Dubrovnik and Southern Dalmatia Feature

Southern Dalmatia is more than just Dubrovnik. The itineraries below aim to give you some idea of what to see in a limited time.

If You Have 3 Days

Devote Day 1 to Dubrovnik, walking a full circuit of the city walls, exploring the historic monuments in the Old Town, and attending an open-air concert or theatrical performance if the Dubrovnik Summer Festival is in progress. On Day 2 make an early start to visit the arboretum at Trsteno, a green wilderness of exotic plantings on the grounds of a Renaissance villa. Return to Dubrovnik to take the midday ferry to Lopud, one of the car-free Elafiti Islands, and walk across the island for an afternoon of swimming on the Sunj sand beach. If Lopud's romantic escapism appeals, stay overnight; otherwise, return to Dubrovnik for the bright lights. Next morning, splash out on a taxi-boat ride along the coast from Dubrovnik's old harbor to Cavtat. Return either by taxi-boat or local bus to Dubrovnik for your final night.

If You Have 5 Days

Spend your first day in Dubrovnik, as outlined above. Next morning, take a taxi-boat to Cavtat as outlined in the previous itinerary, returning to Dubrovnik in time for the early evening bus to Korcula Town, where you should sleep. Next day check out Korcula's Venetian-style architecture in the morning, then spend the afternoon either on the beach at Lumbarda or rent a motorboat and visit the tiny scattered islets of the Korcula archipelago. Stay a second night in Korcula; if you're lucky you might catch an evening performance of the Moreska sword dance. On the next morning take a ferry to Orebic on the Peljesac Peninsula. First walk up to the Franciscan monastery, then devote the afternoon to exploring the local vineyards and wine cellars, either independently by car or as part of an organized tour group. Stay the night in Orebic. The following day catch the early morning bus for Dubrovnik. En route you could jump off at Ston to explore the 15th-century defensive walls and walk over to Mali Ston to sample the local oysters. Trsteno is another possible stop en route. Return to Dubrovnik in the afternoon to prepare for your final night.

If You Have 7 Days

Spend your first four days as on the itinerary above. On Day 5, wake up in Orebic, then travel southeast along the Peljesac Peninsula to Trstenik to catch the morning ferry to Polace on the island of Mljet. Proceed to Pomena, where you will stay the night. Now you are already within the confines of Mljet National Park, a paradise of dense pinewoods centering on two interconnected saltwater lakes. Here you can either hike or rent a mountain bike to cycle the perimeter of the lakes, or take time out to swim. Alternatively, Odissej Hotel in Pomena can arrange a half-day sailing or diving trip. In the evening take a national park boat to St. Mary's Islet on Veliko Jezero, occupied by a former monastery, which now hosts a restaurant, making a romantic venue for dinner. On the next morning, drive the length of Mljet to spend a few hours on the sand beach of Saplunara. Leave the island via the port of Sobra aboard the midafternoon ferry for Dubrovnik, where you should spend your final evening.