ebuni

Hi Fodors, please make suggestions for our plans:

-late 20's couple
enjoy: good authentic fresh food, beach, water (but not beach bums), lush greenery, hikes, outdoor exploring, we want to do less hopping around and more relaxing
enjoy less: museums, cities, touristy activities

This is very rough guide:

Day1: fly into Dubrokvnik
Day 2: explore Dubrovnik old town
Day 3: day trip to Lokrum
Day 4: kayak trip to Sipam island
day 5: relax on a beach? Banje beach?
Rest of trip before flying back: Should we go to Vis (or another island) for 2/3 nights? Should we see another region of Croatia?

Nothing is set in stone - so please make all suggestions you think of. Thank you!

ebuni

Forgot to mention Plitvice Lakes.. how can I include that in my current itinerary? Or, should I base out of Split instead of Dubrovnik?

dugi_otok

How many total nights and and what dates (month) will you be there? This will affect suggestions for your vacation.How do you define touristy activities? Historical sights?

Dubrovnik is a very touristy destination.Your day trips will get you away from the daytime cruise ship crowds.Korcula or Mljet could be a "hop". Split is a large sea port city (number 2 city in Croatia)- to some not touristy enough.You would have to do more "hopping around" if you base in Split- Vis, Hvar,Brac,Krka National Park, etc.Some could be day trips.

I would include Plitvice if possible. You might fly into Zagreb, rent a car, drive to Plitvice for two nights. This would give you one full day for Plitvice. Then you could fly Zagreb to Dubrovnik to continue your vacation. If your flight to Dubrovnik is in the morning you could spend one night in Plitvice followed by one night in Zagreb.You will get better food in Zagreb than Plitvice.You could also drive to Dubrovnik. More later.

Andrew

How much time do you have really - more than five days when flying all the way from the US, right? You should understand that you can't always get easy flight connections into Croatia from the US. Sometimes staying over a night somewhere else in Europe will wind up saving you a lot of money, too. (Yesterday I flew home from Amsterdam; the day before I flew from Zagreb to Amsterdam after a few weeks driving around Croatia and Bosnia.) But I was able to get a free award ticket into Amsterdam and a cheap KLM flight into Venice/out of Zagreb. Your options will vary depending on where you are flying in from, what time of year, etc. easyJet for example operates seasonal flights between Croatia and other European cities FYI.

Yes, Plitvice is most easily reached via Zagreb, only about a two hour drive away. Flying into Zagreb, renting a car, driving to Plitvice and on to Dubrovnik and dropping the car there, then flying out of Dubrovnik...or doing in it the opposite order is the most practical.

There are lots of things you can see between Dubrovnik and Plitvice. Sometimes island hopping is easier without a car (use the bus or catamarans), if you want to do that - you could also pick up the car in say Split if you catamaran from Hvar. Again, I don't know how much time you really have.

dugi_otok

The driving time from Plitvice to Dubrovnik is about 5 hours.

The driving time from Plitvice to Split is about 3-1/4 hours.

ebuni

@ Andrew and @dugi_otok thank you for your responses.

1. I do not have flights booked yet, I want to draft an itinerary to see how many days and then book. But it will total around 8 days. Late June or early July.

Yes, Dubrovnik is touristy but I chose that as a base rather than Split because there is possibility to do more day trips from. I don't want to hop around. I'm not necessarily going to Dubrovnik to see the city, but rather to have access to Milet, Lokrum, etc.

I don't want really want to rent a car and drive and see things in between. We came from Italy where we drove around and switched hotels 3 times and were exhausted. I want to plan to stay in 2 bases maximum and relax.

So, what do you suggest? One base so that I can see islands, and then pick one island to stay a few nights? How would you change the plans?

Andrew

If you don't want to change hotels more than twice, then I guess I'd cross Plitvice Lakes off your list for this trip. Stick to Dubrovnik and the islands - you can easily fill eight days there. But do try to see Plitvice another time - it's an amazing park, perhaps even my favorite place in Croatia.

Dubrovnik is beautiful especially at night. The cruise ship tourists that mob the place seem to be gone by mid-afternoon.

geenance

You could also take the ferry up to Korcula and stay there for a couple of nights, before heading back to Dubrovnik, or heading on to Split (before flying home from there). That doesn't seem like too much travel and shifting to me. (We just had a very low key trip, where we didn't want to shift every night or two.)

dugi_otok

With the additional info I would suggest something like the following:

Fly into Dubrovnik for 5 nights
Korcula or Hvar for 2 nights (via ferry)
Split for 1 night(via ferry)
Fly home from Split (More options than Dubrovnik)
OR
Fly into Dubrovnik for 5 nights
Korcula for 1-2 nights (via ferry)
Hvar for 2-1 night (via ferry)
Early morning ferry Hvar to Split
Fly home from Split in the afternoon

Could return to Dubrovnik instead of going on to Split for the last night.

Can use Kapetan Luka Line Ferry (Catamaran Krilo Star) for Dubrovnik(16:30)-Korcula(18:20)-Hvar(19:35)-Split(20:45) and Hvar(8:55)-Korcula(!0:00)-Dubrovnik(12:00)
There are more options Hvar to Split and Korcula to Dubrovnik.

Ferry Schedules
http://www.croatiaferries.com

Some info on Dubrovnik.
http://www.dubrovnik-travel.net

On my last trip we rented an apartment in Dubrovnik using this agency owned by a young American couple, Andrew & Michelle Kehoe, who live in Dubrovnik.
They are very helpful and very easy to deal with. There is good info on their website.

http://www.dubrovnikapartmentsource....&intPageID=859

ebuni

Thank you! Taking all your comments into consideration, I guess the next thing is to decide which island.

Hvar does not sound like my kind of place.. is Vis too difficult to get to from Dubrovnik? Any other suggestions for which islands might fit the things we like? (up above)

ebuni

Actually, maybe I shouldn't say that Hvar isn't my kind of place. The parties and the designers aren't. BUT maybe its possible to avoid that and stay on a different part of the island (especially given my itinerary and if its convenient from Dubrovnik).

What do you think?

dugi_otok

>>Hvar does not sound like my kind of place.maybe its possible to avoid that and stay on a different part of the island<<

There is Stari Grad, but I do not think that is your kind of place either. It is the main port for car ferries and ferries from Italy.It is more laid-back and family oriented, but getting more popular with the yachting fraternity and can be quite lively in the high season.. There are some package hotels and more home (Sobe) stays. About 20km from Hvar Town.

>> is Vis too difficult to get to from Dubrovnik? <<

Using the words of Senior Wences "Deefeecult For You-Easy for Me"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfgj...=RDAJiYZ6QIAtY

You need to take the bus from Dubrovnik to get to Split (4-1/2 hours) and then take the ferry Split to Vis (1hr 25 min). Ferry leaves Split at 1800(6PM)

For return Leave Vis 7:00, Arrive Split 8:25. Stay overnight in Split or catch your flight home same day.

Bus Dubrovnik to Split

http://www.buscroatia.com/dubrovnik-split/

https://getbybus.com/en/bus-routes/d...-1217/tomorrow

Ferry Split to Vis
Kapetan Luka Ferries

http://www.krilo.hr/en/index.html

http://www.krilo.hr/images/Sailing_schedule_VIS.pdf
.................................................. ..
Korcula may be a good solution.
Here is Kapetan Luka Ferries timetable for other islands
Dubrovnik-Mlet-Korcula-Hvar-Brac-Split
Split-Brac-Hvar-Korcula-Mlet-Dubrovnik
There are other ferry options.

http://www.krilo.hr/images/Sailing_s..._DUBROVNIK.pdf
.................................................. ..........
Some videos

Korcula, Hvar, Split, Plitvice (1st 10 min)
https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-rea...iatic-delights

Dubrovnik (1st 7 min)
https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-rea...lkan-sidetrips
Hope this helps

ebuni

Some more ideas:

I think instead of staying in Dubrovnik we will stay in Cavtat. It is more what we are looking for in terms of relaxing environment. We will also be able to do our day trips from there (Miljet, Lokrum, etc)

The next question that remains is which island to go to after: I like the idea of Vis a lot, even though it would take us almost a full day to get there.

Do you think after being on Cavtat, Vis would be too similar? too much peace and quiet in one trip ?

ebuni

Narrowing down: Either Brac or Vis will be the second base.


Can you please suggest quieter areas on Brac, with nice beaches?

dugi_otok

>>Can you please suggest quieter areas on Brac, with nice beaches?<<
The spectacular beach (Zlatni rat) is in picturesque Bol.Bol is very crowded in Peak season.Smaller coastal settlements as Postira, Pucisca, Polvlja, and Milna are less visited, more relaxed, and ideal for a spot of Adriatic Island chilling. You would need a car if you chose to stay in one of them. You may not like the quality of the accommodations or the restaurants.

dugi_otok

>> Do you think after being on Cavtat, Vis would be too similar? too much peace and quiet in one trip ?<<

I do not think they are too similar at all. Cavtat is a well established mainland tourist destination. There is a combination of traditional stone architecture, lush subtropical vegetation, palm dotted seafront, but a rash of high-rise hotels.Cavtat is not undiscovered, quiet and laid back.Even though I doubt you will find any others from NYC who would fly 5000 miles to be there it does fit you.

Vis is a small island surrounded by the clear blue water, breathtaking bays, fantastic food and wine and two great looking traditional Dalmatian small towns.A lot of water sports are offered. Blue Cave, a famous natural wonder, can be visited from Vis.Again, perfect for you and all independent travelers. My godmother was from Vis. There are more people and their descendents, by a factor of 10,
here in southern California than there are in Vis.

I predict that in your stay in Cavtat you will not see the need or have the will to go on all those day trips that you are planning from Dubrovnik. Cavtat is 20 km south of Dubrovnik, and 3 km off the main coastal highway and 45 min by bus. Some day trips you will consider is a trip to Dubrovnik (a must),a Sunday trip to Cilipi for a roasted lamb feast and folk music show, and a trip across the border to Montenegro.

I had previously recommended taking a bus from Dubrovnik to Split and then a ferry to Vis the same day. There is an alternative. Take the afternoon ferry from Dubrovnik to Split. Make it part of your vacation. The scenery is fantastic with 10 min stops in Mljet, Korcula, Hvar, and Brac.You would stay one night in Split including a nice dinner at a good restaurant, see a bit of Split in the morning and then to Vis.Just a thought. Treat the ferry trip as a cruise. The approach to each island from the sea is fantastic.

ebuni

@dugi_otok, is there a way I can contact you via email? I still have some more questions if you're open to answering.

dugi_otok

Hi ebuni

I will be happy to help you and answer your questions. I have edited my profile to show my email. It is under current location.

robertcoon

Rent a car from Dubrovnik and visit Kotor, Montenegro for at least a day/night. It's beautiful!

dutchaussie

Hi ebuni,

I'm heading to Croatia in August, wondering if you have been on your trip yet and if so any recommendations? We are thinking Dubrovnik-korcula-hvar/vis- split 2 nights each? Your thoughts if you don't mind?