Visit Plitvice early, then continue south to Split and Dubrovnik on a one-way route.
Start with Zagreb’s squares and Upper Town, spend a night beside Plitvice’s lakes, then continue to Split and Dubrovnik. Six nights across four stops give you one substantial park visit and a full day in each coastal city. Fly into Zagreb and out of Dubrovnik so the last day is a departure day rather than a return journey north.
The suggested version uses a hire car for the two inland travel days, then buses and walks on the coast. You can use buses throughout if the Plitvice departure fits your visit, but the connection needs checking before you book. This week concentrates on the capital, lakes and historic cities; leave the islands and Istria for a longer holiday.
Arriving the afternoon before lets you start at the entrance on your ticket without a morning drive from Zagreb. Check the accommodation’s actual distance from that entrance. The two main entrances are about three kilometres apart.
Two nights allow an evening on the Riva and a morning among the palace lanes. Choose a paid interior, stop for lunch, then walk on Marjan or spend time at Bačvice. A room near the centre keeps the day easy to arrange on foot.
Arrive on day five and use the next morning for the wall circuit, with no intercity transfer afterwards. There is time for a museum, the old harbour or a beach later. The final day stays flexible around the flight home.
Best for
Think twice if
You want a week in one beach resort, need an itinerary without steps, or dislike changing hotels. For an island stay, add days or replace a mainland stop instead of squeezing in another overnight.
StartBooker answer
Fly into Zagreb and leave from Dubrovnik. Spend one night in the capital, one near Plitvice, then two each in Split and Dubrovnik. Hire a car on day two and return it in Split after the park visit on day three; take a bus to Dubrovnik on day five. Buses can replace the car only when an afternoon departure from Plitvice leaves enough time for your chosen walk.
These four stops total six nights. Match the first two rooms to your car collection point and park entrance; on the coast, compare the walking routes and steps around the property.
4 stops · swipe
1
Upper Town lanes, markets and civic squares
Lower Town and the streets around Ban Jelačić Square suit a short central stay. Upper Town puts historic lanes close by but can add steps. Check tomorrow’s rental collection branch before choosing the address; airport and city desks are different journeys.
Watch out: Confirm the exact rental branch and opening hours before reserving the room.
Read the Zagreb guide →
2
Forest lakes, waterfalls and living travertine barriers
Stay near the entrance on your ticket, with parking and a way to reach dinner. A countryside guesthouse can work with a car, while bus travellers need a confirmed connection to the entrance and onward bus stop. Get distances rather than relying on the Plitvice name.
Watch out: Entrance, admission time and available walking routes need to agree; check current park alerts.
3
Diocletian's Palace, the Riva and Adriatic port
Bačvice gives you a beach and access to the palace and bus station. Varoš suits Marjan walks, though some lanes have steps. For two nights inside the old centre, check recent noise reviews and how you will get there after returning the car.
Watch out: A car-return office may be outside the centre. Arrange the final transfer and allow time for the handover.
Read the Split guide →
4
Fortified Old Town, walls and Adriatic viewpoints
Pile and Ploče put the Old Town nearby; Gruž suits the intercity bus arrival. Lapad offers a quieter evening with a local bus to the walls. Ask about stairs and the airport pickup point before booking, especially if you leave early.
Watch out: An Old Town address may require carrying luggage up stairs; a taxi cannot reach every doorway.
Read the Dubrovnik guide →Arrival and departure count as part of the week. Collect the car after the second morning’s Zagreb walk, visit the park early on day three and return the vehicle in Split that afternoon.
Take the airport coach or public transport that suits your arrival and leave your bags at the hotel. Walk towards Ban Jelačić Square, then continue through the Stone Gate to St Mark’s Square. The church’s patterned roof and the surrounding civic buildings introduce the Upper Town; you do not need to reserve an interior visit for this first evening. Return towards the centre for dinner, stopping for coffee if there is time. With a late flight, shorten the walk to the main square. The Green Horseshoe’s gardens and a market visit can wait until tomorrow, when you have a few hours before travelling to Plitvice.
Overnight: Zagreb
Visit Dolac in the morning for the food stalls and surrounding streets, or walk through Lower Town’s garden squares. If it rains, choose a museum that interests you instead of repeating yesterday’s outdoor route. Collect your bags and hire car around lunchtime, allowing time to inspect the vehicle and understand the return arrangements. Drive towards the park area and check in during the afternoon. Confirm the entrance on tomorrow’s ticket, breakfast time and where you can leave bags after checkout. Have dinner near the accommodation and prepare a light daypack with water, a rain layer and shoes with grip. With buses, book the actual Zagreb departure and check the last connection from the stop to your room.
Overnight: Plitvice Lakes
Start early at your booked entrance. Programme C from Entrance 1 is an eight-kilometre visit to the Lower and Upper Lakes, with a boat crossing and panoramic vehicle; the park gives four to five hours. Programme B is a shorter Lower Lakes option, listed at three to four hours. Check current routes before choosing, and leave extra time for queues, photographs and lunch. Stay on marked paths and keep swimming for the coast: it is not permitted in the park. Afterwards, collect your luggage and drive to Split, taking a break if tired. Arrange a rental return appointment late enough for the walk and journey. Keep tonight to check-in, food and a short Riva stroll. A bus version needs a confirmed afternoon departure; shorten the walk if necessary.
Overnight: Split
Walk into the palace neighbourhood from the Riva and find Peristyle, the cathedral and the surrounding lanes. The Roman residence remains part of the city, with cafés, homes and shops among the ancient structures. Choose the cathedral complex, basement halls or a guided historical walk as your main visit; the public streets do not require a single palace ticket. Have lunch before deciding how to spend the afternoon. Bačvice is convenient for a swim, while Marjan offers walking and viewpoints above the city. Trogir is another option if you would rather visit a second historic town, but allow transport time and choose it instead of the beach or hill. Return to Split for dinner.
Overnight: Split
Book a morning coach from Split’s waterfront bus station to Dubrovnik’s main station in Gruž. Journey lengths vary, so use the arrival time on your own ticket when planning the afternoon. From Gruž, take a local bus or taxi to your accommodation and leave the cases. Walk along Stradun towards Luža Square and the old harbour, looking into the side lanes rather than rushing straight to another attraction. Save the walls for tomorrow, when there is no intercity journey to fit around them. If the bus runs late, begin with dinner near the hotel and take a shorter evening walk; the two-night stay still leaves a full day in the city.
Overnight: Dubrovnik
Visit the walls near opening when the current hours allow, taking water and allowing time for the many steps and viewpoints. After the circuit, stop for lunch before another visit. The Rector’s Palace or Maritime Museum gives context to the former republic and its trade; the Dominican monastery offers a cloister and art collection. Alternatively, take the reserve’s official boat from the Old City Port to Lokrum for gardens and shaded paths. Check the weather, operating season and final return first. Choose one afternoon outing rather than all of them. Lapad’s waterfront is a simpler alternative if you prefer to swim or rest. Spend the evening in town, then pack and confirm tomorrow’s airport connection.
Overnight: Dubrovnik
Use the morning according to your flight time. With a late departure, have breakfast and a short walk near the hotel; with an early flight, leave directly. Platanus coaches towards the airport start at Gruž main bus station and call at Grawe and Cable Car. Ploče is listed for the inbound journey, so confirm the correct outbound stop rather than waiting at the arrival drop-off. The operator gives about 35 minutes on the road, with longer journeys possible in traffic. Add the time needed to retrieve bags, walk to the stop and meet your airline’s check-in requirement. A booked private transfer can suit an early start, but agree on a reachable pickup point if your room is inside the pedestrian Old Town.
Overnight: Departure day
The main plan uses a two-day hire from Zagreb to Split, collected day two and returned day three. The bus alternative needs a workable park departure, not just a route listed online.
3 transfers
Zagreb Plitvice Lakes
Drive from Zagreb towards Plitvice and use the hotel’s exact address. Arriva’s bus alternative takes about 2½ hours from Zagreb’s main terminal; confirm how the stop connects to the room and the booked park entrance.
Booking note: Check the rental collection branch, one-way return fee and parking at the park accommodation.
Plitvice Lakes Split
After the park, collect bags and take the main road/motorway route south. Arriva describes its Plitvice–Split bus journey as about 5 hours 35 minutes; use the booked service’s own time and allow for collecting luggage.
Booking note: For buses, confirm an afternoon departure that follows the walk. For a car, agree on a realistic Split return appointment.
Split Dubrovnik
FlixBus lists the journey from Split’s waterfront station to Gruž in Dubrovnik. Some departures are slower. Leave time after arrival for a local bus or taxi and hotel check-in before visiting the Old Town.
Booking note: Check the departure address, baggage allowance and scheduled arrival on the ticket for your date.
Driving estimates exclude visits, stops and rental handover. Bus times depend on the chosen departure; confirm the stop and travel date with the operator.
All main amounts are per adult, based on two adults sharing a double room and one car. The ECB’s 14 October 2026 rate was 1.1195 dollars per euro; USD comparisons below are rounded.
Booking tips
These live results can include suburban Zagreb as well as the centre. Read the street and district on each card before comparing prices. For this one-night arrival, favour a room with a straightforward journey to the main square and tomorrow’s rental branch; a property in Blato will need a different transport plan from one on Ilica.
Four destination markers show the overnight stops from Zagreb to Dubrovnik. The map does not provide driving directions. Zoom out on a phone if a marker is obscured, then compare each hotel address with the park entrance, rental branch or bus station you will use.
Zagreb
There are three changes of hotel, one substantial park walk and two longer onward journeys. The two nights each in Split and Dubrovnik leave a full day in both cities. Keep optional outings optional; add time if you want island stays or several beach days.
Yes, when the dates and stops work. Arriva lists Zagreb–Plitvice and Plitvice–Split, but the second journey is long. Confirm an afternoon bus before choosing the park programme, hotel and admission time. If it does not leave enough walking time, change the overnight plan rather than assuming the connection will work.
The park lies on the journey south from Zagreb. Staying nearby lets you begin early, then continue towards Split. A separate outing from Split means travelling back inland and returning to the same coast, using much of the day on the road.
C starts at Entrance 1, covers eight kilometres and visits both lake areas in a listed four to five hours. B also starts there but focuses on the Lower Lakes, at four kilometres and three to four hours. Choose according to current operations, fitness and onward travel, allowing extra time for queues and breaks.
The suggested plan returns it in Split on day three, after the park visit and drive. Confirm that the branch accepts that appointment. Extending the hire to day five adds two days of rental and Split parking, so update the budget if that suits your plans better.
May, June and September are useful starting points for a mix of lake walks and coastal evenings. July and August can bring hotter city walks and higher room costs. In colder months, check park paths, daylight and attraction openings; Lokrum may be closed, but museum visits can replace it.
Reviewed by StartBooker
Last reviewed 2026-10-15
Updated
How this route was checked: Revised against park route descriptions, responsible bus and airport operators, official tourism and heritage information, and independent travel guides. The itinerary distinguishes driving estimates from bus schedules. Budget totals use stated room sharing and a short one-way car hire.
25 references reviewed
Photos provided by Pexels.
Find another destination and compare its areas and accommodation.
Compare routes by length, stops and transport.
