Croatia
Island Hopping
Island Hopping in Croatia
Mali Losinj-Cres-Kornati-Vis-
Hvar-Brač-Korčula-Mljet-Lopud
The Croatian coastline is the most beautiful in Europe. There. I said it: Stunning islands, cobble-stoned villages, vibrant cities, all set against stupendously clear-blue water. After perusing travel guides and websites, it becomes quickly apparent where the tourist hotspots are. Architecture lovers gather at Diocletian’s palace in Split, or the Roman amphitheatre in Pula. Island aficionados head for the glamour of Hvar or its Mamma Mia-famous neighbour Vis. And the narrow alleys and cute houses of Dubrovnik’s Old Town set the heart racing of even the most hard-nosed film location scout.
But during high season, you will share the coast’s beauty with many, many other travellers. Overcrowding becomes a particular nuisance in Dubrovnik, formerly nicknamed the ‘Pearl of the Adriatic’, which aches and creaks under its Games-of-Throne fame and hordes of cruise ship invaders. Many locals in Split mourn the loss of their city to the tourist trade, brought about by the massive expansion of its airport facilities. And the promenade in Hvar Town has turned into a rather sad catwalk for the vainglorious types.
But all is not lost, unless of course you decide to embark on a visit during the summer months of July and August. Out of season though, the Adriatic coast maintains its mesmerising beauty and you would be hard pressed to identify a visually more stunning trip. And when it gets cold and wet in northern Europe, the coast can at times provide a dose of much-appreciated winter sun.
Trip Essentials
Before embarking on one of Europe’s most stunning sea voyages, you might want to download a map of the country.
How to get there:
International airports with countless flight connections are located in Venice/Italy, Split and Dubrovnik, while Pula and Zadar are served by low-cost operator Ryanair.
How to get around:
The main ferry operator is the former state-owned monopolist Jadrolinija. Upon joining the European Union in 2013, Croatia had to liberalise its transport system, and there are now a number of smaller operators, who are keen to grab a slice of the market, most notably Kapetan Luka, Catamaran Line, as well as G&V Line. An excellent overview of all ferry services is offered by the portal of Croatia ferries.
Croatia has a highly comprehensive network of local, regional and even national buses (in case you need to travel to Slovenia, Italy, Montenegro or Bosnia). But journey times can be long (for instance the trip between Split and Venice can take up to 10 hours). There is also a train service linking Split with Zagreb, which is well connected to other European hubs. Try the Trainline and Rome2Rio for schedules.
Where to stay:
The usual suspects of booking.com, Air BnB, and Vrbo provide a comprehensive number of listings in all the locations mentioned in this post. Hostelworld too has a strong presence with options in Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar and Hvar.
When to go:
Given that this travel blog is all about ‘hidden places’ I cannot recommend coming to this part of Europe in July or August. You will find no place to hide from the crowds. Croatia is now on many travel bucket lists, just like the Eiffel Tower, the Oktoberfest in Munich, or Las Ramblas in Barcelona. ‘Doing Europe’ now often entails ‘doing Croatia’. I remember that not long ago, the Croatia Tourist Office marketed the country as ‘The Mediterranean as it once was’. That must have been quite a successful campaign. But come in May and early June when swimming in the sea is already possible (at least for the hardy ones) or wait until late September and October when many of the islands are starting to feel quite remote. My favourite time of year however is winter. During that time, even the magnets of Dubrovnik and Split have quieted down.
But journeying up and down the coast during winter can be challenging. The weather during these months can hardly be described as stormy (it is the Mediterranean after all), but certain ferry connections at this time of year have shut down for the season. As such, travelling onwards from Hvar to Dubrovnik is not possible. But a trip from Pula to Zadar and then from Split to Vis, Hvar and Korčula is still very much doable during that time. And you have the added advantage of being practically the only tourist on board.
How long:
The entire trip along the Croatian coast can be done in around 8 days, but you could certainly extend your stay to two or even more weeks. Where feasible, I have listed ‘side excursions’ to other islands.
Pag
When planning your journey, you might want to keep some additional matters in mind.
There is currently no ferry link between Croatia’s fifth biggest city Zadar, and its second most populous, Split. A ferry operator called Envira planned to offer a service starting in 2019, yet, so far, this has not happened, so you might want to check the Croatia Ferries portal for an update. Hence, for now, travelling between Zadar and Split is done by overland bus. Handily, the bus terminal in Zadar is located just a short walk from the ferry terminal. Bus services are frequent, cost around 10 € and take approximately three hours. At the other end in Split, the ferry departures are right opposite the bus terminal.
Not every ferry link runs every day, or indeed throughout the year. In fact, there are a number of travel legs that only operate in high season (from the beginning of June until the end of September), or even only in July and in August. Also, just because a ferry link operates for instance on Monday at 11.00, it does not mean that the same link leaves at that time the next day. Checking your precise departure days and times on Croatia Ferries is therefore absolutely vital.
Many ferry links are operated by catamarans, which do not take on board motor scooters or cars and might on occasion even scoff at bicycles.
Should you travel without a vehicle, it is not necessary to book foot passenger tickets in advance. These can simply be purchased at the ferry terminal.
On most ferries, on-board catering is limited to a café service, so do not expect three-course meals, fine cutlery, and linen tablecloths. Prices have gone up considerably since the Euro introduction in 2023 and are now in line with other Mediterranean hotspots in France or Italy. Yet, sipping a coffee or a beer on deck and watch the wonderful scenery unfold is one of the true pleasures of this tour.
When planning your journey, you also have to factor in the ‘bottleneck’ between Vis and Hvar Town. This link only runs once a week (on Tuesdays at the bright and early time of 7.00 am). Should you miss that link, you have to travel the two hours back to Split (3-4 times a day throughout the year), before journeying onwards to Hvar Town (of course, it this is too much hassle, you might just have to skip Vis altogether and watch the second Mamm Mia movie which used the island as a highly picturesque film set.
A number of islands do not feature on this itinerary (my apologies to the tourist offices on Brač and Krk, or the national park administration of the Kornati islands). This does not mean that they are not worth a visit (far from it). I just did not manage to fit them in.
Itinerary #1:
The Northern Route:
Venice – Pula – Mali Losinj – Zadar.
June and September
There is a very regular service on this route throughout these two months. Between Venice and Pula, you can choose from 5 services a week in June (2 times on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday). In September it is down to four times a week (2 times on Tuesday, and once on Thursday and Saturday).
Between Pula and Mali Losinj, a 3 ½ hour crossing by Catamaran is offered twice a week (on Wednesdays and Saturdays).
Between Mali Losinj and Zadar, you can take a quick Catamaran (just under 3 hours. Ferry Operator Catamaran Line), leaving Wednesdays and Saturdays. There is also a much slower (just under 7 hours) regular ferry operated by Jadrolinija on Mondays and Fridays.
Keep in mind, if you are planning on tackling The Southern Route from Split to Korcula, you have to leave Split on a Monday, so make sure to arrive in Zadar on a Saturday to allow for the ‘overland’ bus transfer between Zadar and Split. The following would work:
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Tue: Venice to Pula, 3 ½ hours
17.00. Ferry Operator: Venezia Lines
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Wed: Pula to Mali Losinj, 3 ½ hours
7.00 am. Ferry Operator Catamaran Line
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Sat: Mali Losinj to Zadar, just under 3 hours
10.30 am. Ferry Operator: Catamaran Line
Sun: Bus to Split
Itinerary #2:
Northern Route:
Pula – (Mali Losinj) – Zadar.
October until May:
If you are travelling outside of the summer months, your point of departure can no longer be Venice, as there is no ferry link to Croatia. But from Pula, there is a year-round link to Zadar (via Mali Losinj). You can reach Pula by bus from Venice (around 8 hours), from Trieste (with an international airport and train station; around 3 hours), or from Rijeka (with a train link to Zagreb; around 3 hours). The ferry from Pula to Zadar (with a stop in Mali Losinj) leaves every Friday at 7.00 am for the 6 ½ hour journey. Should you wish to stay a couple of hours in Mali Losinj, you can get off the boat, which arrives at around 13.00 and take the slow Jadrolinija ferry to Zadar, departing on the same day at 16.15 and arriving (in darkness) at 23.00; a long 7-hour crossing. The choice is yours.
Itinerary #3:
Southern Route:
Split – Vis – Hvar Town – Korčula – Mljet – Dubrovnik
June and September
Here are the days and departure times in case you include the island of Vis. Should you skip Vis, you can leave Split on any day.
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Mon: Split to Vis, 2 ½ hours
3 – 4 times day, year-round, Ferry operator Jadrolinija
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Tue: Vis to Hvar Town, 50 minutes
7.00 am, year-round. Ferry operator: Jadrolinija
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Wed: Hvar Town to Korčula, around 75 minutes
08.50 am and 18.10, Ferry operator: Kapetan Luka
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Thu: Korčula to Pomena (island of Mljet), 40 minutes
10.10 am, Ferry Operator: Kapetan Luka
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Fri: Pomena (island of Mljet) to Dubrovnik, 80 minutes
10.45 am, Ferry Operator: Kapetan Luka
Split
Itinerary #4:
Southern Route
Split - Vis - Hvar Town – Korčula – Hvar Town – Stari Grad – Split
October until May
Once again, to include Vis, you need to leave Split on a Monday, so that you can catch the Tuesday ferry from Viz to Hvar. Skip Vis and you can travel on any day of the week. The ferry link from Korčula to Dubrovnik does not operate between the end of October and early April. But if you are travelling in, for example May and October, you still be able to make it to Dubrovnik (but please check for accurate times on the Croatia ferries portal. Should you travel between November and March, this will be a circular trip, and you have to make your way back to Split. Here’s the itinerary, with Vis included.
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Mon: Split to Vis, 2 ½ hours: 3 – 4 times day, year-round, Ferry operator Jadrolinija
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Tue: Vis to Hvar Town, 50 minutes: 7.00 am, year-round. Ferry operator: Jadrolinija
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Wednesday onward: you have made it past the Vis bottleneck and from now on can enjoy daily services:
Hvar Town to Korčula, around 75 minutes. Ferry operator: Kapetan Luka
Nov to Mar: every day: 17.05
Apr to Oct: every day: 08.50 am and 18.10.
Korčula to Hvar Town, around 75 minutes. Ferry operator: Kapetan Luka
Nov to Mar: every day: 6.00 am (Sunday 13.00)
Apr to Oct: every day: 6.00 am (Sunday 13.00) and 18.35
Hvar Town – Stari Grad: by local bus with 4 daily connections
Stari Grad – Split: around 2 hours. Ferry Operator: Jadrolinija
Year round: 5.30 am, 11.30, 17.30
Side Excursions
If this sounds too much of a rush, you can use the above-mentioned itineraries as a framework and can add side-excursions to your journey. Here are some suggestions:
From Mali Losinj:
The charming Venetian town of Cres (on the island bearing the same name) is only a relatively short hop from Mali Losinj. There is a year-round service departing at 6.00 am (Sundays adds a merciful departure at 10.00 am). The trip takes 2 hours and is offered by Jadrolinija. You can return to Mali Losinj on the same day (15.55; 17.25 on Sundays).
From Zadar:
Before continuing your journey to Split, you could do worse than spending some time in the Kornati islands (a maritime national park). Several tour operators, all located near the ferry terminal are offering daily excursions. For a proper Robinson Crusoe experience, you can also book a week-long stay on your own private island. Check out Tourist Agency Lori.
Jelsa, Island of Hvar
On Hvar:
As mentioned in a different post on this blog, Hvar is undoubtedly beautiful, and stunningly so, but you might want to check out the more low-key towns of Stari Grad, Jelsa and above all Vrboska. Public buses can take you to these places, with the bus station in Hvar Town located just next to the cathedral Sveti Stjepana.
From Jelsa, there is also a daily ferry to Bol on the nearby island of Brač. Unfortunately, the ferry departs at 6.00 am (7.00 am on Saturdays), but the schedulers at Jadrolinjia showed mercy and are offering a Sunday service which leaves Jelsa at 12.30 and returns at 17.10. This should give you enough time to walk through Bol and on to the nearby beach of Slatni Rat; the brochure-famous, heart-shaped beach. You can also travel onward from Bol to Split in case you do not wish to return to the island of Hvar.
From Dubrovnik:
As mentioned before, Dubrovnik can get stiflingly crowded, so you might be well served to stay in nearby Cavtat, at the foot of Dubrovnik airport (the planes will be coming in over your head, when taking a dip in the sea). From Cavtat you can take a regular ferry service into town (at least 4 times a day; Ferry operator Adriana). The trip just takes 30 minutes.
And if you still do not have enough, from Dubrovnik you can explore the car-free island of Lopud; a short 1-hour hop (around 3 – 4 daily ferries year-round; Ferry operator Jadrolinija), where you can enjoy a rare stretch of sandy beach on this usually rocky coastline.
Stari Grad, Island of Hvar