Where’s Mom?
Oh… she’s in Croatia.

This Croatia travel itinerary took us from Plitvice Lakes to Split, Hvar, Dubrovnik, and finally toward Montenegro.

Walking across wooden boardwalks above waterfalls, riding ferries between islands, swimming in the salty Adriatic, eating gelato every night, and climbing more stairs than she expected.

Croatia was one of those trips that had a little bit of everything.

National parks.
Old towns.
Island hotels.
Boat days.
Fortress sunsets.
Warm ocean swims.
And stairs.

So many stairs.

We started at Plitvice Lakes, made our way to Split, ferried over to Hvar, drove down to Dubrovnik, and ended by crossing into Montenegro.

Here’s what we did.

Day 1: Plitvice Lakes National Park & Driving to Split

We started our day around 8:30 a.m. and headed toward Plitvice Lakes National Park.

On the way, we stopped at a Tommy Market and grabbed a quick breakfast of fruit and pastries. It was nothing fancy, but sometimes that is exactly what you need before a big walking day.

Our park ticket was for 9:00 a.m., which meant we could enter between 9:00 and 10:00. We got there around 9:30 and walked right in. No line. No crowd. No stress.

Which is always my favorite way to begin a national park day.

There are several different routes you can choose from depending on how long you want to spend in the park. We chose Route B, which is listed as a 3–4 hour route.

And almost immediately after entering, you are met with the most beautiful waterfall.

It is one of those views where everyone stops talking for a second.

You follow the boardwalk down, and it just keeps getting prettier. Little lakes. Small waterfalls. Clear water. Wooden paths. Green everywhere.

We followed the B signs along the boardwalks, across the little lakes, and past waterfall after waterfall. It took us about an hour to get to the boat launch area, including plenty of time to stop and take pictures.

At the boat launch, there is a snack shop, bathrooms, and souvenirs.

The boats come every 30 minutes and hold about 100 people, so my best advice is this:
Have someone get in line as soon as you arrive.

We saw three boats pulling up, so the line moved, but it is still one of those places where it helps to divide and conquer. One person gets in line, the other person gets snacks or uses the bathroom.

Marriage teamwork.

The boat ride across the lake was about 20 minutes and really pretty.

Route B technically has you get off the boat, go up and over some stairs, and then get in line for another short boat ride.

Looking back, I wish we would have looked around a little more before getting right back in another boat line. Sometimes when you are following signs, you forget that you are allowed to pause and enjoy where you are.

After the second boat ride, you have a choice.

You can go up the stairs and take the shuttle back to the entrance, or you can walk about 45 minutes along the lake back to the entrance.

If you want the shuttle, follow the B signs.
If you want to walk, follow the K signs.

We chose to walk.

It was a bit uphill on the way back, but the overlook views were so pretty. I would say it was worth it if you are able to walk and if the weather is good.

By the time we got back to the entrance at 1:10 p.m., we had walked 4.4 miles total for the day. We went at a leisurely pace, stopped for pictures, and never felt rushed.

Then it was time to drive to Split.

Where We Stayed in Split: Hotel Luxe

In Split, we stayed at Hotel Luxe, and it was a perfect choice for us.

It had parking.
Breakfast was included.
The rooms were comfortable.
And the location was key.

We were only about a five-minute walk from the old town area, and the ferry dock was only about a five-minute drive away.

When you are traveling with a car in Croatia, parking matters. A lot.

This hotel made everything easy, and after a park day and a drive, easy felt wonderful.

Our Evening in Split

After dinner, we did a self-guided walking tour of the old town.

We walked through the Silver Gate and into the heart of Diocletian’s Palace. Peristyle Square was full of people sitting, listening to music, and enjoying drinks.

The cathedral bell tower rises right from the square, and the circular vestibule is nearby. We wandered through the old alleyways, admired the limestone paths, and kept finding sculptures, fountains, and beautiful little corners we were not expecting.

Split is a fun place to just wander.

Eventually, we popped out onto the waterfront and found gelato at A Roma.

I had peppermint chocolate.

Obviously.

The waterfront was full of boats, ferries, sailboats, and even a pirate ship. The sky turned pink and orange as the sun set, and we just kept walking around, people watching, and enjoying the night.

At one point, we found a giant statue with one foot rubbed nearly off.
We did not know why.
But it felt like we should rub it too, so we did.

Sometimes travel is just following the crowd and hoping for good luck.

Day 2: Ferry to Hvar & Pool Time at Amfora

Breakfast at Hotel Luxe was efficient and fresh, which is really all I ask for on a travel morning.

By 9:15, we were eating.
By 9:45, we were checked out and had loaded up the van.
Then we headed to the ferry dock.

There were not a lot of instructions online, but we were told to arrive about an hour early since we had a van.

That was good advice.

The signage was easy to follow, and we got in line for the ferry to Hvar through Stari Grad. This is the ferry route that takes cars. There are more options if you are traveling as a pedestrian, but if you have a vehicle, Stari Grad is the one.

The ferry started loading around 10:35.

We picked seats up top in the shade, which sounded perfect.

Except it was somehow sunny, hot, windy, and cold all at the same time.

So maybe do not wear a short dress like I did.

A light jacket was great mid-trip, and the two-hour ride was beautiful. Calm seas, pretty water, and views of the neighboring islands made it a really nice travel day instead of just transportation.

Once we arrived, it was about a 25-minute drive to our hotel.

Where We Stayed in Hvar: Amfora

In Hvar, we stayed at Amfora and booked a sea view room.

And I am so glad we did.

Our room had a little balcony and a beautiful view. It was ready early, so we checked in, changed into swimsuits, and headed straight down to the pool.

This is my favorite kind of hotel arrival.

No unpacking drama.
No complicated plan.
Just swimsuits, lunch by the pool, and sunshine.

We had lunch by the pool and then ventured down into the ocean. The water was salty and chilly, but with the hot sun it felt amazing.

The resort sits in its own little bay with a pebbly beach and a large swimming area. There were boats anchored just off the coast, and it made the whole afternoon feel very Croatian in the best way.

We spent the afternoon between the pool and the sea, which was exactly what we wanted.

Evening in Hvar Town

That evening, we went into Hvar town.

We walked around, did a little shopping, and chose dinner at Restaurant Park Hvar mostly because the patio was so pretty.

The food was okay.

The butter with olive oil was the best part of the meal.

But the setting was beautiful, and sometimes I forgive a restaurant a lot if the patio is pretty enough.

After dinner, we hiked up to the fortress for sunset. It is only about a 15-minute walk, but it is steep.

Worth it.

The fortress said it was open until 8:00, but when we got there, they said it was closed, so we could not go inside. Thankfully, you still get the same beautiful view from outside.

And then, of course, we ended with gelato at A Roma.

Chocolate and hazelnut for me.

Croatia was quickly becoming a gelato-every-night kind of trip.

Day 3: Our Favorite Boat Day in Hvar

This was one of our favorite days of the whole trip.

Breakfast at Amfora had lots of delicious choices, and then we met the private boat we hired right at our hotel dock at 10:00.

Our hosts for the day were Matt and his daughter Nina, and we were on a Sea Ray.

From 10:00 to 4:00, we boated around to little coves, swam, paddle boarded, snorkeled, and just enjoyed the sunshine.

This is the kind of day that makes you want to freeze time for a while.

Clear water.
Little coves.
No rush.
No schedule except lunch and swimming.

For lunch, we stopped at Mamato, a cute little beach club.

I had the smoked mussels risotto, and it was delicious.

After lunch, we went back out for more exploring and sunshine.

I loved Hvar before this boat day.
After this boat day, I really loved Hvar.

Evening in Stari Grad

That evening, we drove into Stari Grad.

And I was not prepared for how much I would love it.

It is the most magical little beach town. Everything looked like a movie set.

We strolled through the narrow alleyways, admired the boats, and just wandered. It felt quieter and more tucked away than Hvar town, but still so beautiful.

We ate a delicious dinner and ended with gelato, of course.

At this point, the only real question was:
Cup or cone?

Day 4: Leaving Hvar & Driving to Dubrovnik

Sadly, it was time to check out.

We enjoyed the best breakfast of the trip so far, and then started driving by 10:00 a.m. toward Sućuraj for our 1:00 p.m. ferry.

Sućuraj is a tiny port, and one ferry comes back and forth every 30 minutes. It was pretty easy, and we had bought tickets the night before.

Then we started the drive toward Dubrovnik.

On the way, we stopped in Gradac for lunch. It was a pretty little seaside stop, and we had lunch down by the water at a small “fast food” diner that was not exactly fast.

But the view was nice, and it was a good place to break up the drive.

We got into Dubrovnik around 5:00 and checked into Hotel Adria.

Where We Stayed in Dubrovnik: Hotel Adria

Hotel Adria has a nice view and worked well as an easy logistical stop.

It is right off the road coming in and leaving, and it has parking.
That was the main reason we stayed there.

You do not really drive in Dubrovnik, so we just took an Uber from the hotel into Old Town whenever we wanted to go in.

Dubrovnik Cable Car & Old Town

That evening, we rode the cable car up above Dubrovnik.

It was expensive — 30 euros each.

And once we got to the top, we realized we probably should have had our taxi drop us off up there and then only bought a one-way ticket down into Old Town.

That is what I would recommend instead.

Honestly, the top was a little bit of a bust for us.

There was not much going on. There was a concert happening. We wanted to ride the bikes on the high wire line, but it actually closed at 6:00 even though the website said it was open until 8:00.

The Panorama Restaurant needs reservations months ahead of time, and the patios up there charged 3 euros just to sit down.

So personally?

I would skip it unless you have a specific plan.

After that, we wandered around Old Town and had dinner at Trattoria Carmen, a cute local restaurant down by the sea wall.

We had some local food, and it was yummy.

Then we found the Jesuit Stairs, saw a few beautiful old buildings, and headed back to the hotel for bed.

Day 5: Walking the Dubrovnik Walls & Lokrum Island

This was an early morning.

We left the hotel at 7:45 and headed straight to the city walls. We wanted to start walking before it got too hot.

This was the right decision.

Buy the Dubrovnik day pass.
It was 40 euros per person, and walking the walls alone costs 40 euros, so it is worth it.
We did the entire loop around the walls.

It is hot.
Bring a fan.
Or a hat.
Or both.

Double check with your friend on wardrobe choices because chances are if you think alike you might be twinning!

Thankfully, there are places to stop for a drink and use the bathroom along the way.

The views are beautiful, and the scenery is so fun. Red roofs, blue water, stone walls, little alleyways below — it really is one of those famous travel experiences that actually feels worth doing.

We also visited the modern art museum along the way on the wall. MoMAD is tiny but cool.

Then we went to Lovrijenac Fortress.

Lots of stairs.

Lots and lots of stairs.

The fortress itself was cool to visit, though I think it is more impressive from the outside than the inside.

After that, we went to Rector’s Palace, with a quick side trip to the archaeological museum and the church.

Rector’s Palace had furniture, art, clothing, and armor on display. It was a nice way to get a little more history in after walking around the city all morning.

By then, it was time for lunch.

We chose Oliva Pizzeria, and it was exactly what we needed.

Cold drinks.
A/C.
A yummy Greek salad.
Delicious oven-baked pizza.

Sometimes the best restaurant choice is the one that gives you cold air and cold drinks. It’s funny because the night before we walked past it and smelled the pizza and noted we should go there tomorrow. We never would have found it or worked it into our day. We just randomly came across it.

After lunch, we walked back up the Jesuit Stairs to the Church of Saint Ignatius, took a quick look around, and then went back to the hotel for a short nap.

Because we are wise now.

Lokrum Island

After our nap, we changed into swimsuits and headed to Lokrum Island.

The boats leave every 30 minutes, on the hour and half hour. You can scan the QR code on the side of the boat and buy a round-trip ticket for 30 euros.

If you have the three-day Dubrovnik Pass, you get a 20% discount. We only had the one-day pass, so no discount for us.

Once we got to Lokrum, we went and sat on the Iron Throne from Game of Thrones.

Because when in Dubrovnik.

Then we made our way to Mrtvo More, also known as the Dead Sea of Lokrum.

It is a beautiful little lake, but it is rocky, so wear shoes. The water was pretty warm, and it felt so nice after such a hot morning.

Then we made our way out to the sea for cliff jumping and swimming.

There is a ladder to help you get out of the water, which I appreciated very much.

I was surprised by how warm the water was. I expected it to feel colder, but it was actually really comfortable.

There are also peacocks roaming around the island, which made the whole place feel slightly unreal.

Peacocks.
Rocky swimming holes.
Game of Thrones chairs.
Warm sea water.

Lokrum was a fun little adventure.

We took the boat back at 6:45 and then made our way to Pipi’s for dinner.

Pipi’s was such a cool restaurant. It has an open terrace with grape vines for a ceiling, so it closes if it rains.

Luckily, we had good weather.

We had grilled meats and seafood for dinner, and it was a perfect way to end our Dubrovnik day.

Day 6: Bungee Jumping & Crossing Into Montenegro

On our last Croatia morning, we checked out and went bungee jumping off the Dr. Franjo Tuđman Bridge.

It is 150 feet above the water.

Which is a very casual thing to do before driving to another country.

After that, we drove to Montenegro.

There are two border crossings, and we avoided the main one because it can have long wait times. Instead, we stayed along the coast and used the smaller crossing.

No issues.

We waited about 10 minutes and did have to get out of the van to have our pictures taken and fingerprints done.

Then we were on our way.

A Few Croatia Notes

Uber worked well for us in Croatia.

Amex was accepted in quite a few places, which was nice, though I would still make sure to have another card and some cash.

If you are renting a car, parking is something to pay attention to. Croatia was very doable by car, but the parking rules were not always obvious to us.

And if you are taking ferries with a vehicle, give yourself extra time. It was not hard, but you do need to be in line early as it takes time to load the cars all on the ferry.

What I Would Do Differently

If I were doing this trip again, I would add one more day in Hvar.

That island was a favorite.

I would have loved another boat day, another afternoon by the pool, or just more time wandering Stari Grad.

I would also add one more day in Dubrovnik.

There was more I wanted to do there. I wish we would have had time to arrange the sky bike, go ocean kayaking, and maybe do another boat day from Dubrovnik.

I would also probably skip the cable car unless I had a specific reservation or plan at the top. The views were pretty, but for the price, it was not my favorite part of Dubrovnik.

Final Thoughts

Croatia surprised me in the best way.

It was beautiful, but in so many different ways.

Plitvice was green and peaceful and full of waterfalls.
Split was old stone streets and sunset on the waterfront.
Hvar was boats, coves, salty swims, and one of our favorite days of the trip.
Dubrovnik was old town walls, stairs, sea views, and warm water around Lokrum Island.

It was a trip of ferries and gelato and sunscreen and stairs.

And honestly?
That is a pretty wonderful combination.

Would I go back?
Absolutely.