7 Days in Croatia Itinerary, a Memorable Trip! [Travel Ruta del Mate]

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If you are asking yourself: “where should I go for 7 days in Croatia”, you are in the right place. We’ve designed a 7 to 10 days itinerary to help you plan your trip to this beautiful country.

The small and beautiful Baltic country has many tourist attractions to visit. After going through the Yugoslavian war in the early 90’s, Croatia modernized, rebuilt all the sites that had been damaged and gradually established itself as a place to spend the summer in its islands and beaches of the Adriatic coast.

Besides, it has very beautiful old towns in its capital and in the main cities of the coast like Split or Dubrovnik.

So that you don’t miss anything, we recommend an itinerary on what to see in 7 days in Croatia (or 10 days).

📜 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Map – 7 days in Croatia

If you have 7 days to visit Croatia, we recommend the following itinerary with a day by day detail to see the main highlights of the country.

In the mood to get carried away? Check this out:

Zagreb to Dubrovnik 6 Day Tour.
(Zagreb – Samobor – Plitvice Lakes – Šibenik – Dubrovnik)

Day 1: Zagreb

Although Zagreb can be visited in one day, we loved it. So much that we visited it twice and recommend staying more time. Its old town is not so big and is divided into the lower part, where Kaptol (church) and the walls are located, and the upper part with St. Mark’s Square as the main landmark.

It’s also a very lively city with markets like Dolac, where fruits and vegetables are sold, and Christmas markets that have staggered positions to become one of the most beautiful in Europe.

Zagreb also has a lot of pedestrian streets with many restaurants and bars. We were surprised by the city’s nightlife.

Zagreb City Tour.

Zagreb from the Old Town viewpoint. Flor is in the foreground and the cathedral can be seen from there. Also houses with orange roofs. 7 days in Croatia itinerary.

Day 2: Plitvice Lakes National Park

This is one of the tourist places to see in Croatia in 7 days that you can not miss. Plitvice national park is a set of 16 crystal clear lakes that are at different levels and is a real paradise that you have to know.

Touring the national park of Plitvice will take you a full day, as you have to walk quite a bit along the trails to see the main sights, and you can even sail on one of its lakes or take a train.

There are hotels inside the park and restaurants where you can stay overnight if you want.

Water cascading down a small waterfall. On one side, there is a wooden path that does not seem to be in good condition. There is a lot of vegetation. Plitvice Lakes is one of the must see in a 7 days in Croatia itinerary.

Days 3 and 4: Split

On the shores of the Adriatic Sea, the picturesque city of Split is another must-see in Croatia. Its old town is a true relic which earned it to be named a World Heritage Site by Unesco.

The Dioclesian Palace is one of the most important places in Split. From the 13th century, there are still preserved part of its façade, the access gates and a set of labyrinthine streets inside, among which the Peristyle, the cathedral of St. Domnius, the Temple of Jupiter and the Underground Galleries stand out.

In addition, Split has a wide promenade called “Riva” with terraces for a drink. At night there are street stalls and a lot of movement of people.

In Split, you have to spend at least two days: the first one to visit the old town and the second day to climb to Marjan, a park on top of a hill with views and make a trip to Trogir by bus or boat.

Split Walking Tour.

Panoramic view of the Riva of Split from the harbor almost at dusk. You can see the tower of the Cathedral and the white facades of the buildings facing the Riva.

Day 5: Visiting some Croatian islands from Split

From Split there are several ferries of the company Jadronalija that operate mainly in summer and that leave you in some of the most recognized islands of the country such as Hvar or Brac.

The island of Hvar has become an icon for young people looking for fun both day and night. But it is also an emblem for the beauty of the old town with the walls and fortress, beaches and coves with crystal clear water or hiking trails in the interior.

If you are looking for quieter islands, Korcula is one of those that we recommend, with its old town walled and beaches without too many people.

Hvar & Pakleni Islands Catamaran Cruise from Split.

Historic center of Korcula in the distance at sunset. The houses have an orange hue from the setting sun. There are boats floating in the sea. 7 days in Croatia.

Days 6 and 7: Dubrovnik, the pearl of the Adriatic Sea

Dubrovnik is a must on a 7-day itinerary in Croatia. Although it is possible to visit it in one day, it is best to know every corner of this walled city by the sea in two or more days.

Inside the walls all the streets are pedestrianized, and you will find old churches, palaces and even local markets.

You don’t need a drone to see the spectacular views. There is a viewpoint ideal for taking pictures of the entire wall, the old town and the sea in the background. If you have time, you can even go to the beach a few kilometers from the center.

Guided Walking Tour of Dubrovnik.

Dubrovnik from a high viewpoint. Juan is on his back looking out over the scenery. You can see the old town with its orange roofs, islands and the Adriatic Sea.

What to see in Croatia in 10 days

If you have 3 more days to add to the previous tour, we recommend adding the city of Zadar and more time on the islands of Croatia.

The 10 days itinerary in Croatia would be as follows:

Day 1: Zagreb.
Day 2: Plitvice.
Day 3: Zadar. For us it does not have as much beauty as Dubrovnik or Split, but it has a nice old town surrounded by the sea with its famous Sea Organ and sunsets.
Days 4 and 5: Split.
Days 6, 7 and 8: Croatian islands. You can do a more extensive tour than in the 7-day Croatia itinerary, visiting several islands or making a base on one of them to go to the beach longer.
Days 9 and 10: Dubrovnik.

Do you have more than 10 days to visit Croatia?

The country hides many places of interest, so there are more things to see in Croatia if you have more than 10 days. We recommend adding the Istrian Peninsula, close to Slovenia and the city of Trieste in Italy.

Here you can visit charming villages in the mountains like Motovun, the beauty of small towns by the sea like Rovinj, the Roman remains in the city of Pula and enjoy the gastronomy of the region famous for its truffles.

And if you are in Dubrovnik, we recommend an excursion to one of the neighboring countries, such as Bosnia and Herzegovina or Montenegro. Some of the most visited places are Mostar in the first one and Kotor Bay in the second one.

Couple (pregnant Flor & Juan), hugging each other, behind them Rovinj old town and the Adriatic sea - If you have more than 7 days in Croatia, visit Istria penynsula

Useful information to visit Croatia

Buy your travel insurance and travel safe!

🚑 Take a look at these tips to choose the best travel insurance (updated to 2022) according to the type of traveler you are and, in addition, it will help you clear up the most common doubts. Travel safe!

Travel Insurance Banner - It says: "Travel with peace of mind! Discounts of up to 7% on your travel insurance. Check out our article and get all your doubts out of your mind" Accompanied by an image of us holding hands in the Salinas Grandes of Argentina. Juan on the left, little Benji in the middle and Flor on the right.

– Where to sleep in Croatia?

During the year, the prices of accommodation in Croatia are not expensive, but they increase considerably in the summer months. The most expensive cities to stay in are Dubrovnik and Split. If you travel without booking accommodation to these cities, you may find yourself without a place to sleep, especially if you are traveling on a budget.

To the hostels, hotels and aparts where to sleep in Croatia, you have to add the “sobes”, which are rooms offered by Croatian families who live in the city as a way to earn some extra money.

📌 What is a sobe? In Croatia it is very common to be offered “sobes” for accommodation, i.e. rooms in the locals’ own houses that are set up to receive tourists. You will notice that the houses have a sign next to the door indicating that they have a “sobe”. They may have modernized by offering rooms on platforms such as Airbnb, but they themselves are usually waiting for unreserved travelers at the bus or ferry station. You will identify them because they have their brochures in hand with photographs and maps of their accommodations. It’s best to agree on the price at that moment (you will notice that it is cheaper than a traditional hotel, and some include breakfast).

– Getting to Croatia and moving around

From several European cities there are regular flights, mainly to the capital Zagreb as well as to the most touristic destinations such as Split or Dubrovnik. The frequency is higher in summer.

To move within Croatia it is best to do it by bus or rent a car, especially if you want to go to Dubrovnik where you will have to cross a part of the territory of Bosnia.

If you want to go to the islands in summer, ferries are very frequent both from Dubrovnik and from Zadar or Split. Outside the high season the frequency drops a lot and there are even islands where there are no ferries every day.