Croatia Island Hopping: Dalmatia from Split (8 days)

Arrive at Split Airport and transfer to the hotel in Split for an overnight stay.

After breakfast at the hotel, set out for a late morning walking tour of Split. Dalmatia’s largest coastal town bustles and buzzes, as it grows more and more popular among travelers for its easy-going spirit, creative food and shopping scene and of course, remarkable heritage. Learn about the Diocletian’s Palace, once the Roman Emperor’s retirement estate and today a lively city center housing 3,000 people! Finally, enjoy a ferry or catamaran ride from Split to the neighboring island of Hvar where you will spend the night in a hotel in the glitzy town of Hvar.

The island of Hvar is known for its purple lavender fields, a backdrop for oil production, potent red wines from steep vineyards especially enjoying the island’s status as Croatia’s sunniest island, and the glitzy jet-set scene along the starlit waterfronts of the town of Hvar, so often featured in national and international summer media. Explore the island’s prime gem and its most trendy destination, the town Hvar, on your own. Home to the oldest theatre in Europe, also the home of organized tourism in Croatia, the heritage of Hvar extends far beyond the popular party scene! Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure and spend the night in a hotel in Hvar.

Enjoy a breakfast at the hotel and some time on your own. Hvar is known for diverse opportunities, from bustling squares of Hvar town to the serene waterfront of Jelsa, the bridges of Vrboska and vineyards of Ivan Dolac, so expect time to fly. In the afternoon, bid farewell to Hvar and hop on a boat to take you to the neighboring island of Korčula. Arrive in the evening and enjoy an overnight stay in Korčula.

The far south of Croatia holds many gems. You’ll know Kor ula was a Venetian stronghold as soon as you lay your eyes on the many lion statues which lurk at you from the town’s facades and gates, intertwined with some of the most outstanding stonework you will get see anywhere on the Adriatic coast. Stroll the narrow, curved streets, marvel at beautiful churches and magnificent palaces in one of the best preserved medieval towns in the Mediterranean. Early in the afternoon, transfer to Dubrovnik, which once successfully rivaled the Venetian Republic. Arrival to Dubrovnik and overnight stay in a hotel.

Enjoy a breakfast at the hotel followed by a day to discover Croatia’s southernmost town on your own. Wander around Dubrovnik Old Town, the UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site. Medieval times still linger around the corners of its stone streets while baroque plays a symphony on its palace facades. From the Franciscan Monastery to the Church of St. Blaise and the Rector’s Palace, a stroll around Dubrovnik is filled with jaw-dropping sights. Don’t miss a round on the city walls for a fresh perspective and then top it all off with a ride on the cable car and the breathtaking panoramas from the Srđ hill. Stay the night in a Dubrovnik hotel.

A marvelous city like Dubrovnik can only be surrounded by a marvelous region. Tailor this day to your own liking, whether you are up for just relaxing or perhaps venturing out to explore the islands nearby. Locals would suggest Lokrum Island as an easy trip from the Old Town Harbor. Promising a day of heavenly serenity, Lokrum envelops you in thick green forests of holm oak, pine and laurel, to be shared with the island’s only permanent inhabitants: peacocks and bunnies. Just a tad bit further away, the Elaphite Archipelago packs sandy beaches, remarkable heritage, fun hiking trails and good food into a day excursion. Enjoy the overnight stay in the hotel.

Following breakfast, bid farewell to Dubrovnik, transfer to Dubrovnik Airport / other accommodation in Dubrovnik).