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Visiting Croatia in September

Who would have thought it? We’re over halfway through August, which means we are most definitely hurtling towards the end of summer. (Although, personally, I definitely think summer runs until the seasons change in September. But then, I like to be an optimist about the weather.)

Some of you who are perhaps yet to take your summer hols, or are looking for a late summer trip to ease yourself back into autumn ways, may be thinking of visiting Croatia in September. You may be pleased to learn that September is considered the best month to visit amongst those in the know – the weather is still good (yes, you will – most probably – still be able to swim in the sea!), the high season crowds will have departed for home by the end of August, but everything – tourist-related – is still very much open.

Visiting Croatia in September

The island of Vis

However, you probably have a whole list of questions – what’s there to do? Where shall we go? We’re here to help you with these questions and more if you’re considering visiting Croatia in September!

The weather in Croatia in September

First things first. This is something we always get asked – is the weather in Croatia still good in September? Yes, very much so. It may come as no surprise really – as a Mediterranean country, the summer weather continues long into September. The last few years have seen very hot summers in Croatia, and this glorious weather definitely hung around in the ninth month of the year. (In fact, even into early October too!) This year there’s also been a rather hot summer in Croatia with temperatures in so many places reaching the very high 30s celsius. In fact, during July, temperatures for practically the entire country were classified as being “very warm” or “extremely warm” (poor Vis was the only place in Croatia to simply be “warm”), whilst most of the country was considered to be either “dry” or “very dry”.

All in all, we expect the weather in Croatia to be great this September! The Croatian Meteorological Society has plenty of forecasts in English – at the moment, they obviously don’t show much data for September, but take a look at their seven-day forecasts a little closer to the time.

The sea off the coast of Croatia – having had all summer to warm up – will be great, temperature-wise, in September. Yesterday, for example, temperatures reached around 23/24C for many places, with the sea a few degrees colder in the north of the coast.

Disclaimer: Yes, of course, the weather everywhere is starting to turn a little crazy. So don’t hold it against us if conditions in Croatia inexplicably turn winter-y during September. That’s definitely not supposed to happen. And it’s very, very unlikely to happen. But if anything insanely crazy, weather-wise, happens…don’t blame us! 

What’s on in Croatia in September?

Croatia has established itself as something of a prime festival destination in the last few years, with more and more dance festivals being added all the time to each year’s calendar. September is when the festival season winds down, but there’s still a couple of events taking place, both in Istria. The brand-new-for-2013 Unknown is being held in Rovinj from 10th to 14th September, with names like Jessie Ware, The Horrors, Jamie xx and SBTRKT all on the bill. Now in its second year, the electro festival Dimensions will be on in Pula from 5th to 9th September, making use of Fort Punto Christo that’s close to the town. (Dimensions is the “little sister” of Croatia festival favourite Outlook, which is on itself in Pula from 29th August to 2nd September.)

For the less dance music type events, there’s the Split Film Festival on from the 14th to the 21st September. The historical festival Gioistra – now in its seventh year – will be held in Porec from 13th to 15th September, with assorted costumes, revelry, sports, street entertainers and products on sale, all re-enacting 18th century times. The second Korkrya Baroque Festival is an international music festival on the island of Korcula, being held from 7th to 13th September. Zagreb hosts both the general entertainment festival RujanFest (literally, ‘SeptemberFest’) from the 13th to the 22nd September, as well as the 46th edition of the International Puppet Theatre Festival (9th to 14th September).

For those more keen on sports events, Croatia will host the Davis Cup tie against Great Britain in Umag (which means clay!) on the weekend of 13th to 15th September. And yes, Wimbledon champ Andy Murray is expected to play. Tickets can be bought on the ticket portal Eventim.hr.

Be sure to pop into the tourist office of wherever you are to ask for events taking place locally!

Where should I go in Croatia in September?

As we’ve covered so far, the weather will be great in September, so it’s hard not to pick a location on the coast. Dubrovnik should be as busy it always is, and there’s certainly a large number of cruise ships scheduled to dock during that month, bringing thousands of (day trip) passengers at a time. Split has had a great season so far, so it wouldn’t be any surprise to see this place as bustling as it has been. (Seeing as it’s Croatia’s second largest city, it is relatively lively all year round!) Some of the more popular islands, such as Brac and Hvar, and other popular locations on the coast (the Makarska Riviera) are still likely to receive a good number of visitors, even whilst the season starts to wind down.

If you’re after something a little quieter, perhaps consider the most outlying of all the larger Croatian islands – Vis. As a quieter and slightly mystical destination any time of year, we think this place would be divine in September. Other islands to check out include those in the Kvarner bay  such as Krk, Cres, Losinj or Rab, all of which are perhaps not as well known amongst non-Continental European visitors.

Istria is of course one of the most popular destinations in the whole of Croatia, with delights such as Porec, Rovinj and Pula all located here. The county has suffered a slight fall in visitor numbers this year, but will still see good numbers overall. If you’d like to visit, why not consider something like a foodie or activity-based holiday – two things the region does very well! Check out Istria Tourist Board’s guides to gastronomy and sport.

From a logistical point of view, almost all flights from the UK to Croatia still operate in September – and well into October too. The one exception to this is Ryanair’s flights from London Stansted to Rijeka Airport stopping at the end of August. See our Flights to Croatia page for details of all routes to Croatia from the UK.

Do note that in almost all cases, ferry schedules will still be running to summer timetables until the end of September. Certainly, almost all of Jadrolinija‘s local routes remain the same until the end of September, as does their twice-a-week coastal route that runs Rijeka – Split – Stari Grad (Hvar) – Korcula – Mljet – Dubrovnik and vice versa. The exception lies with some of their international sailings (to Italy) that reduce in frequency in September, and again further in October. Venezia Lines‘ sailings between Istria and Venice will only operate from Porec and Rovinj during September.

Or check out Adriagate – they offer last minute discounts on accommodation for destinations all over Croatia!

All in all, if you’re visiting Croatia next month, we hope you enjoy your stay! Why not drop us a line on email, Twitter or Facebook to let us know how it went – we’d love to hear from you!

Accommodation in Bol

Catamaran direct from Split Airport to Bol

Following on from the launch of a new catamaran service from Split Airport to central Split, this summer has also seen another new service – a catamaran direct from Split Airport to Bol on the island of Brac, and to Stari Grad on Hvar.

Split Airport to Bol catamaran
Bol on the island of Brac

This service, run by SplitExpress, actually started operating on 1st June this year. However, for those of you yet to travel to Croatia this summer, we’re sure this is still welcome news, even now!

This catamaran service will prove very, very useful for anyone wishing to travel direct from Split Airport to the island of Brac and Hvar.

Timetable

There are four sailings a day from Split Airport to Bol at 10am (arrives 11.25am), 1pm (arr. 2.05pm), 4.20pm (arr. 5.25pm) and and at 8.50pm (arr. 10.15pm). The first and last sailing also stop at Split along the way (arrival time in Split is 15 minutes after departure from the port near Split Airport).

Additionally, the 1pm sailing from Split Airport travels on to Stari Grad on the island of Hvar, reaching it 2.50pm.

See the full timetable below:

Split Airport to Bol - SplitExpress catamaran outbound
Split Airport to Bol - SplitExpress catamaran inbound

Note: where two times are listed in one box, the first time means the arrival time and the second the departure time. For example, the 10am service arrives at Split at 10.15am, then departs at 10.30am to travel on to Bol, arriving there are 11.25am.

The timetable can also be found here.

Ticket prices

All tickets for the SplitExpress catamaran can be booked as one of three types – Lowfare, Lowfareplus or Flexplus. Lowfare is the cheapest option (understandably) and cannot be refunded or changed. Lowfareplus tickets cannot be refunded, although the departure can be changed (subject to availability). Finally, Flexplus tickets – as you may have guessed – are both refundable or can also be changed to another journey.

From Split Airport to Bol or Stari Grad, it costs 199 Kn (lowfare), 229 Kn (lowfareplus) or 299 Kn (flexplus).

Travelling from Split Airport to Split, costs 50 Kn (lowfare), 129 Kn (lowfareplus), or 199 Kn (flexplus).

From Split to Bol, it costs 99 Kn (lowfare), 129 Kn (lowfareplus), or 199 Kn (flexplus).

For Bol to Stari Grad, it costs 79 Kn (lowfare), 109 Kn (lowfareplus), 169 Kn (flexplus).

Prices are the same for adults and for children aged 2 and over. Children under 2 years of age travel free.

Tickets can be booked online.

Enjoy travelling from Split Airport this summer!

Split to Dubrovnik Catamaran 2024

As we’re at the time of year that the Dalmatian coastal catamarans – those that operate from Split to Dubrovnik and Dubrovnik to Split – start operating, I thought I’d give a little round-up of those such services. I know they’re certainly popular with travellers! In this post, you’ll find timetables for all the Split to Dubrovnik catamaran services operating in 2024.

TP Line has just started its Split to Dubrovnik catamaran service

As of last Friday, 26th April 2024, TP Line has started operating its coastal catamaran which runs from Split to Milna on the island of Brac, Hvar Town, Korcula Town, Pomena on the island of Mljet and Dubrovnik. (And does the return journey too, of course!)

Split to Dubrovnik catamaran
Credit: TP Line

This is a service that departs Split in the morning, meaning you can make it to Dubrovnik for the mid-afternoon. For the reverse journey, you leave Dubrovnik in the mid-afternoon and arrive in Split just in time for dinner.

The timetable for this service in both directions is shown below:

SplitMilna (Brac)HvarKorculaPomena (Mljet)Dubrovnik
Daydeparturearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival
Monday – Sunday
(Daily)
9.15am9.45am | 9.50am10.30am | 10.45am12.10pm | 12.20pm1pm | 1.05pm2.35pm
Service runs from 26th April to 27th September 2024
DubrovnikPomena (Mljet)KorculaHvarMilna (Brac)Split
Daydeparturearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival
Monday – Sunday
(Daily)
3.15pm4.45pm | 4.50pm5,30pm | 5.40pm6.55pm | 7.10pm7.50pm | 7.55pm8.30pm
Service runs from 26th April to 27th September 2024

Tickets cost €48 for adults or €24 for children aged 3 to 12 whilst children under the age of 3 travel free. These prices are for the full Split to Dubrovnik or Dubrovnik to Split portion of the journey as well as for Milna – Dubrovnik/Dubrovnik – Milna and Hvar – Dubrovnik/Dubrovnik – Hvar. Other prices apply for the other portions; you can see these on the TP Line website where you can also buy tickets.

TP Line also operate several other catamaran routes along the Croatian coast include Dubrovnik – Sobra (Mljet) – Korcula – Ubli (Lastovo) and Dubrovnik – Sipan – Sobra (Mljet) – Polace (Mljet) – Korcula – Ubli (Lastovo).

Kapetan Luka’s service has already been running for a month

Kapetan Luka operate two popular Split to Dubrovnik catamaran services, and their most popular one has already been operating daily for the past month!

Kapetan Luka catamaran
A Kapetan Luka catamaran sails past Korcula

Their services also runs from Split to Milna on the island of Brac, Hvar Town, Korcula Town, Pomena on the island of Mljet and Dubrovnik. The timetable is shown below:

SplitMilna (Brac)HvarKorculaPomena (Mljet)Dubrovnik
Daydeparturearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival
Monday – Sunday
(Daily)
8.00am8.25am | 8.30am9.00am | 9.10am10.20am | 10.30am11.05am | 11.10am12.35pm
Service runs from 1st April to 31st October 2024
DubrovnikPomena (Mljet)KorculaHvarMilna (Brac)Split
Daydeparturearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival
Monday – Sunday
(Daily)
3.00pm4.20pm | 4.25pm5.00pm | 5.10pm6.30pm | 6.40pm7.15pm | 7.20pm7.45pm
Service runs from 1st April to 31st October 2024

As you can see, you can use this service from Kapetan Luka to make the journey from Split to Dubrovnik in time for lunch, with plenty of time for exploring in the afternoon.

This catamaran costs €50 for adults for the full Split to Dubrovnik or Dubrovnik to Split portion as well as for Milna – Dubrovnik/Dubrovnik – Milna and Hvar – Dubrovnik/Dubrovnik – Hvar. Other prices apply for the other legs of the journey.

The same company also have another Split to Dubrovnik catamaran that starts operating for the year in June. This service runs from SplitBolMakarksaKorcula Town – Pomena on the island of MljetDubrovnik. You can see the timetable below:

SplitBol (Brac)MakarskaKorculaPomena (Mljet)Dubrovnik
Daydeparturearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival
Monday – Sunday
(Daily)
8.45am9.35am | 9.45am10.20am | 10.30am11.40am | 11.50am12.20pm | 12.30pm2.05pm
Service runs from 10th June to 22nd September 2024
DubrovnikPomena (Mljet)KorculaMakarskaBol (Brac)Split
Daydeparturearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival
Monday – Sunday
(Daily)
3.05pm5.00pm | 5.10pm5.50pm | 6.00pm7.15pm | 7.25pm8.00pm | 8.10pm9.10pm
Service runs from 10th June to 22nd September 2024

Tickets for Kapetan Luka‘s coastal routes can be purchased on their website.

Jadrolinija’s Split to Dubrovnik catamaran starts in June

The main ferry and catamaran company in Croatia, Jadrolinija, of course also have a Split to Dubrovnik catamaran. However, their service only starts in June, running for the peak summer months. For completeness, I thought I would also add it here so you can get your Split to Dubrovnik catamaran info all on one page!

Split to Dubrovnik catamaran - Jelena
Credit: Jadrolinija

This is certainly a popular route as it connects some of the top destinations in Croatia: SplitBolHvar TownKorcula TownDubrovnik. This service travels from Split to Dubrovnik in the afternoon/evening, and from Dubrovnik to Split in the morning. That means lunch on the Riva in Split!

You can see the timetable below:

SplitBol (Brac)Hvar TownKorcula TownDubrovnik
Daydeparturearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival
Monday – Sunday
(Daily)
3.30pm4.30pm | 4.45pm5.35pm | 5.55pm7.10pm | 7.25pm9.25pm
Service runs from 7th June to 22nd September 2024
DubrovnikKorcula TownHvar TownBol (Brac)Split
Daydeparturearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival | departurearrival
Monday – Sunday
(Daily)
7.00am9.00am | 9.15am10.30am | 10.50am11.40am | 11.55am12.55pm
Service runs from 7th June to 22nd September 2024

Adult tickets cost €45 for Split to Dubrovnik/Dubrovnik to Split as well as Hvar to Dubrovnik/Dubrovnik to Hvar. Other prices apply to the other legs of the journey.

You can buy tickets on the Jadrolinija website.

What’s all this talk of catamarans? What about the ferry?

There is no longer a slow ferry between Split and Dubrovnik, one that would be able to take cars as well as passengers. This was a service run by Jadrolinija in the past – for decades, in fact – although it hasn’t operated for almost ten years now and was being run at a loss towards the end of its time. Actually a coastal service that originated Rijeka, I’m sure this would be welcomed by many travellers these days. But, suffice to say, there is no coastal ferry service between Split and Dubrovnik.

If you have a car, you will need to drive down or up the coastline!

Spotlight on: Diocletian’s Palace, Split

One of the most famed sights in Croatia, the Diocletian’s Palace area in Split is also one of the most historic sights you may visit on your travels. It is an absolute must-see and contains many individually interesting elements to explore. The whole area, right at the very core of the city, is also a thoroughly enjoyable part of Split with numerous cafes, restaurants, bars, shops and more. You’ll be strolling around taking in a whole tonne of history whilst also getting so much of what Split has to offer.

The “Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian” was declared a UNESCO World Heritage in 1979. (It was one of Croatia’s first; Dubrovnik’s Old Town and the Plitvice Lakes were also added to the list in the same year.)

Diocletian's Palace

About Diocletian’s Palace and History

If you don’t yet know much about Diocletian’s Palace, you might consider Dioletina’s retirement home to be like any typical European palace structure. In your head, you may be considering an extremely large and ornate building, perhaps set in large, highly manicured grounds and full of rather ostentatious furniture.

Diocletian’s Palace is nothing like that! (At least not today; the palace may well have had some of these components all those many centuries ago.)

The palace was built as a retirement home (yes, really) for Roman Emperor Diocletian who was born in Salona (now present-day Solin) sometime between the years 242 to 245. He retired from Emperor life in the year 305 and lived in the palace until his death in 311. Work on constructing the palace is though to have begun in the year 295 with materials from local sources used – particularly white limestone from Brac and bricks made locally. You can see below what the structure would have looked like around the time of its competition – you can see that the palace did indeed stretch all the way out to the sea.

Diocletian's Palace (original appearance)

Diocletian’s Palace. (2024, February 8). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diocletian%27s_Palace

The Palace was built in a rectangular shape of roughly 215 metres by 180 metres. There were towers at each corner of the Palace and octagonal towers framing each entrance into the Palace. The area of the structure was divided into four with two main “streets” within. The southern gate would have been the Emperor’s main entry into the Palace by sea and, indeed, the southern part of the Palace would have contained his residence whilst the northern part would have contained quarters for servants and guards.

After Diocletian’s death, the Palace continued to be used by members of the emperor’s family. It rose in importance again in the 7th century when Salona (Solin), once the capital of Dalmatia and a large (for that time) city was destroyed by an invasion by the Slavs that had by now reached this area. Some of the previous inhabitants of Salona sought shelter and refuge in the large Palace area, and Palace life – now city life – began to resume. In the many years since citizens have continuously lived within what is deemed to be the Palace area and adapted its use multiple times.

Getting There

The Diocletian’s Palace area is just by the Riva, the main harbourfront in Split. It is a short walk from the main bus and train stations and port in the city (which are all adjacent to each other), about 10 minutes.

Should you be travelling from further afield in Split, there are numerous local bus lines that stop near the Palace. You can check out Split’s bus network on the Promet Split website.

What to See and Do at Diocletian’s Palace

You really could get lost whilst wandering the streets of the Palace…but try not to! In all seriousness, the best way of seeing the Palace is to go back and forth through its many little streets taking in all the many sights and experiences. Below are some of the main things to look out for and see.

Gates

As you approach the Palace area, you’ll no doubt enter through to the main part via one of the gates. As we’ve mentioned, the southern gate – the Brass Gate – would have once been the main entrance from the sea and is the smallest of all the gates. Today, this gate allows you entry from the Riva. On the eastern side is the Silver Gate which was reconstructed in 1952 after Dusica Church was destroyed during World War II; the gate had become part of the Church during its construction.

On the northern side, right by the large Grgur Ninski (Gregory of Nin) statue is the Golden Gate (Zlatna vrata) which would have faced the direction of Salona and would have been the main entrance into the Palace.

Golden Gate (Zlatna vrata), Split
Golden Gate / Zlatna vrata

On the eastern side is the Iron Gate which is the only gate of the four that has seen continuous use since it was first constructed.

The Cathedral of Saint Domnius and Belltower

The octagonally-shaped Cathedral of St Domnius (Katedrala Svetog Duje in Croatian) is the oldest Catholic cathedral in the world in its original structure, consecrated as it was in the 7th century. The Cathedral contains the 3rd-century mausoleum for Emperor Diocletian whilst the belltower was a later addition, built in the 13th century. Diocletian’s sarcophagus was destroyed in the 5th century

The 57-metre-tall belltower can be climbed for superb views over Split in all directions including out over the twinkling Adriatic Sea.

The Peristyle with the Cathedral and its Belltower to the left

Temple of Jupiter

By the entrance of this former temple is another 3,500-year-old Egyptian sphynx, this one being headless. The Temple itself was converted into a Baptistry dedicated to St John the Baptist in the 6th century. The Temple contains sarcophagi with the remains of Ivan of Ravenna and Lovre, both Archbishops of Split in the 11th century. You will also find a bronze statue of St John the Baptist created by famed Croatian sculptor Ivan Mestrovic.

The Peristyle

The Peristyle is a remarkable open-air square which would have been the main square of the Palace even way back when. Consider this as you sip on a relaxing coffee on the stone steps whilst admiring the view. The Peristyle is also home to a 3,500-year-old Egyptian sphynx.

The Vestibule

The inside of the vestibule is circular, and you’ll notice the circular open-air top which was once covered by a dome. The vestibule was a hall in the days of the Palace, serving as an entrance to the Palace apartments. These days you come across traditional acapella singers (singing klapa music) who make use of the excellent acoustics in the Vestibule.

Diocletian's Palace - Vestibule
Vestibule

Cellars

The cellars were originally used as storage areas when the Palace was first built. The importance of the cellars is because they are so well preserved and provide and excellent idea of what the above-ground portion of the Palace would have been like.

Part of the cellar area can be easily visited as you pass through the Brass Gate from the Riva towards the direction of the Vestibule and the Peristyle. You will find numerous little market stalls selling souvenirs and other trinkets.

Access to the rest of the cellars is ticketed (see below).

Opening Hours and Entrance Price

The main Palace area is free to enter at all times of day and night, year-round, and there is no fee to enter, of course!

Parts of the Palace, however, do have an entrance fee and particular opening times.

All parts of the Cathedral, including the Belltower, require tickets to enter.

Part of the cellars that are ticketed are open 8.30am – 8pm (summer hours, April to October) or 9am to 5pm (winter hours, November to March). Tickets cost €8 for adults and €6 for children aged 7 to 14, seniors (aged 65 and over) and students with ID. Children aged 6 and under can enter for free. You can buy tickets at the ticket booth in the Palace or on the Museum of the City of Split website.

Other Ways of Seeing and Enjoying Diocletian’s Palace

If you’d like to step back in time – virtually – and see for yourself what Diocletian’s Palace would have been like all those many centuries ago, head to the Diocletian’s Dream experience. Don a VR headset and immerse yourself in Split life in the year 305.

There are numerous walking tours of the Diocletian’s Palace area that you can join; led by knowledgeable guides, the tours will really give you an expansive information base from which to learn all about the Emperor and his retirement home. Take a look at some of the tours below:

Powered by GetYourGuide

More info

You can read more about the Palace on the Split Tourist Board website.

New catamaran route in Croatia for 2017!

Some exciting news about another new catamaran route in Croatia for 2017 – one that we’re sure will benefit many visitors to the country.

This new catamaran route will hop between the mainland and some of Croatia’s most popular islands, connecting Split, Bol on the island of Brac, Makarska, KorculaMljet and Dubrovnik.

The service is being run by Kapetan Luka, who already also run a popular route connecting Split with Milna on Brac, Hvar Town on Hvar, Korcula, Mljet and Dubrovnik.

This new service will commence sailing on Monday 12th June 2017, running daily until Sunday 17th September 2017. The timetable of the new service is as below:

New catamaran connections and day trips

This new route brings up some exciting new sea connections. In particular, Makarska is now connected by sea to the prime spots of Bol, Korcula, Mljet and Dubrovnik. And to Split as well, of course, although as it’s only an hour or so down the road, it’s already easily reachable from Croatia’s second city! (Makarska does already have a car ferry to Sumartin on the eastern side of the island of Brac.)

This catamaran also sets up some opportunities for day trips not previously possible by public ferry. A day trip from Split to Bol is now possible; you’ll certainly get a full day in Bol, and be able to experience the delights of Zlatni Rat, one of Croatia’s most famous beaches. And from Makarska, you can also consider a day trip to Korcula or Mljet. (Dubrovnik is a little too far, and you’d only get four hours there!).

Online ticket booking

Tickets can be booked on Kapetan Luka’s booking website. We’d certainly recommend pre-booking tickets in advance, as we’re sure this route will be popular.

As a catamaran, this is obviously a foot-passenger only boat. No cars can sail on this route!

Other catamaran and ferry routes

Of course, there already are plenty of other routes running off the Croatian coast. Two other popular services – both of which have also started running in recent years – connect Split and Dubrovnik and stop at Brac (Milna or Bol), Hvar, Korcula and Mljet along the way.

For more details about these routes, and for other sailings, see our Ferries in Croatia section.

Happy catamaran travelling!

Milna, Brac

Travel question: Island day trips from Split and Dubrovnik in May

I am spending three nights Split and three nights in Dubrovnik in late May. I was wondering if you had any suggestions about possible ferry day trips to go on while in either of these two cities?

A.

Island day trips from Split in May

From Split, either Hvar Town or Milna on Brac (but not both on the same day!) would be most suitable locations for ferry day trips. This catamaran (which runs daily in late May) sails to both places, departing from Split quite early in the day and then making the return journey in the evening. This means you would get a full day on either Brac or Hvar.

Island day trips from Split - Milna on Brac

Milna on the island of Brac

Jadrolinija do also have sailings to Hvar Town. However, in late May they don’t yet have any in the morning (with a return in the afternoon/evening) meaning you can’t use their sailings for a day trip to Hvar at this time of year. They do, however, have a slow car ferry to Stari Grad on Hvar but at two hours sailing each way, that’s quite a lot of travel time! 

Vis is also not suitable as an island day trip by public ferry from Split.

For something closer and more ‘off the beaten track’, how about the island of Solta? Definitely possible as a day trip from Split (with Jadrolinija, sailing time 1 hour) you can find out more details about the island on the tourist office website. A tranquil place away from the crowds, it would certainly earn you brownie points as a place that not many people visit or have heard of! Travel expert Simon Calder wrote an article in the Independent on visting this island: Slavic secret Solta is steeped in history and rich in beauty.

Island day trips from Dubrovnik in May

From Dubrovnik, you can visit one (or possibly two, if you time it right!) of the Elafiti islands of Sipan, Lopud and Kolocep with Jadrolinija.

Unfortunately, there are no sailings in late May that make a day trip to the islands of Korcula or Mljet possible.

Of course, visiting the small island of Lokrum *is* possible! There are frequent sailings from Dubrovnik’s Old Town – see the timetable on the official Lokrum website.

Happy day-tripping!

Dubrovnik to Split

Dubrovnik to Split…and back! Updated for 2020

One of our more frequently visited posts on our blog is our guide on Getting from Split to Dubrovnik…and Dubrovnik to Split! As it’s been a few years since we wrote it, we thought we would revisit the information and update it for 2020.

This is one of the most frequently travelled routes by visitors to Croatia, so we hope you find this information useful!

Dubrovnik to Split - Updated for 2020

Dubrovnik to Split by catamaran

There are three catamaran services running from Dubrovnik to Split in summer, operated by two different companies.

Kapetan Luka run two of these services, both of which sail daily. Perhaps the one that travellers might find most useful is the catamaran that sails Dubrovnik – Pomena (island Mljet) – Korcula Town – Hvar Town – Milna (island of Brac) – this service starts running for the year from early April, and operates daily right through to the end of October. The catamaran departs Dubrovnik at 4.30pm, arriving in Split at 8.55pm – meaning, sailing time is 4 hours and 25 minutes.

Kapetan Luka‘s other catamaran sails Dubrovnik – Sobra (island of Mljet) – Korcula Town – Makarska – Bol (island of Brac) – Split. This one runs daily from the end of May through to the end of October. This catamaran departs Dubrovnik at 4pm, arriving in Split at 8.45pm – sailing time is 4 hours and 15 minutes.

You can book the Kapetan Luka catamarans using the search box below:

Jadrolinija also have a catamaran connecting Dubrovnik and Split. Operating daily from early June to mid September, their catamaran stops at Bol on Brac, Hvar Town and Korcula Town en route. Sailing time between Split and Dubrovnik is 5 hours and 15 minutes. This catamaran sails from Split in the mid afternoon (reaching Dubrovnik at 9pm), and sails from Dubrovnik in the early morning (reaching Split at 12.30pm).

The above mentioned services are the only options if you wish to make the journey from Dubrovnik to Split by sea. No other direct catamaran or ferry route exists – and there are definitely no car ferry options.

Island Hopping

You obviously don’t have to go go direct from Dubrovnik to Split if taking a catamaran! The services above mean you can easily spend a night or two (or more) on the islands of Mljet, Korcula, Hvar and/or Brac along the way!

A possible (part) car ferry route

If you did want to make part of the journey by car ferry, the best idea would be to drive up the coast from Dubrovnik towards the top of the Peljesac Peninsula to Orebic. From here, you can get a car ferry onto the island of Korcula. Driving to the western side of the island, you can then get a car ferry from Vela Luka to Split with Jadrolinija. This ferry sails twice a day (only once on Saturdays and Sundays out of season) and takes 2 hours 45 minutes.

If you wanted to include a different island to Korcula, you could instead drive further up the coast to Drvenik and then get a ferry across to Sucuraj on the island of Hvar. You would then need to drive across the island to Stari Grad to get another ferry up to Split.

Alternatively, you could drive even further up the coast to Makarska and then get a ferry to Sumartin on the island of Brac. Either return back to Makarska to continue your drive to Split, or drive across Brac to Supetar to get another car ferry to Split.

All of these car ferry routes are run by Jadrolinija.

Island hopping with a car is pretty much out of the question – few car ferry routes exist that travel from island to island. So you’re really only be able to visit one island before sailing up to Split.

Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik’s Old Town Harbour

Dubrovnik to Split by Bus

Those not taking the catamaran option for travelling between to two cities will likely instead by travelling by bus. There are plenty of buses travelling on this route every day, year-round – so it’s an easy journey to make indeed.

Journey time is about 4 to 4.5 hours (longer during peak summer season when the roads are busy) and a one-way ticket costs in the region of 90 to 140 Kunas, depending on which bus you take.

You can look up bus times and ticket prices (and book tickets) on the getbybus.com website.

Of course, buses go through the small section of Bosnia & Hercegovina that sits between the two portions of Dalmatia. So keep your passport handy as it will be checked!

Dubrovnik to Split by Air

It is possible to fly between Dubrovnik and Split – however, flights do not operate daily so it’s not the most convenient option.

Operated by Trade Air (and bookable on the Croatia Airlines website), flights operate twice a week. Journey time is 45 minutes.

Split
Narodni trg (People’s Square), also known as Pjaca in Split

Dubrovnik to Split by Road

If you’re hired a car in Croatia, driving up the coast is easy enough. You can either take the scenic coastal road – the Adriatic Highway (or Jadranska magistrala) all the way, but do consider that there will be heavy traffic on this road in the peak summer months.

Alternatively, you can drive up the coastal road to near the town of Ploce. Close to here, you will be able to join the the A1 motorway (this is where it starts/ends) to take it all the way to the Split region. Do be aware that you have to pay a toll for using the motorway – this costs 51 Kunas from Ploce to Split.

Split to Dubrovnik Private Transfer

For those that don’t want to rent a car – but equally don’t want to use public transport – a private transfer can often be the best solution in travelling from Split to Dubrovnik.

Visit Croatia Recommends This door to door private car service is an easy and comfortable way to travel between these two cities. Prices are fixed and very competitive – cheaper, in fact, than a taxi, with prices starting at €210. You can also choose your pickup time and whether you’d like to modify the trip to include stops along the way, making the transfer into an excursion. For a free quote on Dubrovnik to Split transfers contact Octopus Transfers Croatia

Can I go by train?

Five years may have passed since we wrote our original post and in that time…Dubrovnik has not built a train station. (This is a joke – there were no plans to build one!)

So no, you cannot travel from Dubrovnik by train to Split!

Getting from Split to Dubrovnik

Getting from Split to Dubrovnik…and Dubrovnik to Split!

We’re sure that many of you will be travelling from Split to Dubrovnik (or Dubrovnik to Split) this summer, so we thought we’d lay out the various options for getting between the two!

Getting from Split to Dubrovnik

Split to Dubrovnik by Catamaran

Kapetan Luka have a daily catamaran operating in both directions from Split to Dubrovnik. The catamaran operates in the early morning from Split to Dubrovnik – stopping at Milna on Brac, Hvar Town, Korcula Town and Mljet – whilst the opposite journey operates in the late afternoon/early evening. Journey time between Split and Dubrovnik is 4 hours 15 minutes.

You can of course also split up the journey en route to either Dubrovnik or Split e.g. Dubrovnik to Korcula and then stay there for a night or two.

You can book tickets online on the Kapetan Luka website or using the search box below – during peak season, this would be advisable.

The catamaran does also operate in October, although only three times a week.

2017 Update: Kapetan Luka have a new daily catamaran operating between Split and Dubrovnik. This one stops at Bol on the island of Brac, Makarska, Korcula and Sobra on the island of Mljet when travelling between the two cities. Journey time between Split and Dubrovnik is 4 hours 30 minutes, and the sailing is also in the early morning from Split, with the reverse in the mid afternoon.

Jadrolinija also now have a catamaran connecting Dubrovnik and Split. Operating daily from early June to mid September, their catamaran stops at Bol on Brac, Hvar Town and Korcula Town en route. Sailing time between Split and Dubrovnik is 5 hours and 15 minutes. This catamaran sails from Split in the mid afternoon (reaching Dubrovnik at 9pm), and sails from Dubrovnik in the early morning (reaching Split at 12.30pm).

Split to Dubrovnik by Ferry

Jadrolinija used to run – for absolutely years and years – a coastal ferry service that stretched from Rijeka in the north down to Split and Dubrovnik, stopping off at a couple of the islands along the way (Hvar and Korcula). For 2015, this route has been cancelled – so there are no car ferry options between Split and Dubrovnik. 2017 Update: Details of this service being restarted in 2017 was released – however, by the summer, this has failed to materialise.

There is a year-round Jadrolinija car ferry that operates from Split to Vela Luka on the island of Korcula. As an alternative to the above ferry, you could utilise this – perhaps staying on Korcula for a bit! – before then taking a ferry from Korcula to Orebic on the mainland, and then driving down to Dubrovnik. (It’s a bit of a different alternative, admittedly!)

Split to Dubrovnik by Bus

Luckily, these two Croatian coastal gems are connected numerous buses that run daily. Journey time is around 4 and a half hours – although do note that in peak season (July and August), you may be delayed by an hour of more if the coastal road is especially busy with holiday traffic.

The route stretches through a portion of Bosnia & Hercegovina (called the Neum corridor), so do keep your passport on your person/in your hand luggage and not in the suitcase you’ve put in the hold!

This is a transit route through Bosnia & Hercegovina, so you won’t need a visa for the country (if you otherwise would – EU/US/Canadian/Australian nationals don’t).

Split to Dubrovnik - Neum Corridor
Neum

Buses normally use Neum as a comfort break – a chance to stop for the loo, stretch your legs and to snap a few pics of ‘you in Bosnia’. Luckily, it’s a pretty nice view! There’s also a shop there if you fancy stocking up on ‘duty free’ (booze and cigarettes) and a few little knick knacks; snack options are a little thin on the ground unless you like biscuits, crisps and soft drinks/water.

Check schedules for the route – whether for Split to Dubrovnik or Dubrovnik to Split on the Split Bus Terminal website. The Dubrovnik Bus Terminal also displays this information, but it’s not quite as user friendly.

Split to Dubrovnik by Air

Trade Air have a few flights a week in each direction between Split and Dubrovnik; flight time is 40 minutes.

There are transfer buses between both airports and each city’s main bus station – and in the case of Dubrovnik, the bus also stops at the Old Town. See Getting to and from Split Airport and To and from Dubrovnik Airport.

Split to Dubrovnik by Road

If you’re driving between Split and Dubrovnik, there are two road options – either the scenic coastal road for the whole route, or inland on the A1 motorway as far as Ploce – where the motorway ends – and where you need to then towards the coastal road to continue the journey.

Which one you take is up to you in terms of whether you’re under time pressure or not. The coastal road is beautiful of course – but it can be very busy during the summer months!

Split to Dubrovnik Private Transfer

Visit Croatia Recommends A popular transport option for travel between Split and Dubrovnik is a private transfer. This door to door car service makes for easy and comfortable travel between these two cities. Best of all, prices are fixed and very competitive – cheaper, in fact, than a taxi with prices starting at €210. In addition, you can choose your pickup time and whether you’d like to modify the trip to include stops along the way, making the transfer into an excursion. For a free quote on Dubrovnik to Split transfers contact Octopus Transfers Croatia

Split to Dubrovnik by Train

This one’s a no go! Dubrovnik has no train station, for starters…and train services up and down the Croatian coast don’t really exist. But you’ve luckily got plenty of other transport options – as detailed above!

Useful Links

Ferries in Croatia - Jadrolinija catamaran

New Jadrolinija catamaran line from Dubrovnik to Korcula, Hvar and Bol!

Croatia’s main ferry company Jadrolinija will be running a brand new catamaran line for summer 2016! The new Jadrolinija catamaran line will connect Dubrovnik with Korcula, Hvar Town and Bol – meaning that some of the Croatia’s most popular destinations and islands are connected.

Ferries in Croatia - Jadrolinija catamaran

A Jadrolinija catamaran departing Hvar Town

Operating daily from 1st July to 11th September, the catamaran will sail from Dubrovnik in the morning and make the return journey in the late afternoon/evening. That means that you could potentially make day trips to Hvar and Bol from Dubrovnik using this catamaran service. (And to Korcula of course as well – although this was already possible.)

What will also interest many travellers is that this catamaran can also be used to make day trips from Hvar to Bol on Brac! (Although, as you can see from the timetable, not the other way around.) There’s currently only a catamaran service – also run by Jadrolinija – connecting Jelsa on Hvar with Bol.

The full timetable:

Dubrovnik - Korcula - Hvar - Bol

Full details of this service and prices can be found on the Jadrolinija website. We’d definitely recommend pre-booking this Jadrolinija catamaran if you intend to travel on it – booking can be done Jadrolinija’s homepage – as we’re sure this will be an exceedingly popular service.

Kapetan Luka have run another catamaran service for a few years which has also proved to be exceedingly popular. Their service also runs daily (in high summer), and several times a week in May and October, connecting Split, Milna (Brac), Hvar Town, Korcula, Pomena (Mljet) and Dubrovnik. This line however goes from Split in the early morning (reaching Dubrovnik at midday), and from Dubrovnik in the late afternoon (reaching Split at 8.20pm). The full timetable, prices and ticket booking can be found on the Kapetan Luka website.

For more on travelling around Croatia by sea, check out our Ferries in Croatia and Ferry and Catamaran Prices sections.

Bon voyage!

Festivals in Croatia - Tisno

A new venue for Croatia’s festivals (well, some of them)

Anyone thinking about attending one of Croatia’s (many) great festivals may have seen the announcement not so long ago the site used in the village of Petrcane – home to The Garden Festival, Electric Elephant, Soundwave, Suncebeat and Stop Making Sense – was a no go for 2012. Concerns from the owners of the site, the Hotel Pinija, on how the festivals impacted guests staying at the hotel meant a new venue had to be found for these festivals for next year.

These concerns by the site owners were perhaps not entirely justified, but that’s not an issue I’m going to discuss here! I did read a number of articles in the Croatian press, however, about the negative impact (i.e. loss of tourist revenue) that losing these festivals from the Zadar region would have. (So it’s good to see they haven’t moved that far – read on below.)

Festivals in Croatia - Tisno
Tisno – you could be here next year!

Today, many of these festivals announced a new venue for 2012 – in the village of Tisno, which is roughly halfway between the town of Zadar and the city of Split. My immediate thought is that this will mean a significant number of additional travel options for partygoers attending any of these festivals, as there are many, many flights from the UK (and from elsewhere in Europe) to Split. (Of course, attendees in previous years could also have flown to Split too – but this just makes things a little easier!)

This news on the change of venue is “hot off the presses”, so I’d advise taking a close look at the festivals’ websites and Facebook pages (and Twitter too) for additional information as and when they release it.

Check out the latest news from the following sites – more is surely still to come very soon.

  • The Garden Festival (4th – 11th July): The Garden Tisno Facebook group
  • Soundwave (20th – 23rd July): their Facebook group should have news today!
  • SunceBeat (27th – 29th July): updated website
  • Stop Making Sense (2nd – 6th August) updated website

There’s also some news from Electric Elephant (12th – 16th July) via their Twitter feed.

And for some early travel planning check out the following pages from Visit Croatia:

Alternatively, check out what other festivals are taking place in the country in our Festivals in Croatia section – more information being added all the time!

Other than that – start thinking about partying it up in the summer of 2012. It’s going to be a good one!