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.
Split
Day 1
A partial day in Split due to driving from Lake Bled, Slovenia in the morning.
- Whatever accommodation you choose, choose one that is in walking distance from downtown Split because parking is limited. Click here for more information and a travel guide to Croatia.
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
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 we packed a lunch to eat while sitting on the beach.
We booked our tour through getyourguide.com. When we booked in 2018 we payed 57 euros per person, but it looks like the price has climbed a little since then.
Other top-rated tours from Split can be found below!
Dubrovnik
Day 3
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!
- 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
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!
- Another option is to walk around the walls of Dubrovnik ($30 per person).
Save your afternoon for a sunset kayak Tour!
- The kayak cruise is about 4 hours and takes you around Lokrum Island
- Learn more about this in our post on What to Do in Dubrovnik!
Other top-rated activities and tours available in Dubrovnik are below!
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!
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!