Croatia Itinerary – how to spend 4 days in Croatia
I’ve just returned from my first trip to Croatia, and already planning my next one, I loved the country that much. I started and finished my Croatia trip in Zadar and I wanted to share my 4 day Croatia itinerary and how I’d recommend spending the best 4 days there!
If you haven’t been already I couldn’t recommend visiting Croatia more – you can browse flights here and see if you can snap up some great bargain flights (I got return tickets to Zadar from Newcastle for about £50.)
How to spend 4 days in Croatia
*Solo female traveller & budget friendly!*
Day 1 in Croatia itinerary – Zadar
Start your Croatia adventure in the beautiful – and I think very underrated – city of Zadar. I found Zadar a perfect starting point, it’s super easy to travel around and get to from the airport, small for a city (but with plenty going on), friendly and chilled and feels very safe as a solo female traveller. Zadar combines all my favourite things in a city – beautiful old streets, colourful buildings, sparkly sea and lots of nice places to eat and drink.
How to spend a day in Zadar
– Start with a coffee at D16 Speciality Coffee Shop, they make a seriously great flat white.
– Explore the beautiful historic streets of Zadar Old Town. In Zadar Old Town you’ can expect you’ll find picturesque pastel coloured buildings and quaint alleyways, all filled with boutiques, cafes and bars. If you want to make sure you discover all the prettiest spots in the Old Town and hear about their history, you can book a Zadar walking tour (or Tuk-Tuk tour!) here.
– Get the best ice cream in Zadar at Bob Rock’s Ice Cream Shop (I went back for multiple scoops of the pistachio!)
– Watch the sunset by the sea. Zadar is known for having some of the best sunsets in the world. In the evenings people gather round the Sea Organ steps by the shore and watch the sun go down.
Where to stay in Zadar
I stayed at the Piazza Rooms Zadar on my first night in Croatia and would absolutely recommend. They’re super reasonably priced suites offering plenty of space, super king beds and amazing central old town location.
If Piazza Rooms aren’t available, Riva Palace design rooms are another lovely option.
Or if you’re not on too much of a tight budget the Peninsula Luxury Suites are a beautiful – and still very fairly priced – place to stay.
How to get to Zadar from Zadar airport.
Zadar airport is located nice and close to the city centre – it’s around a 15-20 minute drive to the old town. I got a Bolt taxi to and from the airport which cost around €12 each way. You can also easily grab an Uber. Or if you like to have your airport transport all lined up in advance you can book a super reasonably priced (just over €20) Zadar airport transfer here.
Want to rent a car to explore Croatia at your leisure? There’s plenty of choice for picking up a rental car from Zadar airport, you can browse them here.
Zadar top tip!
I’d definitely recommend bringing some cash (euros) if you’re visiting Zadar, as quite a few food and drink places still don’t accept cards. I didn’t do this on my first visit and instead got caught out by horrible exchange rates at the nearest atm!
Day 2 in Croatia itinerary – Split
For my second day in Croatia, I headed to the dreamy city of Split. Like Zadar, Split has an amazing historic old town to explore right by the sea.
When I first arrived in Split – in comparison to Zadar – it did feel very touristy and busy. If you want to see without the city without the tourists, I’d definitely recommend getting up early in the morning to explore. I had the best time discovering Split Old Town around 6am and got to enjoy much quieter streets with mostly just a few locals out and about.
How to spend a day in Split
– Get coffee at D16 coffee or kava2 (both open at 7am, so you won’t have to wait too long for a caffeine fix if you’re starting your Split adventures early.)
– Explore the magical historic streets of Split Old Town – I’ve already said it, but definitely my top Split recommendation is to get out early to see the old town at its best. I visited in May and it was already super busy during the day. Or if you’re exploring a little later in the day, you can book a really reasonably priced walking tour to make sure you see all the old town’s best spots.
– Chill by the waterfront. The Riva Promenade, right by the Old Town in Split is lined with palm trees + bars and cafes. There are lots of benches too, so you don’t need to spend any money to sit and enjoy the the beautiful views.
– Enjoy a really really good ice cream from Ela’s Gelateria
– Visit Diocletian’s Palace, these amazing Roman ruins are probably Split’s best known attraction and are completely free to visit.
How to get to Split from Zadar
I got a Flixbus there and it was a super easy and smooth journey. The booking said it would be about a 2 and a half hour journey, but it just took 2 (+ it was a great way to see a bit more of Croatia.) Arriving in Split by bus totally took my breath away – the city is absolutely gorgeous.
You can book Croatia bus tickets here – it’s a great easy and budget friendly way to explore the country.
Where to stay in Split
I stayed at Dioklecijan Hotel & Residence, a super nice hotel a little outside the centre (about a 25 minute walk from Split Old Town), with a rooftop swimming pool and hot tub.
If you want to stay right in the heart of the old town, Central Square Heritage Hotel is lovely and perfectly located. Or treat yourself to a stay at Heritage Hotel Antique Split – a beautiful hotel with Diocletian Palace’s walls.
You can still find budget friendly options in Split Old Town too. Morei Historical and Abokamento Boutique Rooms are both offer great value, stylish & cosy rooms in the heart of Split.
Day 3 in Croatia itinerary – Hvar
For my third day in Croatia I travelled the incredible Croatian island of Hvar – aka my new happy place. Hvar is an absolutely magical little island, an easy ferry ride from Split. The island of Hvar smells of pine trees, offers the most amazing sea views and plenty of bars and restaurants to sit and enjoy them from.
How to spend a day in Hvar
– Explore the picturesque Hvar Old Town
– Enjoy a drink with sea views at one of the waterside bars
– Book a wine and olive oil tasting experience, that takes you from Hvar Town to the other side of the island, stopping at lavender and other lovely sightseeing spots en-route to the winery.
– Stop for a coffee at Coffee Snob
-Book an unforgettable sunset sailing experience that takes you round the Pakleni Islands then back to Hvar
How to get to Hvar from Split
Hvar is an easy one hour ferry ride from Split, you can book your tickets here.
Where to stay in Hvar Croatia
I stayed at Agata House Hvar and it was a perfect place to stay in Hvar. It’s a super cute little studio perfectly located in Hvar Old Town. The studio has a super comfy bed, great aircon and dreamy views over Hvar Old Town.
If Agata House Hvar isn’t available next time I visit the Successus Old Town House apartments would be next on my list to try.
Looking for a bit more of a luxury hotel vibe in Hvar? River Marina Hvar Hotel, Beach Bay Hvar Hotel, Heritage Hotel Park Hvar and Adriana Hvar Spa Hotel are all gorgeous, super centrally located Hvar hotels.
Day 4 in Croatia itinerary – Hvar-Split-Zadar
On my last full day in Croatia I spent the morning enjoying Hvar, a sunny lunch time in Split and then watched the sunset in Zadar.
How I travelled
I got the ferry back to Split from Hvar and bus to Zadar from Split – both super easy to pre-book online. Split’s ferry port and bus station are just over the road from each other, so it’s a super easy place to continue onward travel from.
Where to stay
I stayed in Zadar again on my last night in Croatia. This time in the very lovely Zara Palace design rooms which I’d also highly recommend. My room had beautiful stone walls, the comfiest bed, shuttered windows overlooking Zadar Old Town, good coffee and L’Occitane shower products. It was also seriously good value for money, I’d definitely stay again next time in Zadar (hopefully soon!)
Zadar has a lot more rooms and apartments to choose from over hotels, but if you do want to treat yourself to a nice hotel for your last night, Art Hotel Kalelarga is a lovely super cosy option.
Want to stay a bit longer in Croatia?
I don’t blame if you do, I so nearly extended my trip on my last day there! If you’ve got a bit longer to explore, I would recommend planning a day trip from Zadar to either Plitvice Lakes or Krka National Park.
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