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April itinerary

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Hello!

We will have 11 nights in Croatia this April. Starting out with 2 nights in Dubrovnik, and flying out of split. We will most likely rent a car after Dubrovnik and drive up to Split (assuming that this would provide the most flexibility for travel) . I am looking for recommendations on where to spend the remaining 9 nights along the way, and are open to going as far north as Plitivice Lake if recommended (Is April an ok time of year to visit the waterfalls?)

What towns would you recommend as home bases? I want to make sure there will be some local restaurants open, as April is a quieter month. We are not into crowds or party scenes
but do want to make sure that there's enough to do. I am seriously considering staying on one of the islands for ~ 3 nights, unless day trips are more recommended.

Also, are ferries reliable in April? I love the idea of island hopping, but worry that may not be very realistic for that time of year :)

Some of our interests include:
Good food! Pretty landscapes and old architecture for photography. Wandering around charming cities in the evenings. A good art museum or two would be nice, and one or two select monasteries.

I am very open to ideas and would appreciate any help, thank you :)

Posted by
21241 posts

TexasTravelMom drove around Croatia so I bet she is a lot of help when she joins in. Until then I will bore you with my ideas

I am very open to ideas and would appreciate any help, thank you :)

I will test that concept.

First, fly into Split. Do a few days in Split. Everyone is different. A lot depends on your age and interest. I would think 1 day is too short and 3 days might be too much unless the town really calls your name.

  • Arrival day Split, N1
  • Tour Split, N2
  • Tour Split, N3

Do a daytrip to Plitvice Lakes. Yes, I am in a minority here, but if you get an early start, I think it will stand a good chance of not being crowded in April before noon. Its nice, just not nice enough in my mind to warrant a full day and an overnight. But a personal call. If you skipped it, that wouldn’t be crazy. You could just spend quality time in Klis and Trogir on this day.

So far: https://maps.app.goo.gl/yWZVbaSeHAVFg8ou8

My time in Croatia was a bit limited so I did all of this but Mostar on the way from Split to Dubrovnik (2 different visits - 3 if you count a day in Dubrovnik), see if any is of interest. It could easily be a two-day trip with a night in Mostar.

So far: https://maps.app.goo.gl/7VjGM9nJEMVCzrci8

Now what? I bet there are a lot of folks in the forum that have better and longer ideas than I do. I’ve done Croatia a few times but always as a gift to someone else that didn’t have enough time.

If it were today, I would go south from Dubrovnik and find:

Good food! Pretty landscapes and old architecture for photography.
Wandering around charming cities in the evenings. A good art museum or
two would be nice, and one or two select monasteries.

Further south

(or, instead of Stari Bar, the Ostrog Monastery https://youtu.be/ixrJu6qv46M?si=WML9Hs2hOQCsKZwE and a night at the Hotel Sokoline https://youtu.be/miNV1FVK7qI?si=iZC_lViMUEk6JGI ) so you can enjoy some of the high country https://youtu.be/TC8q0G8JxZE?si=PDJQIK7lJwoGQrAe and https://youtu.be/9aGMZB8hB5Y?si=NFKsf6YtGAX2uVCa

So far: https://maps.app.goo.gl/HjCfQKxcAb9gqvxk7

  • Depart for home from Podgorica Airport or Tivat Airport

You want to drive yourself. Personally I would hire a driver so I could enjoy the views. The Montenegro end you will need to hire a driver as the drop off fees would be crazy. Drivers in Montenegro are very affordable. If you need help with any of this I know a trip planner that has all the contacts for transportation in Croatia, Bosnia and Montenegro; and often gets better deals on hotels. I have taken many trips to Croatia and Montenegro (going again in May) and Bosnia (going again in September) and I still hire her.

Posted by
5418 posts

In April I’d lean toward the main towns, so Dubrovnik, Split, Zagreb. The main island towns like Hvar and Stari Grad, Korcula might be okay, certainly enough dining options for a few days.
Car ferries more geared toward residents, so no worries there. Catamarans (passenger only) may be slightly reduced. See the Krilo and Jadrolinija websites for schedules.
Do you have a guide book? Lonely Planet covers the country well so I’d peruse that first.
Though it won’t be swimming season, outdoor activities like hiking would be great in spring.

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