Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Dubrovnik has a unique personality. From the sultry
Brijuni
cluster off Istria in the
north to remote
Vis
off Dubrovnik in the south, Croatia's islands are some of the
country's strongest tourist draws.
Cres and Lo
s
inj
in the Kvarner Gulf are character-
ized by rocky hills that overlook secluded azure bays while to the east,
Rab
is a living
museum of Venetian architecture, while its neighbor,
Pag,
is a dichotomy of stark,
barren landscape and a bustling weekend-getaway center. Farther south, the
Kornati
Archipelago
off Zadar is a diver's paradise.
Hvar, Kor
c
ula, Bra
c
, Vis,
and
Mljet
are
Croatia's southernmost islands. Hvar has acquired a reputation as a sun-drenched
celebrity playground while Kor
c
ula is proud of its architecture and art. Bra
c
is notable
for the white stone mined in its quarries and the wind-sea collaboration that makes it
a Shangri-La for watersports enthusiasts. Bra
c
's major tourist center is
Bol,
which is
home to photogenic
Zlatni Rat (Golden Horn)
beach, a thin peninsula that changes
shape with the sea current and always draws a huge international crowd.
Vis
is a mecca
for extreme watersports, and
Mljet
is the legendary island whose beauty so mesmer-
ized Odysseus that he stayed for 7 years.
SUGGESTED ITINERARIES: THE DUBROVNIK AREA IN 10 DAYS
Tourist routes through Croatia can be as disparate as land is from sea. Don't make the
mistake of thinking that you can cover everything in a week or even a month. Rather,
start from a hub and concentrate on sites within 161km (100 miles) or so. Save other
parts of the country for future trips. Connections, especially along the Dalmatian Coast
south of Split and to the southern islands, can be inconvenient and time-consuming,
so plan carefully. Here is our suggestion for an introduction to southern Dalmatia.
This tour uses Dubrovnik as a starting point and base and takes 3 days to explore
Old Town and the area in its immediate vicinity. Follow that with some island hop-
ping and end your tour in Split.
Day
1
Start by orienting yourself to Old Town's
sites by taking the walking tour detailed
later in this section and save taking the
walk around the top of Old Town's wall
for an early-evening stroll. When you
descend, enjoy a fish dinner at a restaurant
overlooking the Old Harbor or the sea.
Day
2
Book an excursion to mystical Mljet and
pack wine and cheese for a picnic in the
forest. Dinner in Dubrovnik.
Day
3
Take the bus or water taxi to Cavtat and
explore its churches and museums or laze
on the beach. Catch any remaining
Dubrovnik sites during a predinner walk.
Day
4
Drive or book an excursion to the Pelje-
s
ac Peninsula. Stop at Ston to climb the
town's 14th-century ramparts and reward
yourself with a lunch of oysters from the
area's shellfish beds. Continue to Orebi
c
through Pelje
s
ac's wine country, stopping
to taste new vintages here and there. Din-
ner/overnight in Orebi
c
.
Day
5
Book an excursion to Kor
c
ula. Spend the
day exploring Marco Polo's alleged birth-
place and take the late Sem Marina fast
boat to Hvar. Have dinner at one of the
courtyard restaurants off St. Stephen
Square and overnight at Hotel Riva.
Day
6
Explore Hvar Town and Stari Grad in the
afternoon. Return to the Riva and catch a
concert at the Franciscan cloister and din-
ner at a restaurant on the harbor.
Overnight at the Riva.
