Srd
• MOMAD Museum (modern art museum) 

Dubrovnik City Walls Tour

No Croatia itinerary is complete without taking a tour of the city walls of Dubrovnik.  While you can walk around the walls on your own, I found it to be far more enjoyable to understand more about what I was seeing.  

Like Elvis, Ivo was an incredible and thorough guide for our tour of the imposing walls around Dubrovnik. He was engaging and constantly encouraged us to ask questions.  He was very conscientious and thoughtful in his comments about Croatia and Dubrovnik.  He also taught us more about the history of the city from founding to present.

Ivo’s tour covers the city walls in their entirety, not just a portion of them. With a bird’s eye view of Dubrovnik and Ivo as our guide, we were able to better understand how the unique positioning of Dubrovnik benefitted the republic immensely.  In turn, we were able to better understand local history, specific policies that were adopted, and how Dubrovnik became so popular over the centuries. Ivo also helped us understand some of the more unique aspects of life in present-day Dubrovnik. 

Beyond history lessons and pointing out numerous points of interest around Dubrovnik, Ivo provided a lot of local recommendations for us within and around the city.  

PLAY: Dubrovnik City Walls Tour

Three Days in Zadar

CONSIDER:  If I was planning a second itinerary for Croatia, I would consider stopping in Trogir and Split.  (Michelle’s instagram stories from Split looked incredible!)  If you want to swap cities for nature, several people recommended that we head to Krka National Park (near Sibnenik).  If you wanted to plan a trip to Croatia by boat, you could take the ferry from Dubrovnik to Hvar, spend a few nights there, and continue to your next destination.        

TIP:  If you drive from Dubrovnik to Split or Zadar, you will drive through Bosnia for a short time.  Make sure you have your passports and rental car paperwork readily available.  We also had a form that showed we were just passing through Bosnia, rather than stopping in Bosnia.  Our passport was stamped on both sides of the Bosnian border. I noticed that the passport stamp actually reflected that we crossed by car, as opposed to an airplane, something I had never noticed before.  

STAY: Hotel Bastion

Things to Do in Zadar

Sunset, Sea Organ, and Sun Salutation in Zadar

We spent two nights and three days in Zadar, and I found that it was the perfect place to explore and recharge. You don’t have a long list of things to see; there is time to explore slowly, as well as enjoy the magnificent sunsets and the sounds of the sea organ. 

Speaking of the sea organ, it is truly something you have to hear for yourself.  There is nothing like it.  Some people might think it’s cheesy, but my fondest memories of Zadar are from watching the sun set over the Adriatic sea and blue hour engulfing Zadar. 

A few steps from the sea organ is a modern art installation called the Sun Salutation.  The modern art contrasts sharply against the ancient city.  You should slow down to appreciate the sun set, the sea organ, and the Sun Salutation.  Watching children of all ages play around the Sun Salutation reminded me of being in Hawaii at sunset and I felt an overwhelming sense of peace being there. 

And, once again, the guidebooks failed to share how breathtaking Croatian sunsets are, especially in Zadar.  

Zadar Old Town Walking Tour

Sometimes it can be really hard for me to imagine a city how it was originally designed to be.  I find Venice to be the “best” preserved ancient city, while Rome requires me to use my imagination, even with monuments around every corner.  Zadar’s history has been influenced by both the Roman Empire and the Venetian Republic, and while you can recognize the architectural influences immediately, the true scope of these influences are not always clear beyond the surface of Zadar.  Without a walking tour of Zadar, you may be feel like you are walking through a museum without any context as to why it is there. 

Our guide, Dorja provided an in-depth perspective on how both Roman and Venetian influences have created present-day Zadar.  The best part of this tour, however, was how Dorja weaved together the streets with such deep knowledge that it was absolutely possible to imagine ancient Zadar.  Dorja’s words created a completely different world and lens for which I could see Zadar, and once we finished the tour, I couldn’t unsee it!

Though Zadar is small, it packs a lot of history into a small area.  Dorja covers all of it -from past to present.  She is very direct when speaking about the history of Zadar and how it has influenced the present.  Her family has lived in this area for a long time, so she, like many of our other tour guides in Croatia, has a living memory of Croatia’s past.  I appreciated both her honesty and candor. Like Ivo in Dubrovnik, she was happy to make local recommendations for us and was sincere in ensuring that we had a great trip.

BOOK THIS: Zadar Walking Tour

Try a Traditional Croatian Meat Platter

Many of the restaurants in center of Zadar felt very touristy.  We decided to cross the bridge and try Gricko Grill, which advertised traditional Croatian meats.  We were very excited about the local pivo (beers), traditional meats, and the outdoor patio, we were hoping for a great meal.  

We went into this meal with an open mind.  The owner asked us a few questions about our tastes. Shortly after that, a huge platter arrived with a sizzling variety of meats and warm bread.  I don’t even know what all we tried and ate, but it was all delicious.  Everything was fresh, tender, and tasty.  This traditional meal is a great way to try and share a lot of food.

We enjoyed this experience so much we went back twice.  The owner was so excited that we came back that he tried to put together a plate of new things for us to try, too!  (That’s the benefit of returning to the same places over and over sometimes.)      

Places to Visit in Zadar

The Zadar Archaeological Museum is absolutely a hidden gem and showcases an extensive collection.  I would liken it to the Capitoline Museums in Rome.  If you like the Roman Empire, you’ll like this museum.

We visited a lot of the major sites in Zadar with Dorja on our city tour.  Zadar is not fully discussed in guidebooks, so I highly recommend booking a guide for additional context.  If you are looking for a few more things to fill your itinerary, here are some places to consider adding:

• The Forum with all its Roman influences
• Church of St. Donat
• The Zadar Cathedral and Bell Tower
• The Monastery of St. Francis
• Zadar outdoor market

While we didn’t have time to take a food tour of Zadar, I would definitely recommend it.  They also offer wine tastings if your Croatia trip isn’t going to take you to Istria.  We were fortunate in the fact that the owner at Gricko Grill was happy for us to try as much as possible and made recommendations for us.  We went back multiple times because the food was so good.  

Five Days in Istria

I am really glad that we visited Istria as the second part of our itinerary.  Many of the Istrian towns we visited were significantly influenced by the Venetian republic and/or the Roman Empire.  Without the context of Croatia’s history, we would not have have understood why each town was so significantly influenced one way or another.  I cannot stress enough how valuable it is to book tours in Croatia.  There is so much to learn, and it is so much more than beautiful landscapes, architecture, and beaches.  Go deeper. 

NOTE:  I had weighed whether or not to cut our itinerary for Istria short to visit the Plitvice Lakes National Park before heading to Zagreb.  Ultimately, I decided that Istria was more aligned with our personal interest.  If you are less interested in food and wine, or you want to save money, you might be better served by swapping out a few days in Istria for the Plitvice Lakes.  I’d love to enjoy the natural beauty of Croatia, but we really enjoyed Istria and it is at the top of our list of places to go back to in Croatia.    

STAY: Meneghetti Hotel, Spa and Wine Resort

Things to Do in Istria

One of the best parts of Istria is the food and wine.  Similar to Tuscany, Istria is known for its truffles, olive oils, and wines.  Most towns offer food tours in Istria, and you can even go truffle hunting!  Whatever you do, make sure that food is part of the itinerary.

The other thing to know is that Istria is on a peninsula, which means you are never far from the coast.  The Meneghetti offers a beach club that is only a short walk (or bike) from the hotel.  We loved strolling through the vineyards and found the water in this area to be very calm and relaxing.  If you aren’t a beach person, our hotel offered both indoor and outdoor pools.  Istria is the perfect place to focus on your physical wellness.         

Olive Oil Tasting in Istria

Just as Alsace has the route du vin, Croatia has an olive oil route!  (There are Croatian olive oil tastings everywhere from Istria to the Croatian islands!)  Croatia, and Istria specifically, produces some of  the best olive oils in the world.  You may be skeptical since we don’t see a lot of Croatian olive oil in the United States.  This is because most Croatian olive oil producers harvest their olives earlier than the rest of the world.  This yields a smaller production of olives, which results in less (but better!) olive oil.  Other countries harvest later and are able to get a higher quantity of olive oil.    

The great thing about Istria is that you can visit a lot of small producers with relative ease and figure out which olive oils work for you.  We stayed near Bale and there were numerous small producers who were excited to show us more about their productions and have us taste their different olive oils.  We learned how to properly taste olive oil, the differences between good olive oil and what is sold in grocery stores, and how different olive oils can be used on different types of food. 

We had really incredible experiences at Brist and Chiavalon.  We bought several bottles from both of those producers to bring home as souvenirs.      

Motovun Truffle Hunting

Visit the Euphrasian Basilica in Porec

If you love the Basilica of San Marco in Venice, Porec needs to be on your Croatia itinerary.  I know that people generally get fixed on checking off the “big” things on a travel bucket list, but it’s always worth checking out the list of the UNESCO World Heritage site list when visiting smaller places.  That’s how we found out about Porec’s Euphrasian Basilica, and wow, was it worth a day trip to Porec.    

This 4th century basilica complex is incredible.  You can literally walk through the footprints of the original church, see the Bishop’s Palace, and admire the Adriatic from various vantage points.  This is a place where you can save money: you don’t need a guide to visit.  Your ticket includes a DIY guided visit that will be sufficient.  If you are able, I recommend climbing the stairs in the bell tower for the views of the Adriatic Sea.  It’s a cross between the Torcello basilica and San Marco in Venice.  You can literally walk through the evolution of churches, and it’s just incredible.     

I found the basilica more breathtaking than San Marco, mostly because I wasn’t expecting it.  The smaller size also meant that I could appreciate the beauty of the art, too. Don’t rust.  Take your time, sit in the Euphrasian Basilica, and appreciate that someone could visualize how all these tiny pieces could come together, long before technology as we know it existed.  It’s just incredible and shouldn’t be missed.  I can’t imagine coming to Croatia and not seeing this church.

Rovinj Day Trip

You could round out a full day of the Venetian Republic’s influence on Croatia by heading to Rovinj. 

When we first parked outside of Rovinj, I was shocked at how much it reminded me of Venice.  Rovinj is truly a jewel, and it is especially lovely on a quiet morning.  I loved its brightly-colored, beautiful harbor, the tiny streets that circle the town, and the outdoor cafes that lined the main street.  You should go beyond the surface though. 

We booked a walking tour of Rovinj to learn more about this coastal town with significant Venetian influence.  (If you are feeling really ambitious, you can catch a ferry from Porec to Venice and the Veneto!)  Goran, a well-traveled local, guided us through the winding streets of Rovinj while weaving together the history of both sides of Rovinj, as well as the present-day challenges.  Our tour started on the outskirts of Rovinj and ended at the basilica atop the hill, os we were able to see every part of the city with Goran.    

As many people know, I am very anti-AirBnB because of how it is hollowing out vibrant cities.  However, Goran helped me see that argument in a bit of a different light.  In some places, like Rovinj, it has almost become a necessity to rent out apartments in the city center to ensure the survival of the city.  Locals (in this area specifically) don’t want to deal with the challenges of living in the center city and navigating the streets.  His perspective certainly counters my own, and I appreciated his candor about why it would be good for Rovinj.  As with Venice, I have no interest in seeing beautiful places become living museums, so perhaps there is a balance to be struck between the two.       

Goran was a great resource for recommending places to purchase traditional Istrian products and recommending restaurants in different areas of the peninsula.  

PLAY: Rovinj Walking Tour

Pula Day Trip

If you love Rome or the Roman Empire (my husband does), Pula should be on your Istria itinerary!  Like many Istrian towns, Pula has an old town and a “new” town, and there are Roman and Byzantine mosaics and ruins throughout the city.  The most impressive Roman “ruin” in Pula is the amphitheater, which is better preserved than its Roman counterpart, if not a bit smaller.  It’s still gorgeous and impressive.   

Out of all the Istrian hill towns we visited, Pula was the most alive.  The market was especially bustling.  It also had more shopping, if that’s your thing.  (I did kick myself for not going into Max&Co for the coat I wanted though.)  

I mention the two parts of the city specifically because we had an amazing guide who led us on a walking tour through Pula.  We started our tour at the Pula Colosseum where I marveled that I could walk right up to the arcades and everything inside without any obstruction.  (They host concerts here, which would be an incredible experience.)  I really loved the landscaping and greenery around it, too.   

Like Dubrovnik, Pula was successful because of its positioning and its defenses against sea invaders.  Our guide showed us that from our position on the ground, and he took us up to the fortress to see it from the air.  After coming down the hill, we explored the ancient Roman city.  I was impressed with how well-preserved the Roman and Byzantine remains are, especially the mosaics.  Pula has preserved much of the original city design, so you will see Pula as the Romans experienced it.    

From there, you will cross through the original Roman gates into the “new” town and there is definitely a different feel.  The “new” town of Pula has an Austro-Hungarian feel, so it feels more like Zagreb, Budapest, or Vienna with its wide boulevards, grand architecture, and green spaces.  It was quite energetic and lively, and I definitely recommend carving out time to explore the market. 

Our guide, a Pula native, offered restaurant recommendations on both sides of town, as well as suggestions for more to see in Pula based our on interests.

PLAY: Pula Walking Tour

Two Days in Zagreb

Our last stop our Croatia trip itinerary was the capital city of Zagreb.  Zagreb was such an unexpected surprise and it is absolutely an underrated European capital city.  While I had Zagreb on my list because of its famous Christmas markets, I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did.  It reminded me of everything I loved about Bratislava but took it to the next level.  I loved the large green spaces, and the tram and Uber made it easy to cover longer distances. since we were only there for a short time. 

We stayed at the iconic Hotel Esplanade, which is where travelers on the Orient Express would have a stopover.  This hotel is iconic, but this bed was the most uncomfortable bed ever.  In hindsight, we should have asked to switch rooms.  The terraces were absolutely stunning through.  I loved the Old World vibe of the hotel.        

Things to Do in Zagreb

We had only intended to use Zagreb as an exit point on our Croatia vacation, but we will definitely be back.  We loved how vibrant the city was, and I can’t wait to visit the Zagreb Christmas markets.  The energy of the city was contagious.  The spring air was perfect for being outside, exploring the city, and enjoying the cafe culture.  We did take a tour of Zagreb, which I’ll discuss further below, and I would love to go back and spend more time learning more about the history of this area.  We only scratched the surface of it in our limited time, but there is still so much to experience.

As an aside, I really loved the market in the old town. In the past, this market was run largely by women; they would products into the city every day and head back to their villages. at the end of every day  Some stalls are still run by the same families.  It definitely felt very local based on the produce they were selling at the outdoor market.  There is also an indoor food market (try the chili-olive cheese – it makes for a delicious sandwich) and a flower market.  It’s a great opportunity for people watching, too.    

Experience Zagreb Cafe Culture

One of the things I love most about Vienna is cafe culture.  It helped me to slow down and enjoy big cities in a different way.  Zagreb has a similar feel, and it was extraordinarily lovely to end our Croatia trip this this way, especially since Zagreb offers a plethora of outdoor cafes. 

Rather than plan our meals around restaurant reservations, we opted to meander around the city and had a progressive dining experience by stopping at various outdoor bars and trying different foods.  We enjoyed pizza and beer at Mali Medo on Tkalčića street, one of the most famous streets in Zagreb with many bars and restaurants, and we tried numerous desserts at The Cookie Factory as we made our way down that same street. 

My favorite cafe in Zagreb, however, was Princess Slastičarnica.  We stumbled upon it as we were walking back to the Esplanade.  I was captivated by the case of handmade cakes and desserts, but the warm and friendly staff made this experience even more memorable.  We grabbed an outdoor table to watch the world go by, and I loved the triple layer chocolate cake.

Walking Tour of Zagreb

Even though we only had a short time before our flight back to the US, I made sure to book a walking tour of Zagreb.  For me, this is always the best way to decide where I want to go back to and what is most important to a particular place.  Petra was an incredible guide and helped us better understand the layout of Zagreb, its history, and showed us a few corners off the beaten path.

We had taken a couple of DIY tours of Zagreb that were in our guidebooks, but Petra took us to many places that were not in the guidebooks and provided some valuable context that was not described. 

I don’t want to spoil the tour by giving too many details, but I cannot reiterate how important it is to book this tour for your first day in Zagreb!  She definitely left me wanting to know so much more about this beautiful city.  

PLAY: Zagreb Walking Tour