March 29, 2024
Last Updated on 27th September 2022 by Sophie Nadeau A land of beautiful cities and even more .......

Last Updated on 27th September 2022 by Sophie Nadeau

A land of beautiful cities and even more beautiful coastline, Croatia is quickly skyrocketing to the top of many travellerā€™s bucket lists on account of its ease of access and relative affordability. Hereā€™s your ultimate guide and itinerary for spending one week in Croatia, as well as things to know before visiting.

Why visit Croatia?

When thinking about visiting the Balkan peninsula, choosing the right country to visit can be overwhelming. Most of them promise a time of incredible experiences. Croatia is one of the most popular destinations in the area with amazing landscapes, interesting history mixed with a fascinating recent past, charming beaches, and quite affordable fees.

The country is so varied and eclectic, that even a couple of months wouldnā€™t be enough to see it all, however, a short vacation of a week in Croatia is a great start to scratch the surface and discover a memorable destination.

In this article, I share with you this well-tested one week in Croatia. An itinerary through three different cities and some of the most impressive landmarks that you donā€™t want to miss. For more inspiration, be sure to check out the best-kept secrets of Croatia, how to spend 3 days in Split, and how to spend 3 days in Dubrovnik.

When to Go to Croatia

Located facing the Adriatic Sea, towards the northern part of the Mediterranean, the country has an extensive coast and features varied weather without many extreme climatic conditions.

The country has four well-defined seasons, with cold, wet winters, hot summers, and mild weather in the shoulder seasons (spring and autumn). As a consequence, it is better to decide on when to visit according to your preferences and what activities are you planning to do over there.

If you are a confessed beach goes, then summer is best for warm weather and pleasant sea temperatures. Keep in mind that summers tend to be overcrowded and more expensive too.

Winter is best if you enjoy the snow and cozy cafƩs, or if you prefer exploring the city or the countryside instead of sunbathing. In winter, it is also possible to go skiing or snowboarding or to join excursions to lush pine forests and frozen lakes. Prices go down for accommodation, transport, and attractions as well, and the country is not overcrowded.

If youā€™re looking for a compromise between beach time and city walks, then both autumn and spring have the most pleasant temperatures. And even when swimming in autumn can get cold, the weather is perfect for long walks on the beach.

On the other hand, after a few months of basking under the summer sun, the temperature in the sea is perfect to swim during spring. Prices for accommodation are affordable and, although many visitors travel to Croatia, it is not as crowded as in summer.

Where to Stay in Croatia

When planning to stay for a week in Croatia, choosing accommodation will largely depend on the activities you have planned and the places you want to see. If youā€™re planning on visiting a lot of places scattered across Croatia, youā€™ll probably want to plan to stay in each destination for only a night or two.

Most flights land in Zagreb, the capital, which is located in the north of the country, while many gorgeous places can be found in the south, on the Dalmatian coast. So choosing a place to stay will also have to do with transportation.

Renting a car is affordable and safe, and driving is quite doable. However, the country also has a very good public transport system (ferries, trains, buses), and all major cities have an airport. Check here for car rental comparison prices.

If you are in Croatia for beach holidays, you could consider staying in the south. Dubrovnik is a great city with amazing islands nearby, pristine beaches, and a wonderful historic town, in this case, youā€™ll be staying about 6 hours away from the capital.

Split is a good compromise too. Located in the geographic centre of the country, it lets you move around easily cutting down hours on the road. Its strategic position makes it an important hub, with easy connections to every corner of the territory. Moreover, the city also faces the sea, so you can access many islands as well as beaches during your stay.

In this itinerary, Iā€™ve included things to do in and around these three important cities, choosing Split as a base for its convenient location. However, if your plane lands in another area, you can move around the activities to fit your own itinerary.

One Week in Croatia: Unmissable Things to Do

Day 1: Zagreb

Use your first day in Zagreb to get acquainted with the local culture, the time zone, the currency (the local currency is the Croatian Kuna, at the time of writing, 1 kn = ā‚¬0,14), and the climate. Start by heading to the funicular so as to climb all the way up to Zagrebā€™s upper town, the picturesque historic district of Croatiaā€™s capital.

Here, take a walk along the ancient cobblestoned alleys with colourful houses dating from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, built in the so-called Austro-Hungarian style. If you wish to explore the city together with a local guide, then you can book a walking tour like this one.

Check out Strossmayer Promenade, perfect for a stroll with many coffee shops, restaurants, and a few interesting shops to peruse. After that pay a visit to the thirteenth-century Saint Markā€™s Cathedral an imposing Gothic church with an ancient facade and two impressive spires. The church is particularly noted for its interesting rooftop.

Not far, you will also find the pedestrian Tkalčićeva Street, lined with outdoor cafes and ideal for a morning break. Next up, you can head to the old WWII tunnels that played a key role not only during the war but also in the long years of Communist rule.

One of my favorite places in old town Zagreb is an original museum displaying very personal objects through a unique art project.

Known as the Museum of Broken Relationships, the place features hundreds of objects related to break-up stories around the world that took place due to cultural, class, or wealth differences. Purchase your Skip-the-Ticket-Line Museum of Broken Relationships here.

Day 2: Rijeka

Early wake up on day two for a day trip to Rijeka, a bus will take you in a little more than two hours and the price varies between ā‚¬12 to ā‚¬18. Rijeka is a Croatian port city situated on the Kvarner Bay facing the northern Adriatic. It is the best departure point to visit some of Croatiaā€™s islands too.

When in town, check out the so-called Korzo, the most important street in town where there is a clear Habsburg era heritage with impressive buildings, a few interesting churches, and squares.

In Rijeka, you can also visit the Ivan Zajc Croatian National Theatre located in a magnificent aristocratic building dating back to the nineteenth century that displays spectacular paintings by Gustav Klimt on its ceiling.

After lunch, walk your way uphill to visit the complex of Trsat Castle from where there are great views of the underlying bay and the islands nearby. You can spend the afternoon visiting the castle as well as a magnificent shrine located inside the complex.

Later on, go for a traditional Croatian dinner and make your way back to Zagreb.

Day 3: Plitvice Lakes

Pack a comfortable day bag with your essentials for a hiking day, wear comfortable walking shoes and embark on an unforgettable adventure at the amazing Plitvice Lakes National Park, one of the many UNESCO-listed sites in Croatia.

Probably the most popular attraction in the country, this will be a very interesting trip, full of magnificent views, so donā€™t forget your camera! The lakes are located a bit less than three hours from Zagreb.

You need to take the bus that takes you to Plitvicka Jezera (about ā‚¬18 one way) and from there a local bus or a taxi to the main gate to access the park.

For a seamless visit, you can also join an organized tour that includes pick-up and drop-off, meals, and a few extra visits to other interesting nearby places like this one. On the site, you will be able to marvel at the pristine emerald waters of the lakes, dotted with gorgeous old watermills and refreshing waterfalls.

If you visit in summer you can even swim or discover the area in a kayak. If you visit in winter, many of the cascades will be frozen, an unforgettable sight that you wouldnā€™t want to miss. The park charges an entrance fee to visitors that ranges from around ā‚¬12 in winter to ā‚¬31 in summer.

Days 4: Split

At this point of your week, you can decide to visit Split as a day trip from Zagreb, or ā€” if you donā€™t mind changing accommodations ā€” head south and find a place to stay in Split. The main reason for doing so is not just that Split has a lot on offer for visitors, but that it will allow you to discover the south of the country with shorter traveling times.

Besides, from Split, it is even possible to visit some foreign destinations as well, such as Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina, or the small city of Kotor in Montenegro. From Split, you will also have easy access to different islands as well as to the beautiful city of Dubrovnik.

On your first day in Split, start by exploring the imposing Diocletian Palace, the most important building in the city, home to dozens of things to see. This is another Croatian UNESCO-listed site, a complex built back in Roman times (about the fourth century) and extremely well preserved.

The main purpose of the building was to become the retirement home for Emperor Diocletian. On the premises, you can check out the remains of the villa, the cellars, the military camp, but also imposing gates, squares, and the oldest cathedral in the world.

The palace is so long that you could easily spend all day visiting. To avoid wandering aimlessly in the complex, you can also join a guided tour like this one to devote time to the main highlights and then head to other parts of town.

After this experience, you can explore other corners of the old town where you will find not just Roman remains, but also several buildings dating back to the Renaissance.

In the afternoon, it is a good idea to head to the coast for a kayak trip. Kayaking is one of the most popular activities all along the Croatian coast. A sea kayaking activity is perfect to make friends, explore the coastline, and have tons of fun.

All the necessary equipment for the activity, including snorkeling equipment, is often provided by the tour companies. There are many of them along the coast, this one in particular offers excellent value for money .

Day 5: Brac Island or Mostar

There are two things you could do on this fifth day, it all depends on what youā€™re looking for and even the weather. On a hot, summer day, you can take a full-day trip to Brac by ferry. Brac is the largest island in the area and it is located on the Adriatic Sea, opposite the city of Split.

Being quite close to the shore, it is very easy to reach with the public ferry, although there are also tours that will take you there, and once on the island, they will also show you the best places around.

On Brac, you can go to the beach, spend time swimming, or even go snorkelling. Most shores on the island are calm and shallow, and the beaches relaxing. On the island, it is also possible to go hiking or to take long walks up the hill.

If the day is not as hot for a beach then why not visit a nearby country? Lesser- known than Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina is located a few kilometres from Croatia and one of its main landmarks, the old city of Mostar, is easily reached by bus or with a tour from Split.

If you travel on your own, the bus ride is around 3 hours and 30 minutes and the ticket is about ā‚¬25) Once in Mostar, spend time admiring the beautiful Stari Most, a legendary stone bridge that crosses the Neretva River.

In town, you can also explore the oriental buildings, and the mosques with their tall minarets, and dedicate at least a few hours to the gorgeous Old Bazar of Mostar, great not just for souvenirs but also for lunch!

If spending a long time on a public bus is not your cup of tea, then check out this organised tour that takes you there and back to Split in a much shorter time.

Day 6: Dubrovnik

Even if the trip seems to be reaching its end, there is still a lot to see. You will spend the next two days enjoying one of the most popular destinations in the country, Dubrovnik, a favorite for Game of Thrones fans as well as a great place to kickstart your island-hopping experience in Croatia.

But letā€™s head to the old own first! Dubrovnikā€™s old town is a complex maze of ancient buildings and sites from different historic periods built with a varied diversity of architectural styles.

From Medieval to Gothic and from Romanesque to Renaissance, the city has an ever-changing facade that makes it attractive and mysterious.

Checking out the ancient city walls surrounding the old town is a must when visiting. These thick walls with imposing gates and defensive towers gained the name of the best protective system in the Middle Ages.

A walking tour of the old town and the walls like this one or even a tour of the top filming sets of the popular HBO series like this one can provide all the insight you need to learn about the past of Dubrovnik.

Touring most of the walls will take you a good part of your morning, get lost in the alleys of the historic district until you find a nice stop for a snack and a rest.

Later on, check out some of the main landmarks in this ancient district, including In the center of town, its promenades and squares, the cathedral, and the curious Fountain of Onofrio an ancient water fountain that sill channels channeling water from an aqueduct nearby.

Day 7: Devote your second and last day in Dubrovnik to explore the beautiful coast of Dubrovnik

If you have only time in the morning, because youā€™re traveling back to Zagreb in the afternoon to catch your plane, check out this adventure that takes you kayaking Betina Cave early in the morning. After the early rise, reach the coast and jump on a kayak.

This experience takes you to see the whole sea length of the ancient walls and then continue to Betina Cave Beach, ideal for swimming and snorkeling.

If you donā€™t need to reach Zagreb because your plane leaves from Dubrovnik, then consider spending a full day exploring Lopud, Sipan, and Kolocep. You can even book a day trip like this one. Also known as the Elaphite Islands where you wonā€™t only swim, sunbathe, and spend spectacular moments by the seaā€¦

In fact, you can also enjoy the local cuisine, go hiking, taste local wines, and a lot more before going back to the port of Dubrovnik. As you could see, the area is filled with experiences and activities that will keep you happy and (very) busy for the whole length of your seven days in Croatia!

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Gabi Ancarola is a journalist and travel writer who has lived over 20 years in Italy, and has been living in Crete for the last five years. She hosts culinary tours, translates and writes for her Crete travel blog The Tiny Book. Sheā€™s written for Greek Reporter and published several travel guides about Greece.

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