1Dubrovnik
Base · 1–3 nights
The indispensable first stop for the walls, Lovrijenac, Old Town lanes and swims below the fortifications. Give it two full days; stay in Gruž or Lapad if you value ferry access, beaches and fewer stairs over Old Town atmosphere.
first-timershistory travelerscouples
Cavtat and Konavle
2Cavtat and Konavle
Base · 1–2 nights
Cavtat is the calm, waterside alternative to Dubrovnik, while inland Konavle adds country restaurants, Malvasija wine and quieter beaches. It works especially well at the start or end of an airport-based trip.
couplesfamiliesrepeat visitors
Elaphiti Islands
3Elaphiti Islands
Koločep, Lopud and Šipan make an easy low-effort escape from Dubrovnik rather than a major island expedition. Choose Lopud for Šunj beach, Koločep for a green quiet day, or Šipan for a genuinely sleepy overnight.
familiesswimmersslow travelers
Ston and Mali Ston
4Ston and Mali Ston
Base · 1–2 nights
Come for the salt pans, long defensive walls and the oyster beds of Mali Ston Bay. It is the county's sharpest food stop, best paired with an oyster-farm visit or an unhurried shellfish lunch.
foodiescouplesroad trippers
5Pelješac
Base · 1–3 nights
Beyond Ston, the peninsula is for Plavac Mali, Dingač and Postup wine country, steep vineyard slopes, coves and the practical ferry connection at Orebić. Base in Orebić for services, or Trstenik and the vineyard villages for landscape and quiet.
wine travelersdriversbeach-and-wine travelers
Korčula Island
6Korčula Island
Base · 3–4 nights
The best-rounded island stay in the county: Korčula Town has medieval atmosphere and enough life for several nights, while Lumbarda adds sandy beaches and Grk wine. Stay three or more nights rather than reducing it to a rushed Dubrovnik day trip.
first-time island visitorscouplesswimmers
Mljet National Park
7Mljet National Park
Base · 2 nights
Base in Pomena or Polače for the saltwater lakes, St Mary's islet, cycling, kayaking and quiet swims. One day covers the park, but two nights lets you enjoy it before and after the day-boat crowds.
walkerscyclistsswimmers
Eastern Mljet
8Eastern Mljet
Sobra, Saplunara and the Odysseus Cave side are Mljet without the National Park infrastructure: quieter coves, sandy beaches and much more isolation. It is worthwhile mainly with a car and enough time to avoid crisscrossing the long island.
driversbeach seekersrepeat visitors
9Neretva Delta
Short stop · 1 night
Around Metković, Opuzen and Ploče, river channels, citrus groves and freshwater-influenced cooking replace the usual Dalmatian coastal script. Go for a river-boat outing, the Narona museum at Vid, and eel-and-frog brodet rather than beach time.
foodiesbirdersdrivers
Lastovo Archipelago
10Lastovo Archipelago
This is the far-out choice for deep bays, diving, sailing and dark skies, not a quick island tick. Commit at least three nights and accept sparse transport and limited services in return for real remoteness.
slow travelerssailorsdivers
Sample routes
Essential first trip
7 nightsDubrovnik (3 nights) → Korčula Island (3 nights) → Dubrovnik (1 night)
For a first visit without a car. Dubrovnik gets the time its walls and Old Town actually require; Korčula is the one island worth sleeping on rather than reducing to a ferry-day photo stop. Finish back in Dubrovnik to avoid gambling on an onward boat before a flight.
Plan this routeCity, oysters and wine-country coast
9 nightsDubrovnik (3 nights) → Ston and Mali Ston (1 night) → Pelješac (1 night) → Korčula Island (3 nights) → Cavtat and Konavle (1 night)
For travelers who want a proper food-and-wine trip alongside the headline city. Pick up a car only after Dubrovnik, eat oysters in Mali Ston, then use Pelješac for vineyards and coves before crossing to Korčula. Cavtat is a saner final night than hauling luggage back into the Old Town.
Plan this routeIsland-and-nature route
12 nightsDubrovnik (3 nights) → Mljet National Park (2 nights) → Korčula Island (4 nights) → Pelješac (2 nights) → Dubrovnik (1 night)
For swimmers, walkers and travelers willing to move for the right places. Mljet delivers the reset—lakes, bikes and quiet water—while Korčula gets enough time for Lumbarda and inland detours, not just its walled town. Pelješac adds wine and a mainland break before the flight-buffer night.
Plan this routeDeep-cut mainland and islands
15 nightsDubrovnik (3 nights) → Cavtat and Konavle (2 nights) → Ston and Mali Ston (2 nights) → Pelješac (3 nights) → Korčula Island (3 nights) → Neretva Delta (1 night) → Dubrovnik (1 night)
For return visitors with a car who do not need every day to be a beach day. This route slows down the Pelješac peninsula instead of treating it as a transit corridor, then finishes with the Neretva Delta’s river food and wetlands—a welcome antidote to another polished Adriatic town.
Plan this route