Is it preferable to stay in Hvar or Korkula and day trip to the other? Or is it best to stay a night or 2 at each?
At the beginning phase of planning and roughly thinking:
Fly into Split {possible 1 night, depending on arrival time} - drive to Plitvice {1 night} - Split {2 or 3 nights} - Hvar {2 nights} - Korkula [ 1- 2 nights} - Dubrovnik {3 nights}
Still sorting out prioritizing day trips, if any, from each stop. Any input greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Split 2 nights should do it.
Dubrovnik 3 nights is good.
If you are into hiking, then Plitvice, if that isnt the main goal, then the Bay of Kotor and Perast (skip the town of Kotor).
As for a trip from Split to Plitvice on something less than a 2 week trip? https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/croatia/is-this-croatia-itinerary-realistic
For my interests I would do:
Split 2 nights, maybe 3 since its your arrival city.
Hvar 2 nights
Korkula 2 nights
Dubrovnik 6 or 7 nights (set up camp there and do over night trips to Mostar and Perast).
OR
If you can fly into Zagreb
Zagreb 2 nights
Plitvic 1 night
Split 2 nights
Hvar 2 nights
Korkula 2 nights
Dubrovnik 4 or 5 nights (set up camp there and do an over night trip to Mostar or Perast).
Thanks so much for your recommendations, Mr. E!
Yes, it’s hard to resist 2 nights each in Hvar and Korčula for a first trip. Then you can decide which you like best and want to spend more time in next time. For me, it’s Korčula.
If I had a choice based on flights and cost, I would probably reverse the trip to start in Dubrovnik and end in Split. That would leave driving till later in the trip.
I'd also consider Vis instead of either Hvar or Korcula (so go to Hvar or Korcula instead of both...and maybe include Vis). Just throwing it out there. Vis has tourists for sure but is less touristy than Hvar or Korcula for sure. It is a longer ferry ride from Split, but I first visited Vis last October and loved it. Check the ferry schedules. Some catamarans may go from Hvar to Vis, depending on season and day of the week.
