Waterfalls, Roman palaces, a thousand islands and one very scenic motorway. Here's a week-long north-to-south route down the Croatian coast — and how to lay it out, day by day, in a few minutes.
The classic route, north to south
The easiest way to see the best of Croatia is to drive the coast from the top down. A comfortable week looks like this: Zagreb → the Plitvice Lakes → Zadar → Šibenik and the Krka waterfalls → Split → across the Pelješac Bridge → Dubrovnik, with an island night or two thrown in by ferry.
It's flexible — add days on the islands, or cut inland detours — but that north-to-south spine keeps the driving logical and the scenery building all the way to Dubrovnik.
Don't skip Plitvice
The inland highlight is Plitvice Lakes National Park, a UNESCO chain of turquoise lakes stitched together by boardwalks and tumbling waterfalls. Arrive at opening time or late afternoon to dodge the tour-bus crush, and give it at least half a day.
Split and the islands
Split's old town is built inside a living Roman monument — the Diocletian's Palace — and it's the launch pad for the islands. Jadrolinija ferries and fast catamarans lace the coast, so a road trip pairs beautifully with a couple of nights on Hvar, Brač or Vis before you carry on south.
Practicalities
Late spring and September are the sweet spot — warm sea, quieter roads. Croatia has used the euro since 2023, motorway tolls are charged by distance rather than a vignette (see our Croatia driving guide), and the Pelješac Bridge means the whole route now stays inside the EU.
Let the planner do the work
Rather than juggling tabs, drop the stops into our trip planner: it lays out the days, estimates the budget (fuel and tolls included) and builds a packing list for the trip — then hands you the hotel and route links when you're ready to book.
🧮 What the driving costs
Fuel and tolls for the distance you expect to cover.
An estimate: real tolls depend on the route, and pump prices move every week.