Croatia Island Hopping Itinerary

When we started thinking about holidays, the where do we go and what do we do questions led us to Croatia. After the 2 weeks we have spent there we already want to go back and explore more of this gorgeous country and all it's islands. I am going to share our island hopping itinerary to give you some ideas for your next holiday. Make sure to pop over to my Instagram or TikTok to see more of our adventures in Croatia. 

Bol, Brač 

We flew Dublin to Split as it was the closest to the islands we wanted to visit. Our flight landed late and after getting a taxi to the old town we dropped our bags to our accomadation and went for a quick explore. We stayed in Centro di Centri rooms and it was perfect for our short stay, bang smack in the middle of the old town. 

After grabbing a quick breakfast we got the first ferry to the island of Korčula. Bright blue water surrounds a quaint old town full of gorgeous food and drink spots. We stayed in Aminess Liburna for 3 nights which was around 15 minutes walk into the old town. They have a gorgeous pool, a little beach close by and a fab breakfast spread. This was an ideal place to stay to explore the old town. I'll list all my recommendations for Korčula down below, but I highly recommend a boat tour to explore the area. 

Korčula old town

We moved to a different accomodation for our last 2 nights on Korčula, just to see somewhere new. We stayed in Tara's Lodge which was an absolute slice of heaven. A gorgeous quiet boutique hotel tucked away in a picturesque cove. Staying here was such a treat and we already are hoping we can go back in the future! You are a 35 minute walk away from the old town so it was greta place to come and relax in, especially since we explored a lot of the old town already. What we did when we wanted to go into the old town was we walked in and got a taxi back which cost around 15 euro. 

Tara's Lodge, Korčula

Korčula where to stay:

- Aminess Liburna

- Tara's Lodge 

Korčula food & drink:

- Silk, a fab Asian fusion spot. 

- Konoba Melaina, does a lovely brunch. 

- Maha bar, for the best chicken tacos. 

- Amfora, for some gorgeous Italian.

- Pizzeria Pape, they do some lovely pasta. 

- Roco, a cute little wine bar.

- Cocktail bar Massimo, cocktails in a tower is always a good idea. 

- Aroma, some nice gelato for a week treat. 

Korčula things to do:

- Hop on hop off island boat tour, visit Badija, Vrnik and Lombarda. 

- Snorkelling boat tour, this was definitely a highlight. 

- Rent bikes and cycle through the vineyards in Lombarda.  

Golden Horn Beach, Brač 

After spending 5 nights on Korčula, it was time to move onto our next spot where we also spent 5 nights, Bol. Bol is on the coast of Brač island and is most popular for it's Golden Horn beach. 

During July and August I think you can get a direct ferry from Korčula to Bol (don't quote me on this!), but because we went in June we got a ferry to Milna and organised a transfer to Bol. To do this I just contacted a few taxi companies on Brač island and asked if this was possible and for a quote in advance. 

We stayed in Bluesun Hotel Borak which was perfect for what we wanted, close to the town, beach and has a nice pool. Many a day was spent lazing by the pool or picking which cove to swim in. I still can't get over the clear blue waters Croatia has and the amount of fish we saw anytime we went swimming! One of our highlights was renting a buggy and exploring the island, we found an amazing secluded beach for a gorgeous swim in the crystal clear water.  

Pučišća, Brač 

Bol where to stay:

- Bluesun Hotel Borak

Bol food & drink:

- Beach bar NOA, does some unreal burgers. 

- Pumparela, for a lovely Italian meal. 

- Vendetta, if youre in the mood for sushi or Asian fusion. 

- Ured beach bar, for some music and cocktails on the beach. 

- Varadero, such a cool cocktail bar. 

- Taverna Riva, try and get a seat on the wall at the front to have a drink. 

- Aida Maidas, for some lovely gelato. 

Bol things to do:

- Rent a quad bike or buggy and explore the island. Highly reccomend going to  Puntica beach, Sumartin, Supetar and Pučišća. 

Plitvice Lakes National Park

It wouldn't be like us to want to do some sort of hike or adventure when we're away, so when it was time to move on from Bol, we got the ferry to Split and explored for a few hours (I'll add my reccomendations below). This was a small stop over on our way to the airport to collect our rental car to drive out to Plitvice Lakes National Park. We drove up the night before and stayed at the Lyra hotel to try and avoid the crowds (and the afternoon heat!). The National Park was truly breathtaking, and made us want to explore Croatia more. 

Split food & drink:

- Sancturary Cantina, for some Mexican food. 

- Amare, for some great gelato. 

- Picasso bar, for some cocktails with some great interior design. 

- Morei, for a drink the square. . 

Split places to see:

- Republic Square

- Diocletian's Palace 

After our adventures we made our way back to Split airport to start the journey home. The flight was only 3 hours but the drive to and from Dublin will always drag the travel day out. Let's hope they bring some more Croatian flights to Cork Airport!