With its natural beauty, stunning mountains, turquoise sea and feature as the backdrop of Game of Thrones, Croatia has become a popular European destination — especially for island hopping!
During my trip to Croatia, we chartered a gulet boat to island hop along the Croatian coast for a week. We spent our days floating in the Adriatic sea, exploring the historic harbor towns and soaking in the Croatian culture.
Here is my island hopping itinerary for Croatia!
Day 1: Split
We started our journey in Croatia’s second-largest city, Split, which offers a mix of history, charm and beauty.
Wandering the Old Town was like stepping back in time! We spent the morning walking the narrow alleys and cobblestone streets, and exploring Diocletian’s Palace. This ancient palace was built for Roman Emperor Diocletian and is one of the best preserved monuments of Roman architecture!
To finish off our time in Split, we went to Cornaro Hotel’s rooftop to enjoy a glass of wine with sweeping views of the entire city.
Read more about how to spend one day in Split here.
Day 2: Milna
This quaint village is located on the western side of Brač island in a secluded harbor.
Like many Croatian villages on the islands, Milna is a small town where everything seems to move at a slower pace.
We spent our time in Milna by walking along the harbor, stopping at little cafes for a drink and watching one of the prettiest sunsets I’ve ever seen!
Day 3: Vis
Ahhh Vis, one of my favorite islands! Vis is smaller than Hvar, Brač and Korčula but still has tons to offer. The island is home to beautiful beaches, charming harbor towns and historic forts. And, it’s very close to the small island of Biševo where the famed Blue Cave is located!
We spent our day in Vis exploring the abandoned Yugoslavian submarine tunnel located in a beautiful cove near Vis town. The water was the clearest and bluest we had seen in Croatia so we anchored in the cove for the day and spent hours floating, snorkeling and paddle boarding.
Then, we went into Vis town to watch the sun set and wander around the town. We finished the day with an incredible meal at Konoba & Bar Lola, a charming restaurant in a beautiful garden setting — I would highly recommend!
Read more on how to spend one day on Vis island here.
Day 4: Hvar
Hvar is one of the most well-known islands in Croatia! There are two main towns frequented by tourists on Hvar island: Hvar (the town) and Stari Grad. We didn’t get a chance to visit Stari Grad, the quieter of the two, but loved bustling Hvar town!
It’s filled with night clubs, restaurants, shops and more — attracting partiers, yachters and day trippers alike.
Make sure to head up to the Spanish Fortress for spectacular panoramic views of the town and sparkling Adriatic sea.
Day 5: Vela Luka
From the lively town of Hvar to the sleepy town of Vela Luka! This harbor town is located on the western side of the island of Korčula and is a popular stop before visiting the town of Korčula (also on Korčula island!).
With its rolling hills, quaint homes on the water’s edge, cobblestone alleyways and lines of sail boats in the harbor, this town is perfect for relaxing and soaking in the scenery.
Day 6: Korčula
Korčula has been called a ‘Little Dubrovnik” but without the crowds!
Similar to Dubrovnik, Korčula is a medieval walled city with tons of history and charm. We spent the day exploring the Old Town, grabbing drinks at Cocktail Bar Massimo — a bar set in a turret of a 15th century tower! — and had a fabulous ‘modern Dalmatian’ dinner at LD Restaurant.
Another highlight: climb to the top of St. Mark’s Cathedral bell tower for incredible city views!
Read more about how to spend one day exploring Korčula here.
Day 7: Zlatni Rat & Sumartin
We spent our last night in Sumartin, a small town on the eastern coast of Brač island.
The town was pretty much tourist-free and we spent a very relaxed evening at a local konoba, watching the fishing boats come in and locals gather for dinner.
On our way back to the mainland, we stopped at the one of Croatia’s most famous beaches, Zlatni Rat. Located near Bol, on the island of Brač, this beach is known for its unique horn shape. The beach can get quite busy during the summer months so I’d recommend arriving early!
How did you get around when visiting Croatia? Also did you stay in when did you switch hotels when going to different islands or was that all done on a day trip?
For this trip to the Croatian islands, we rented a gulet boat for the week — it’s a great option for groups going to Croatia who want to explore several islands and they have different options for different budgets! We booked it through Goolets but there are definitely tons of gulet charter companies. The other option to explore the islands by ferry and stay in a hotel on each island. Either way, it’s definitely doable and Croatia is lovely!