Key facts
Dalmatia at a glance
Areas and places
Dalmatia area by area
Each area has its own page, with its own character, plans and map.
42.64° N · 18.11° E
Dubrovnik
Car-freeLuxuryBackpackingBy campervanCampingBy plane
43.15° N · 16.75° E
Hvar
Car-freeBy carLuxuryBackpackingCampingBy bikeBy plane
43.51° N · 16.44° E
Split
Car-freeBackpackingLuxuryBy carBy plane
Plan the trip
Dalmatia, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Dalmatia
May, June, September and early October: warm sea, boats to the islands and fewer people than in summer. July and August bring heat, cruise ships and the highest prices, with Dubrovnik full by mid-morning. From November to March the cities are quiet, but fewer boats sail and many island excursions and businesses close.
How you travel
Dalmatia your way
The ways of travelling that suit Dalmatia. We are writing a guide to each one: where to stay, how to get around and which services you will need.
By carBy planeBy campervanCampingBackpackingCar-freeLuxuryBy bike
Nearby
Near Dalmatia
The closest places, whichever country they are in.
44.88° N · 15.62° E
Lika
By carBy planeBy campervanCampingCar-free
40.55° N · 17.75° E
Apulia
By carBy plane
42.47° N · 13.57° E
Abruzzo
By carBy campervanCampingOn footBy bikeBy motorbike
40.73° N · 14.43° E
Campania
By planeCar-freeLuxuryOn foot
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Fly to Split and return from Dubrovnik
You save retracing the coast and gain a day on an island.
- 2Check Dubrovnik's visitor forecast
Dubrovnik Tourism publishes each day how many people there will be in the old town, counting the cruise ships. Do the walls first thing or last thing.
- 3Buy the Hvar catamaran a few days ahead in summer
In July and August they fill up. With the ticket bought on the website you only have to show it on your phone.
- 4Carry cash for the islands
The Hvar bus, some water taxis and small taverns charge in cash.
You see the harbour in a rush and miss the best: the Pakleni islands, the lavender interior and the Stari Grad plain. Sleep at least two nights.
Split, Hvar or Dubrovnik?
Dalmatia is the Croatian coast between Zadar and Dubrovnik, with its islands. White stone, clear sea over pebble beaches and cities of Roman and Venetian heritage. Three bases, for three ways of travelling:
- Split, for getting around. Croatia's second city lives in and around Diocletian's Palace, from around the year 300 and a World Heritage site since 1979. Walking through it is free; you pay for the Substructures and the bell tower. It is the ferry port to Brač, Hvar and Vis, and from here you reach Trogir by boat, the Klis fortress, rafting and the zip line on the Cetina and the Blue Cave of Biševo. Two or three nights.
- Hvar, for the island. Long and very sunny, with a Venetian harbour town, the Fortica fortress above it, lavender fields inland, plavac mali vineyards and the Stari Grad plain, divided into plots by Greek settlers in the 4th century BC. From the town water taxis leave for the Pakleni islands. Three or four nights: Hvar town if you are going without a car or to party; Stari Grad or Jelsa if you are going with family or camping.
- Dubrovnik, for the city. The old Republic of Ragusa, walled above the Adriatic and a World Heritage site since 1979: almost two kilometres of walls with sixteen towers, the Lokrum island nature reserve ten minutes away by boat and the Elafiti islands in a day. Two or three nights.
With a week, do all three, from north to south: two nights in Split, three in Hvar and two in Dubrovnik, flying out to Split and back from Dubrovnik.
How do you get there from Spain?
By plane. To Dubrovnik fly Iberia from Madrid and Vueling from Barcelona; to Split, the same airlines in season. Outside summer there are fewer flights and sometimes a stopover is needed. From Split airport to the port is about 25 km, with a shuttle bus; Dubrovnik's drops you at the Ploče gate in half an hour.
By road from Spain you have to cross France, Italy and Slovenia, then the tolled Croatian A1 motorway to Split. Since 2022, the toll-free Pelješac Bridge lets you continue to Dubrovnik without crossing the Bosnian Neum corridor. In summer there are also Jadrolinija ferries from Ancona to Split and from Bari to Dubrovnik.
How do you get to the islands?
From Split port, on the east side of the old town, next to the bus and railway stations:
- With a car: Jadrolinija ferry to Stari Grad (Hvar), about two hours; to Supetar (Brač) and to Vis. On the Stari Grad and Vis lines you can reserve the car on a specific departure: in August, do so.
- On foot: Jadrolinija or Krilo catamaran, which drops you at the quay in Hvar town; Krilo publishes fares from €8.50. There is also a daily catamaran to Jelsa.
- From the south: the short ferry from Drvenik to Sućuraj crosses to Hvar in half an hour, but leaves you at the eastern tip, more than 70 km from the town.
The ticket is bought on the shipping company's website or at the port ticket offices and shown on your phone.
Do you need a car?
No. Split and Dubrovnik have pedestrianised old towns and a good city bus, which reaches Trogir, Klis or Cavtat, and you go to Hvar by catamaran. In Dubrovnik, from April to October, only registered cars or those with a space at their accommodation can approach the centre: if you arrive by car, leave it in the Ilijina glavica car park. A car is worthwhile on Hvar for the Stari Grad plain, Jelsa and the eastern coves, or if you continue to Plitvice via the interior.
When to go and how much it costs
May, June, September and early October. In June the Hvar lavender blooms, towards the end of the month. In July and August Dubrovnik and Split fill with cruise passengers: in Dubrovnik, between 10:00 and 13:00, the Stradun and the walls are packed. From November to March the walls open fewer hours and the Srđ cable car does not run from December to March; the Blue Cave boats stop running at the end of October.
It is the most expensive part of Croatia in summer. Some 2026 reference prices: the Dubrovnik walls, about €40, the same price as the one-day Dubrovnik Pass; Lokrum, €30 with the boat; the Split Substructures, €10; the Hvar Fortica, €12. Croatia has used the euro since 2023 and is in Schengen.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need in Dalmatia?
A week for Split, Hvar and Dubrovnik. With ten days you can add Vis or Brač, or Plitvice before heading down to the coast.
Can you tour Dalmatia without a car?
Yes. Buses between cities, city buses to Trogir, Klis and Cavtat, and a catamaran to the islands.
How do you get from Split to Hvar?
By car ferry to Stari Grad, about two hours, or by passenger catamaran to Hvar town.
Are the beaches sandy?
Almost all are pebble or rock. Bačvice, in Split, is fine sand with shallow water.
Do you pass through Bosnia to get to Dubrovnik?
Not any more: since July 2022 the Pelješac Bridge links the mainland with the peninsula without passing through Neum.
Can you camp wild on the islands?
No. Wild camping is banned in Croatia. On Hvar there are campsites next to the town and in Jelsa.