My wife and I had been to Croatia before having kids and I still would have to say that it is my favorite country that we have visited thus far. The landmarks and towns, the scenery in the countryside and on the water as well as the friendliness of the Croatian people would have me going back year after year. This was our third international trip with our daughter and we were excited to embark on a 2-week trip to this beautiful country.

We had previously been to Dubrovnik and Zagreb but this time around we had a much different trip planned as we were going to start in Split, head to the island Korcula and then make our way up the coast of Croatia and finish our time abroad in the Istrian Peninsula before departing from Zagreb. For me, there is so much excitement and anticipation departing on an adventure like this and it is even more exciting to share that experience with my wife and daughter.

To help plan our days in Croatia, I had purchased the Rick Steves Croatia and Slovenia Travel Guide. This guide helped us discover the best things to see and do with our time here. I highly recommend checking out his latest travel guide.

Arriving in Split and our Hotel

We departed on an evening flight from home and had a connection in Rome, Italy before making our way to Split. The flight was long and we didn’t arrive until the afternoon, but looking out of our airplane window as we were descending made us very excited to get out and explore.

We had reserved transportation from the airport to our hotel which was very convenient. The hotel itself was right in the heart of the old city and was part of the old palace of the Roman emperors. This made it a very central option to seeing all the sights of the city. We even had a view of the plaza and bell tower right in front of the historic Palace of Diocletian when opening the window from our living room.

Saint Domnius Bell Tower

Pictures of our Hotel Room (Left), View from our Hotel Room (Right)

On our first evening we set out to just take in the city and stroll along the enchanting Riva, which is the picturesque promenade along the sea. It was a beautiful and calm evening and we found a nice cozy restaurant to enjoy dinner at to complete our day.

The Kindness of the Croatian People

One of the first things we noticed in our short time so far (and what we would find throughout our trip here) was the kindness of the Croatian people, especially towards our daughter. From ensuring that we had everything we needed while eating at restaurants to getting small gifts upon entering a shop or browsing at a market, everywhere we went we felt welcomed whole-heartedly. Traveling with kids takes on a new perspective and as a parent you get to experience things that you normally wouldn’t just traveling as an adult or a couple. It can be challenging to travel with young kids and with these small gestures it definitely left us inspired to travel even more as a family.

Our Full Day of Sightseeing in Split

The time we had in Split was limited to just 1.5 days, but we made the most of it by exploring all the major sights. Among these, we couldn’t miss the opportunity to visit the impressive Diocletian’s Palace, an architectural marvel that dates back to the 3rd century.

We were able to go to the top of the Saint Domnius Bell Tower and see some amazing aerial views of the city. After this, we took time to admire the Temple of Jupiter, which holds significant cultural and historical significance, and was also built in the 3rd century.

Views from the top of Saint Domnius Bell Tower

Temple of Jupiter

Additionally, we immersed ourselves in the historic ambiance of the old city, wandering through the ancient streets while marveling at landmarks like the Golden Gate and Silver Gate. Each of these experiences allowed us to capture the essence of Split, leaving us with great memories from our time spent here.

Golden Gate (Left), Silver Gate (Right)

Sailing to Korcula

After our stay in Split, we ventured out to the island of Korcula. This was going to be a new adventure for us as this would be the first time renting a car while traveling with our daughter as well as traveling by car ferry. We wanted to rent a car before departing so that we could use it to travel across the island as well as for the rest of our trip. We used the Jadrolinija ferry line and their website contains details on all the different routes as well as being able to reserve tickets online. By reserving online you also reserve your spot on the boat.

We proceeded onto the ferry after picking up our car rental and then walked upstairs to take our seats. The ferry ride was about 3 hours to Vela Luka, a city nestled on the western side of the island of Korcula. As we settled in for the journey, the stunning views that unfolded before us were simply mesmerizing. The Adriatic Sea stretched out as far as the eye could see. In the distance we could also see the silhouettes of nearby islands.

Our Time on the Island of Korcula

Once we arrived in Vela Luka we debarked and started our 45 minute drive over to the town of Lumbarda. We chose to stay in Lumbarda as it was a smaller town and close to a beach that was easy to access. It was also near the town of Korcula which is a well-preserved medieval town which we wanted to visit.

We stayed at Guest House Lovric which is a charming hotel located right in Lumbarda. Our room had a very large balcony and a nice view of the sea. We were also able to start each day with a very filling breakfast before venturing off.

View from our room’s balcony

On our first full day , we spent the late morning and early afternoon at the nearby beach of Vela Przina. This was an awesome beach for our daughter as the water was very shallow and it allowed her to play easily without us having to worry.

We then headed over to the town of Korcula to explore. Our Rick Steves guide had a walking tour so we explored the old town and gained insight into the history of the main sights, including the Town Gate, St. Mark’s Cathedral, the Bell Tower. We also made our way to the far end of the old town to get more views of the old ramparts closer to the sea.

The Bell Tower was particularly neat as the views from the top were stunning and you could get a 360 degree view of the island and sea from up there. There are many different restaurants and shops to explore in the old town and we were able to find some souvenirs to remind us of our time on the island before heading back to our hotel.

Views from the top of the Bell Tower

On our last day on the island, we decided to go back to the Vela Przina beach area as we loved it there so much and the weather was so beautiful. The beach was a fitting conclusion to our stay here on the island, as it was so peaceful.

To get back to the mainland we had to get up very early the next day (around 4:00 AM!) to make the drive back over to Vela Luka to board the ferry in time. Overall our retreat to this island was very invigorating and we had enjoyed the slow pace and the beauty of the landscape as well as the town of Korcula. We were only a few days into our trip and we were so excited to see what was in store for the rest of our time here.

Have you and your family been to Croatia before? Have you ventured out to one of the Dalmatian islands? Let me know in the comments below!