1Dubrovnik
Base · 3–4 days
The essential first stop for the walls, fortresses, Lokrum and evening walks once the day-trippers thin out. Base in Lapad or Gruž for easier luggage, better value and practical bus access; stay in the Old Town only if atmosphere outranks quiet.
Cavtat and Konavle
Base · 1–2 days
Cavtat offers a calmer harbor, swimming and the Rat peninsula walk; inland Konavle is for vineyard lunches, olive oil and slow rural cooking. It is the best nearby counterweight to Dubrovnik’s crowds, though the rural part works best with a car or arranged outing.
Elaphiti Islands
Koločep, Lopud and Šipan make an easy car-free break from Dubrovnik: swim, walk and do very little. Pick Lopud for Šunj’s sandy beach, Koločep for quiet, and Šipan for villages and olive groves.
Ston, Mali Ston and Pelješac
Base · 2–4 days
This is the county’s strongest food-and-wine circuit: Ston’s walls and saltworks, Mali Ston oysters, then Plavac Mali vineyards, Žuljana coves and Orebić’s maritime edge. Rent a car and give the peninsula proper time; it is much longer and slower than it looks.
5Korčula
Base · 3 days
Korčula Town supplies stone lanes and good restaurants; Lumbarda has beaches and Grk vineyards; the inland villages are where Pošip and a less polished island rhythm take over. It is the county’s best all-round island stop, balancing culture, swimming and food.
Mljet National Park
Base · 2 days
Base in Pomena or Polače to cycle and swim the saltwater lakes, visit St Mary's Island, and enjoy the forest before excursion boats arrive. A day trip from Dubrovnik is possible but misses the point; stay overnight.
7Neretva Delta
Around Metković, Opuzen and Kuti, reed channels, lađa boats and citrus groves replace the usual rocky Dalmatian coast. Add it to a car route from Pelješac or as an overnight stop, not as a punishing Dubrovnik day trip.
Lastovo Archipelago
Base · 4–5 days
The remote choice for dark skies, coves, diving, hiking and actual isolation rather than resort-island convenience. Boat schedules dictate the trip, so commit at least three nights and do not treat it as a quick detour.
Sample routes
Dubrovnik with breathing room
5 daysDubrovnik (4 days) → Cavtat and Konavle (1 day)
The correct short first visit, especially without a car. Give Dubrovnik three proper sightseeing days plus a relaxed arrival or departure day, then take one day for Cavtat’s waterfront or a pre-booked Konavle lunch. Do not dilute this trip with a rushed Korčula transfer.
Plan this routeClassic city, wine and island route
8-9 daysDubrovnik (3 days) → Ston, Mali Ston and Pelješac (2-3 days) → Korčula (3 days)
The strongest first county-wide circuit: Dubrovnik for the headline city, Pelješac for oysters and wine, then Korčula for beaches, restaurants and island life. A car makes Pelješac much better; coordinate the Orebić–Korčula crossing rather than treating it as a casual hop.
Plan this routeSlow islands: Mljet, Korčula and Pelješac
11-12 daysDubrovnik (3 days) → Mljet National Park (2 days) → Korčula (3 days) → Ston, Mali Ston and Pelješac (3-4 days)
For travelers who want the classic sights but refuse to turn every second day into a transfer. Sleep on Mljet so the lakes are yours in the morning and evening, give Korčula time beyond its old town, and finish on Pelješac with room for wineries, oysters and beach coves.
Plan this routeRemote-island deeper cut
14-16 daysDubrovnik (3 days) → Cavtat and Konavle (2 days) → Ston, Mali Ston and Pelješac (3 days) → Korčula (3 days) → Lastovo Archipelago (4-5 days)
A second-visit route for people happy to plan around ferries. Cavtat and Konavle slow the opening down; Pelješac and Korčula cover the food-and-wine core; Lastovo earns its long transfer with real isolation. Do not add Mljet or the Neretva Delta unless you actively enjoy losing days to logistics.
Plan this route