One-Day Trip to Dubrovnik from Split

Dubrovnik Old Town, Photo Source: www.pixabay.com

Is it worth visiting Dubrovnik in a one-day trip from Split

Dubrovnik is one of the most famous historic old towns all over world and it is definitely worth a visit. Although in one day, the one can not discover all the charms of this wonderful historic town, day tour to Dubrovnik will surely bring some amazing experiences.

Depending on your preferences,  you can do day trip to Dubrovnik as a private tour, join a group tour or do it on your own.  For latter, you would need to have a rent-a-car.

No matter what type of day trips you prefer, when it comes to visiting Dubrovnik, it is worth taking some time and make some research in advance. 

Below you will find guidelines for planning a day trip to Dubrovnik from Split. Also, you will find suggestions on how and when it is best to go to Dubrovnik on a day trip, what to do in Dubrovnik and which sights no to miss in a one-day trip. 

Rizman Vineyards in Komarna, Photo Credit: VIP Holiday Booker

In addition we bring several ideas for places you can visit along the the way from Split to Dubrovnik and on return. Making one stop along the way in each direction will enrich the whole experience and this full day  tour will be more pleasant and fun.

Finally,  see the tips on what you should pay attention to before the trip itself.

Dubrovnik old town port, Photo Credit: VIP Holiday Booker

About Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik is well known as the Pearl of Adriatic and Dubrovnik city walls are on the list of UNESCO heritage list and attract many visitors all over the world.

Dubrovnik is one of the most picturesque cities on the Adriatic Coast, with a rich historical and cultural heritage, fortified by city walls, characterized by a Mediterranean lifestyle where both locals and visitors feel at home.  

Dubrovnik Banje Beach, Photo Credit: VIP Holiday Booker

The old town of Dubrovnik offer postcard-perfect scenery. The complex of medieval stone streets, houses, churches and the museums, all with red roofs is surrounded by the azure Adriatic Sea.

Dubrovnik is surely top tourist destination all over Croatia, and one of the most photographed old towns in Europe.

View of Dubrovnik old town port, approaching the eastern entrance to the old town,  Photo Credit: VIP Holiday Booker

While the stunning architecture and rich history are sure to impress any visitor, what takes your breath away are the vibes of the Mediterranean lifestyle and finding your own perfect corner to enjoy your morning coffee or glass of wine after a delicious lunch. In addition, you are very likely to experience the outstanding hospitality of locals bursting with pride for their city.

The old town of Dubrovnik is one of best preserved examples of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture. The Dubrovnik City Walls are under UNESCO protection since 1979.

About the one-day trip to Dubrovnik from Split

A one-day visit to Dubrovnik is one of our most popular day trips from Split and its surroundings.   The itinerary  can be specially adapted to couples, small groups of friends, families traveling with young children, extended families o teambuilding trips.

Private tour to Dubrovnik with the start from Split is always performed as full-day excursion, taking up 10-12 hours, depending on stops and preferences.

Dubrovnik is located at the very south of Croatia. The distance between city of Split and city of Dubrovnik is 235 km. The drive by car or by mini van from one city to another lasts approximately 3hours. Traveling by bus can take on average 4-5 hours  and we recommend avoiding this option for a one day trip.

Since this is pretty long drive, and the full day tour will take up almost 12 hours of your time, to seize best of the day we recommend early start.

Taking the private tour is best option for a day trip to Dubrovnik. You travel in comfortable and air-conditioned mini van or sedan, with professional driver. In addition, since the tour is private, with only you and your friends or family traveling together, you can easily arrange stops along the way to your preferences.

Stradun-Pjaca, the main street in Dubrovnik Old Town

Overview of the Dubrovnik Tour from Split

Below you will find overview of the Dubrovnik Private Tour from Split for small  private groups.

• The pleasant drive from Split to Dubrovnik takes 2hour 30 minutes to 3 hours by minivan, depending on the starting point and the stopovers you make on the way.
• You will travel by luxury sedan (for up to 3 people in the group) or by minivans (for groups of 7 to 8 persons). If you are a larger family or group of more than 8 people, you have the option to travel divided into two minivans or in a minibus.
• The tour starts with the private driver picking you up at the doors of your holiday home. You meet the driver and re-confirm the Dubrovnik day tour itinerary, with options to adjust it to your last-minute wishes or needed changes. You will also agree on the place for your first stop on the way to Dubrovnik, which is usually  a stop for breakfast & coffee. We recommend stopping near Rizman winery, from where you can enjoy views of the vineyards, Peljesac Peninsula and the Adriatic Sea.
• After short stop for breakfast and coffee , the scenic road to Dubrovnik awaits you
• In Dubrovnik, you will be awaited by a local guide and stretch your legs in 1hour 30 minutes walking tour of Dubrovnik.
• Please bear in mind that taking the guided walking tour in Dubrovnik is optional on this day trip, but it is highly recommended. You can decide just to explore everything on your own, stroll the old town and city walls by yourself. However, we recommend taking the private guided tour.  In little more than one hour, the local guide will give you the orientation tour of the old town, backed up by some interesting historic facts, emphasizing the importance of sights you visit in nowadays life.
• After a guided tour of the old town, you will have approx. 2.5 hours of free time. You can walk the City Walls, take the cable car to viewpoint Srd, have lunch in one of many restaurants in Dubrovnik, or seize the free time to explore the city on your own.
• When the time for return comes, your driver will meet you in agreed location and you can start your return drive to your holiday base in Split.
• In case you decided not to take cable car to Srd Hill, you can agree with the driver to take you to this beautiful viewpoint by car before leaving Dubrovnik.
• Next, other stop along the way back home we are glad to recommend are visiting Arboretum Trsteno or stoping in Ston on Peljesac for late lunch orearly dinner. Peljesac is well known for oysters, shells, fish and seafood in general and this is one of the best places along the Adriatic Coast for a seafood meal.  

Duke's Palace in Dubrovnik, Photo Credit: VIP Holiday Booker

Highlights of the Private One-Day Tour to Dubrovnik from Split

• Traveling with your friends and  or family only
• Flexible pick up and return time (within given timeframe)
• Starting and ending the tour at your holiday accommodation address
• Traveling in comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle with experienced driver
• Flexibility in choosing stops along the way
• Driving through Neretva Valley
• Scenic views of Adriatic Coast, island and famous vineyards
• Crossing Peljesac Bridge
• Dubrovnik Old Town Guided Tour
• Stradun, St Blaise Cathedral, Duke’s Palace, Palace Sponza
• Dubrovnik City Walls
• Panoramic Views of Dubrovnik Old Town from Hill Srđ
• Tasting local food and wines
• Opportunity to take perfect photos 

Stop lunch in Ston, Peljesac Peninsula, Photo Credit: VIP Holiday Booker

Timeline of Dubrovnik Private Tour from Split for Small Private Groups

Dubrovnik City Walls, Photo Credit: VIP Holiday Booker

• 7AM  | 8AM    start of the tour from your holiday home address
• 8.30AM -9AM  | 9.30-10AM  stop for coffee and breakfast
• 10.30AM | 11.30 AM arrival in Dubrovnik
• 10.30AM-12.00PM | 11.30AM-1PM Dubrovnik Walking Tour with local guide
• 12PM-2.30PM | 1PM-3.30PM free time in Dubrovnik
• 2.30PM | 3.30 PM   meeting with the driver and start of the return driv
• 3.00PM-3.30PM | 3.30PM-4PM  stop to sightsee Arboretum Trsteno , botanical garden near Dubrovnik
• or 3:30PM-4.30PM  | 4.30PM-5.30PM stop for lunch in Ston on Peljesac
• 4.30PM-6.30 PM  | 5.30PM-7.30PM traveling back home
• 6.30pm | 7.30PM return to holiday home

This is just a draft of the time private tour to Dubrovnik. You may decide you want to spend more or less time in Dubrovnik town and make more or less stops along the way. The “|” in time slots divides the option with very early start at 7am and the option with the start of the tour at 08am.

Panoramic view of Dubrovnik from the viewpoint Hill Srd,  Photo Credit: VIP Holiday Booker

Dubrovnik Walking Tour

On your first visit to Dubrovnik old town, we always recommend you take the Dubrovnik Old Town Guided Walking Tour. The tour of the old town lasts approximately one hour and the guide will show you the most important landmarks of this historic old town. Moreover, our guides are all locals, and they will happily share some hidden gems around the town as well actual stories, not only historic facts.

Onofrio's Fountain, Photo Credit: VIP Holiday Booker

Once you step in the old town of Dubrovnik, you will easily imagine life at it was once, and connect all the palaces, monuments, churches, and sights with the stories about Dubrovnik you will hear during this tour. Learn about living in Dubrovnik, culture, gastronomy and learn about important events dating back from the medieval age to the Homeland War, and more recent development period.

Dubrovnik Narrow Streets

In Dubrovnik walking tour you will see all the important sights of the old town. After the stroll along the Stradun or Pjaca, the main street of the old town, you will visit Duke's Palace and the church of Saint Blaise. Your guide will show you also some sights that are located off the beaten path of the Dubrovnik's main street.

The guided tour can be delivered in language of your preferences, including English, German, Italian, Spanish, French, etc. It is just important you notify your booking agent in advance about your preferred language. 

The view from Dubrovnik City Walls: Red roofs and Lokrum islet, Photo Credit: VIP Holiday Booker

For more detailed overview of the sights in Dubrovnik Old Town, please check our blog post   Sigthseeing Tips in Dubrovnik

Best time to visit Dubrovnik on a day trip from Split

Best months to visit Dubrovnik on a day tirp are April, May, September and October because  in this months the weather is prety warm, with lots of sun, days are longer than in winter months and you don't need to be afraid of tourist hordes.

Orange Trees in Dubrovnik, Photo Credit: VIP Holiday Booker

Months July and August are peak season in all over Croatian Coast, and so they are in Dubrovnik. However, if you plan smartly, you can also enjoy Dubrovnik's charms in hot summer months avoiding the crowds.

How to avoid crowds in Dubrovnik

If you want to avoid meeting crowds of cruise ship visitors on your daily visit to Dubrovnik, the answer is to go as early in the morning you can, or to visit Dubrovnik off the season.

Dubrovnik is one of the most popular travel destinations all over Europe, and its often visited by cruise ships. Back in time, the visitors from cruise ship would flood the old town making it almost impossible navigating through narrow streets and alleys. In recent years local authorites, worked wisely on how to avoid large crowds and to lower the pressure on the city's infrastructure of a large number of visitors at once

Cruise Ship port in Dubrovnik

The number of cruise ship arrivals is now regulated, and while there used to be as many as 9,000 visitors from cruise ships in one day, now that number is at a maximum of 4,000 daily visitors.

If you arrange a day trip to Dubrovnik with our agents, and you have flexibility, our agents will always check which day is expected to be the least crowded, i.e. the least number of cruise ship  calls, and will accordingly suggest the best time to visit Dubrovnik.

Also, the City of Dubrovnik has released the Dubrovnik Visitor App, which uses artificial intelligence to provide forecasts of crowds in the city.

Do you need to cross the border when traveling from Split to Dubrovnik by car

The answer is simple, you don't need to cross the border when driving from Split to Dubrovnik. 

Till the end of  July 2022, the traveling by road to from Split to Dubrovnik, was including border crossing with Bosnia in Herzegovina. On July 26th 2022, the Peljesac bridge was open for traffic and since then, you don't need to take any borders crossings when traveling in both directions.

Peljesac Bridge, Photo Credit: VIP Holiday Booker

We mention it here with special emphasis, because most of the older articles in travel magazines, posts on forums and social networks remind travelers that they will need to cross the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina if they travel from Split to Dubrovnik. This is no longer the case, and you don't have to worry about getting into traffic jams at border crossings.

The road now leads you through the picturesque landscape from Split through Dalmatian Countryside, to the valley of the Neretva River, and over the bridge to the Peljesac peninsula, known for its fertile vineyards. From Peljesac, the drive continues along the coast to Dubrovnik and you can enjoy beautiful views all the time.

What to wear and what to bring with on a day trip to Dubrovnik

We recommend wearing comfortable non-slip walking shoes, , headgear for protection from high sun and sunscreen. Furthermore we recommend comfortable clothing according to the time of the year. If visiting old town during hot summer months, take at least a bottle of water per person.  Of course, you can purchase it once you arrive.

Dubrovnik City Walls, Photo Credit: VIP Holiday Booker

Read more:  7 most memorable Dubrovnik beaches