We will be in Croatia for 11 days We will not have a car and using a ferry to go from Split, Korcula and Dubrovnik.
Split - 3 nights, 2 full days
Korcula - 2 nights, 1 full day
Dubrovnik - 6 nights, 4 full days - thinking of spending 3 nights and 2 full days inside the wall and 3 nights and 2 full days outside the wall.
Am I planning too many days in Dubrovnik, inside vs outside the walls? Would you suggest we spend time in another city instead of Dubrovnik for 6 nights.
6 nights is a lot of time for Dubrovnik, but there are some excellent day trips. You could look at going to Mostar, Cavtat, and Kotor on three separate days and all of a sudden you have just the right amount of time to spend in Dubrovnik. (Note: Mostar and Kotor are full-day trips; Cavtat is a shorter trip you can do in a half day.)
I wouldn't bother moving. Stay inside the walls.
Oh, and make sure to wake up early and walk the walls of Dubrovnik as soon as they open, before the crowds arrive.
If it were me, depending on WHEN you are going, I would suggest giving Korcula 3 nights (2 full days) and Dubrovnik 5 nights.
OR take a side trip to Mostar and spend one night (I am not a huge fan of the day trips because it is so magical at night).
I agree with Lane to just stay put in the same place in Dubrovnik. And 6 nights in Dubrovnik is a long time for an 11 day trip.
Our 10-nite itinerary hit the same 3 destinations and we had 2 nights in Dubrovnik ( could have used 3); 3 nights on Hvar; 2 in Korcula Town; 3 in Split.
Along the waterfront promenade section of Hvar Town is beautiful Amfora Beach. It’s in a quiet area just a 10-minute walk from the action of Hvar Town. Holiday apartments near Amfora Beach are more plentiful than hotels. Both are listed on Booking.com
Diocletian’s Palace— built for the only Roman Emperor to make it to retirement —is the focal point of Split and staying inside its walls is the place to be.
I also think staying within the walls of Dubrovnik is the best way to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the town. The town is amazingly small ( it’s a bit larger than 1/3 square mile ) so you can easily see it in a day. Another day can be spent visiting forested Lokrum National Park on Lokrum Island which is a 15-minute ferry ride from the port of Dubrovnik’s Old Town. There is a medieval monastery here that displays the Golden Throne filmed in the “Game of Thrones” series.
There’s also a 19th-century fort that Napoleon had built.
Have a great trip!
Six nights in Dubrovnik would be too much unless you took day trips. Even at that, I think 5 nights would be more than enough. Mostar and The Bay of Kotor would each be one full day if those would be of interest. Regardless, I would recommend you not move hotels, during your time there as that will waste precious vacation time. If you enjoy wine tasing, then consider a tour/tastings of some wineries on the Peljesac Peninsula. You can then take a quick ferry from Orebic to Korcula. We did that with Petar Vlasic and it was terrific!
I would urge you to add a night to Korcula. One day can be spent in the town itself, while your second can be taking the water taxi to Lumbarda and to different islands. (Badija, Vrnik) If there is a performace the night you are in Korcula, you may enjoy the Moreska music and sword dance. We loved everything about Korcula. Sitting in the window seat of our apartment and seeing the port at sunrise and and at night was memorable. Much more relaxing than the crowds in Split.
Taking a night from Dubrovnik for Korcula is an easy call. The tricky bit is I’d probably still say five nights is kind of a lot for Dubrovnik, but then four nights might be a lot for Korcula! Adding Hvar as a stop and turning this into a real coast hop might be nice (Split -3 / Hvar -2 / Korcula -3 / Dubrovnik-3)?
A little of this has to do with your sightseeing objectives. If you’re planning on just enjoying some sun and swimming for some of these days, then Korcula is probably perfect. The swimming/beach options here are superior to Dubrovnik imho. Renting a scooter or e-bikes for a day trip to Lumbarda is an easy way to fill a day. If you’re more geared towards some “sightseeing” then adding Hvar, or keeping five nights in Dubrovnik with additional day trips is probably the way to go.
My take on Dubrovnik is a bit mixed. It’s certainly worth a few days and is easily enjoyed. But I think a big part of its appeal is getting out of it during the day. There’s no shortage of day trip options, and they are bookable on short notice. The flexibility is a benefit. Cavtat is pretty easy, and has some very nice swimming areas. With that in mind, defaulting to extra nights is easy out. As busy and touristy as it was, I didn’t exactly tire of the place.
I’ll always pick staying in the old center anywhere. It’s a value-add for atmosphere and convenience. The only reason I’d consider staying outside the city center is economic, which may be a real consideration for Dubrovnik.
