From Split to Mostar via Montenegro: Various questions (sightseeing, hikes, etc.)

Hi there! 🙂

Our summer destination is set: it’ll be a European loop starting from Auvergne, heading down to southern Croatia and then Montenegro, with a return via Mostar.

We’ll zip down to southern Croatia in two stages (we’ve been as far as Šibenik on a previous trip). Here are our booked stops:

Split – 2 nights Makarska – 1 night (via Sveti Jure) Pelješac Peninsula – 6 nights (day trips to Dubrovnik and Korčula from here – Mljet?) Kotor – 1 night Between Cetinje and Budva – 3 nights (Lovćen, Budva, Lake Skadar from our rental) Near Žabljak – 3 nights (via Ostrog / Mrtvica Canyon, Durmitor National Park) Mostar – 2 nights (via Blagaj)

Back to Auvergne in two stages.

Here are my questions:

- Any ideas for sights, detours, or hikes (no more than 500 m elevation gain and 15 km distance) along this route?

- What’s the deal with crossing borders between Croatia and Montenegro, then Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina? I’ve read that the crossing between the first two countries can take hours in the summer...

- Crowds in Croatia: Dubrovnik is apparently best avoided on days when cruise ships dock. I found a site that shows how many ships arrive each day. It says none on Sundays—but is Sunday really accurate? What other places suffer from overtourism? (Before Italian vacation season starts.)

All your suggestions are welcome (just FYI, guided tours, jet skis, jet-set vibes, and quad-bike conga lines are *not* on my wishlist)!

Thanks! 😉

The main Croatia-Montenegro border crossing is busy—it really depends on the time you go through. On our way back from Montenegro, we used the Vitaljina border crossing, and there were far fewer people.

In Dalmatia, it’s crowded everywhere that’s beautiful, and it’s beautiful everywhere 🙂 There are just as many people in Split as in Dubrovnik, same for Trogir. If you can stay in Split within walking distance of the palace (and with parking), you’ll be better off. Avoid driving through Omiš in the middle of the day—traffic jams seem constant there. The coastal resorts (Brela, Makarska, etc.) are packed, but there are fewer people on the islands. Pelješac was quiet when we visited, but that was before the bridge opened. Kotor is also very crowded, but the old town in the evening is really pleasant in the more out-of-the-way spots (e.g., Restoran Atrium, Konoba Scala Santa). We didn’t go to Budva, but it’s probably similar in terms of crowds.

What we loved the most (beyond the obvious): Klis Fortress near Split Split: restaurants (Mazzgoon, Bokeria), Marjan Hill (a bit of a climb but great views and not too crowded) Marmont Road on Korčula (it passes near the stunning Pupnatska Luka beach) Veliki Žal Beach near Trsteno (we didn’t visit the arboretum) Mount Srđ in Dubrovnik (amazing views from the old fort and Panorama restaurant). We drove up, but there’s also a cable car. MOMAD Museum in Dubrovnik Bay of Kotor: Risan (Roman mosaics, quick to visit), Perast Near Mostar: the village of Počitelj

Have you finalized your arrival/departure route? Did you take the Adriatic route between Rijeka and Maslenica/Zadar?

Thanks for all the tips.

Have you finalized your arrival/departure itinerary?

Yes. One stop in Italy and one in Slovenia on the way there. One in Croatia and one in Italy on the way back.

Did you take the Adriatic route between Rijeka and Maslenica/Zadar?

Yes.

I’m bumping this thread...

Hi Attila,

Just a thought—6 nights in Pelješac might be a bit too much? One day in Korčula seems a little short to me. If I were you, I’d do 3 nights in Pelješac (and visit Dubrovnik from there) and 3 nights in Korčula (and visit Mljet from there).

Hi Annabelle,

6 nights in Pelješac isn’t that a bit too much?

It’s the rest stop of the trip. 😉

And it’s a bit tricky to find accommodations for just 2-3 days in that area.

There’s more selection when you book for more nights.

Not to mention that prices in Croatia aren’t exactly cheap...

Hi Agnès,

You're absolutely right about how hard it is to find reasonably priced accommodation, especially for 2 to 3 days. Croatia is stunning—I’ve traveled there many times (even back in the Yugoslavia days)—and Korčula remains my favorite spot, which is why I suggested it, but I totally get your point of view. 😉

Either way, you’re going to be amazed no matter where you stop—it’s beautiful almost everywhere.

Happy planning and have a great trip! 🙂