How we spent one week in Croatia

Croatia had been on my travel list for years, and after spending a week exploring the Dalmatian Coast, I can see why it's become one of Europe's most popular destinations. With historic old towns, beautiful islands, crystal-clear water, and incredible food, it's easy to fall in love with... I'm already planning to go back!

We visited in May and found it to be the perfect time to go. The weather was warm enough for swimming and boat trips, there were enough people around to create a good atmosphere, but none of the overwhelming crowds that arrive during the height of summer.

Here's everything you need to know about our one week Croatia itinerary.

How to get to Croatia

There are direct flights from the UK to several Croatian destinations, including Dubrovnik, Split, and Zagreb.

We flew into Dubrovnik and out of Split, which worked perfectly for our route up the Dalmatian Coast. If you're planning a similar trip, I'd recommend looking at multi-city flights rather than returning to your starting point.

Do you need a car in Croatia?

For this itinerary, I'd definitely recommend hiring a car. We paid around £200 for a week's car hire in May 2026, which gave us much more flexibility than relying on public transport. We also didn't need a car for our two nights in Dubrovnik, so we picked it up a couple of days into our trip to save on fees.

While ferries connect many of Croatia's islands and coastal towns, having a car made it easier to explore beaches, viewpoints, and smaller villages along the way. Driving was straightforward and roads were generally in very good condition.

Where to stay in Croatia

Throughout our trip, we stayed in Airbnbs that were within around ten minutes' walk of each town centre, usually much closer, but not directly in the middle of the busiest tourist areas.

This worked really well for us. Accommodation was more affordable, parking was easier, and we could still walk everywhere in the evenings.

In general, Croatia's coastal towns can be quite expensive, particularly during peak season. Prices tend to become much more reasonable once you move slightly outside the historic centres or into more rural areas.

What is the best route through Croatia?

Our route looked like this:

• Dubrovnik (2 nights)

• Makarska (2 nights)

• Hvar (3 nights)

• Split (1 night)

The route follows Croatia's southern coastline and combines historic cities, beaches, islands, and some of the country's best scenery.

Two nights in Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik is one of Croatia's most famous destinations and it's easy to understand why. The old town is stunning, with limestone streets, historic buildings, and views out across the Adriatic.

Some of our highlights included:

• Walking through the Old Town

• The Jesuit Stairs

• Rector's Palace

• Lovrjenac Fortress

• Banje Beach

• Boat trips around the coastline

• Walking the city walls

Where to eat and drink in Dubrovnik

• Yes Yes Focaccia Sandwich Bar

• CIAO - La Cucina Italiana

• Buža Bar - built into the cliffs outside the old town walls

Two nights in Makarska

From Dubrovnik we drove north to Makarska, a lively coastal town backed by dramatic mountains.

The beaches here were some of our favourites in Croatia. While Makarska Beach is the busiest, there are around 20km of beaches stretching along the coast. The further you walk from the centre, the quieter things become. And in May the whole area felt just the right level of busy – no queues at restaurants and easy to find a spot at the beach but not so quiet it felt dead.

Some of our favourite spots included:

• Makarska Beach

• Cvitacka Beach

• Tučepi

• Dracevac Beach

Three nights in Hvar

Hvar was the highlight of the trip for me. After driving to the ferry and crossing over to the island, we spent three nights exploring Hvar Town and the surrounding coastline. While Hvar has a reputation as a party destination, we found it offered a great balance of nightlife, beaches, history, and fantastic food.

Some of our favourite things to do included:

• Wandering around Hvar Old Town

• Day trip to Bol on Brač and Zlatni Rat beach

• Day trip to Jerolim Island

• Swimming and relaxing by the water

• Exploring the harbour and historic streets

Where to eat and drink in Hvar

• Hula-Hula Beach Bar

• Kiva Bar

• Pizzeria Dieci

• Pošteni Restaurant

• Hvar Brewing Co.

One night in Split 

We finished our trip in Split before flying home. Although many people use Split as a base for several days, we only spent one night here and still managed to see most of the highlights in the old town.

Some of our favourite things to do included:

• Exploring the old town

• Walking through Diocletian's Palace

• Taking in the views from Teraca Vidilica

Where to eat and drink in Split

• Villa Spiza

• Leopold's Craft Beer Bar

Is Croatia expensive?

Croatia is more expensive than many people expect, especially along the coast and on popular islands like Hvar.

Accommodation, restaurants, and activities in places like Dubrovnik can be comparable to Western European destinations during peak season. However, travelling in May helped keep costs down significantly, and we found that prices became much more reasonable away from the most touristy areas.

Overall, I'd say Croatia sits somewhere between Albania and Italy in terms of cost.

Is Croatia safe?

Yes, Croatia felt extremely safe throughout our trip. We were comfortable walking around during the day and night, driving between destinations, and exploring smaller towns and beaches. The tourism infrastructure is excellent and we found locals to be friendly and welcoming.

When is the best time to visit Croatia?

For me, May is the perfect time to visit Croatia. The weather was warm enough for swimming, boat trips, and beach days, but we avoided the huge crowds and high prices that arrive in June, July, and August.

September and early October are also often recommended because the sea remains warm while the busiest summer crowds have disappeared.

Should you visit Croatia?

Absolutely. In many ways, Croatia reminded me of Albania — beautiful coastline, historic towns, and incredible scenery — but with more developed tourism infrastructure and easier transport links.

If you're looking for a European destination that combines beaches, culture, islands, and food, Croatia is hard to beat. One week gave us a great introduction, but it's definitely somewhere I'd like to return to and explore further.

What to pack for a week in Croatia

We were lucky to have brilliant weather during our trip to Croatia and spent most of our days at the beach. This is what I packed:

• Four sleeveless tops

• One short-sleeved top 

• Two evening dresses

• Two day dresses

• A kimono for the beach shirt 

• One long-sleeved linen shirt

• Two pairs of shorts

• Two pairs of loose trousers

• One skirt

• One pair of waterproof Birkenstock Evas

• One pair of nicer sandals for evenings

• One pair of Converse

• Sunglasses

• A cap/sun hat

• 5 bikinis

• A week of of underwear 

• 3 pairs of socks (though I mostly wore sandals)

• A beach bag

• A beach towel

• A small daytime/evening bag 

• Daily toiletries + SPF and aftersun

• Passport

• Driver’s license

• EU travel adaptors + chargers

• Books or an e-reader + charger

• Battery pack + charger

• Water bottle

Find out more about our trip around Europe including Croatia here.