Sample Itinerary · Croatia

Complete Croatia

Zagreb · Plitvice · Islands · Dubrovnik

Duration13 Days · 12 Nights
Accommodations4-Star or Higher
TransportTransfers + Ferries
Best ForComprehensive · Mainland + Islands
13 Days · 12 Nights
4-Star+ Accommodations
Private Transfers Throughout
Daily Breakfast Included
Sample — Fully Customisable

This is a sample itinerary — for inspiration only. Every Juniper trip is designed from scratch around you. Many clients travel a very similar route — if this resonates, book a free consultation and a specialist will build something just like it (or better) specifically for your travel style, dates, and group.

1
Day One

Arrive in Zagreb

Zagreb

Welcome to Croatia's capital. Your driver meets you at Zagreb Airport (ZAG) and transfers you into the Lower Town. Check in and walk the Dolac market, the main square, and the green-horseshoe parks.

Afternoon at leisure. Welcome dinner at a specialist-selected restaurant — štrukli (cheese-filled pastry), kulen (spiced sausage from Slavonia), and a glass of Graševina.

Arrive Zagreb Dolac market Welcome dinner
Overnight: Zagreb
2
Day Two

Zagreb City Day

Zagreb

Morning: guided Upper Town walking tour — St. Mark's mosaic-tiled Church, Lotrščak Tower (noon cannon), Stone Gate shrine, Zagreb Cathedral. The Museum of Broken Relationships or the Mimara Museum.

Afternoon: Tkalčićeva Street and the Lower Town's Austro-Hungarian architecture. Optional: Jarun Lake for a late-afternoon walk. Evening: Tkalčićeva bar-and-restaurant lane.

Upper Town tour Museum of Broken Relationships Tkalčićeva evening
Overnight: Zagreb
3
Day Three

Zagreb → Plitvice Lakes

Plitvice

Morning: private transfer to Plitvice Lakes National Park (approximately 2 hours). Plitvice is a UNESCO World Heritage Site — 16 terraced lakes connected by waterfalls through a forested limestone canyon.

Afternoon: guided walk through the Upper and Lower Lakes. Boardwalk trails at water level alongside and over the falls. Timed entry avoids the midday tour-bus peak. Check in to a park-area lodge.

Zagreb → Plitvice · 2hrs Plitvice Lakes UNESCO Boardwalk + waterfalls
Overnight: Plitvice
4
Day Four

Plitvice → Zadar

Zadar

Morning: optional dawn return to Plitvice (empty park, extraordinary light) or depart directly. Transfer to Zadar (approximately 1.5 hours to the Adriatic coast).

Afternoon: Zadar's Sea Organ (underwater pipes turning waves into music) and Sun Salutation (solar LED light show at sunset). Walk the old-town peninsula. Evening: waterfront dinner as the Adriatic plays.

Plitvice → Zadar · 1.5hrs Sea Organ + Sun Salutation Zadar sunset
Overnight: Zadar
5
Day Five

Zadar City Day

Zadar

Morning: walking tour — the Roman Forum (largest on the eastern Adriatic), Cathedral of St. Anastasia (climb the bell tower), Church of St. Donatus (9th-century Byzantine), medieval walls (UNESCO).

Afternoon: at leisure or Kornati National Park boat excursion (89 barren limestone islands). Evening: konoba dinner on the Riva.

Roman Forum + Cathedral Medieval walls UNESCO Kornati optional
Overnight: Zadar
6
Day Six

Zadar → Split

Split

Morning: coastal drive from Zadar to Split (approximately 2.5 hours). Optional stop in Šibenik — the Cathedral of St. James (UNESCO, entirely stone, no mortar).

Arrive Split early afternoon. First walk: Diocletian's Palace Peristyle and the Riva waterfront promenade. Check in. Evening: dinner in the palace quarter.

Zadar → Split · 2.5hrs Šibenik Cathedral optional Arrive Split
Overnight: Split
7
Day Seven

Split + Ferry to Brač

Brač

Morning: guided tour of Diocletian's Palace — basement halls, Cathedral of Saint Domnius, Jupiter's Temple, Golden Gate. Then Marjan Hill for panoramic views.

Afternoon: ferry from Split to Supetar on Brač (approximately 50 minutes). Check in to your Brač hotel. Evening: grilled fish, olive oil, and local Bolač wine. The island chapter begins.

Diocletian's Palace tour Ferry Split → Brač Arrive Brač
Overnight: Brač
8
Day Eight

Brač → Hvar

Hvar

Morning: Zlatni Rat (Golden Horn) — Croatia's most famous beach. Optional hike to Vidova Gora (778m, highest Adriatic island point) for the panoramic view.

Afternoon: catamaran to Hvar Town (approximately 1 hour). Hvar is the glamour stop — Venetian harbor, fortress above, yacht marina below. Check in. Evening: harborside dinner.

Zlatni Rat golden beach Catamaran Brač → Hvar Hvar Town harbor
Overnight: Hvar
9
Day Nine

Hvar Island Day

Hvar

Morning: Fortica fortress, Renaissance main square, Arsenal theater, Franciscan monastery. Stari Grad Plain (UNESCO, 4th-century BC Greek agricultural landscape) or lavender fields (June–July).

Afternoon: Pakleni Islands by water taxi — Palmizana beach clubs, Jerolim's quiet coves. Evening at leisure — Hvar's nightlife is the most vibrant on the Dalmatian Coast.

Fortica fortress Pakleni Islands boat Hvar nightlife
Overnight: Hvar
10
Day Ten

Hvar → Korčula

Korčula

Morning at leisure on Hvar or Stari Grad Plain visit. Afternoon: catamaran to Korčula (approximately 1 hour). Korčula's fortified medieval old town on a peninsula — herringbone streets designed to channel breezes and block wind.

Check in. Evening: dinner in the old town — fresh fish, Grk and Pošip wines from the island's own vineyards.

Catamaran Hvar → Korčula Medieval old town Island wine dinner
Overnight: Korčula
11
Day Eleven

Korčula → Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

Morning: Korčula walking tour — Marco Polo House (climb the tower), Cathedral of St. Mark (Tintoretto altarpiece), fortified walls. Optional: wine tasting (Grk, Pošip) or kayaking.

Afternoon: catamaran to Dubrovnik (approximately 2 hours) via Pelješac. Optional stop: Ston walls and Mali Ston oysters. Arrive Dubrovnik. Evening: Stradun walk and first Old Town dinner.

Marco Polo House Catamaran Korčula → Dubrovnik Ston oysters optional
Overnight: Dubrovnik
12
Day Twelve

Dubrovnik City Day

Dubrovnik

Morning: city walls walk — 1.2 miles circuit timed for golden-hour light after the cruise ships depart. Views over terracotta rooftops, the harbor, and Lokrum Island.

Afternoon: Old Town at ground level — Rector's Palace, Franciscan Monastery (pharmacy since 1317), Fort Lovrijenac. Srđ cable car for the panoramic view. Farewell dinner — wall-view terrace restaurant.

City walls walk · 1.2 miles Srđ cable car Farewell dinner
Overnight: Dubrovnik
13
Day Thirteen

Depart Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

Morning: Lokrum Island (15-minute ferry) — monastery ruins, botanical garden, Dead Sea lagoon. Or a final quiet walk through the Old Town before the day-trippers arrive.

Transfer to Dubrovnik Airport (DBV). Thirteen days from Zagreb to Dubrovnik — the mainland's green hills, Plitvice's waterfalls, four Adriatic islands, and the ancient walls at golden hour. Your specialist remains reachable throughout. Safe travels home.

Lokrum Island Transfer to DBV App support

Love this itinerary? Make it yours.

This is a sample luxury custom route — a starting point, not a fixed package. Many clients travel something very close to this, customized for their travel style, group, and dates. Book a free consultation and a specialist will build from here.

Accommodations
Boutique hotels, charming B&Bs, or historic castle stays — chosen based on your preferences and travel style.
Transportation
Private driver-guide, self-drive rental, or a mix of both — all transfers confirmed before you travel.
Experiences
Pre-arranged tours and activities built around your interests — entrance tickets sorted, no queuing.
Available Experiences

Activities on this itinerary

Your specialist pre-arranges the right luxury experiences based on your interests and travel style. These are the custom experience types available on this route — specific choices are made with you, not for you.

Zagreb Upper Town Tour
St. Mark's · Lotrščak · Cathedral
Plitvice Lakes UNESCO
16 lakes · waterfalls · boardwalks
Zadar Sea Organ + Sun Salutation
Wave music · sunset LED
Diocletian's Palace Split
1,700-year-old UNESCO · living city
Zlatni Rat Golden Beach
Brač · Croatia's most famous beach
Hvar Fortress + Pakleni Islands
Harbor town · island boat trip
Korčula Medieval Old Town
Marco Polo · Grk + Pošip wines
Dubrovnik City Walls
1.2 miles circuit · golden-hour timing
Lokrum Island
Monastery ruins · Dead Sea lagoon
Adriatic Ferry Crossings
4 island hops · part of the experience
Ston Walls + Oysters
Croatian Great Wall · Mali Ston bay
Coastal Drive Zadar–Split
Adriatic views · Šibenik optional

Activities are selected and pre-booked with your specialist based on your interests — not all activities are included in every trip version. Availability varies by season.

Your Croatia Specialists

The people who will design your Croatia trip

You work directly with a specialist who knows Croatia deeply — not a call center or booking agent. Every consultation is with someone who has been there, knows which Zagreb restaurant has the štrukli worth the Upper Town climb, which Hvar restaurant has the grilled fish worth the harbor walk, and which Dubrovnik wall-walk time gives you the golden light without the cruise-ship crowds.

Taryn Harrison — Croatia Travel Specialist
Ireland · Scotland · Iceland · Portugal · Croatia

Taryn Harrison

Juniper Tours’ most tenured specialist with 25 years of experience. CMSC certified and a former Peace Corps volunteer. Taryn knows which Plitvice boardwalk entrance avoids the morning tour buses, which Split konoba has the pašticada worth the reservation, and which Dubrovnik wall-walk slot captures the golden light without the crowds.

25 YrsCMSCCroatia & Adriatic
Book a Consultation
Questions

About this itinerary

Why 13 days for Croatia?

Croatia has two distinct halves — the mainland (Zagreb, Plitvice Lakes) and the Adriatic coast and islands (Zadar, Split, Brac, Hvar, Korcula, Dubrovnik). Most itineraries cover one half or the other. Thirteen days gives you both without rushing — enough time to feel each place rather than just photograph it. The mainland-to-coast progression and the island-hopping second half create natural pacing, with the ferry crossings as built-in rest days.

Can I shorten this itinerary?

Yes — this is a sample and every trip is custom. The most common modification is removing one or two islands. Dropping Brac saves a day, dropping both Brac and Korcula saves two days and gives you an 11-day trip. Our Highlights of Croatia itinerary covers the mainland plus coast in 10 days without islands. Our Island Hopping itinerary covers four islands plus Split and Dubrovnik in 8 days without the mainland. Your specialist can build any combination.

How does the transport work with both mainland and islands?

Private driver for the mainland segments (Zagreb to Plitvice, Plitvice to Zadar, Zadar to Split). Ferry and catamaran for the island-hopping segments (Split to Brac, Brac to Hvar, Hvar to Korcula, Korcula to Dubrovnik via Peljesac). Your specialist pre-books all ferry tickets — the popular summer routes sell out. The transition from car to ferry at Split is seamless and the ferry crossings are part of the experience.

When is the best time for this itinerary?

June and September are the ideal months — warm weather, swimmable water, all ferry routes operating, and manageable crowds in Dubrovnik and on Hvar. July and August are peak season with the warmest temperatures but the busiest islands and highest prices. May and October are beautiful on the mainland (Plitvice at peak waterfall flow in spring, autumn foliage in October) but some island restaurants and beach clubs may be closed.
★★★★★

“We had an absolutely FANTASTIC trip booking with Juniper! Absolutely plan on using them again on future travel!”

Michael J.  ·  Complete Croatia Tour  ·  Verified Google Review

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