Planning Our First Trip to Croatia

Hi everyone,

My husband and I are planning our first trip to Croatia in next 3–4 months, and We've never been to Europe before, so we'd love to get some advice from those who have visited early.
Ley me tell that we enjoy beautiful beaches, palaces, wine, local food, hiking, and simply exploring places at a relaxed pace.

This is what we are thinking :

Split (2–3 days): Visit Diocletian's Palace, stroll along the Riva Promenade, spend some time at Kašjuni Beach, and possibly take a day trip to either the Blue Lagoon or Krka National Park.
Hvar (2–3 days)
Korčula (2–3 days)
Dubrovnik for the remainder of the trip.

We're hoping to discover more than just the popular tourist attractions.

We'd love recommendations for hidden gems, scenic viewpoints, beautiful beaches, castles or historic sites, authentic local restaurants, wineries, and any unforgettable experiences that shouldn't be missed.

A few questions:

Is it worth hiring private drivers, or is public transportation and the ferry network easy enough to use?
Any restaurant recommendations for authentic Croatian food?

We'd really appreciate any tips or suggestions to help us make the most of our first visit to Croatia.
Thanks in advance!

Your itinerary seems fine, assuming you are just planning a couple of days in Dubrovnik. It is very small. I assume you have a good reason for not wanting to self-drive, as that would otherwise be by far the best option. I would look into Plitvice Lakes and Trogir, maybe Sibenik.

Plitvice was the highlight for me in Croatia too. We also chose to rent a car and that worked out well. The drive along the coast to Dubrovnik is lovely.

Thanks for sharing your experience! It's great to hear that Plitvice was the highlight of your trip. I've heard so many good things about it, so it's definitely high on my list now. The coastal drive to Dubrovnik also sounds beautiful.

If you don't mind me asking, were there any stops along the drive that you would recommend, or any hidden places that are worth visiting?

@zzlangerhans

Thank you for the suggestions! We're planning to spend around 2–3 days in Dubrovnik, so it's good to know that should be enough time.

We actually considering renting a car, so it's helpful to hear that you think it's the best option. I'll definitely look into Plitvice Lakes, Trogir, and Šibenik as well—they all seem like great additions to the trip.

If you had to choose just one, which of those places would you say is the absolute must-visit?

Quoting prajaktaa

Thanks for sharing your experience! It's great to hear that Plitvice was the highlight of your trip. I've heard so many good things about it, so it's definitely high on my list now. The coastal drive to Dubrovnik also sounds beautiful.

If you don't mind me asking, were there any stops along the drive that you would recommend, or any hidden places that are worth visiting?

It's actually already been 20 years now since I visited (during the WC in 2006) - you can read a couple of blog entries from my trip over here: https://peter.travellerspoint.com/co/49/

[ Edit: Edited on 13 Jul 2026, 04:13 GMT by Peter ]

For me Trogir would be an essential, and I think Plivice National Park would help make the trip more diversified