We’re planning a 7 day (8 nights) trip to Croatia this summer, while spending a sabbatical in the UK. Flights are set, Arriving in Dubrovnik the evening of Sat, June 7th, return flight out of Split the morning of Sun, the 15th. Looking for advice on the rest of the itinerary. We’re thinking 2-3 nights in Dubrovnik then on to Split, either by car or ferry. Considering staying in Split or on a nearby island a night or 2. We’d definitely rent a car in Split (if we hadn’t in Dubrovnik). Would love to see Plitvice, possibly staying overnight there. After reading reviews, might consider skipping it and going to Krka instead. Especially since we want to make our way up to Rovinj for a couple days. I realize it’s A LOT for 7 days. We typically prefer not moving around so much but we definitely want to see/stay in or around Dubrovnik, Split and Rovinj. It will be myself, my husband and our 13yo daughter. I love the islands and sea life, my husband prefers exploring off the beaten path. From all I’ve seen and read, I don’t think we can go wrong wherever we land, but would like to make the most of our trip. Appreciate any/all suggestions!
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Are you willing to omit Rovinj? Split to Dubrovnik in a week is perfect, but adding Rovinj is a great complication and will eat a lot of time--it is a five-hour drive from Split and then you have to return.
I would first make a list of what you want to see in Split and Dubrovnik and allot those days. They are quite small, and if you are not doing day trips, you can have as little time there as you need. Then I would pick one island in between for the bulk of your stay--see the Jadrolinija and Krilo websites for catamaran schedules to see what makes the most sense for travel efficiency.
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Thank you Valadelphia, great suggestions for planning out our days. My husband really wants us to see Rovinj. He was there years ago. I really want to see Dubrovnik. But willing to spend less time there or Split.
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I know these decisions are hard, all I can say is map out the drives, plan out the days, and do what works for your family.
Perhaps it is not too late to change the flights, as flying into Pula and out of Split would work. I just can't see including all three in a week if you also want island time, but I am admittedly pretty slow and do not enjoy extended car time. Good luck!
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From a sightseeing perspective, Rovinj shares a lot of similarity with other coast towns (old Venetian port town, stunning scenery, pristine water and beaches.) You’ll basically be passing by a couple towns like this, namely Korcula and Hvar, on your way between Dubrovnik and Split. Changing Rovinj for one of these places makes a tight-feeling itinerary a whole lot easier. And trust me, you won’t be disappointed by them one bit.
Doing this also means you can skip the car and travel exclusively by ferry, which is comfortable, fast and reasonably cheap. I think Plitvice is a bridge too far this time around, but a day trip tour to Krka would work if you really felt inclined. Personally, I think you would be ok just sticking to coastal activities.
So, I’m thinking 3 nights Dubrovnik, 3 nights Korcula or Hvar, and 2 nights Split. If you wanted to do Krka or Plitvice as a day trip, I’d take a night from the islands and add it to Split. But as you said, you can’t go too wrong here.