Split and Dubrovnik: a week on the Dalmatian coast
Split and Dubrovnik are the two anchors of the Dalmatian coast, roughly 230km apart by road, and a week is enough to properly settle into both — plus at least one island. Split six nights as 3 in Split (with an island day trip) and 3 in Dubrovnik. Split's Diocletian's Palace and easy island access make it the better base for hopping to Hvar or Brač, while Dubrovnik's walled Old Town rewards slower, unhurried mornings before the cruise-ship crowds arrive.
Getting between them
The coastal bus is the easiest way to cover the roughly four-and-a-half-hour journey, running frequently in summer along the scenic Adriatic highway. One quirk worth knowing: the road briefly crosses a strip of Bosnia and Herzegovina at Neum, Bosnia's only stretch of coastline, so keep your passport handy for a quick border check in each direction — routine, but easy to be caught off guard by if you weren't expecting it. In peak summer, a fast catamaran also links Split to Dubrovnik via Hvar and Korčula, taking longer than the bus but turning the transfer day into a mini island-hop of its own.
| Day | Where | What |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Split | Arrive, Diocletian's Palace, the Riva promenade at sunset |
| 2 | Island day trip | Ferry to Hvar Town or Brač's Zlatni Rat beach |
| 3 | Split | Marjan Hill for the view, final wander before the transfer |
| 4 | Bus to Dubrovnik | ~4.5 hours via the coast road (passing through Neum, Bosnia) |
| 5 | Dubrovnik | Old Town, the City Walls walk in the cooler morning hours |
| 6 | Dubrovnik | Lokrum Island by boat, or the Mount Srđ cable car for sunset |
| 7 | Dubrovnik | Elaphiti Islands boat trip, or a Kotor (Montenegro) day trip, then depart |
Don't skip the islands
Split's real advantage over Dubrovnik is how easy island-hopping is from its ferry port — Hvar, Brač and Šolta are all within a day trip, and Hvar's lavender fields and old town are worth the crossing even in a single afternoon. Dubrovnik's islands are smaller in scale: Lokrum is a twenty-minute boat ride and makes a good half-day of walking trails and a botanical garden, without the logistics of a full island-hop.
What to book ahead
- Dubrovnik City Walls ticket — buy online in advance; queues at the entrance gates in July and August can eat an hour of your morning.
- Accommodation in Dubrovnik's Old Town — the walled city has a small footprint and limited beds, and July–August rooms book out months ahead.
- Ferry tickets to Hvar or Korčula — summer sailings sell out, particularly the faster catamaran services and the earliest departures.
- Krka or Plitvice Lakes tickets — if you extend inland for a national park day, both now run timed entry systems in peak season.
- Popular Old Town restaurants — Dubrovnik's Old Town is compact and every table with a view gets requested; book a day or two ahead.
Watch the passport if you cross into Montenegro
A Kotor day trip from Dubrovnik is a popular add-on — the bay itself rivals a fjord — but Montenegro isn't in the EU or Schengen, so it's a genuine border crossing each way. Check your passport's validity and any entry requirements for your nationality before booking a day tour that assumes you'll sail through.