If you’re planning to spend 10 days in Croatia, I am here to help you with the perfect itinerary.
While you won’t be able to see everything that this beautiful country has to offer, it’s a fair amount of time that you will spend here, allowing you to experience most of Croatia.
This 10 day Croatia itinerary that I am sharing below will offer a perfect mix of the country’s natural beauties, heritage sites of Split, Trogir and Dubrovnik but also enough time to enjoy the beaches and swim a bit in the beautiful Adriatic sea.
In other words, I am sure that you will absolutely love my recommendations and get the most out of your time spent here if you follow my advice.
Before we start, have in mind that if you want to focus on a particular part of Croatia, I already have some more specific itineraries shared: 7 days in Istria Peninsula, 5 days in Dubrovnik or a Split Itinerary for 7 days.
10 Days in Croatia: Itinerary Overview
For this itinerary that I am sharing below, it would be ideal if you had a car to move around. But it is also completely doable by public transportation, using buses and ferries. So it is really a great option no matter how you like to travel!
Brief Ten Days Croatia Itinerary Overview
- Day 1 – Arrival in Zagreb, half a day to visit Lower town and Upper town. Spending the night in Zagreb.
- Day 2 – Visit Plitvice National park. Overnight in Plitvice.
- Day 3 – Visit Sibenik Town. Spend the night here.
- Day 4 – Visit Trogir. Spend the night in Split
- Day 5 – Visit Split.
- Day 6 – Visit Hvar town. Spend the night in Hvar.
- Day 7 – Visit Korcula town. Sleep in Korcula.
- Day 8 – Visit Dubrovnik. Sleep in Dubrovnik.
- Day 9 – Visit of your choice: Elaphiti islands, Mostar or even Montenegro. Sleep in Dubrovnik.
- Day 10 – Final day exploring the city & departure from Dubrovnik
Detailed Croatia Itinerary: 10 Days
We have the plan outlined above, but it’s time to get a bit more in depth with what to see and do during these 10 days in Croatia.
As you will see, I have thought this in such a way that you won’t be always in a rush to reach the next destination (which would really make this whole trip less enjoyable and more stressful), but fast paced enough so that you get to see as much as possible.
Day 1 – Arrival in Zagreb
Welcome to Zagreb, Croatia’s capital! Usually overlooked by tourists who want to rush to the Adriatic coast, Zagreb is actually a city offering many attractions that you simply shouldn’t miss.
You will most likely arrive by plane. I suggest not to rent a car yet (if you plan to do so) and take instead a cheap taxi to your hotel if there’s no free shuttle provided.
Zagreb is walkable and if you booked a stay close to the city center, then you won’t really need a car yet.
From now on, I won’t mention cars – it’s up for you to decide if you rent one or do this itinerary using public transportation and walking.
Now, back to Zagreb, make sure you take your time for a walking tour exploring both the Upper town and the Lower town. That is where most of the top things to see in the city are located.
In the afternoon or evening, don’t miss a stroll down the Tkalciceva street, which is absolutely beautiful. Filled with small cafe bars, nice (and cheap) restaurants, pizzerias and art galleries, it is considered the most important street in Zagreb.
Day 2 – Plitvice National Park
After spending the night in Zagreb, it is time to start heading toward the coast. On the way, though, we’ll have a stop at Plitvice Lakes, a must see oasis of natural beauty. Just check out this video below to see why this is a must:
Located 140 kilometres away from Zagreb, this is a UNESCO World Heritage site that can be easily reached by bus. I have wrote a detailed guide on how to get to Plitvice Lakes from Zagreb here.
Long story short: If you book your bus trip in advance, you can get up to 50% discount of the already low price of around 15 Euros.
Important: Between November and mid-April, only Entrance 1 and the Lower Lakes are open to visitors.
After spending the night in the Plitvice National Park, it’s time to prepare your journey towards Trogir and Split, your next destinations on your ten days Croatia itinerary program.
Day 3: Visit Sibenik
Early in the morning, take the bus (or drive) to Sibenik on the Adriatic coast. You will spend around 3 hours to get there, so it’s ideal to leave early.
Sibenik itself can keep you busy for a few days, as you can see from my article about things to do in the city. It is the oldest town in the country after all, so its filled with history but also amazing beaches.
During the day you will spend here, you have two options on how to spend your time:
First, you can just visit one of the best beaches in the area and spend some time relaxing and getting some energy back. The Blanj Beach is your best bet if you want to stay in the city and close to the center.
Then just take a walk in the evening in the old town center, enjoying the charming streets and checking out St. Jacob’s Cathedral and the popular Mediterranean garden in the St. Lawrence Monastery.
If you have more energy and you want to explore more and spend less time by the sea, you can spend the day visiting the two attractions above (which are the main ones in the city), but also check out the Barone and St John Fortresses.
Then go back to the old town center and find a cozy local restaurant overlooking the sea for an unforgettable dinner. Spend the night in Sibenik.
Day 4 – Visit Trogir
In the morning, it’s time to head over to Trogir: it’s a short bus ride from your previous location.
Called the “Small Venice,” this city is the perfect spot for combining sightseeing with swimming and enjoying the sun on one of the many Trogir beaches or the nearby Ciovo island.
Since Trogir is considered as a city-museum, the best way to experience it is by foot. It is an UNESCO World Heritage Site and you will love the medieval streets that are narrow and charming, with rocky roads and full of history.
Travel back in time walking around the small medieval area, visiting the Cathedral of St. Lawrence and the nearby park, enjoying a refreshing drink in the area.
While you can spend the night in Trogir and head over to your next destination the other day, I think it’s better to just head over to Split in the late afternoon and spend the night there: the city is just 25km away from Trogir.
Also, if you decided to rent a car, it would be wise to leave it behind in Split.
Day 5 – visit Split
Croatia’s largest coastal city definitely has to be on your ten days itinerary. It is not by chance that I propose two nights in Split – there are so many things to see and do in the city that you can easily spend several days here to enjoy them all.
We should start the first day in Split by visiting the Diocletian Palace. You can visit it alone or choose one of the more organized city tours that will cover the most important attractions as well.
In the afternoon, you can spend few hours on one of Split beaches, for example at Bacvice sandy beach. You can read more about the best beaches in Split here.
If none of these appeals to you, you can just take a walk along the Riva promenade, pause to do some people watching and enjoy a glass of local wine or beer at one of the many bars and restaurants around.
Day 6 – visit Hvar
Important note: If you chose to rent a car, have in mind that it’s best to leave it behind in Split. We will later on move from Hvar to Korcula island and there is no car ferry connecting the two between May and September each year.
With these in mind, it’s time to leave the beautiful Split behind and head over to Hvar. You will have to book a catamaran ticket to get you there – make sure to do so in advance.
Usually, there is one leaving Split at 8:05 AM and arriving in Hvar at 8:40 AM. Double check as schedules can change without prior notice.
Hvar town, together with Dubrovnik, represents the most elegant destination along the coast of Croatia and the top meeting place of hundreds of young party-goers. But it is also a place that families or older people can enjoy, for sure.
Hvar’s reputation as Croatia’s premier party town is well known but if you are on a lower budget, don’t even think about getting there without booking in advance as the prices can be seriously inflated in July and August.
Upon arrival in the Hvar town port, start to explore the sights of the old town, take a swim at the numerous beaches or take a boat to the Pakleni Islands.
In the evening, Hvar Town becomes the town that never sleeps, so you have a choice of bars to spend your time in.
Among the most popular are Carpe Diem Hvar, Hvar Pub Crawl, Hula-Hula beach bar but you can choose any that looks like the best fit for you.
Day 7 – visit Korcula town
It’s time to say farewell to Hvar and to continue your ten days Croatia itinerary by taking the morning fast catamaran heading to Korcula island.
This catamaran usually leaves at 08.50 from the Hvar harbor, arriving in Korcula town at 10.00 AM.
Korcula town, due to its similarity with Dubrovnik, is often called ‘A little Dubrovnik’ or simply the “Small Dubrovnik“.
This small fortified town is among the most beautiful towns on the Croatian coast and is known for its unique architecture.
Few people know that Marco Polo, the famous Venetian explorer was actually born here. Now there’s something to impress your friends with next time you tell them about your visit to Croatia!
Marco Polo’s house is the main attraction, which can be visited in the old city center. A walk around the old city gives you the possibility to see the old city walls and the many towers that protected Korcula against invaders. The walk is very pleasant and there’s a lot of eye candy around.
During the high season, make sure to take part at the MORESKA – a traditional sword dance that has been performed for over 400 year. You can check it out in the video below, but it is even more spectacular and entertaining to enjoy it live:
Day 8 – 10: Dubrovnik
You’ll have time for an early breakfast in Korkula before taking the catamaran to Dubrovnik at around 10 AM. You’ll spend one hour and 45 minutes, with a short stop at Pomena (Mljet Island) before arriving in Dubrovnik at around 12 PM.
Your ten days Croatia itinerary is about to end, but it will end in beauty, visiting the well known but not overhyped Dubrovnik, a place that’s ready to satisfy the most sophisticated requests of its visitors.
If you are planning to visit Croatia, without visiting Dubrovnik, is like visiting Italy skipping Rome or Florence. That’s why a visit to Dubrovnik has to be planned very carefully and included in any trip taken here.
I’m sure this town of museums and festivals, the town of taverns and restaurants, the place of a mild Mediterranean climate and wonderful landscapes, will convince you to come back again. Or at least it will leave you with some unforgettable memories!
The city has developed a lot in the past years, becoming a cosmopolitan destination that suits both the elite travelers that want all the expensive luxury they can get, as well as more budget oriented tourists.
Even so, Dubrovnik remains one of the most expensive in Croatia – if not the most expensive one on the Adriatic coast – so it’s recommended to book your stay in advance in order to get the best possible rates.
Now, on your first day in the city, you can take advantage of an old city walking tour including the trip to the city Walls and feel like you’re in Game of Thrones. It’s no secret now that parts of the popular TV Show were filmed here.
In the evening, you can start strolling up and down the old town streets, looking for a nice Dubrovnik restaurant.
The narrow streets in the Old Town are hiding various venues with music of all kinds as well as vast drink selections that will satisfy anyone’s taste.
You can spend the next day enjoying the popular beaches in Dubrovnik, like the best known Banje Beach.
You have lots of offers, getting better and better each year. But it would be a perfect way to end your itinerary, relaxing a bit and enjoying the sun and waves.
On the other hand, if you’re still full of energy, Dubrovnik is the best starting point to visit Montenegro.
A day trip to Montenegro is quite enough to visit the prettiest part of this small country, the Boka Kotorska, a fjord-like bay in southwest part of Montenegro, with two medieval towns nearby: Kotor and Perast.
Wrapping up
This would be my recommended 10 day itinerary for enjoying the most that Croatia has to offer.
I’ve covered most of the important attractions here and even though you’ll be a bit on the run and spend little time in each of the cities you’ll visit, you will still have enough time to let everything sink in and not feel like you’re in a race against time.
If you want to slow it down a bit, you can skip visiting Sibenik and go straight to Trogir from the Plitvice Lakes and spend two days in Split, instead of one. This would give you more time to enjoy the beautiful city and recharge your batteries as well.
I hope you find this very useful and detailed. But if you need additional advice or have any questions regarding this itinerary, don’t hesitate to comment below and let me know!