Lightly-tailored trips

Classic Coastal Croatia

Q: 7. Pre-departure call

We will then set-up a pre-departure call 7-10 days before your arrival so that we can go over your final itinerary and any last questions you have.

7-day itinerary

This 7-day Croatia itinerary showcases the very best of the country’s breathtaking scenery, vibrant cuisine, and rich cultural heritage. Journeying through Dubrovnik, Hvar, and Split, you’ll uncover the magic of the Dalmatian coast, one enchanting seaside town at a time. Walk through centuries of history with private guided tours of UNESCO-listed Dubrovnik Old Town and the remarkable Diocletian’s Palace. Enjoy a full day on the Adriatic with a private island-hopping experience, and immerse yourself in local culture during a countryside tour of Hvar complete with an olive oil tasting in the olive groves. Continue the adventure amid the waterfalls and emerald pools of Krka National Park. With a variety of upgrade options, this thoughtfully crafted itinerary blends Croatia’s iconic highlights with lesser-known gems for an unforgettable coastal journey.

Prices starting at 2,700 Euro per person

Best for

Couples, friends, and families that want a mix of everything

Best months

May-October
(Best in spring or summer)

Activity level

Easy with some moderate walking options available

Transport

Private transfers and catamaran ferries

Inclusions:

Hotels

7 nights in 4-star hotels with daily breakfast included, within our network of hotels across Croatia

Transportation

Private airport transfers, hotel transfers, and catamaran ferry tickets to/from Hvar island

Walking tours

Private historical walking tours in Split and Dubrovnik, and 1-day Dubrovnik pass for sightseeing

Unique experiences

Includes peka dinner experience with us at our family home, and Hvar heritage tour with olive oil tasting.

Self-guided itinerary

Self-guided itinerary with all your travel details, plus personalized recommendations included in your itinerary.

Local support

Pre-departure call and virtual concierge via Whatsapp with our team for the full duration of your trip in Croatia

Full itinerary:

(Optional to do itinerary in reverse)

Day 1: Arrival in Dubrovnik

Your Croatian adventure begins the moment you land in Dubrovnik! Before you even arrive, we’ll start a WhatsApp group with your travel party and our team—so you feel taken care of every step of the way for your trip to Croatia.

Dubrovnik’s airport is small and easy to navigate. After collecting your luggage, your private driver will greet you in the arrivals area and whisk you away on a scenic 25-minute drive to your hotel. Once checked in, the rest of the day is yours. Spend the rest of your day wandering the city at your own pace with our personalized recommendations or unwind at the hotel and ease into vacation mode.

Hotel: Hotel Lapad or similar (upgrade options available)

Day 2: Dubrovnik sightseeing + Peka dinner

Today you will dive into the magic of Dubrovnik – the pearl of the Adriatic. During your morning or afternoon private walking tour, your tour guide will introduce you to the UNESCO-protected Old Town. You’ll learn about how this former city state-maintained independence through maritime trade and local legends of Ragusa. Oh, and are you a Game of Thrones fan? We can weave filming locations and insights right into your tour as well!

With your included 1-day Dubrovnik Pass, you can continue exploring at your own pace. Climb the iconic city walls, visit Fort Lovrijenac, explore museums, and soak in cinematic views from every angle.

End your day with a peka dinner experience with Alex and Domeniko at the family home in a quaint seaside village outside of the bustling old town. You’ll learn about this traditional way of cooking “under the bell” while dining al fresco in the garden in front of the family’s 300-year-old historic home. (Optional to move this experience to day 3 as well).

Hotel: Hotel Lapad or similar (upgrade options available)

Day 3: Islands by private boat (add-on)

Enjoy a free day in Dubrovnik—or elevate your trip with one of our guests’ favorite experiences: a private speedboat or yacht adventure (weather permitting). Cruise the Elafiti Islands, swim in hidden caves, relax on sandy beaches, and stop for an unforgettable island-side lunch.

Prefer to explore on land? We’ll provide customized suggestions for charming coastal villages, beaches, scenic viewpoints, and local favorites. Whether by land or sea, today offers the freedom to enjoy Dubrovnik exactly the way you want.

Hotel: Hotel Lapad or similar (upgrade options available)
Optional add-on: Elafiti islands private speed boat excursion or other excursions

Day 4: Journey to Hvar Town

Today you’re off to Hvar, Croatia’s sunniest and most stylish island—famous for its lush scenery, rich history, and vibrant energy. Depending on the season, you’ll depart in the morning or afternoon by ferry. We’ll arrange your transfer to the terminal and provide your tickets and easy step-by-step instructions.

After a scenic journey across the Adriatic, you’ll arrive in Hvar Town and take a short stroll to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to unwind or explore. Discover Hvar’s charming stone streets, waterfront promenade, and lively squares, guided by our top recommendations for restaurants, bars, and sunset spots.

Hotel: Beach Bay Resort or similar (upgrade options available)

Day 5: Hvar heritage tour

Today you’ll discover the authentic soul of Hvar on an immersive heritage tour. With your private guide and driver, you’ll venture into the island’s countryside to uncover stunning panoramic viewpoints, lavender fields, abandoned villages, and the historic town of Stari Grad. Along the way, you’ll learn why Hvar is so much more than what meets the eye.

The highlight of your day is a visit to an award-winning olive oil farm. Wander through the family groves, taste exquisite olive oils paired with wine and local snacks, and soak in the island’s rural charm. After returning to Hvar Town, enjoy a leisurely afternoon on the beach, at a beach club, or exploring the Pakleni Islands by water taxi—plus our tips for catching the island’s unforgettable sunset.

Hotel: Beach Bay Resort or similar (upgrade options available)

Day 6: Explore Split’s Old Town

Today you’ll journey to Split, the vibrant heart of Dalmatia known for its lively coastal energy. After a short ferry ride, you’ll walk or transfer to your hotel and settle into Croatia’s second-largest city. Split blends ancient history with modern life, creating an atmosphere unlike anywhere else on the Adriatic.

In the afternoon, meet your local guide for a private walking tour through the Old Town and Diocletian’s Palace—one of the world’s most unique UNESCO sites and a living, breathing Roman monument still filled with shops and homes. You’ll wander ancient alleyways, discover hidden courtyards, and learn how Split’s culture was shaped over centuries. Your evening is free to enjoy the city with our personalized recommendations.

Hotel: Hotel Santa Lucia or similar (upgrade options available)

Day 7: Krka National Park OR cooking class (add-on)

Today is your final full day in Croatia, and you can spend it on your own exploring more of Split or with an add-on experience. If nature calls your name, we highly recommend visiting Krka National Park. Just 1.5 hours from Split, Krka is a breathtaking world of cascading waterfalls, and shaded walking paths. A short boat ride brings you inside the park, where you’ll have plenty of time to wander, explore, and enjoy its serene beauty.

For foodies, we highly recommend a half-day Dalmatian cooking class. You’ll start by meeting your chef at the Green Market in Split, where you’ll pick out your fresh ingredients for the day. You’ll then head to the cooking school, where you will learn about Dalmatian cooking from professional chefs. You’ll learn to make traditional dishes like black risotto, octopus salad, seabass, and more!

End the day strolling along Split’s iconic riva and soaking in the atmosphere of your last night in Croatia..

Optional add-on experiences: Krka National Park private trip OR cooking class in Split
Hotel: Hotel Santa Lucia or similar (upgrade options available)

Day 8: Departure from Split

This morning, your driver will take you from your hotel to Split Airport, about 35–40 minutes outside the city. We’ll handle all logistics to ensure a smooth, stress-free departure. As you say goodbye to Croatia, we hope the memories you’ve created stay with you long after your journey home.

If you’d like to extend your adventure, we can easily add one or two extra days in Split—complete with additional tours, day trips, or relaxing beach time tailored to your interests.

(Optional to add 1 or 2 days on either end of your trip)

Upgrades + add-ons:

5-star hotels

Upgrade to 5-star hotels in select destinations, and/or upgrade to a suite in select hotels.

Experiences

Choose to add on a private speedboat day in Dubrovnik, a private day trip to Krka National Park, or a cooking class in Split.

Book a call to get started:

What is the planning process like?

1. Discovery call

We’ll jump on a complimentary 30-minute discovery call to get a better understanding of the itinerary options you are interested in, and refine with our recommendations.

2. Follow-up quote

We’ll follow the call with a quote in accordanced with your wishes. Then you can decide if you’d like to move forward together.

3. Trip confirmation

To confirm your trip, we will send over an agreement to sign. Then we will confirm a few last details to confirm your accommodation preferences and add-on experiences.

5. Final trip price

Once we’ve finalized the above, we will provide you with your final trip price in Euro. Once you approve you’ll then pay in accordance with our payment plan and schedule (see below FAQS).

6. Finishing touches

Along the way, we’ll make sure to add in some personalized recommendations for you so that your itinerary is still personalized.

7. Pre-departure call

We will then set-up a pre-departure call 7-10 days before your arrival so that we can go over your final itinerary and any last questions you have.

8. On-the-ground support

Before your arrival in Croatia, we’ll create a Whatsapp group to ensure your arrival and every detail of your trip goes smoothly. Consider us your friends in Croatia with you every step of the way.

Testimonials

Your travel planners:

Alexandra Schmidt

Alex is originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, and has Croatian roots through her grandfather. She studied political science and journalism at Loyola University Chicago, and met Domeniko during a semester abroad in Dubrovnik. Alex also runs her award-winning travel blog, and Instagram account about her life in Croatia. She loves to hangout by the sea with her friends and dogs, and travel around Croatia.

Domeniko Hajdić

Domeniko is born and raised in Dubrovnik, Croatia. He has worked in tourism his entire life, and studied diplomacy and international business at Dubrovnik International University, where he met Alex. In addition to running Mindful Travel Croatia, he helps run his family’s rental apartments and hosts a peka dinner Airbnb experience. He loves to cook, swim in the Adriatic sea, and sing Klapa music with friends all night long!

FAQs:

How far in advance do I need to book my trip?

We recommend that you reach out at least 3 months before your desired trip dates, ideally 4-5 months in advance. If you reach out less than 3 months before your trip dates it is still possible, but will be subject to suppliers availability.

What is not included in packaged pricing?

Transportation with a rental car is not included in the price of this particular itinerary. We can provide recommendations for booking a rental car, or we can arrange private transfers for you instead.

Meals (outside of daily breakfasts in hotels or other booked activities), flights, independent activities, tipping, and souvenirs are what not included in your quote.

Do you also book flights?

While we don’t book flights for you, we can help provide recommendations based on your itinerary. For business and first-class travelers, we can refer you to our partners for flight bookings.

Do children get a discounted rate?

You can expect that the price per person will be reduced if one or more members of your party are under 12 years old. This will also dependent on if they want a separate hotelroom or if you want to add an extra room to your room.
Please note that conjoining rooms or family rooms with two queen beds are not as common in Croatia.

I’ve never had someone plan my travel. What can I expect?

Many of our clients have never worked with a professional travel planning service like ours, but opt to for their trip to Croatia due to lack of time and bandwidth. Plus, they see the value in having an all-in-one package that includes our local knowledge and personalized service.

Our lightly-tailored trips are designed for seamless planning – all you have to do is answer a few questions, hop on a call, and let us walk you throw the rest. We’ll take care of the rest of the travel planning for you, as well as offer pre-departure support and virtual concierge while you’re in Croatia.

What can I expect on a discovery call?

Once you set-up a time via Calendly, we will have a 30-minute discovery video call where we discuss your questionaire and get a feel for your travel style, needs, desired pace, and overall goal of this trip. This is a friendly, informal call where we see if this is a good fit for both parties and we see how we can best assist you. After the call we follow up with a proposed itinerary and quote for your trip so you can decide if you’d like to move forward.

Can I pay by credit card?

Yes, you can pay by credit card, debit card, or bank transfer.

What is your payment policy?

After signing our agreement, we will then proceed with giving you your final trip price in Euros. If you agree, then we will proceed with the following payment policy.

– 25% of trip total: Due upon providing final trip price (non-refundable)
– 75% remaining of trip total: Due 60 days before trip start date (non-refundable)

Prices are listed in Euro as this is Croatia’s currency, but final pricing will be sent in USD via invoice in accordance with updated currency conversion.

Can I split payment with a friend or family?

Yes, it is possible that we can invoice individuals separately, given the circumstances.