Croatia Day Trips From Split, Zagreb and Dubrovnik

October 20, 2026

A good Croatian day trip keeps the travel to a few hours each way and leaves time at the destination. The table gives rough journey times, which are estimates from road and boat sources, so confirm schedules locally. All fares are in euros.

Trip	Starting point	Journey	Entry or fare
Plitvice Lakes	Zagreb	about 2 hours by road, 2 to 2.5 by bus	EUR 10 to EUR 40 by season
Krka and Skradin	Split	about 1 to 1.5 hours by road	EUR 7 to EUR 40 by season
Hvar Town	Split	about 1 hour by fast boat	about EUR 10 to EUR 25 one way
Brijuni	Fažana, near Pula	about 15 minutes by park boat	varies by season
Elaphiti Islands	Dubrovnik	boat or ferry, under a day	cruise about EUR 45 to EUR 75
Ston	Dubrovnik	about 1 hour by road	wall ticket sold separately

Plitvice from Zagreb

The lakes are a long day but a doable one. Choose programme A or B for 2 to 4 hours of walking, or programme H for 4 to 6 hours. Peak adult tickets cost EUR 40 until 16:00, and EUR 25 after that time. Spring and October adults pay EUR 23, and winter adults pay EUR 10. The booking system uses entry time slots, so reserve before you travel. Swimming and cycling are not permitted, and the park forbids stepping off the paths. As the area lies in Lika-Senj county, keep to marked trails. The official price page lists every tier.

Krka and Hvar from Split

At Krka, the park boat from Skradin and the Lozovac bus operate only between 1 April and 31 October, and both are covered by the ticket. The boardwalks at Skradinski Buk are for walking, as bathing there is banned. Swimming is allowed only at specially marked spots, such as Roški slap in summer, and the park rules explain where.

Hvar rewards an early boat. Fares vary by operator, from about EUR 10 up to EUR 25. Climb the Fortica (EUR 12) for the view, then take a taxi boat to the Pakleni Islands, about EUR 10 return in one 2026 guide. Check the last boat back.

From Pula and from Dubrovnik

Brijuni is reached only by the national park boat, and visitors see Veliki Brijun with its safari park, elephant and zebras. Book ahead at shop.np-brijuni.hr .

From Dubrovnik, the Elaphiti trio of Koločep, Šipan and Lopud suits a boat day, and the public ferry is the cheap choice. Ston is known for its long walls and Mali Ston oysters. Mljet needs a longer boat ride and its own park fee. Kotor and Mostar need passports, and border waits vary and can be long in summer. Split is too far to treat as a day trip from Dubrovnik. The bus takes 4.5 to 5.5 hours one way.

Tips

Carry water shoes for rocky coves. Wind from the north-east, the bura, can halt boats, and the forecast is at meteo.hr . Look through guided options on Viator .

A solemn day trip: Jasenovac

Jasenovac, about 100 km south-east of Zagreb, was a camp for the Ustaše regime from 1941 to 1945, and its Stone Flower and museum stand on the grounds today. Entry is free. It is closed on Sundays and public holidays, and opening hours differ by season, so check the site page first.