Hi. My husband and I have 8 days in mid July. We arrive Dubrovnik July 14 at 8:20 (from Rome) and depart Split on July 22 at 16:15. Was thinking 3 nights Dubrovnik and 3 Split and the middle two either Hvar or Korcula. But not sure which, or if something else would be better. Also thinking of a day trip from Split (Trogir) and one from Dubrovnik (Mostar, etc?). So would love your opinions on how to spend the time. We don't want a car. Were thinking of ferry to get between the cities. Priorities are soaking up atmosphere and photography. Not into beach. Croatia is the middle of a three week trip that includes a week on the Amalfi Coast, if that makes any difference in your suggestions.

Without day trips, 3 days in Dubrovnik would be too long imo. Yes it is magical, but it is very small--only so many times can you wander the walls and alleys. Plus, July will be hot and crowded during the day. You can escape on some island excursions (to Mljet or the Elafiti, or to Lokrum just offshore), or take a kayak trip.
Mostar you cannot do by bus and return in one day. You could stay overnight there and continue on to Split the next day (then visit some islands from Split). [At certain times of year, there is a bus to Korcula from Mostar--email a tourist office to find out definitively if that interests you.]
Alternatively, you can take a tour to Mostar.

The nice thing about the itinerary you suggested is that is is convenient: Dbv-Korcula (I suggest by bus as I hate long ferry rides)-Hvar (by ferry to Stari grad or by catamaran)-Split
Hvar and Korcula are somewhat similar, so pick the one that appeals the most. Or, visit both if the ferry schedule works out--the tricky part will be that you may want to prebook accommodations in July (high season)--leaving less spontaneity.

People tend to either love or hate Split--many of the latter do not spend much time there and I think it is the contrast of a somewhat gritty port city with the idyllic Venetian towns that causes this. Regardless, you may not need three nights there either. There are many day trips you can take from Split. Trogir is the easiest, only a short bus ride.
So, from your research, choose the places that appeal to you the most.

Both Korcula and Hvar are great for photography--without a rental car, I think Korcula has an edge because its bus system is better.
I hope my rambling has given you food for thought!

Thanks for your input. I will look into the idea of doing Mostar between Split and Dubrovnik. I am trying to cut down on the number of different hotels so that's why day trips looked like a good idea (this is the middle of a three week trip so we have several other moves both before and after Croatia. I'm not opposed to one or two night stays but a whole three weeks of them gets tiring).

But I would like to see either Hvar or Korcula and I'm not sure they are doable as day trips from Split. I can't find any ferry schedules that would allow that but maybe all the summer schedules aren't out yet.

You say Korcula has a better bus system - but I though Korcula just had the one town of interest where as Hvar looks to have several towns of interest. Are they not doable by bus?

On Hvar, Hvar Grad and Stari Grad (the main other town) are quite well connected by bus. As for the rest of the island, not so much. I did not explore Hvar extensively, but I think most of your exploring would be of the nature variety--see the lavendar fields, etc. There are boat excursions you cab take along the coast and to small offshore islands.
On Korcula, it is much the same--vineyards in the center, coves along the coast. But on Korcula the bus system is extensive and frequent to the other end of the island, passing through small towns with not too much of interest. The town of Lumbarda is quite lovely though, very close to Korcula.
Hvar's website http://www.hvar.hr/Default.aspx?tabid=320 has an interactive map where you can see the places of interest. I have a site for Korcula as well: http://www.korculainfo.com/places_korcula.htm.
Feel free to ask about more places on Korcula and Hvar. Again I think they are equals and you will not be disappointed with either.
And you are right visiting Mostar in between would prevent the convenient stops along the way in Korcula and/or Hvar. Korcula is too far for a day trip from Dubrovnik or Split. Hvar can definitely be visited from Split (or vice versa). The catamarans will be daily in July. Many schedules are probably not out yet, but you can look at past schedules as a guide. See jadrolinija's website--but there are other companies too.

I think you are probably right to day trip to Mostar from Dbv, but you will have to find a tour operator. I'm sure some Fodorites can recommend one.
Then you just have to decide on how much time to allot Korcula, Hvar, and Split.

The other popular day trip from Dubrovnik is to Montenegro and the Bay of Kotor, a scenic "fjord." Here's some info: http://edition.cnn.com/2007/TRAVEL/D...gro/index.html. Also google for photos.

The thing to enjoy on the Croatian islands is the slower pace of life, the small scale, the beaches, the scenery. The towns on the islands are in fact small or very small towns.

We took the Jadrolinija boat from Dubrovnik to Korcula (it docks right next to the town) and enjoyed the leisurely cruise along the coast and between islands.

The problem with trip research is the more I research, the more places I want to go - the opposite of "narrowing it down". Here's what I'm thinking now:

Spend 4 full days/nights Dubrovnik with 2 day trips - one to Mostar and one to Montenegro (found day tours for reasonable price so would do that rather than rent a car). Then I have four more nights days - one night on Kocula, then one on Hvar and then 2 nights (two and half days) in Split (one day trip to Trogir). Or should we just choose one island for two nights. Or are we shortchanging Split and we should do one night on an island and add the extra day to Split. What do you think?

The good news is that you should have a great trip no matter which choices you make!

Ferry schedules might end up being a deciding factor - see whether you can get from Korcula to Hvar and then on to Split in a time frame that suits you and whether the time spent on ferries makes sense for you.

I'm a great fan of Split, and think that 2.5 days there, including a day trip to Trogir, would give you a chance to see its highlights.

Hope that helps!

Isabel, I think you should pick one island and stay on that for two nights. Otherwise, you will spend more time on transportation and getting your bearings than actually enjoying the ambiance of your surroundings. I couldn't tell you which island would be better in summer, but there is a lot of information on the board about both...and people who definitely prefer one over the other.

Please note that your daytrip to Mostar will be a long one, especially in the summer. Try to plan it for the middle of your Dubrovnik stay so that you aren't spending two adjoining days on travel. This sounds like a great itinerary!

--Annie

Thanks for the input, few more questions. If we choose Hvar I'd want to also see Stari Grad. Do you know how frequent buses are between the two towns, and how long the trip is?

I don't know if there will be more ferry options available later on, but at the moment I did find a ferry that goes the day I want,leaving Dubrovnik at 10 and getting to Korcula at 13:00 and Hvar at 16:30. I also found daily catamarn ferries to Split - leaves Korcult at 6am and Hvar at 7:40. So theoretically I could stop in Korcula from 13:00 one day till 6 am the next, then do Hvar from 7:40 till 7:40 the following day. But I agree it's probably best to just pick one of them. Except I still can't decide which. I know, either will be wonderful.

I live on an island in the US that is 24 miles out to sea, and unlike some posters, I can't get enough of ferry trips. What better way to relax than on deck with a drink, watching the islands and boats go by while you laze about in comfort?

The basic advice on sorting out where to go is good, so I will write a bit about comfort, etc. It will be really hot and very crowded, so you definitely want hotels with air conditioning, and you definitely want to make reservations in advance.

I have not been to Korcula, but I enjoyed Hvar Town. The Hvar waterfront is a big scene in the summer with parties until late. You will want to stay well back from the waterfront or at its outer ends if you want to avoid noise. Stari Grad is a nice visit, but I would not want to stay there, though your mileage may vary.

I am crazy for Roman ruins, so Split was a must for me, since people live and kids are playing in the middle of Diocletian's palace. The rest of the city is much less horrible than people seem to think, though it is a city, not a picturesque town, and there are lots of Tito era apartment blocks (think East Berlin) and some war damage. But the waterfront area is fascinating. You can sit in a sidewalk cafe and watch ferries departing to all sorts of places. But I like ferries!

> If we choose Hvar I'd want to also see Stari Grad. Do you know how frequent buses are between the two towns, and how long the trip is?

Most days - but NOT on Sunday - there are several buses each day between Stari Grad and Hvar; I believe they are generally timed to meet the ferries that arrive in Stari Grad from Split. On Sundays there are only 2 or 3 buses. The ride doesn't take too long - less than an hour, maybe closer to half hour, but I don't recall exactly.