Make the most of the Croatian islands – the easiest itinerary for you

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There are many things Croatia has to offer to travellers, and the islands in Croatia are absolutely one of them! Officially, there are 1,244 islands in the country (source: the Croatian government – they should know) of which only 78 are actually islands, the rest being islets and even smaller pieces of land. Now, I don’t expect you to visit all 78 of those islands – but many travellers do want to visit as many as possible to make the most of their time in Croatia. So here I present you with a guide to the Croatian islands – the easiest itinerary for you.

The wonderful thing about experiencing a number of islands on one trip to Croatia is that you will really get a feel for the differences between the islands, from beautiful nature in national parks to buzzing towns with nightlife options to tranquillity.

Ferries, catamarans and boats in Croatia

Firstly, a word on how to travel to the islands. Well, they’re in the Adriatic Sea so it’s no surprise to hear that you’ll be getting to them with some form of sea-faring vessel! (There are airports of varying sizes on some of the islands – such as Krk, Losinj and Brac – but there are no island-to-island flights. And, anyway, sailing is much more fun!

If you have the means to charter a boat or yacht to explore the islands then lucky you! You’ll be able to explore the islands to your heart’s content and will likely even get to know some of the smaller islands too.

For us regular folk, we will need to make use of the ferries and catamarans that operate almost all along the Croatian coast. Don’t worry, I’ll help and explain exactly which ones to take, when and where from/to!

  • More info: Take a look at the Visit Croatia guide to Ferries in Croatia for details of ferry companies, timetables and info on how to book tickets
  • Do also: take a look at our Croatia Ferries Map for visual guides (well, maps) of routes that exist along the Croatian coast. Not to be too boastful, but I think you’ll find in invaluable. I certainly did when writing this post!

A word about this Croatian island itinerary

As I’ve said many times on this website and in travel advice via email, there aren’t so many island-to-island ferry and catamaran services. These used to be a Jadrolinija long-distance ferry service from Rijeka to Dubrovnik that stopped off at some of the islands (for example, at Stari Grad on the island of Hvar) but this ceased service quite a few years ago. As such, a number of different ferry and catamaran services will need to be involved. There will also need to be some hops back to the mainland to make use of larger ports such as Split, and some other forms of travel (bus) here and there!

Of course, the beauty of this itinerary is you can very easily skip any parts of this that you don’t like.

Start: Step 1 – The Brijuni Islands

The Brijuni Islands off the coast of Istria are one of Croatia’s eight national parks and are awash with nature, history, and wildlife (some in the safari park and some actually wild). They’re an excellent place for a day trip if you’re visiting southern Istria, but are also a very relaxing place to stay – there are a handful of islands of the largest of the archipelago, Veliki Brijun.

  • More info: Read our full guide to the Brijuni Islands to find out what you can see and do there.
  • Getting there: There are regular boat services from the small town of Fazana, just 10km from Pula. Tickets for the boat also act as entrance tickets to the National Park. See our Getting to the Brijuni Islands page for all the details.
  • Accommodation: You absolutely can’t beat the Hotel Neptun, mere steps from where the boats dock on Veliki Brijun, and with a wonderful position right by the water.

Step 2 – Losinj, Cres or Rab and Pag

Whether you’re staying on the Brijuni islands overnight or are merely visiting as a day trip, you’ll need to head back to Pula from Fazana for the next step in this Croatian islands itinerary. If this were a “choose your own adventure” book (remember those from the 1980s?!), I’d now be telling you to turn to different pages depending on where you think this adventure needs to go. So which will you choose? Slightly more remote and lesser-visited Cres? Lush, green Losinj? Or pretty Rab and party-hearty Novalja on the island of Pag?

Step 2 Option A – Losinj

If I can guide you somewhat, the Losinj option may be the easiest one of all for step 2 – that’s because there are direct catamaran services from Pula to Losinj which make the journey a breeze. Once you get to gorgeously forested Losinj, you’ll be treated to an island full of nature and wellness. It’s absolutely the kind of place to come to for some rest and relaxation, as well as excellent dining options.

  • More info: All the info is on our guide to Losinj
  • Getting there: You’ll need to make use of the Kapetan Luka catamaran service which sails from Pula to Mali Losinj in 2 hours and 20 minutes. It’s a year-round service but less frequent in the off-season months. Additionally, it makes stops on the islands of Unije and Susak along the way should you wish to get even more of an island fill.
  • Accommodation: Spoil yourself with a night or two at either the Hotel Bellevue or the Boutique Hotel Alhambra, both of which are five-star. They are also both nestled amongst pine trees and offer excellent spa facilities. The latter is also home to a Michelin-starred restaurant.

Step 2 Option B – Cres

Despite being the second largest Adriatic island, Cres is very much overlooked by visitors so it is certainly the place to go to get away from the crowds.

  • More info: What to do on Cres
  • Getting there: From Pula, you’ll first need to head to Rijeka – best done by one of the frequent daily buses that take around 2 hours. Then from Rijeka, take the Jadrolinija catamaran to Cres which takes 1 hour and 20 minutes.
  • Accommodation: There are few hotel choices on Cres, but Hotel Kimen is a charming hotel in a lovely nature setting, close to a beach.

Step 2 Option C – Rab and Pag

The islands of Rab and Pag are included as an option together as there’s a catamaran that hops to both! Rab is another pine-forest-covered island with a very favourable climate and a number of sandy beaches – perfect for those who are looking for that ideal. Pag, on the other hand, has a totally different landscape, rather unusual and somewhat barren at times. But it’s Nvoalja you’ll reach which is famous for the nearby Zrce Beach…otherwise known as nightlife central!

  • More info:
  • Getting there: Once again, you’ll first need to travel on from Pula to Rijeka first (see the travel advice for option B above). From here, it’s another Jadrolinija catamaran that sails to Rab Town (journey time – 1 hour and 45 minutes) and then on to Novalja (journey time from Rijeka – 2 hours 40 minutes) daily, year-round
  • Accommodation for Rab: The Arbiana Heritage Hotel is a smart, design-focused hotel, located in a great location right in the centre of Rab Town on the seafront. They have a pool and onsite restaurant too. If you’d prefer a larger hotel with more facilities, opt for the Imperial Valamar Collection Hotel which is a short walk from Rab Town.
  • Accommodation for Pag: The Boutique Hotel Boskinac is slightly out of Novalja but is situated in a simply gorgeous location – amongst pine trees and next to a vineyard and olive groves. The hotel itself is housed in an old stone house and has an outdoor pool, plus a Michelin-starred restaurant.

Step 3 – Zadar…and on to Ugljan and back

Yup, it’s at this stage that you’ll need to head back to the mainland to then travel on to some of the Dalmatian islands. But whilst back on the mainland, why not take a slight detour and spend some time on one of the islands just off the coast of charming Zadar? To make travel a little easier for you, I would suggest staying in Zadar itself – you will need to travel on, further south, from this town anyway rather than from an island.

  • More info: Ugljan, the island that’s practically “opposite” Zadar, would be a super easy choice.
  • Getting there: there are regular 25-minute ferries from Zadar to Preko on Ugljan
  • Accommodation: the super funky Boutique Hostel Forum has a location that can’t be beaten

Step 4 – A small interlude via Split

There are no two ways about it – to get to the famous Dalmatian islands, you’ll need to travel via Split. But from here there are plenty of ferry and catamaran options to some of the most popular islands in Croatia, so it’s worth it!

But perhaps at this point, take a little breather in Split and explore a bit of mainland city life. I mean, Split has so many sights, amenities, restaurants, cafes, bars, museums, experiences and more – there’s no way you will be bored.

  • More info: Our comprehensive guide to Split, or take a look at Two Days in Split for how to make the most of your time
  • Getting there: You will need to take a bus from Zadar to Split. Luckily, there are multiple buses every day, year-round. Journey time is 3 hours. Consult the Zadar Bus Station website for timetable and price information.

Step 5 – Brac

Lovely, lively and sport Brac is a popular island, not least because of the famous Zlatni Rat Beac very close to the town of Bol, which is on the south side of the island. And that’s where I would recommend you head to. Whether you want to merely head to this famous of famous beaches, explore a winery, indulge in the town’s local eateries or head out onto the sea for some sporty activities, you will find absolutely plenty to do here.

Top Sights in Croatia - Zlatni Rat Beach
Aerial view of Zlatni rat beach in Bol, Island Brac

Step 6 – Hvar

Hvar, oh beautiful Hvar. Make that wonderfully sunny, beautiful fragrant and exceptionally stylish Hvar. Hvar Town is certainly a popular island destination in Croatia, from us ordinary travellers to celebrities such as Beyonce and Prince Harry. (Yes, really. But they weren’t holidaying together, I hasten to add.) Head to Hvar Town and walk up to the fortress above the town for truly spectacular views out over the Adriatic and the nearby Pakleni Islands. (To up your island count even further, why not get a daytime taxi boat over to one of them such as Sveti Klement?) And then put on your best beach wear to lounge by a pool on the beach, and your best gladrags for evening dining.

Step 7 – Korcula

From one gorgeous island town to another, if you’re doing this island itinerary and ending up in Dubrovnik, you will find Korcula Town is almost like a preview of that famous Old Town. With fascinating and beautifully preserved streets, you will really get a feel for days gone by when you come to visit Korcula. It is also the supposed birthplace of famous explorer Marco Polo, and there’s plenty of opportunity to learn more about him here.

Step 8 – Mljet

We started this island itinerary, dear friends, with a national park, so let’s take in another near the end of this journey! Part of lush, tranquil Mljet is another of Croatia’s national parks but larger and with more amenities and facilities that the Brijuni Islands that we mentioned at the start of this itinerary. Come here for some chill time – perhaps it’s just the thing you need after more vibrant Bol, Hvar Town and Korcula Town. Spend some time exploring the island by bike and