Dubrovnik to Split Island Hopping

It was getting dark when the ferry from Split approached Korčula harbour. From afar, we could hear klapa singing one of the songs about love to the motherland.

My heart bumped full of emotions. I realised that we reached another beautiful Croatian island that for long was on my bucket list. Somehow it was never on the way during many of my stays in Croatia.

Month earlier I was organising this Balkan trip for myself and my two friends. I had quite a tough task, it was their first trip to the region, and I wanted to show them the best of the best places but also incorporate ‘something new to see’ for myself.

I noticed that we could see both Split and Dubrovnik but also add the island of Korčula without effort.

In this blog post, I will show you how to organise Dubrovnik to Split island hopping with at least two islands on the way.

Thanks to this, you will see not only these two ‘must-see’ cities but also the spectacular islands of Hvar and Korčula, ferries and islands life.

This itinerary will be good for a 7- or 10-day trip, as well as 14-day trip (with some additions which I will explain in the post as well).

Split and Dubrovnik

Split and Dubrovnik are the most known and visited summer cities in Croatia. They both lie in the Dalmatia region: Split in central, Dubrovnik in southern Dalmatia. Split is bigger; it’s the second biggest Croatian city (around 180 000 inhabitants), and Dubrovnik is smaller, with around 42 000 inhabitants.

As a Croatian philologist, I love all of Croatia, but I have to admit, Dalmatia hits different. You can expect to see there small bays, turquoise waters and historic smaller and bigger towns with narrow cobbled streets and colourful bougainvillaea. And this is only the start!

Both cities have airports, which in the summer have many connections to different European airports. There are charters, standard airlines and low-cost airlines connections as well, so it will be easy for you to reach any of them.

If your flight goes only to Zagreb, capital of Croatia, here you can find details on how to get to Split from there.

Islands on the way

Hvar and Korčula are two of my favourite islands in Croatia. They have some similarities, like beautiful historical architecture, narrow atmospheric streets, interesting history, and both of them are known as  lavender islands. But they also differ; they have a little bit different views and vibe. Hvar is a more lively and party-like place (especially Hvar town in summer); Korčula has a more laid-back ‘sea and fisherman’ atmosphere.

Although when the last time I visited Hvar, at the end of September, it was also rather calm, as the season was finishing.

Anyway, you will love both of them, I’m sure about it. I suggest you spend at least one night on each of them, although I think 2 (or even 3 for the 10- day route) would be optimal.

If you have more time, like 14 days, you can easily add the next island. The easiest will be to add Brač, after Hvar Island (if you start in Dubrovnik) or before Hvar (if you start from Split). Brač island is closest to Split.

You can find out more about this island and travel in this post, which describes island hopping from Split (but starting and finishing in Split, so it covers Central Dalmatian islands).

Where to start your trip

This itinerary can be done both ways. I describe in detail the Dubrovnik to Split route, but it’s also easy and possible to do it ‘the other way round’, starting in Split and finishing in Dubrovnik; just the order of islands will differ. This post will be helpful also if you prefer such order.

The most convenient for this route would be to fly to one airport and fly out from the second one. It’s not always possible, though (or can cost much more), and honestly, it’s not a big issue if you have to come back for your flight.

As it’s around a 3-4 hour drive between both cities.

The best way to travel between Split and Dubrovnik is by car hire, private transfer or just public bus. There are many buses on this route. Here I described all the details.

One thing is for sure: leave some time after your arrival and before your flight home to see and Split and Dubrovnik.

Ports on the route

The Port of Split is very easily accessible. It’s next to the bus (and train station) and within walking distance of Riva and Old Town. Couldn’t be easier.

Dubrovnik port (Gruž port) is further from the Old Town, around 3 km. You can get there walking, by taxi or by public buses.

And when it comes to ports on islands. Be aware that each of these islands has more ports. However, on this route I recommend taking ferries to: Hvar town, Korčula town and Bol on Brač. These will be most convenient for reaching islands, visiting and staying. Just an important remark: these are ports for passenger ferries.

Ferries in these towns will arrive at the centres, so right away after leaving the ferry, you can go for a coffee or walk to your accommodation.

Dubrovnik to Split Island Hopping Route

In short, the route looks like this:

Dubrovnik (2 days) -Korčula (2-3 days) -Hvar (2-3days) – (Brač)- Split (2-3 days) or

Split- (Brač) – Hvar – Korčula – Dubrovnik

Brač island is a good idea to be added, but only if you have more time, around 14 days. If you have 7 or 10 days, I think it will be too much and a big rush to add it. Remember that you should also plan time to visit Split and Dubrovnik and surrounding area.

Dubrovnik

It might be a bit of a controversial description:) I really like Dubrovnik; it’s absolutely beautiful with great historical sites. However, I don’t recommend staying there for long. Two reasons: in summer there are extreme crowds (especially when the cruise comes) and crazy prices.

I visited Dubrovnik a few times, but only once stayed there for longer. Otherwise, I usually just visit for a day to soak in a bit of the atmosphere.

I think in 1 day you are able to see the most important places in Old Town; if you stay for 2 days, you will also be able to see Hill Srđ and take the boat to Lokrum Island or cruise to the Elaphite islands.

Dubrovnik is famous for Game of Thrones; you can also visit the series location.

Korčula

It will take you around 2 hours to travel from Dubrovnik to Korčula. In the season, there are quite a few ferries on this route. You will arrive in Korčula town, the island’s capital.

Sometimes called ‘small Dubrovnik’ due to city walls, the town has a very interesting shape of the fish, with streets looking like fishbones. In Old Town, visit the tower, the cathedral and the church, but also just wander on pretty streets.

Korčula is considered the birthplace of Marco Polo, you visit his museum here.

If you have more time, you can visit other villages on the island. I especially liked Lumbarda because of its calm atmosphere.

Hvar

Travelling from Korčula harbour to Hvar town harbour will take you around 1-1.5 hours. There are fewer ferries on this route, but they are available. All of them are passengers-only connections.

Hvar Old Town has beautiful historical landmarks from the 15th and 16th centuries. Another ‘must-do’ is walking up to the fortress, where you can expect amazing views, especially at sunset.

Take a water taxi to Pakleni Islands for the beach and amazing colours of water.

If you stay on Hvar longer, visit other towns, especially Stari Grad, which is easy to reach by public bus.

Brač

It’s easy to get from Hvar town to Brač. If you take this route, look especially at Bol port and town. It’s the town with the famous Zlatni Rat beach.

It takes around 45 minutes to get from Hvar to Brač.

From Brač to Split, it’s around 45 minutes to one hour.

Split

It’s around an hour to arrive from Hvar to Split. Spend at least 2 days there, if not more.

I love Split, to be frank, more than Dubrovnik. I like walking on streets in Old Town knowing they were part of a palace from the 4th century. I like the vibe of the city: on one side, very summery and touristic, and on the other, very local.

Split recently got hit by a huge storm, and unfortunately parks got destroyed. Hopefully they manage to clean and reconstruct most of the things, for example, Marjan Hill, which is an amazing spot for views and chilling. There are also many beaches in Split.

If you have a few hours of spare time, visit Trogir. It’s very easy to reach, and it’s another UNESCO heritage site in the area.

You just finished your amazing tour in Croatia. I know many websites propose to stay only in Split and Dubrovnik and take one day trip to islands from Split.

In my opinion, going to islands for longer is just a better, more local and immersive experience. Islands have always different vibe than the mainland, in Croatia, it’s also visible. You will not feel it if you visit for two hours only.

If you don’t have enough time for 2 islands, you can even stop by just one of them: Hvar or Korčula. It will also be possible from a ferries and logistics perspective.

I hope I convinced you to stay for longer on Dalmatian island.

For more information about Croatia, check out this page.