Dalmatian Coast
The islands reward a boat and punish a car, which is the reverse of how most people plan it.
Price Range
£1,500 - £6,000
per night
Best Months
June, September, October
Best For
Groups of friends, Sailing, Families, Island hopping
Dalmatia is growing quickly and the quality guide coverage has not kept up, which is the main reason it is in this series. The coast runs from Zadar down past Split to Dubrovnik, with the islands strung out in front of it, and the islands are the point.\n\nThe planning mistake is treating it as a driving holiday with ferries attached. It is the other way round. Distances by road along the coast are slow and the good stretches are on the water. A skippered boat for two or three days of a week does more for the trip than a hire car does for all of it, and it is the single change that most improves a Dalmatian week.\n\nHvar, Brac, Vis and Korcula each behave differently. Hvar has the most developed stock and the most traffic. Vis is furthest out and quietest. Dubrovnik is worth two nights and is a difficult base for a week, because the old town is beautiful, walled, and full.
Dalmatian Coast
Highlights
Islands that genuinely differ from one another within a short hop
A skippered boat as the highest-value spend of the week
Split as a working city rather than a resort
Thin competition among quality guides, so less crowded knowledge
Dubrovnik as a two-night bookend, not a base
Getting There
Split (SPU) is the practical entry for the central islands and Dubrovnik (DBV) for the south. Zadar (ZAD) serves the north. Choose the airport by which island you are on, not by which city you want to see, because the coastal road is slower than the map suggests.
Insider Tip
Budget for a skippered boat for two or three days rather than a hire car for seven. The coast is designed to be seen from the water, the good swimming is off islands you cannot drive to, and a skipper knows which bays are empty on which wind.
FAQ
Dalmatian Coast villa rental FAQs
Which island should we base on?
Brac or Hvar for a first trip, because both have the stock and the connections. Vis if you have been before and want it quieter, accepting a longer ferry. Korcula if you want a walled town without Dubrovnik's crowds.
Is Dubrovnik worth staying in?
Worth seeing, difficult as a base. The old town is small, walled and busy, and cruise arrivals concentrate the crowds into a few hours. Two nights at the start or end of a week works better than seven in the middle.