Croatia in 10 days: Dubrovnik/Split/Plitvice Lakes

Firstly, are you planning on spending any time in Zagreb for sightseeing? And have you looked into flying home from Split?

My husband did the driving in Croatia, and he said it was very easy. We never hit a lot of traffic on the roads. We picked up our rental car the day we left Dubrovnik, and then drove to Split. We returned our rental car in Zagreb. Personally, I think renting a car is the way to go.

Regarding trains, there is no train service from Dubrovnik to Split, so you would either need a rental car or take a bus. The train goes from Split to Zagreb, and I think Rijeka. I know that some tourists do rely on public transportation, so it is doable. But that means relying on bus and train schedules.

This could be a possible itinerary:
Dubrovnik - 3 nights
Split - 4 nights to include a daytrip to Hvar and another daytrip or half a day to Trogir. You could also visit Sibenk and/or Krka NP from Split.
Plitvice - 1 night
And then 1 night in Zagreb if you are flying home from Zagreb.

When in Dubrovnik, in addition to walking the walls, be sure to visit War Photo Limited to learn about the Croatian War of Independence. Take the cable car to the top of Mt. Srd for drinks and to enjoy the stunning scenery. If you want to take a daytrip, we hired a private driver to drive us around the Bay of Kotor and stop in Budva, Kotor and Perast.

In Split, I recommend hiring Maja Benzon, recommended by Rick, for a private guided tour of Split and Diocletian's Palace. Have a drink on the Riva. We also liked the Ethnographic Museum.

At Plitvice, visit the Upper Lakes in the afternoon of your first day and visit the Lower Lakes (or vice versa) on the morning of your second day there. This way you avoid the worse of the crowds.

Thank you! We could fly back via Split and bypass Zagreb but it sounded like it would be nice to do a walking tour of the city on our final full day. Did you have a different itinerary recommendation if we flew out of Split vs. Zagreb? I like the idea of renting car on our last day in Dubrovnik as long as it’s not too pricey to drop it off in either Zagreb or Split at end of trip, since it wouldn’t be a roundtrip rental.

My partner and I spent 8 nights in Croatia in 2017, including your planned stops of Dubrovnik, Split, and Plitvice Park. Trip Report is posted on Rick Steves Forum (parts 1-3): https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/croatia-road-trip-aug-2017-dubrovnik-and-drive-to-split

Summary:

• Dubrovnik (2 nights). Afterwards we drove to Split, using a car ferry for part of the way (to avoid driving through Bosnia and Herzegovina), but there is now a bridge. We enjoyed the drive along the narrow road on the scenic south coast of the Peljesac Peninula alongside steep vineyards, and then passing through a narrow tunnel. We encountered only one car on that road.
• Split (2 nights). Diocletian's Palace is one big Roman artifact, filled with restaurants, shops etc. One, the Luxor Bar, is a magic place for an outdoor drink at night.
• Plitvice Park (1 night). Nice stop to walk in nature, and not much time is needed.

Birch12, if you have time to do a walking tour of Zagreb, then by all means fly out of Zagreb. I like Zagreb. It's very interesting and very, very different from Dubrovnik and Split. It's possible we didn't have a drop-off fee because we picked up the car in Croatia and returned it in Croatia. And if we did have a drop-off fee, it was small. If it was huge, I would remember.

Thank you both for the tips…so helpful! And your trip report, GeoffB, was fabulous. So many great ideas. After reading I think we may go ahead and rent a car, as it will provide the most flexibility.

Birch12, I am happy to hear that you have decided to rent a car. It will give you more flexibility and a more enjoyable and easier trip.