Croatia Road Trip: Beautiful Coastal Route in 3 Weeks
There are few countries that offer as much variety as Croatia. With around 1200 islands, an 1800 kilometer long coastline and plenty of sunny days, it's the ideal beach holiday. There is something beautiful to discover in every place. From picturesque beaches and clear blue water, to centuries-old cities such as Rovinj and Dubrovnik. Enough reason to cross a road trip along the coast of Croatia off your bucket list!
Travel Guide Croatia
3-WEEK COASTAL ROAD TRIP
CHAPTERS
DESTINATIONS:
Rovinj, Pula, Selce, Dugi Otok island, Sibenik, Krka National Park, Split, Hvar island, Ston, Mljet island, Dubrovnik, Plitvice lakes.
Day 1-2: Arrival in Pula
Start the journey back in time, in the historic town of Pula! There are several flights a day to Pula airport. Once in Pula, you can immediately rent a car at the airport itself. Are you traveling with your own car or camper? From the Netherlands it takes about 12 hours to get to this historic pearl.
Pula's main attraction is the amphitheater. It’s one of the 6 largest surviving Roman amphitheaters in the world, a beautiful sight to see! The rest of Pula, in all honesty, is not very impressive. Visiting a number of beaches outside the city, is something we can definitely recommend. Would you rather explore another town? You can’t go wrong with a day trip to Rovinj.
Day 3: Day trip to Rovinj
Take at least one day to explore the beautiful streets of Rovinj. Within 45 minutes, you can drive from Pula to Rovinj. Park your car along the harbor and enjoy this journey of discovery.
There’s a market everyday. Where people sell gadgets you probably don't need, but will eventually buy anyway. Score! Yet another magnet for the refrigerator at home.
While getting lost in the endless streets, there are plenty of opportunities for a cup of coffee or lunch. Once refueled and with a full stomach, you'll be ready to explore Rovinj further.
Day 4-5: Scuba diving in Selce
For the diving enthusiasts among us, good news! There are many places where you can explore Croatia's underwater world. In Selce it is possible to do both shore and boat dives. Diving Center Mihuric has very friendly staff, who will help you with everything you need! The diving center is owned by a kind Dutch lady and her husband. So whenever she is present, you can make yourself understood in Dutch.
Unfortunately, we were unable to spot much marine life during the shore dives. Still, a few schools of fish, an octopus and a gurnard fish passed by. The house reef at Diving Center Mihuric During is great for a relaxing dive. There are a number of wrecks, a statue and if you are lucky you will find some nudis. After the dive, you can immediately plop down on the terrace for a well-deserved cold beer!
Not much of a diving enthusiast? Enjoy a day at the beach or skip Selce completely and spend an extra day somewhere else along the route.
Day 5-8: Hop on a ferry to Dugi Otok island
Time to drive to Zadar Gazenica. From here you can take the ferry to Dugi Otok. It’s best to book the tickets in advance at Jadrolinija, to make sure you have a spot on the first ferry out when you get there. It tends to get really busy in summer.
Dugi Otok has several villages. Our eye fell on Sali. A quiet village with a relaxed atmosphere and a handful of restaurants, bakeries and a supermarket. Now we have to admit that we have only tried the pizza place ourselves. The other restaurants are a bit on the pricey side.
A fan of fish? In that case, welcome to paradise! At every restaurant, except the pizzeria, every menu is full of fish dishes.
With its relaxed atmosphere and endless rocky beaches, Dugi Otok is the perfect place to relax. So don't forget to bring your water shoes on this road trip along the coast of Croatia. Most beaches are rocky and once in the water, sea urchins lurk.
Telascica National Park on Dugi Otok
Within a five-minute drive from Sali, you arrive at the entrance of Telascica national park. Even on a colder day in the low season, the salty lake in the park is still warm enough to swim in. Hike up to the viewpoint for a breathtaking view of the sea and the surrounding small islands.
Day 8-10: Explore the cobbled streets of Sibenik
Spend a few days in the historic streets of Sibenik. This picturesque town may be less known than Split, but is undoubtedly just as beautiful! Visit one of the forts for a beautiful view of the city and visit St. Jacob's Cathedral, the highlight of Sibenik.
Also in Sibenik there are a huge number of restaurants, shops, viewpoints and beaches nearby. For anyone who enjoys water activities, book a kayak tour and explore the coastline. Another must see is the beautiful Krka National Park. By car it only takes 25 minutes to get here.
Krka National Park
Take a day to explore the green trails and waterfalls at Krka National Park. Skradinski Buk is the most popular waterfall. If you have little time, at least visit this beauty via the Skradin entrance.
In the northern part of the national park, you will find the Roski Slap waterfalls.👇 It is less busy here than at Skradinski Buk, but the waterfalls are just as beautiful. Another plus, the view during the drive to Roski Slap is absolutely stunning!
Day 10–11: Get lost in the streets of Split
Now that you're used to historic towns, you're ready to wander around the center of Split. After Zagreb, this is the largest city in Croatia. Construction of Diocletian's Palace started in the year 300. This also immediately meant the start of Split as a whole. The palace is the heart of the city and spreads over several streets in the center. Visit the cellars when you are there. Game of Throne fans will probably recognize a number of scenes in the cellars that were recorded here.
Split is important for Croatia because of its large port. It is that same port that ensures tourism continues to grow. From here it’s so easy to visit a number of islands such as Hvar, Brac, Vis and Korcula. Take your pick!
Day 11-13: Party away on Hvar island
Hopefully you are not tired of all the cozy, cobbled streets yet. Because surprise, it’s also wonderful to wander around the streets of Old Town on Hvar. Explore the center, rent a boat and visit several islands or beaches around the island. There are so many options for day trips in and around the harbour.
Hvar is known for its wild nightlife. So get ready, because it’s time for a wonderful evening out! There are plenty options around, where drinks and live music in good company are concerned. The food at Lola Bar and the cocktails at Hotel Park are highly recommended. Very quiet during the day, but in the evening Hotel Park quickly fills up quickly! Reservations in advance are therefore a must, if you also want to grab a bite to eat.
After these wild evenings and some relaxing days, get back on the ferry to the mainland (with or preferably without a healthy hangover). Make sure you arrive at the ferry at least two hours in advance to ensure your spot on board. Again, it is very busy here during high season. If you are a little later, there is a good chance that you will have to sit the first one out and wait even longer for the next ferry.
Day 13-14: Walk the historical city walls of Ston
Within 3.5 hours from Hvar, you will arrive in Ston. A cute, historical village with a very nice atmosphere and the friendliest people. Get ready to climb the enormous city walls of Ston for an unreal view of the village itself. With your entrance ticket to the city walls, you can also visit the castle on the same day.
Day 14-17: Adventure and relax on Mljet island
Just a 15-minute car ride away from Ston, you will arrive in Prapatno. From here you can take the ferry to Sobra, on the island of Mljet. Relax for a few days on various little islands around Mljet. Rent a bike at the national park, feast your eyes and take a refreshing dip in the crystal clear lakes.
The adventure doesn't end here! You could go kayaking along the rugged coastline or hike to Odyseuss cave, also known as Odisejeva Spilja. When visiting the cave, park your car at Tommy Supermarket. From here it's just a matter of following the signs along the path down. The path towards the cave is beautiful and the walk only takes about half an hour. When you arrive at the cave (probably a bit overheated), it’s about time for a jump into the water from the cliff.
This wonderful hangout is located a few seconds from the cave. By the way, there is no elegant way to get into the water. Jumping is pretty much your only option. No worries about getting out of the water though, there’s a rope along the rocks to help you get back up.
Once in the water, swim into the cave. It’s a bit dark at first, but once you get through it, it's an incredible sight to see. We won't reveal everything, just keep swimming and see for yourself of course! After visiting the cave, it’s time for an exciting but incredibly beautiful drive to Kozarica. Take something to eat and drink with you before getting in the car, because we were unable to discover a shop or restaurant here. The only thing left to do once you arrive, is enjoy a beautiful sunset on the beach like the one below.
After all the rocky beaches it is finally time for a some sand between your toes. Yes, you heard that right! At Saplurna you can take off your water shoes and enjoy the sandy beach. If you are looking for a beach where you can chill on a bed and also order food and drinks, Vista Mare Beach Bar near the beach in Pomena is the perfect place. Completely rested and relaxed, after the last day on Mljet island, you can take the ferry to Dubrovnik.
Day 17-19: Wander around Dubrovnik Old Town
Congratulations! You have arrived at the southernmost point of this road trip through Croatia. Dubrovnik is one of the most popular cities in Croatia. This historic city also has a breathtakingly beautiful 'old town', where many scenes from Game of Thrones were filmed.
There's no time to waste! Put on those walking shoes and climb the city walls at the end of the day for an unforgettable sunset. Is it too hot to climb the wall at the end of the day? Then early in the morning is a better option. At this time of the day you can enjoy your walk on the city walls in peace.
In Dubrovnik, when it comes to restaurants, there is something for everyone. After all the pizzas along the way, it's really enjoyable here. The Korean restaurant, Ding Dong, serves the most delicious food. The owner, who serves the dishes himself, likes to joke around with all the customers. Such a shame that we only discovered this place on our last evening in Dubrovnik!
When it's too hot to get lost in the streets of Dubrovnik during the day, there are several beaches around the city center as well. Cannot be missed! Enjoy cooling off in the crystal clear blue water all around.
Day 19 – 21: The famous Plitvice Lakes
When traveling through Croatia, a visit to the Plitvice Lakes is probably at the top of your list. The Plitvice area is known for its untouched nature, 90 impressive waterfalls and 16 emerald green lakes. The park is spread over an area of approximately 300 square meters! This makes Plitvice the oldest and, in our opinion, the most beautiful national park in Croatia. Definitely worth making a detour home for this.
In the lower part of the park, you will find the Veliki Slap waterfall. An impressive, 78 meter high waterfall. This big boy is best reached via entrance 1. From here there is a beautiful path towards the boat, to also visit the upper part of the park. About these boats, we’d say the earlier the better! It gets very busy here in the afternoons. The friendly man working at the dock said that people sometimes have to wait three or four boats before they can get on a boat themselves.
Looking back on an amazing road trip, the time has come to return home. You could return your rental car in Zagreb or Pula if you arrived by plane. If not, turn up the volume, windows down and enjoy your drive all the way back home. Enjoy the last views of Croatia's beautiful landscape along the way. Safe travels!
* Disclaimer: Our visit to Croatia was during COVID time in 2020, so it was a lot more quiet than usual.