Croatian Beauties: Zagreb to Dubrovnik (Self-Launched)
9 days · Croatia
Nature Trips charges £2,100
No-markup version: ~£745 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 9-day self-launched version of Nature Trips' "Croatian Beauties" coach tour, running Zagreb → Opatija/Istria → Plitvice → Zadar → Split/Trogir → Ston → Dubrovnik. Instead of 4* hotels, a private coach and a tour manager, you use Croatia's excellent intercity buses and trains, stay in hostels, guesthouses and budget apartments, and book the same headline experiences yourself (Plitvice entry, Pula amphitheatre, Diocletian's Palace, Dubrovnik walls, and a couple of small winery visits). Costs are rough per-person estimates for a mid-range backpacker travelling outside peak August, sharing a twin/dorm where it helps.
Day-by-day
Arrive Zagreb: Upper Town welcome
Zagreb
Land at Zagreb Airport and take the airport shuttle bus (ZET/Plesoprijevoz, ~€8/£7) or the cheaper local bus 290 to Kvaternik Square then tram into the centre. Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse near Jelacic Square or in the Lower Town. Spend the afternoon replicating the tour's welcome: walk the Upper Town yourself — St Mark's Church with its tiled roof, the Croatian Parliament and Government Palace on St Mark's Square, Stone Gate, and the Lotrscak Tower. Finish with the tour's welcome snack at a local bakery or konoba: a plate of strukli (cheese-and-cream baked dough) with a drink, ~£10. Evening: cheap grah or cevapi in the Dolac/Tkalciceva area.
🚌Airport shuttle bus ~£7; trams ~£0.60/ride
🛏Hostel in central Zagreb (dorm ~£18/night) or budget guesthouse double (~£35-45/room)
- →Self-walk Zagreb Upper Town (St Mark's Church, Parliament, Stone Gate, Lotrscak Tower)
- →Strukli tasting at a local bakery or konoba
Zagreb walking tour, then bus to Opatija
Opatija
Join a free/pay-what-you-want walking tour of the Upper Town (several run daily from Jelacic Square, ~£3-5 tip) to get the history the tour guide would have given. Midday take a bus or train to Rijeka and continue to Opatija: direct FlixBus/Arriva buses Zagreb → Rijeka run ~2.5-3.5 hrs from ~£12-16; Opatija is a 20-30 min local bus or a scenic coastal walk from Rijeka. Settle into a guesthouse or budget hotel a street back from the Lungomare. Evening: walk the Lungomare seaside promenade and eat at a konoba (buzara or grilled fish ~£12-15).
🚌Bus Zagreb → Rijeka ~£14; local bus/walk Rijeka → Opatija ~£3
🛏Guesthouse/budget hotel in Opatija (~£30-40/room, ~£18-22/person sharing)
- →Free walking tour of Zagreb's Upper Town
- →Lungomare promenade walk in Opatija
Istria day trip: Pula, Rovinj, Livade truffles
Opatija / Istria
Do the Istrian loop independently by bus. Early bus Opatija/Rijeka → Pula (~2 hrs, ~£10-12): buy an entry ticket to the Pula Arena (Roman amphitheatre, ~£8-10) and wander the old town. Midday bus Pula → Rovinj (~45 min, ~£5): climb St Euphemia's bell tower and have lunch in the old town by the water. If you want the truffle experience, a bus toward Buzet/Motovun plus a pre-booked tasting at a Livade or Motovun truffle shop (~£15-25 for a tasting plate and shop visit — book ahead by phone/email). Return to Opatija/Rijeka in the evening (Rovinj → Rijeka ~£10-12). Alternatively base the night in Pula and skip the backtrack — buses to Zadar/Split run from Rijeka, so keep your Opatija bed if you followed the original route.
🚌Opatija → Pula ~£11; Pula → Rovinj ~£5; Rovinj → Rijeka/Opatija ~£11
🛏Guesthouse/budget hotel in Opatija (~£18-22/person sharing)
- →Pula Arena entry
- →Rovinj old town & St Euphemia bell tower
- →Optional truffle tasting in Livade/Motovun (~£18)
Plitvice Lakes National Park
Plitvice Lakes / Zadar
The coach tour does this as a long day from Istria; you can do it far more cheaply by positioning yourself closer. Take an early bus Rijeka → Karlovac → Plitvice (or Rijeka → Zagreb → Plitvice; total ~4-5 hrs, ~£18-22). Pre-book a timed entry ticket for Plitvice on the official np-plitvicka-jezera.hr site (~€40/£34 in high season, cheaper in low season) — this includes the boat across Lake Kozjak and the park's shuttle train. Walk the Lower Lakes boardwalks (Programme B/C, 4-6 hrs). In the late afternoon take the bus from the park entrance to Zadar (~2 hrs, ~£10) and check into a hostel or soba (private room) in Zadar's old town.
🚌Bus Rijeka → Plitvice ~£18-22; park bus Plitvice → Zadar ~£10
🛏Hostel or private room (soba) in Zadar old town (~£20-25/person)
- →Plitvice Lakes entry incl. Lake Kozjak boat & park train (~£34)
Zadar: Roman Forum, Sea Organ, Bibich-style wine tasting
Zadar
Morning self-guided walk of Zadar's old town: the Roman Forum ruins, the 9th-century Church of St Donatus, the Sea Organ and the Greeting to the Sun solar installation — all free and right next to each other on the peninsula tip. Afternoon wine experience: instead of the Bibich Winery excursion, take a local bus or join a small-group wine tour to a Zadar hinterland winery (~£35-50 including transport and tastings of Debit and Dalmatian reds with a snack), or simply book a tasting at a Zadar old-town wine bar (~£15-20 for a flight plus Croatian tapas). Sunset on the Sea Organ steps with a supermarket-bought bottle is the free version.
🚌On foot; local bus to winery area ~£2 each way or included in small-group tour
🛏Hostel or private room in Zadar old town (~£20-25/person)
- →Zadar Roman Forum, St Donatus, Sea Organ (free)
- →Winery tasting with Dalmatian tapas (~£40 small-group incl. transport)
Bus to Split: Diocletian's Palace and Trogir
Split / Trogir
Morning bus Zadar → Split (~2-2.5 hrs, ~£10-13 with Arriva/FlixBus). Drop bags at a hostel or soba near the old town, then explore Diocletian's Palace — the courtyards and cellars are free to walk; pay ~£8 for the cathedral bell tower or a combined palace/cathedral ticket. Late afternoon take local bus 37 or the catamaran-free short bus ride to Trogir (~40 min, ~£2) and wander the UNESCO old town and Kamerlengo fortress. Eat the tour's Dalmatian dish, pasticada (slow-braised beef in prune sauce) with gnocchi, at a konoba in Trogir or Split, ~£15-18. Return to Split for the night.
🚌Bus Zadar → Split ~£12; local bus Split ↔ Trogir ~£4 return
🛏Hostel or soba in Split (~£22-28/person)
- →Diocletian's Palace self-walk (free) + optional cathedral/bell tower ticket ~£8
- →Trogir old town & Kamerlengo fortress exterior
Split to Ston: oysters and Plavac Mali, then Dubrovnik
Ston / Dubrovnik
Take the morning bus Split → Ston (~2 hrs, ~£9-11). Ston is famous for its 5.5 km medieval walls (entry ~£6) and its oyster and mussel farms — have a plate of fresh oysters at a waterfront shack (~£10-15) for the foodie box the tour ticks at its winery. For the Plavac Mali tasting, visit one of the small Peljesac peninsula wineries near Ston, or join a short wine-tasting stop en route (~£15-25 bookable locally or via GetYourGuide from Dubrovnik/Split). Mid-afternoon continue by bus Ston → Dubrovnik (~1 hr, ~£6). Check into a hostel or guesthouse in the Old Town or Lapad.
🚌Bus Split → Ston ~£10; bus Ston → Dubrovnik ~£6
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Dubrovnik (~£25-30/person, dorms lower, book early as Dubrovnik is pricey)
- →Ston city walls (~£6)
- →Oyster tasting at Ston (~£12)
- →Peljesac winery Plavac Mali tasting (~£20)
Dubrovnik: city walls and Stradun
Dubrovnik
Beat the crowds: buy the Dubrovnik City Walls ticket (~£31 in high season, includes Fort Lovrijenac) and walk the full 2 km ramparts early (8-9am) before the cruise ships arrive. Then a free/pay-what-you-want walking tour of the Old Town (~£5 tip) covers the history of Stradun, the Rector's Palace, the Franciscan monastery and the Onofrio Fountain — a direct swap for the tour's guided city walk. Afternoon: swim at Buza Bar below the walls or take the cheap local bus 6 to Lapad's beaches. Final dinner with a group from your hostel or a cheap pizza/burek meal (~£12).
🚌On foot; local bus ~£1.60 if heading to Lapad
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Dubrovnik (~£25-30/person)
- →Dubrovnik City Walls + Lovrijenac ticket (~£31)
- →Free walking tour of the Old Town (~£5 tip)
- →Buza Bar swim
Depart from Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik
Breakfast at the hostel or a bakery (burek and coffee ~£3), then take the Atlas/KLiber shuttle bus from the Old Town or Gruz port to Dubrovnik Airport (~€10/£8.50, 30-40 min). If your flight is late, use the extra hours for an early swim at Banje beach or a final walk on Stradun before heading out.
🚌Airport shuttle bus ~£9
🛏—
- →Optional final swim at Banje beach
Self-launched vs. Nature Trips
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Nature Trips | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£745 | £2,100 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,355 per person (65%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Nature Trips-style trips? Check them out here.~£745
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Croatian Beauties: Zagreb to Dubrovnik (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £745 per person for 9 days in Croatia. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Nature Trips?+
Yes — Nature Trips charges around £2,100 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £745 — a saving of roughly £1,355 (65%) per person.
How long is the Croatia trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through Croatia.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, foodie, budget trip through Croatia, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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