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🇭🇷 Itinerary · Croatia · 14 days

2-week Croatia itinerary 2026: from Zagreb to Dubrovnik

14 days from Zagreb to Dubrovnik: Plitvice, Zadar, Split, Hvar, Korčula. The full road trip, parks and islands, with detailed budget, ferries and options.

🔄 Updated June 1, 2026

📅 See the program 🔄 See variants

In brief

Duration

14 days

Stops

7 places

Average budget

€1,600-2,500

Total distance

~900 km

Profile

Versatile

Season

Jun, Sep

Zagreb 2d · Plitvice 1d · Zadar 2d · Split 3d · Hvar 2d · Korčula 1d · Dubrovnik 3d

Itinerary map

The route at a glance

Croatia 2-week itinerary map: Zagreb, Plitvice, Zadar, Split, Hvar, Korčula, Dubrovnik

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Detailed program

14 days, day by day

1

~€60/pers

Zagreb · Arrival and the upper town

  • Morning Arrival in Zagreb, shuttle to the centre. Pick up the rental car.
  • Afternoon Upper town (Gornji Grad): cathedral, St Mark's church, funicular.
  • Evening Dinner on Tkalčićeva street, lively bars and terraces.
🛌 🛌 Centre · e.g. Hotel Jägerhorn (2 nights)·🚗 Rental car·Croatia guide →
2

~€50

Zagreb · Museums and Dolac market

  • Morning Dolac market, Museum of Broken Relationships, lower town.
  • 2pm Maksimir park or the Mimara museum, as you prefer.
  • 7pm Evening in the trendy Martićeva district.
3

~€70

Zagreb → Plitvice · The lakes

  • Morning Drive to Plitvice (2h). Arrive at park opening (entry €40).
  • Day Trails between the sixteen terraced lakes, boardwalks over turquoise water, electric boat.
  • Evening Night near the park, local trout for dinner.
🛌 🛌 Near Plitvice · e.g. Hotel Jezero (1 night)·🚗 Car
4

~€65

Plitvice → Zadar · To the sea

  • Morning Drive to Zadar (2h). Check in in the old town on the peninsula.
  • 2pm Roman forum, the sea organ, sun salutation at the end of the jetty.
  • Evening Sunset over the Adriatic, hailed by Hitchcock as the finest in the world.
🛌 🛌 Old town · e.g. Hotel Bastion (2 nights)·🚗 Car
5

~€75

Zadar · Kornati or Krka

  • Morning Boat trip to the Kornati islands, a wild archipelago, or Krka park and its waterfalls.
  • 4pm Back to Zadar, a swim at sunset.
  • 8pm Seafood dinner on the harbour.
6

~€70

Zadar → Split · The Dalmatian capital

  • Morning Drive to Split (1h30) via Šibenik and its St James cathedral (UNESCO).
  • 2pm Diocletian's Palace, a lived-in maze, return the car.
  • Evening Stroll along the Riva, dinner in Varoš.
🛌 🛌 Old town · e.g. Marmont Heritage Hotel (3 nights)·🚗 Car then 🚶 on foot
7

~€55

Split · Marjan and Trogir

  • Morning Marjan hill, panorama over the bay.
  • 2pm Trip to Trogir, a UNESCO medieval town 30 minutes away.
  • 7pm Rooftop drinks in Split.
8

~€70

Split · Krka day trip

  • Morning Trip to Krka park (1h drive), Skradinski Buk waterfalls.
  • 3pm The village of Skradin, wine tasting from the region.
  • 8pm Back to Split, last evening in town.
9

~€70

Split → Hvar · To the island

  • Morning Catamaran Split → Hvar town (1h, €20-25).
  • 2pm Fortica fortress, views over the Pakleni islands.
  • Evening Dinner on the Venetian square.
🛌 🛌 Hvar town · e.g. Adriana Spa Hotel (2 nights)·⛴️ Catamaran Split-Hvar
10

~€65

Hvar · Pakleni islands and lavender

  • Morning Water taxi to the Pakleni, swimming in the coves.
  • 2pm Inland lavender fields, Dubovica beach.
  • 8pm Hvar nightlife or a quiet dinner in Stari Grad.
11

~€60

Hvar → Korčula · Little Dubrovnik

  • Morning Catamaran Hvar → Korčula (1h-1h30, €20-30).
  • 1pm Fishbone-pattern walled old town, the so-called house of Marco Polo.
  • Evening Grk wine tasting, the Moreška sword dance in season.
🛌 🛌 Korčula town · e.g. Aminess Korčula Heritage Hotel (1 night)·⛴️ Catamaran Hvar-Korčula
12

~€75

Korčula → Dubrovnik · South

  • Morning Catamaran Korčula → Dubrovnik (1h30-2h, €25-35).
  • 2pm Check in near the old town, first walk through the lanes.
  • Evening Drinks at the Buža bar on the cliffs.
🛌 🛌 Ploče · e.g. Hotel Stari Grad (3 nights)·⛴️ Catamaran Korčula-Dubrovnik
13

~€75

Dubrovnik · Walls and Srđ

  • 8am Wall walk at opening (€35).
  • 1pm Stradun, Rector's Palace, Franciscan monastery.
  • 5pm Mount Srđ cable car for sunset.
14

Flight

Dubrovnik → Home

  • Morning Sea kayaking along the walls or a trip to Lokrum island.
  • Afternoon Dubrovnik airport (DBV), shuttle from the centre.
  • Evening Flight home.

How much

Budget for this itinerary (per person, flight included)

Backpacker

€1,600

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €180
  • 🏨 Hostel / studio: €48/night
  • 🍽️ Konobas and markets: €24/day
  • 🚗 Car (6 d) + catamarans: €350
  • 🎫 Parks and sites: €250
Recommended

Comfort

€2,100

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €230
  • 🏨 3-4★ hotel: €110/night
  • 🍽️ Mixed dining: €42/day
  • 🚗 Car (6 d) + catamarans: €420
  • 🎫 Parks + trips: €350

Premium

€4,000

per person

  • ✈️ Upgraded flight: €420
  • 🏨 4-5★ sea-view: €240/night
  • 🍽️ Fine dining: €70/day
  • 🚗 Premium car + boat transfers: €700
  • 🎫 Private tours: €500

Shorter, longer

Other possible durations

1 week

1 week

Southern Dalmatia, Split to Dubrovnik.

You're here

2 weeks

2 weeks

From Zagreb to Dubrovnik, parks and islands.

1 month

1 month

The grand tour, from Istria to southern Dalmatia.

How to get around

Itinerary logistics

This itinerary combines 6 days of rental car from the north to Split, then 3 catamarans between the islands. Returning the car at Split avoids costly vehicle ferries. Budget ~€400 of transport over 14 days.

🚗

Car Zagreb → Split

~€40/day · for the parks and the northern coast

⛴️

Catamaran Split → Hvar

€20-25 · 1h · Jadrolinija or Krilo

⛴️

Catamaran Hvar → Korčula

€20-30 · 1h-1h30

⛴️

Catamaran Korčula → Dubrovnik

€25-35 · 1h30-2h

Adapt by season

Parks in spring, coast in summer

The parks (Plitvice, Krka) are at their best in spring and early autumn, when the waterfalls are full and the trails empty. The coast and islands, however, want a warm sea: June to September. From late May to mid-June and in September, you get both without the July-August crush, when Dubrovnik and Plitvice overflow. At Plitvice, arrive at opening: after 10am the boardwalks become a long parade.

Author tips

What I would redo (and change)

✅ Would redo

  • • In September 2023, I returned the car at Split rather than keeping it for the islands: a Split-Hvar vehicle ferry costs three times a foot-passenger ticket, and parking on Hvar or Korčula is a headache. Car in the north, catamaran in the south.
  • • Plitvice at opening (7-8am): the boardwalks are yours before the coaches arrive around 10am.
  • • The detour via Šibenik between Zadar and Split, for its all-stone St James cathedral, often overlooked.
  • • Korčula as an overnight stop rather than a quick call: the old town in the evening, without the day-trippers, is magical.

⚠️ Would change

  • • Swap one night in Zagreb for Istria (Rovinj) if you arrive from the north-west.
  • • Add Mljet island and its national park instead of Korčula for nature lovers.
  • • Skip the Krka trip if you have already done Plitvice: the two parks are similar.

FAQ

Itinerary FAQ

Do I need a car for this trip? +
Yes for the northern part (Zagreb, Plitvice, Zadar, Krka), where the parks are scattered. Return it at Split: the islands run on foot-passenger catamarans, far cheaper than vehicle ferries.
Can this trip be done without a car? +
Partly. Buses and catamarans link the main stops, but Plitvice and Krka become tricky without a car. For the parks, an organised tour remains possible.
Do I need to book ferries and park entries? +
Yes in high season: the fast catamarans and Plitvice entry (hourly quota) book online several days ahead. Krka is more flexible outside July-August.
Is this itinerary family-friendly? +
Yes with children over 6. The parks and coves please, and the legs stay short. Bring water shoes for the pebble beaches.
What is the best time to go? +
Late May to mid-June and September: full waterfalls, swimmable sea, less crowded sites. July-August are hot and packed, especially in Dubrovnik and Plitvice.
How much does this 2-week trip cost? +
Around €1,600 backpacker, €2,100 comfort and €4,000 premium, flight from Paris included, per person.

Marie Laurent ✓

·

Southeast Asia specialist · itinerary personally tested.

Last updated: June 1, 2026.

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