Colossal Croatia Road Trip – 1-week itinerary from Zadar through Dalmatia

When I took this week-long road trip myself, at the end of the journey I felt as if I had been on the road for two weeks or more. That’s because there was so much variety and action, but also time to relax, that time seemed to stand still. One thing is certain: you’ll never get bored on this route.

I have divided this Croatia route into three sections. You will spend a full day at each section, with two nights’ accommodation at each stop. This gives you enough time to explore the area in each region and also to relax a little. On the travel days between the three sections, you will discover many great natural highlights and coastal towns along the way:

• Section 1: Zadar
• Section 2: Plitvice Lakes
• Section 3: Šibenik and the surrounding coast

Start and end point of this road trip through Croatia

The starting point for this trip is the coastal town of Zadar, from where you can leisurely make your way to the city of Split. Depending on the time of year and where you live, there are cheaper flights to and from Zadar or Split. You should then decide on the starting point and destination of your trip based on the best flights available.

The airports have the following abbreviations:

• Zadar: ZAD
• Split: SPU

Find flights to Croatia ✈️

During my trip, it was much cheaper to fly both to and from Zadar. Since Zadar Airport is located just outside the town, this wasn’t a problem. I planned my last day so that I would be back in time to return the rental car.

In addition, there were flights in the evening for both the outbound and return journeys, which meant I could spend the whole of the last day traveling without having to book an extra night’s accommodation near the airport. However, as I said, whether this is possible for you depends entirely on the flights.

To get from Split to Zadar, it only takes about 1.5 hours by car via the toll road. And even without the toll road, it only takes about 2.5 hours.

Rental car for this Croatia road trip

I definitely recommend renting a car for this road trip. You can get to the most important places by bus, but with a rental car you’ll be much more flexible and can also see a few highlights away from the tourist hotspots.

I recommend picking up the car directly at the airport on the day of departure from Zadar. This saves time and money, as you won’t need the car in Zadar.

As usual, I found a very good deal on check24:

Here are a few tips for searching for a rental car via check24:

• Make sure that the Stiftung Warentest criteria are selected, because then you will only see offers without excess, with fair fuel regulations, and good reviews.
• I usually go for the best value for money rather than the cheapest option, because that often includes everything in terms of insurance.
• For Croatia, I recommend the additional coverage for “glass, tires, underbody, roof,“ because the roads can sometimes be a bit rough, especially if you’re traveling off the main roads.
• Make sure your credit card works locally and has enough credit available, otherwise you will have to pay more on site. The cheaper the rental price, the more will be blocked on the card (up to €1,500 in Croatia). You will get this back at the end of the rental period if everything is OK.
• You should also have a genuine VISA or Mastercard credit card; debit or EC cards are not accepted. But check24 also provides tips on this when you book.

Which national parks should you see?

On this Croatia route, you will pass several national parks:

• Plitvice Lakes National Park
• Krka National Park
• Kornati National Park off the coast

All three are fantastic and well worth a visit. But all three also require sufficient time. If you’re only traveling for a week, you definitely won’t be able to do it all. I therefore recommend the following:

• On your first visit, just explore the Plitvice Lakes. They are even more spectacular than Krka National Park. However, both are quite similar in terms of landscape. You can visit Krka on your next trip.
• You can explore Kornati on a day trip by boat from Zadar. However, you will have to choose between a tour to Kornati or a tour further north, e.g. to Sakarun Beach. You will most likely not be able to do both.

Here I have summarized all the important information and tips about Plitvice Lakes National Park:

Plitvice Lakes – The best tips for Croatia’s largest national park

1. Zadar

Day 1 to Day 3: 2 nights (Better: 3 nights if you arrive the evening before. This is possible depending on your flight.)
Accommodation tip: A’mare Hotel Zadar (reception is open 24 hours)

Zadar is a great city for a city break and the perfect starting point for your road trip through Croatia. Here you can discover the many sights in the historic old town and also take a day trip on one of the popular boat tours to the beautiful islands off the coast of Zadar. I definitely recommend a full-day tour.

In this article, I have summarized everything you need to know for your visit to Zadar. You will find out which boat tours are worthwhile, which accommodations are perfect, and which sights you can visit:

Enchanting Zadar: 15 sights of the Croatian coastal pearl

2. Zadar to Plitvice Lakes National Park

Day 3 to Day 5: 2 nights
Accommodation tip: B&B Plitvica Creek Hotel

Day 3 of your Croatia road trip is a travel day, during which you will be on the road all day and discover some great stops along the way. The total driving time is about 3.5 hours.

Your destination for the day is Plitvica Selo in Plitvice Lakes National Park. This is where your accommodation is located, from where you can walk directly to the national park the next day (day 4).

Nin

On your way north, you can take a detour to this small town. It is home to one of Croatia’s few sandy beaches in a lagoon (Kraljičina plaža or Queens Beach). It is very popular with families because of its shallow, warm water, and there is also an area where you can cover yourself in healing mud. This mud has been used for many years for therapeutic purposes to treat skin diseases and rheumatism.

There is a paid parking lot at the beach. It is always very busy here in summer, so you should arrive early. From there, you can also take a lovely walk along the shore towards the historic old town. There you will find Croatia’s oldest cathedral (built around 800 AD), which is also one of the smallest in the world.

Obrovac

From Nin, continue north over the impressive Maslenica Bridge. If you want to avoid toll roads, take the slightly smaller Maslenički Bridge and drive past the Zrmanja Canyon. You will explore this in more detail on the way back. However, you can make a short stop in Obrovac. From a viewpoint above the castle, you have a great view of the river.

Continue along Route 1 directly to the next stop.

Plitvica Selo

Plitvica Selo is the place where you will find your ideal accommodation for exploring the national park. In my opinion, this small community is the best starting point for this and also a little-known secret. Because you are already in the middle of the national park here and can walk directly from the hotel to a side entrance in the morning (15 minutes). This allows you to avoid the crowds of visitors at the two main entrances, and if you start early enough, you can even be in the national park before most of the tourists.

Then there is Plitvica Selo, located directly on the river, an idyllic place with a very high level of hospitality. There are many accommodations throughout the village, mostly bed and breakfasts and vacation apartments.

I personally found the B&B Plitvica Creek to be the most beautiful. It is located directly on the river, has a large garden, great rooms, and also serves delicious breakfast and home-cooked meals in the evening (both can be ordered as an option). The hosts are a family with two sons and a daughter who take very good care of their guests, but also give them enough space. They are also fans of Hamburg, which of course gives them bonus points with me as a Hamburg native ;)

However, you can’t go far wrong with other accommodations in Plitvica Selo either:

Plitvice Lakes

The national park around Plitvice Lakes is not only the largest and oldest, but also one of the most beautiful national parks in Croatia. Here you can explore 16 terraced lakes on beautiful hiking trails and discover the spectacular waterfalls between the lakes. There are over 90 of them to discover in total. The most famous waterfall is the 78-meter-high Veliki Slap, which is also Croatia’s highest waterfall.

You can find all tips about the national park, including recommended routes, tips on admission and tickets, and information on the best time to visit, in this article:

Plitvice Lakes – The best tips for Croatia’s largest national park

3. Plitvice Lakes to Šibenik

Day 5 to Day 7: 2 nights
Accommodation tip: Amadria Park Beach Hotel Niko

Day 5 is another day of travel. You have to drive all the way back from Plitvice Lakes along Highway 1 to the coast. On the way, you’ll make a stop at the breathtaking Krupa Gorge, where you’ll hike to the fantastic Kudin Most. The final destination of the day is the region around the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Šibenik. From there, you can continue exploring the coast southward the next day and discover the fantastic coastal towns of Primošten and Trogir.

Kudin Most

Kudin Most is a bridge over the Krupa River. The bridge is notable for its 12 limestone arches, which is why it is also a cultural monument in Croatia.

But the real highlight of this stopover is the charming canyon landscape surrounding the bridge. There are small cascades, waterfalls, and a small reservoir surrounded by fig trees where you can also swim.

The descent to the bridge from the parking lot takes about 30 minutes via a hiking trail, for which you definitely need sturdy shoes. There is a small hut where you have to pay a €3 entrance fee from April to October. But it’s definitely worth it.

You should plan at least 3 to 4 hours for the entire trip to the gorge, the short hike there and back, and your stay at the idyllic river.

Šibenik

Šibenik has impressive medieval architecture and a fantastic old town with winding streets. Šibenik is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites:

• The Cathedral of St. James, built entirely of stone.
• The Fortress of St. Nicholas (“Sv. Nikola”). It is located in the Adriatic Sea off the coast of the city, and you have to book a tour to visit it.

There are also several historic fortresses in the city itself. The easiest to reach is St. Michael’s Fortress (€10 admission), where concerts are regularly held on the roof. From there, you also have a great view over the city’s rooftops.

If you want to discover all three forts in the interior of the country, it’s worth taking a tour:

• 3 Fortresses and Panorama Tour (2 hours)

It’s best to park north of the old town. There is a “City Parking” car park there where you can buy a reasonably priced €5 day ticket. From there, you can walk along the coast to St. Michael’s Fortress – spectacular views of Šibenik included – and then explore the old town on your own.

In addition to the two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, I think it’s also worth stopping off at the Jardín Medieval, a café with a garden where pomegranates and figs grow.

Otherwise, I thought it was great to just wander through the narrow streets of the old town, soak up the atmosphere, and discover the picturesque courtyards, shops, restaurants, and countless galleries.

Šibenik is also a great place to stay overnight. There are some fantastic hotels from which you can explore the city. One excellent option is the Armerun Heritage Hotel & Residences, located right on the waterfront with views of the coast. The Bellevue-Superior City Hotel also has a great location right on the bay. The Executive Suite and Presidential Suite both have terraces with sea views.

If you would rather stay at a resort with beach access, then drive a little further south to the next stop, Amadria Park.

Amadria Park

Instead of staying directly in Šibenik, Amadria Park is a great alternative. This is a hotel complex south of Šibenik that comprises several hotels:

• Amadria Park Beach Hotel Niko – Family hotel
• Amadria Park Beach Hotel Jure – For couples and families
• Amadria Park Ivan – 4-star hotels for adults
• Amadria Park Camping – Campground with mobile homes

In addition to the hotels, the complex also offers a wide range of leisure activities. For example, there are several great beaches, many restaurants and bars, a club, and an area where movies are shown every evening. As a guest of one of the hotels, you can use the entire complex.

Such hotel complexes are certainly not for everyone and are mostly visited by families, but I thought it was great here because you can chill out and relax on the beach in the morning or afternoon and spend the rest of the day visiting other highlights along the coast. The fact that many families vacation here was not particularly noticeable, as the complex is very spacious.

Trogir

Even as you travel along the inland road, the view of the historic port city of Trogir will take your breath away. Its medieval old town is located on a small island connected to the mainland and the island of Čiovo by bridges.

The old town, with its countless picturesque alleys and palaces, is so beautiful that it has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

You should visit the 15th-century Venetian fortress Kula Kamerlengo, St. Lawrence Cathedral, the clock tower Torre dell’Orologio, and the palm-lined promenade “Riva.“

You should plan at least 3 to 4 hours for Trogir to have enough time to get lost in the maze of alleys and discover the city’s gems.

Primošten

Primošten has a unique geographical feature. Its old town is located on a small peninsula that can only be reached via a narrow strip of land. The name Primošten translates roughly as “bridged.” It is the perfect backdrop for a postcard.

A little further south of the town, there is a viewpoint from which you have the best view of the town (Primoštenski vidikovac on Google Maps). It is most beautiful here in the evening at sunset.

Primošten is also famous for its vineyards, which grow the red Babić grape variety. These are even being considered for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List. So it’s definitely worth trying a glass of local wine while you’re there. One of the best places to dine is the Konoba Dvor restaurant. It was recommended to me by locals, and I’ve been there myself. It serves typical Croatian dishes.

Otherwise, two hours are enough to see everything and walk from the old city gate up to St. George’s Church and back again.

4. Šibenik to Zadar (or Split)

Day 7: Departure

On your last day, you have to return to the airport to drop off your rental car, which you filled up beforehand, and catch your flight home.

During my visit, my flight was in the evening from Zadar, so I had enough time during the day to explore the old town of Šibenik. Whether you can do the same depends, of course, on your return airport and departure time. In any case, you should allow enough time for returning the car and checking in. It’s best to play it safe and be at the rental car return location 2 to 3 hours before boarding.

A road trip in Croatia is a great experience. Is there a highlight missing from the route? Do you have a question about this Croatia road trip? Then write it in the comments.