The Ultimate 14-Day Croatia Travel Itinerary for 2023

Croatia Map - 14-Day Croatia Travel Itinerary

Croatia Map - 14-Day Croatia Travel Itinerary

If you have Croatia on your travel bucket list and would like to spend two weeks in this beautiful country, this travel itinerary will help you plan an unforgettable trip. Do you want to visit the most popular destinations in Croatia? With this Croatia itinerary, you will see the most important places you don’t want to miss.

Are you considering more than two weeks in Croatia? Then you want to check out The Complete 28-Day Croatia Travel Itinerary for 2023.

What is the best time to visit Croatia?

If you want to avoid the summer peak season and the crowds, the best time to visit Croatia would be the fall or the spring, especially September/October and May/June. In these months, Croatia's weather is still quite warm and sunny, so not only can you visit many historical sights and national parks, you can still enjoy swimming and sunbathing.

What are the best places to visit in Croatia within two weeks?

As you can see above on the map of Croatia, with this 14-day travel itinerary, you will explore the following destinations, and you can check them off your travel bucket list the second you visit each one:

Zagreb – Plitvice Lakes National Park – Zadar – Split – Dubrovnik

The best way to experience this Croatia trip is by car as you will be able to get to all places easily and you'll be more flexible as well.

Croatia_Zagreb

Cathedral of Zagreb - Croatia

Days 1-2: Zagreb

Zagreb is the most strategic point to start your trip if you want to visit all destinations on this trip and learn more about Croatia. Zagreb is Croatia’s capital city, and it’s worth of exploration.

Top 10 things to do in Zagreb:

  • Ban Jelacic Square – a capital’s main square

  • St. Mark’s Church – one of the oldest architectural monuments in Zagreb

  • Cathedral of Zagreb – a major landmark in Zagreb and a must-see attraction

  • Dolac Market – a traditional main open-air farmer’s market

  • Mirogoj Cemetery – a cemetery where the most famous Croatians are buried

  • Zagreb 360 – an observation deck with panoramic views of the city and a viewpoint bar

  • Tkalciceva Street – a street famous for cafes and nice restaurants

  • Lotrscak Tower – a historic fortified tower with a nice view (cannon fired daily at noon)

  • Museum of Broken Relationships – a museum dedicated to failed love relationships

  • Maksimir – the oldest public park in Zagreb

Best one-day trips from Zagreb

There are many one-day trips from Zagreb you can consider when staying in the city. So, if you want to include an additional day or two, here two great tips:

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Plitvice Lakes National Park - Croatia

Days 3-4: Plitvice Lakes National Park

This world-famous forest reserve with 16 lakes arranged in cascades and beautiful waterfalls is located in central Croatia.

It’s one of the most visited destinations in Croatia and a World Heritage Site.

From Zagreb to Plitvice Lakes, it’s about 2 hours drive by car. Consider an overnight stay in a nearby accommodation to make your access to Plitvice Lakes easier and enjoy hiking without a rush.

Top things to do in Plitvice Lakes National Park:

Upper Lakes (12 lakes) – Proscansko jezero, Ciginovac, Okrugljak, Batinovac, Veliko jezero, Malo jezero, Vir, Galovac, Milinovo jezero, Gradinsko jezero, Buk, Kozjak (the park’s largest and deepest lake)

Lower Lakes (4 lakes) – Milanovac, Gavanovac, Kaluderovac, Novakovica brod

At the end of the Lower Lakes, you will find the tallest waterfall in Croatia, the Large Waterfall (Veliki Slap).

How to plan your visit to Plitvice Lakes National Park?

There are more options to explore Plitvice Lakes. One of the best ones is hiking, but you can also choose a shuttle bus between the Upper and Lower Lakes or a boat ride around Kozjak Lake.

If you have enough time, you want to explore both Upper Lakes and Lower Lakes. If you don’t have enough time, you should at least visit the Upper Lakes.

Be aware that swimming is not permitted in any of the lakes in Plitvice Lakes National Park.

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Cathedral of St. Anastasia in Zadar - Croatia

Days 5-6: Zadar

Zadar is the oldest continuously inhabited city in Croatia, known for its Old Town’s Roman and Venetian ruins. To get to Zadar from Plitvice Lakes takes about 1.5 hours by car, and it’s worth to stay here at least two full days to explore this old city.

Top 10 things to do in Zadar:

  • Sea Organ – an experimental musical instrument, which plays music by way of sea waves

  • The Greetings to the Sun – a monument dedicated to sun consisting of 300 glass plates

  • The Roman Forum – one of the Zadar’s most important landmarks

  • St. Donatus’ Church – a Byzantine church and a symbol of Zadar

  • Cathedral of St. Anastasia – the largest church of Dalmatia

  • St. Mary’s Church – a Benedictine monastery where you can see one of the city’s most prized exhibits

  • The Land Gate – a stone gate that once served as the main entrance to the city

  • People’s Square – an iconic square with historic buildings and a central square of Zadar

  • The Five Wells Square – five wells adorn the center of this square, explaining its name

  • Archaeological Museum Zadar – a museum with artifacts dating to the prehistoric era

Croatia_Split

Diocletian’s Palace in Split - Croatia

Days 7-10: Split

Split is the largest city in the Dalmatian region and is known for its beautiful waterfront and beaches, stunning architecture, and historic sites. From Zadar to Split, it takes almost 2 hours by car.

Top 10 things to do in Split:

  • Diocletian’s Palace – a tremendous palace of a Roman emperor and a World Heritage Site

  • The Old Town – a charming historic town with cafes, restaurants, and a beautiful old town clock

  • St. Domnius’ Cathedral – an eight-sided Catholic cathedral built as a mausoleum for Diocletian

  • St. Domnius’ Bell Tower – a tall Romanesque bell tower with views over the old town's rooftops

  • Riva Promenade – a beautiful waterfront promenade with restaurants, bars, and cafes

  • Marjan Hill – a famous peak for walking and fantastic city views Golden Gate – one of the entry points of Diocletian's palace complex

  • Statue of Grgur Ninski – a tall statue of Croatian bishop and icon

  • Mestrovic Gallery – the most extensive collection of Mestrovic’s work

  • Klis Fortress – an ancient military fortress near Split

Best one-day trips from Split:

  • Sibenik - a beautiful historic place and the third-largest city in the region of Dalmatia

  • Krka National Park – a nice park known for a series of 7 beautiful waterfalls

  • Brac Island – the largest Dalmatian island with many beautiful beaches

  • Golden Horn Beach (Brac Island) – a day cruise to the Croatia’s most famous white-pebble beach

  • The Blue Lagoon – a gorgeous bay with turquoise water great for swimming and snorkeling

  • Solta Island – a hilly island known for charming villages and a great spot for relaxation, swimming and snorkeling

  • The Roman Ruins of Salona - an archaeological site from Roman times, built before the Diocletian's Palace in Split, located near the town of Solin

  • Trogir – a gorgeous tiny town and lovely gateway from Split

  • Vis Island – a wild island a bit further from Split is an excellent spot for relaxation and quiet time

  • Cetina Canyon – perfect for outside activities like zip lining, canyoning, kayaking, or rafting

The 5 best beaches in Split:

  • Bacvice Beach

  • Znjan Beach

  • Kastelet Beach

  • Bene Beach

  • Kasjuni Beach

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Dubrovnik - Croatia

Days 11-14 – Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik is one of Croatia's most visited destinations and is known for its historic Old Town, beautiful buildings, museums and galleries, and stunning beaches.

"The Pearl of the Adriatic" is the last destination in this travel itinerary.

If you travel to Croatia for the first time, Dubrovnik should be a must-see on your travel bucket list.

There are more options on how to get to Dubrovnik. You can drop off your car in Split and take a ferry to Dubrovnik. It takes about 4.5 hours to get there. If you travel from Split by car, it takes about 3 hours drive. So, it's worth starting the trip early morning.

Top 10 things to do in Dubrovnik:

  • Old Town – a medieval city with narrow streets and many historical attractions

  • Walls of Dubrovnik – historical city walls with stunning views

  • Stradun – the main street in Dubrovnik and Dubrovnik’s famous promenade

  • Rector’s Palace - a Gothic-Renaissance palace and museum

  • Dubrovnik Cathedral – a Romanesque cathedral with unique interior’s artworks

  • Franciscan Monastery – a beautiful complex consisting of a monastery, church, library and, a must-see pharmacy

  • Sponza Palace – this charming palace is the home of the Dubrovnik’s archives

  • Clock Tower – this 31 meters high bell tower is a significant landmark of the Old Town

  • Lovrijenac Fort – a historic fort with views

  • Cable Car Dubrovnik – this cable car takes you to the top of the Mount Srd for the best views of Dubrovnik

What else to do in Dubrovnik?

  • Fort Imperial – an old fort famous for panoramic views of the city and sea

  • Game of Thrones Tour – a tour for fans of this favorite TV show to see all the famous sites where the show was filmed

  • Sea Kayaking Tour – a guided sea kayak tour for all who love adventures

  • Food and Wine Tour – a guided tour for food and wine lovers who want to try local specialties and tasty wine

  • Trsteno Arboretum – the oldest arboretum in Croatia with beautiful gardens just half a hour by car from Dubrovnik

Best one-day trips from Dubrovnik:

  • Mostar and Kravica Waterfalls (Bosnia & Herzegovina)

  • Kotor (Montenegro)

  • Elaphiti Islands – this small group of islands is a great escape from Dubrovnik’s crowds to enjoy a day with swimming, sunbathing, and relaxing

  • Lokrum Island – an island with beautiful gardens and a monastery just a short distance by ferry from Dubrovnik’s harbor. It’s a popular spot for relaxation and for Game of Thrones’ fans, as it’s one of the filming locations. The Iron Throne can be found here in the Game of Thrones Visitor Center.

The 5 best beaches in Dubrovnik:

  • Bellevue Beach

  • Uvala Lapad Beach

  • Sulic Beach

  • Sveti Jakov Beach

  • Dance Beach

Have a wonderful time in Croatia and don’t forget to write notes, attach photos, and check off all the destinations from the travel bucket list in your Travel Challenge Book - Europe!

If you decide to explore more destinations in Croatia, check The Complete 28-Day Croatia Travel Itinerary for 2023.

Eva

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