With so many wonderful places to visit in Croatia, it’s sometimes difficult to plan a perfect Croatia itinerary, especially if you have only one week in Croatia and are visiting Croatia for the first time. But don’t worry, we have you covered!

A fellow travel blogger, Bea from Our Wanders blog put together this 7 days in Croatia itinerary that will allow you to see all the highlights and most beautiful places in the country. Read on and plan your trip to Croatia!

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Croatia is famous for its crystal clear beaches, surrounded by fragrant pine forests, but there are so many more Croatia attractions to see! The rich diversity of cultural and natural treasures makes it hard to plan a trip to Croatia, especially if you only have one week in Croatia and visit the country for the first time.

Having grown up in neighboring Hungary, I visited Croatia many times throughout the years, and I created this 7 days Croatia itinerary to give you a taste of everything that makes this country so captivating, and no doubt, it’ll leave you longing for more.

7 days in Croatia itinerary

Day 1: Zagreb

This might not be what you expected to hear, but Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, is actually a great place to start your trip. It’s among the smallest and most underrated European capitals, and it’ll likely be on your way, anyway, either arriving by car or plane.

Don’t rush to the coast immediately, spend your first day in Zagreb, and you’ll see a face of Croatia that most travelers don’t. After all, there are so many great things to do in Zagreb that you don’t want to miss.

Zagreb has wonderful architecture, quirky museums, and a lively, chilled-out vibe that draws you in. Who could resist sitting in one of the lovely cafes and watching people while slowly sipping coffee?

Unlike the medieval atmosphere of the coastal towns, Zagreb has Gothic churches and heritage from the era of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but it also has a medieval core.

Start your exploration in the heart of the historical core, on St Mark Square. St Mark’s Church is in the middle of the square, and it’s one of the iconic buildings in the city, with a colorful roof and a magnificent interior. Walk on the surrounding cobblestone streets lined by pastel-colored houses, and visit the Museum of Broken Relationships, a unique museum that tells stories from all over the world. Then go up to the Lotrscak Tower for an amazing view of the city and the surrounding mountains.

Continue your sightseeing walk to Ban Josip Jelačić Square, the main square and center of the modern Zagreb. The Art Nouveau buildings here are mostly from the Habsburg era, and it gives this area a similar vibe to many other Central European cities, like Budapest, Prague or Vienna. Tkalčićeva Street, the main walking street, starts from Jelačić Square, and this is where you’ll find that tempting cafe, along with many other shops and restaurants.

From Jelačić Square you can also walk to the Cathedral of Zagreb or the beautiful parks south of the main square: Zrinjevac Park, Josip Juraj Strossmayer Park, and King Tomislav Park. Depending on your mode of transport and how early you can start this first day, consider spending the night close to your next destination: Plitvice Lakes.

Day 2: Plitvice Lakes

Plitvice Lakes National Park is one of the most special ones in Europe, and chances are high that you’ve already seen pretty pictures of it (or got attracted to Croatia because of those pictures in the first place).

There’s a chain of 16 crystal clear terraced lakes flowing into each other here. They are connected by small streams, occasionally by small waterfalls, too, and they impress with varied shades of turquoise and emerald green. It’s as perfectly beautiful as you imagined. But it can get very busy in the summer. So busy that limits were introduced to the number of daily visitors.

To have the most enjoyable visit at Plitvice Lakes, book your ticket online well in advance, and spend the night before your visit close to the park. It gives you a chance to enter early in the morning before most day-trippers arrive.

The possible visiting routes are neatly planned for you by the park staff. They are marked with different letters from A to K, and you can choose one that suits the length of your visit and the amount of walking you plan to do. We recommend spending a full day in the park, visiting both the Upper and Lower Lakes area, and also exploring a more peaceful route along the shore of Lake Kozjak.

Day 3: Zadar

After leaving Plitvice it’s time to head to the Adriatic Coast. No, not to Dubrovnik yet, because there are several places worth visiting on your way there. Like Zadar.

This lovely coastal city has its ancient old town on a small peninsula, and it charms you with cobbled streets, Roman ruins, quirky cafes, modern art, and stunning sea views. One day is enough to explore the old town, you can even visit some of the beaches nearby.

What to do in Zadar’s old town? Take a pleasant stroll, and visit the Roman Forum and St Donat’s Church. Climb the bell tower of the Cathedral of St. Anastasia for great panoramic views.

Don’t miss the modern attractions either. The Sea Organ is an art installation that emits different tones when the waves push air through its pipes and flutes. It’s also a perfect spot to watch the sunset. Then you can stroll to the Sun Salutation, the other famous piece of art which includes about 300 glass plates that collect the sun’s energy and produce a colorful light show at night.

You can either spend the night in Zadar or in Šibenik, an hour’s drive from Zadar down the coast, and a great base for the next day.

Day 4: Krka National Park & Šibenik

Two amazing places await you on this day, one is a natural wonder and the other is cultural. You need about half a day for both, and I recommend starting in Krka National Park early in the morning. Because this lush green park with its picturesque travertine waterfalls gets crowded during summer days.

Easy walking trails give access to the seven travertine waterfalls on Krka River, and you can sign up for scenic boat rides to Roški Slap or Visovac Island. Swimming used to be allowed at Skradinski Buk, the largest of the Krka waterfalls, but not anymore (since January 2021). You might feel disappointed, but it’s for the sake of preserving this beauty.

The afternoon is for Šibenik where you find one of the most impressive pieces of architecture in all of Croatia: St. James’ Cathedral. Šibenik Old Town also has its fair share of cobbled streets, narrow laneways, and staircases, only most people don’t get to visit them, because it’s not as well-known as Dubrovnik, Split, or even Zadar.

You also find fortresses in the city, three of them: Fortress of St. Nicholas, St. Michael’s Fortress, and St. John’s fortress (this last one being a Game of Thrones shooting location).

Day 5: Split

Continue your way south, and your next stop will be Split.

Its UNESCO World Heritage Site Diocletian’s Palace dates back to the 3rd century and is also known for being a filming location for the Games Of Thrones. But that’s not all, because Split has an intact old town that invites you for time travel, and a lively seafront promenade called Riva right next to it.

Don’t miss the Cathedral of Saint Dominus, a former Roman mausoleum turned into a Catholic church. From its bell tower, you can enjoy panoramic views of the city and the Adriatic Sea. This is one of the best things to do in Split.

If you’d like to relax at the end of the day, visit Bacvice Beach in the city center, a short walk from the old town. Marjan Hill is a quieter area, offering coastal trails and the nicest beaches in Split.

Split is a great place to stay if you have more time in the area. It’s a busy transport hub, and you can take amazing day trips from Split both to the islands and to inland destinations. Actually, that’s our suggestion for your next day.

Day 6: Day trip to the islands / Makarska Riviera

When it comes to day trips from Split, the number of choices is overwhelming. Several companies organize speedboat tours or catamaran cruises to the nearby islands, often including two-three stops at different islands during the trip.

Hvar and Brac Island are the most popular, with dreamy beaches and adorable coastal towns, but the Blue Lagoon on Šolta Island, Stiniva Cove on Vis Island, or the Blue Cave on Biševo Island tempt many visitors, as well. Obviously, you’ll be treated with magically blue colors.

The advantage of choosing one of these tours is that you can see a lot in a short time, and you get to visit amazing places that are hard to access otherwise. But they are not for everyone.

If you prefer to explore at your own pace, take the public ferry. Split has ferry connections with Sumartin, Supetar, Bol and Milna on Brac island, and with Hvar town, Stari Grad, and Jelsa on Hvar Island. Going for a day trip from Split to Hvar is super easy.

But honestly, driving down the coast from Split offers just as wonderful options. The old highway runs directly along the coastline between Split and Makarska, so you can enjoy scenic viewpoints and unexpected beach stops as you drive. Make sure to actually pay attention to traffic, too, because the beauty of the landscape is distracting.

Then you arrive at the Makarska Riviera which is famous for turquoise bays, white pebbly beaches, and views of the giant white cliffs of Mount Biokovo. This area is home to some of the best beaches in Croatia, like Punta Rata Beach in Brela or Nugal Beach in Makarska.

Day 7: Dubrovnik

Then comes the last stop: Dubrovnik. We recommend driving to the city the previous night so that you have some sightseeing time in the early hours.

But first, please note that there’s a border to cross as Bosnia and Herzegovina owns a small section of the Adriatic Coast just before you reach Dubrovnik. This often means congestion, but in case you drive a rental car, it can get even more complicated, and you better arrange this with the rental company in advance. This problem will likely be solved soon though, as the Pelješac Bridge is supposed to open at the end of July 2022, and it’ll bypass Bosnia’s coastal strip.

So Dubrovnik. It has a majestic old town, and everyone knows about this. Traveling to Croatia without visiting Dubrovnik is like traveling to Paris and not visiting the Eiffel Tower. Yes, it’s crowded, but you still don’t want to miss it. The walled old town in Dubrovnik is like no other.

What’s more, you can walk around on the old city walls, taking in the views of the red roofs, church towers, and the sea. It’s one of the very best things to do in Dubrovnik but do it as early as possible. It gets busy later in the day, and also, there’s no shade on the walls, so the hottest part of the day won’t be too enjoyable there.

What else could fit in one day? Stroll Stradun, the main walking street, marvel at the Rector’s Palace and the magnificent churches, and get lost in the narrowest cobbled streets where you can finally find some solitude.

Then it’s time to say goodbye. If you fly, Dubrovnik airport has connections with several European cities and even with North America, so you save lots of driving time if you fly from Dubrovnik instead of Zagreb.

When to visit Croatia?

Finally, some advice that can make your Croatian trip so much more enjoyable: avoid July and August. You can’t find any place in the Mediterranean that doesn’t get crazily crowded in these months, and Croatia is no exception.

May, early June, or September are better times to visit, and they also have more pleasant temperatures for sightseeing days.

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About the author: Bea is a passionate traveler and hiker. She’s from Hungary but has been living in British Columbia with her husband and son. Her blog, Our Wanders is about family travel and hiking. You can follow Bea on Instagram and Facebook.

Further reading

I published many articles about Croatia that you might find useful when planning your trip there. Here are some of them:

• 33 Best Places to Visit in Croatia
• 25 Wonderful Things to Do in Zagreb, Croatia
• The Bay of Abandoned Hotels in Kupari, Croatia – the Urbex Heaven
• 23 Amazing Things to Do in Dubrovnik, Croatia
• How to visit Krka National Park in Croatia
• 11 Perfect Day Trips From Split, Croatia
• 17 Fantastic Things to Do in Hvar, Croatia
• Visiting the Abandoned Željava Air Base in Croatia
• 19 Best Things to Do in Rijeka, Croatia
• Visit Opatija, Croatia – the Charming Seaside Town
• and many more!

If you are looking for articles about a specific destination – check out the map with all the articles I’ve published (and their locations). You can also join my Facebook group about traveling in the Balkans and ask your questions there.

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For the end I left a few announcements that might interest you:

• Sign up to my newsletter or follow me on Bloglovin to get updates about the new posts
• Join my Facebook group about Eastern Europe, the Balkans and former USSR and connect with fellow travellers and enthusiasts of these regions – just click here!
• I’ve included a few handy links of services and products I personally like and use so you can plan your own trip to Croatia too. They are often affiliate links. This means I will get a small commission if you book/purchase anything through my links, at no extra costs for you. Thank you!

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