Croatia Travel Guide: Split, Brač + Dubrovnik
I’ll be honest - Croatia was never at the top of my travel bucket list, mostly because I didn’t know anything about it. But fortunately for me, it was at the top of my sister’s, and I don’t possess the will power to say no to a European adventure so, a few months of planning and extra companions later, her, my dad and I and our partners embarked on the most incredible trip that I will cherish for a lifetime.
We spent 10 days hopping around Croatia and got to experience so many beautiful places with such rich and magical history - it truly felt like being in another world.
When I told people we were going to Croatia, most responded with something along the lines of “Oh that’s cool, why Croatia?” like it was a very random destination, and it kind of was, but I’m so grateful we got to experience it while it’s still considered a “hidden gem” of Europe. A few years ago we visited Italy in September, and I stand firm in my belief that it’s the best time of year to visit because it’s after the crowds, but the weather is still beautiful and not so brutally hot you’re uncomfortable walking around all day.
Because Croatia isn’t as popular of a tourist destination *yet*, we had to do a lot more digging and winging it than we have for some of our previous trips, and there’s definitely a fun element to that, but I wanted to share this guide to give you a good starting point should you decide to visit Croatia - and believe me, you absolutely should. (Shoutout to my sister for doing the majority of the planning for this trip - we would be nowhere without her patience. 🙏🏼)
Keep reading for all the details on where we stayed, what we ate, and what we did in each city we visited, along with my packing list and some tips of things I wish I brought or knew before visiting!
Stop #1: Split
We left Chicago on a Tuesday night, and arrived in Split late Tuesday afternoon. We had less than two full days here, but we made the most of it before hopping on a ferry to our next destination.
One of my personal favorite parts of Croatia was the stray cats everywhere, and I mean everywhere.
Where We Stayed
We stayed at the AC Hotel by Marriott and it was the tallest, most modern, most "American" looking building in the whole city - it made me giggle.
We ate several meals at the hotel restaurant and snuck in hot tub and sauna sessions between all of our activities. The views from our rooms were also great! We noticed on our last night that they have a rooftop, but it was closed—you'll have to report back if you stay here!
What We Did
Our first night we just got dinner and drinks at the hotel bar which had a patio with pretty views of the city.
On our second day, we did an excursion that took us on an hour bus ride to Krka National Park, where we hung and explored most of the day before stopping for a wine tasting and heading back to Split. This is supposed to be one of the best national parks in the world, and it didn't disappoint!
After the park, we ate dinner at Bokeria per my boyfriend's recommendation from his last trip to Split and we loved everything, especially the steak tartar. We walked back to our hotel and stopped for gelato at Emilia, and then a quick slot session at some sketchy spot that you could definitely skip.
What We Ate
On our way out we stopped at a local place my friend recommended, Bistro Ciba, and we felt a little out of place at first but the food was incredible and every seat in the place was full by the time we left.
Stop #3: Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik was our final stop, and probably the most well-known / touristy city in Croatia. It's "King's Landing" from Game of Thrones, and has some of the coolest architecture I've ever seen. I think it was just how our flights worked out, but it was ideal that we flew out of Dubrovnik so we didn't have to backtrack or spend any extra time in transit.
Where We Stayed
Another gorgeous rental we found on VRBO. It offered stunning views of the Adriatic and easy access to Dubrovnik’s attractions, along with a pool and ocean access.
My only note on this place is to read the fine print about the guest house that *isn't* included unless requested.
What We Did
Our first night in Dubrovnik we rode
the cable car up to catch breathtaking views of Dubrovnik from above and I would absolutely recommend doing this. We ate dinner at the restaurant at the top and my dad is still talking about the lamb chop.
The next day, we explored the historic Walls of Dubrovnik, walking along the ancient ramparts for stunning panoramas of the city and sea. Then we took the Game of Thrones Tour and even the people in our group who hadn't seen it enjoyed learning about the history + how they turned the city into Kings Landing. After dinner, man's and I walked back up the wall to the basketball court at the top of it which I have to say was a super cool view of the city at night. After that we explored some of the local pubs and if you're looking for nightlife - the Irish pubs are where it's at.
The next day we recovered from our hangovers by the pool before heading back into Old Town to explore and shop.
What We Ate
Panorama Restaurant & Bar: A spectacular spot located at the top of the cable car ride with incredible views and delicious seafood.
Cave Bar More: Drinks inside a natural cave bar, a unique experience that shouldn’t be missed.
Konoba Pupa: Relaxed drinks and amazing tuna tartar.
Marco Polo Restaurant: A delicious final dinner in Dubrovnik, featuring local cuisine in a cozy setting.
Things I'm Glad I Brought:
- A big tote bag - between everyone wanting to bring layers, cameras, water bottles, etc. and shopping throughout the day, having a big bag to tote around was so helpful. Here's the one I brought from Amazon!
- Layers - the weather was beautiful most days, but rained a few times and got cooler at night. I ended up wearing a sweater more than expected so I would absolutely recommend bringing options.
- Gym shoes - I brought cute shoes and ended up wearing my gym shoes the whole trip. They looked just fine and were ideal for all the walking. Here are the ones I wore!
- Umbrella - it rained a few times while we were there so this was nice to have!
- Waterproof Phone Case - this was an impulse Amazon purchase but I loved having it for taking photos in the ocean and not worrying about my phone on the boat or beach. Here's the link to the one I purchased + loved!
- An itch stick - I packed this because I am so prone to getting bug bites, but the bugs were surprisingly bad especially in Dubrovnik so I would recommend bringing either topical itch relief and/or allergy pills.
- Face + body lotion - between the sun and salt water, I was DRY on this trip and went through literally all the lotion I brought by the end of the trip. I used these little guys from Amazon to make my regular products travel size!
- Tide Stick - I brought a lot of white linen and drank a lot of wine, these things were truly the hero of the trip.
- Portable Charger - all the photos +.videos and data roaming was draining our phone batteries and having a couple to pass around our group was definitely necessary. My sister's boyfriend introduced us all to this magnetic one and we're obsessed.
Things I Wish I Brought:
- Water shoes - I was not expecting all of the beaches to be rock instead of sand and I would have felt so much better walking in the water with water shoes on.
- Bug spray - I remembered the itch stick, but not the repellent. Would absolutely recommend bringing this especially for the evenings.
- Exfoliator - I sounded so dramatic by the end of the trip talking about how the only thing I was excited to get home to was my skincare because I was so dry.
Shop The Fits
I'm a firm believer that the greatest gifts in life are time and the people you spend it with and I couldn’t be more grateful to have shared this experience with some of my favorite people. 10/10 would recommend.
