Located on the eastern side of the Adriatic Sea, Croatia’s coastline is 1,880 km long and its islands and islets add another 4,398 km. Countless pebble beaches line the shore, and the inviting crystal-clear water attracts many beachgoers and water sports enthusiasts. The Dinara Mountain Range separates the Mediterranean coastline from the rest of the country. In the heartland there are lakes, waterfalls, small villages and vestiges of ancient times.
Croatia is an interesting and diversified country with lots to see and do. Many visit Croatia solely by cruise ship and spend time only in Dubrovnik and Split. We toyed with this idea for a while but instead we opted for a road trip to see more of this captivating land. We’re really glad we did!
Croatia Road Trip
Driving in Croatia is easy, they drive on the right side like we’re used too and the roads are well maintained (quite honestly, better than in our North American hometown!). We just had to laugh, as one of our friends couldn’t believe we planned to drive throughout Croatia. It turned out to be the best option, giving us the ability to stop and explore smaller towns and sites often overlooked by the droves of cruise ship tourists that swarm these places for a few hours a day.
To drive from Split to Dubrovnik we had two options: Driving on the mainland and cutting through Bosnia and Herzegovina via the Neum Corridor or taking a ferry from Ploče to Trpanj on the Pelješac Peninsula and bypassing Bosnia.
We opted to drive along the scenic route on the mainland and used the Neum Corridor. All that was required was for us to stop at the Bosnian border and present our passports and 20 minutes later, do the same at the UE (Croatia) border. No problems, no delays. Simple! (We do travel with Canadian passports).
(Since July 26, 2022, things got a lot easier with a new bridge that connects Croatia’s southern Adriatic region with the rest of the country.)
Tip: Make sure that your rental car agreement allows crossing the border or if you need extra insurance to take the vehicle on a ferry.
We stayed in Zagreb, Split and Mlini, south of Dubrovnik. Having a car enabled us to take multiple mini road trips and gave us the chance to stop at interesting places along the way: Plitvice Lakes National Park, Zadar, Ston and Mali Ston…places we would have otherwise missed.
For sure there is little use for a car in old town Split or Dubrovnik, parking is scarce and these are pedestrian traffic areas only. That said, even with leaving the car at the hotel for a few days (we had found one with free parking!) the added benefit of having the car to commute was well worthwhile. Car rental prices were reasonable and even at the start of the popular summer season we paid about $150 for a nice mid-size sedan. If you need an automatic transmission however, be prepared to pay double that and reserve early.
Zagreb
Croatia has a population of almost 4.2 million with approximately 800,000 living in Croatia’s capital, Zagreb. This seemed like the perfect place to start our Croatian adventure and it gave us the chance to recuperate after our long flight before hitting the road.
Many of the attractions and important sights are located in the heart of the city and we had no trouble seeing them all in one day. Gornji grad also called Upper Town or Old town is a must-see with its cobblestone streets and ancient architecture, museums and specialty stores. Donji grad or Lower Town is more ‘modern’ but still has the elegance of another era with lovely parks, museums and galleries, and a concert hall.
Top 5 Things to Do in Zagreb, Croatia
Split
Located on the Dalmatian coast, this ancient seaport dates back to the 4th century and is Croatia’s second largest town with a population of 178,000. We visited in early June and the streets were already swarming with people and it gets much worse in the peak of the season (July – August), as Split is also a popular cruise port.
Many of the attractions are located in the Old Town especially within the walls of the Diocletian’s Palace. This fortress-like palace used to be the residence of the Roman emperor and housed the military garrison. It’s a maze of small alleyways lined with shops, cafes and restaurants. It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Just outside of the Old Town, there is the Marjan Forest Park, a hillside park with historical landmarks and various lookout points offering spectacular views of the city and the Dalmatian Islands. It’s also a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of the Old Town. Be prepared for an uphill hike, we both got blisters that day and our iPhones logged 20,000 steps!
Top 5 Things to Do in Split, Croatia
Dubrovnik
When arriving in the walled city of Dubrovnik it’s easy to see why it’s dubbed the Pearl of the Adriatic. This ancient medieval city is like an open-air museum with its fortifications, palaces, churches and monasteries. Specialty shops and restaurants line the Stradun (Placa), the old town’s main artery, as well as its narrow alleyways and plazas. It’s almost like being thrown back in time, except for the multitude of tourists roaming around taking selfies. Well I guess that includes us too!
A main attraction is walking along the massive city walls and ramparts that encircle the Old Town, and this is a must-do. From this vantage point a splendid panorama appears—the contrast of the red tile roofs with the sea in the background. It’s a spectacular view and the colorful roofs only enhance the deep blue of the Adriatic Sea below. We could see the seaside 16th-century Lovrijenac Fortress (Fort of St Lawrence) perched on the edge of the cliff and Lokrum Island across the bay. A must-see whether you’re a Game of Thrones fan or not! Those that are will recognize this as Kings Landing.
Dubrovnik is located in southern Croatia, which is separated from the rest of the country by Bosnia and Herzegovina. Formally part of the Republic of Yugoslavia, Croatia declared itself independent in 1991. This was the beginning of the Croatian War of Independence with the Serbs, which ended in 1995. The Homeland War Museum (inside Fort Imperial) has exhibits and presents a video about the war. Even though a lot of repairs were made in the walled city of Dubrovnik, evidence of the war is still visible in and around the city. We took the cable car to get up to the museum on top of Mount Srdj and enjoyed the spectacular vistas over the city and the Adriatic Sea.
Top 5 Things to Do in Dubrovnik, Croatia
Plitvice Lakes National Park
We just had to include a visit to Croatia’s oldest national park, although we had planned to stop for a brief visit while driving from Zagreb to Split, we ended up exploring the area for almost 5 hours instead. It was that beautiful, and well worth our time!
Plitvice Lakes National Park spreads over an area of almost 300 sq km, has 16 lakes, countless cascades and spectacular waterfalls. The best way to explore is to follow the paths weaving in and out along the lakes offering picturesque scenery around every bend. The trails vary in length and level of difficulty, so choose carefully. The park is divided into two areas, the upper lakes and lower lakes. Electric buses and boats are available to get from one area to another, however some walking or hiking will be required, be sure to wear proper walking shoes. Good sandals can work but don’t try this in flip-flops.
We did both sections and found the lower lakes more spectacular, albeit more crowded than the upper lakes. Wooden bridges crisscross over the water, offering many different perspectives of the lakes and numerous waterfalls. Some trails also extend into the dense forest surrounding the lakes. Various species of animals inhabit the wooded area, including bears, wild boars, wolves and lynx. Smaller creatures also call the park home, including 161 species of birds and 321 types of butterflies. The flora is diversified with over 1200 kinds of plants including 55 types of orchids.
Zadar
On a whim we decided to include this little town in our itinerary since it was only a small detour from our planned route from Zagreb to Split. We had heard that there was a Sea Organ and this was something we had to see and hear!
At first glance it looks more like a wide staircase but the experimental instrument plays music with the rhythm of the waves entering the tubes hidden below the steps. It’s really different from anything we had ever seen before, so we just sat there listening to its melody for a while. Also, it seemed like a popular spot for people wanting to dive into the sea and cool off.
The town itself is interesting too, especially the Old Town with Roman and Venetian vestiges bordering a wide plaza along the Adriatic Sea. There was parking just outside the city walls in a public lot costing the equivalent of just a couple of dollars in Croatian Kuna. We also found that the people were more relaxed and friendly than in some of the other more touristy places we visited.
Ston and Mali Ston
Shortly after crossing through Bosnia we made a small detour to the sister towns of Ston and Mali Ston. The area is well known for its production of salt, which dates back 2,000 years. All around the area we could see numerous oyster farms. The Bay of Mali Ston produces excellent oysters and our taste tests confirmed it—meaty and rich, a delight for our palates (or taste buds)!
Grandiose 14th century fortifications link Mali Ston and Ston with approximately 5 km of walls connecting the two, which you can climb. For us, this was reminiscent (on a much smaller scale) of the Great Wall of China minus the crowds.
The walls begin with Mali Ston’s Koruna Fortress and end at the Veliki Kastio in Ston on the other side. There’s also a path to get back to the starting point or those who prefer can simply drive from one town to the other. Of course, we had to climb and get a birds-eye view of the villages and bay down below! Well worth the hike.
Interesting places around Split
Klis Fortress
Located 15 km away from Split this hilltop medieval fortress dates back to the 3rd century BC and has a 2000-year history; from being a stronghold during the Illyrian era to becoming a royal residence of Croatian kings until the Ottoman War when it reverted to a fortress. It has a long and colorful history and is now a popular filming location, including many scenes from the popular Game of Thrones series.
As luck would have it we didn’t see many tourists around when we visited. Perhaps its location on top of a steep hill makes it a challenge to reach. We were happy to be able to wander around freely without hordes of tourists swarming the place. There is a small museum on site as well as a small exhibition about Game of Thrones. To the fans of the show (us included) this is Meereen and it was exciting to be here but most of all the views from the terraces, of the Dalmatian backcountry and Adriatic Sea were spectacular!
Ruins of Salona
Only 5 km away from Split, near Solin, lay the ancient ruins of Salona. Roman vestiges and necropolises are scattered through fields and olive groves. We trusted our GPS to get us there but I think we ended up going in the back way, as we didn’t see any ticket office. We spent time exploring the area around the ruins of the Bishop’s Complex before getting back in the car and driving to the remnants of the amphitheatre. Otherwise it would have been a long walk in the blistering midday sun and there was plenty of parking next to the site.
From here we continued on to Trogir by way of the coastal route and stopped at a few little castles along the coast. The Vitturi Castle has been renovated and is now a museum about the town of Kastela. Some of the other seaside ‘castelas’ are in a state of disrepair.
Trogir
Located about 30 km north of Split this Dalmatian gem is a must-see! The old town center is surrounded by walls and sits on a small island linked to the mainland by bridges. The city dates back to 380 BC and has a long history depicted by its numerous ancient buildings. The historical Old Town is a maze of tiny alleyways, plazas and well-preserved buildings including the 12th century Cathedral of St Lawrence and the Karmelengo Castle, which is located on the shore of the Adriatic Sea.
A climb up the bell tower of the cathedral is well worth the effort and offers spectacular views of the city. We were tempted to pull on the rope and ring the bell, but resisted the urge! Also, picturesque vistas of the city, harbor and seaside esplanade can be seen from the top of the castle’s tower.
We enjoyed this town so much that we came back later for dinner, one of our best dinners in Croatia!
Sibenik
This buzzing little town is located one hour north of Split and only 30 minutes from Trogir. Cafes and restaurants line the waterfront. We came mostly to see the 15th century Cathedral of St James and barely made it inside, as a wedding was about to take place. We did enjoy observing the pre–wedding festivities with singing and dancing taking place in front of the church’s main entrance. The city came alive! Interesting feature: The back of the church is adorned with 72 heads carved in stone.
Then we went up the hill to St Michael’s Fortress, which has been renovated and converted into an open-air theater. From our perch we got a bird’s-eye view of the city and the Adriatic Sea dotted by the Kornati Islands.
We then made a small detour before returning to Split to see the 16th century St. Nicolas Fortress, which sits alone on a tiny island. Our late arrival prevented us from taking a boat tour to get a closer look, so we crossed over to a nearby island hoping to get a better look. However, one has to walk through the water to get there. Since I didn’t have the proper footwear, I stayed behind while my husband went to check it out. It’s not possible to go inside, at least not safely, and it is unfortunately closed to the public.
Some Interesting places around Dubrovnik
Trsteno arboretum
After spending days roaming ancient walled cities, for a change of scenery we opted to go up the coast to see the arboretum (another filming location of Game of Thrones). This is a Lovely park with historical buildings, well-manicured gardens, elaborate fountains, ancient aqueducts and stunning sea views offering a respite from the hustle and bustle of Dubrovnik’s Old Town—a welcome breath of fresh air less than 20 km away from Dubrovnik.
Ston and Mali Ston
Located approximately 50 km north of Dubrovnik, these quaint villages on the Pelješac peninsula have an incredible history and some of the freshest oysters we’ve ever eaten! The Fortress of Koruna and stone walls that connect the two towns are well worth seeing and worth the climb.
Mlini
A small resort town located only 12 km south of Dubrovnik. This is where we stayed and the walled city of Dubrovnik was only a short boat or taxi ride away. It has a lovely pebble beach lined with bars, cafes and restaurants. The perfect place to unwind and relax!
Cavtat
This charming little town located less than 20 km south of Dubrovnik is ideal to take a peaceful seaside stroll or for just lazing around. It has a beautiful pebble beach bordering the clear cool waters of the Adriatic Sea.
This time around we didn’t have time to visit some of the islands or to do any scuba diving, perhaps another time…
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2 replies on “Croatia Road Trip: A Self-Guided Adventure”
This post of your Dalmatian Coast and inland trip is going to be invaluable to us when we do our driving trip next year. Thank you for posting and sharing your information!
Thank you, glad you found the information useful! Croatia has a lot to offer and we would gladly return to explore more of it. It’s the perfect place for a self-guided drive! Enjoy Croatia!