How to spend 4 days in Croatia! Croatia is one of the countries I was MOST excited about. We heard so many great things about how awesome Croatia was by people we met during our travels. I was afraid Croatia wouldn’t live up to the hype. Fortunately, it did. Dubrovnik is like nothing you’ll see anywhere else!
We traveled from Austria, through Slovenia to Croatia. We allowed for 4 days in Croatia; two days in Split and two days in Dubrovnik.
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Day 1: Split
Day one will likely be a partial day in Split if you are just coming into town; we drove in from due Lake Bled, Slovenia, so we got into Split in the morning!
- Once you get into Split, hopefully you can drop your luggage off at your accommodation! FYI: whatever accommodation you choose, choose one that is in walking distance from downtown Split because parking is limited!
Once arriving in Split, go to explore Diocletian’s Palace and the surrounding area.
- The Palace of Diocletian will be one of the first things you notice along the waterfront promenade when you arrive in downtown Split.
- The palace was built as a place of retirement for the emperor Diocletian, completed in 305. It resembles more of a fortress than a palace, however, due to part of it being a personal residence and part of it housing military personnel. It exudes a well-preserved example of Roman architecture.
- The palace boundaries are wide; now the old town surrounds the palace and is home to around 220 buildings housing bustling restaurants, shops and bars.
- There are several restaurants with outdoor seating lined up along the oceanfront side of the palace, which is where cruise ships unload. My recommendation is to get off the oceanfront road to find somewhere to eat; less crowds and lower prices!
- For Game of Thrones fans, the basement rooms were used for filming the scenes of Daenery’s dragons while she was in Meereen.
Day 2: Split- Boat Tour around Islands!
Boat tour from Split to the Blue Lagoon
- This half-day Blue Lagoon tour was one of our favorite parts of our visit to Split. If you are in Croatia, you need to experience the beautiful waters and some of the surrounding islands. We were able to do both during this tour.
- The tour makes stops in Solta and Trogir on the way to the Blue Lagoon.
- Honestly, there wasn’t a lot to do in either town, and I personally don’t believe either would justify an overnight stay. However, both towns were cute and it was nice to see a few island towns off the mainland!
The Blue Lagoon itself was beautiful with crystal clear waters. However, be aware that a large portion of the beaches were formed by rock, so have the appropriate shoes to wear when wading out! Lunch is not provided, so its good to pack a lunch to eat while sitting on the beach!
We booked our tour through Get Your Guide. When we booked in 2018 we payed about 57 euros per person, but it looks like the price has climbed a little since then. They have since changed up some of the stops, but a tour VERY similar to what we did is linked below!
Book this Blue Lagoon Boat Tour Here!
Day 3: Dubrovnik
Partial day in Dubrovnik!
- Get up early and drive from Split to Dubrovnik which is about a 3.5 hour drive with one stop
- The drive coming into Dubrovnik is magical, so keep your eyes peeled!
- If you don’t plan to drive, you can also take a bus from Split to Dubrovnik which is about a 4 hour ride and costs around $25, give or take.
Once in Dubrovnik
- Explore the city with the best first-impression I have ever seen!
- Explore inside the Old Town, but don’t forget to walk along the outside of the walls as well; the views and the marina are just as impressive!
Day 4: Dubrovnik and Kayaking
After breakfast, I recommend taking a walking tour in Dubrovnik.
- Our particular tour was lead by a local who gave incite on the history, local places to eat and how the tourist industry is a blessing and a curse.
After the walking tour, finish exploring sights in downtown Dubrovnik.
- These include multiple Game of Thrones filming locations, if you are a fan! There are also group tours that will go into DEEP detail about the GOT filming sites, which scenes were there and more!
- Another option is to walk around the walls of Dubrovnik ($30 per person). You can do it on your own or book a small group tour to take you around the walls for about the same price. Book a guided tour here!
Save your afternoon for a sunset kayak Tour!
- The kayak cruise is about 4 hours and takes you along the city walls of Dubrovnik, into multiple caves and around Lokrum Island, ending in the bay at sunset!
- The water around Dubrovnik is STUNNING. Some of it in the caves even looks purple due to the coral bottom.
- Be prepared, however, to put in some work, though. Kayaking in the ocean can be a constant fight against the waves!
Book this sea kayaking tour!
Price: About $40
4 Days in Croatia Recap!
There are multitudes of ways to spend 4 days in Croatia; it really has everything!
- If you are trying to decide on which place to spend more days, choose Dubrovnik!
- Here is a guide to Dubrovnik for more info on what to do, how to get around and more!
If you have some extra time:
- Consider a day trip to Hvar Island!
- You can get there from either Split or Dubrovnik by catamaran or by car ferry from Split. Hvar is known for its yachts and fun times, especially in the summer. However, it really is a beautiful island and is easily explored in a day trip.
- OR visit Krka National Park
- It is located an hour and a half from Split and multiple bus tours go daily. If you have extra time in Split, this is a great option to spend your time!
I would honestly love to return to this area and do both of these! The hardest part about only having 4 days in Split and Dubrovnik is that you are going to have a hard time narrowing down what you can do in your short time!