Adriatic Island Hopper: Split to Dubrovnik Self-Launched

Start in Split (the original tour departs nearby Trogir — either is a fine entry point; Split has the easiest ferry links). Take the morning Jadrolinija or Krilo catamaran from Split to Vis, roughly 2h 20m and around £18–22 one-way. Vis was closed to tourists until 1989, so it feels far quieter than Hvar or Korčula. Check into a guesthouse in Vis town or Kut, then spend the afternoon at the Roman thermal baths at Isa and the small City Museum, and wander the ancient villae rusticae along the waterfront. For a DIY swimming stop, hire a scooter (~£25/day) or take a local taxi-boat to Stiniva or Stončica bay. Dinner at a konoba in Kut — fresh fish and a glass of Vugava white.

🚌Jadrolinija/Krilo catamaran Split → Vis, ~£18–22

🛏Guesthouse/sobe in Vis town or Kut (~£25–35 pp)

• →Split–Vis ferry
• →Roman thermal baths & City Museum, Vis
• →Scooter hire or taxi-boat to Stiniva/Stončica bay

Book a morning Blue Cave excursion from Vis harbour the night before (local operators run small boats, ~£30–40 pp, weather permitting — the cave closes in rough seas). The crossing to Biševo takes about 30–45 minutes, and you transfer into a tiny rowing boat to enter the cave. Back on Vis by midday, then catch the afternoon catamaran to Hvar (change at Split or take a direct seasonal Krilo sailing, ~£18–25, 1.5–2.5h). In Hvar town, skip the paid guided walk and follow a self-guided loop: St Stephen's Square, the Arsenal, the Franciscan monastery, then the switchback path up to the Spanish Fortress for sunset over the Pakleni Islands (entry ~£8).

🚌Local boat to Biševo ~£30–40; ferry Vis → Hvar ~£18–25

🛏Hostel or sobe in Hvar town or Stari Grad (~£30–40 pp)

• →Blue Cave boat excursion (direct with a Vis operator)
• →Self-guided Hvar old town walk
• →Spanish Fortress sunset climb

Take the morning catamaran from Hvar to Bol on Brač (~£8–12, 40 min). Bol's Zlatni Rat (Golden Horn) is a 15-minute walk from the ferry port — spend a few hours swimming and watching windsurfers. In the afternoon catch the ferry or catamaran onward to Makarska (via Split or direct seasonal services, ~£12–18, 2–3h). Makarska's old town is compact and lovely: the seafront promenade, the Franciscan monastery and the shell-shaped Kačić Square. Grab dinner at a konoba off the main strip and look up at the Biokovo mountains looming overhead.

🚌Catamaran Hvar → Bol ~£8–12; ferry Bol → Makarska ~£12–18

🛏Hostel or apartment in Makarska (~£20–30 pp)

• →Swim at Zlatni Rat (Golden Horn)
• →Makarska promenade and old town walk

Travel day: take the bus or catamaran back via Split, or the seasonal direct catamaran from Makarska to Korčula (routes vary by year — check Krilo and TP Line schedules a few weeks out; budget ~£15–25 and 3–4h total). Korčula town is a miniature, walled medieval grid often claimed as Marco Polo's birthplace. Do your own walking loop: the Land Gate, St Mark's Cathedral, the Marco Polo House and the fishbone-shaped lanes. In the late afternoon walk 20 minutes to Lumbarda for sandy beaches and Grk wine, or swim off the rocks near the old town.

🚌Bus/catamaran Makarska → Korčula, ~£15–25

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Korčula old town (~£25–35 pp)

• →Self-guided Korčula old town walk
• →Beach and wine at Lumbarda

Catch the morning Jadrolinija catamaran to Sobra or Polače on Mljet (~£8–12, 40–60 min). Mljet National Park charges ~£20 entry (more in high season) — this covers the salt lakes (Veliko and Malo Jezero), the shuttle boat out to St Mary's Islet and the 12th-century Benedictine monastery. Hire a bike at the park entrance (~£10–15/day) or a kayak (~£15–20 for 2h) to circle the lakes. Base yourself in Pomena or Polače, both tiny and peaceful — expect simple guesthouses and family-run restaurants serving Mljet lobster and local goat cheese.

🚌Catamaran Korčula → Sobra/Polače ~£8–12; park shuttle boat included in ticket

🛏Guesthouse in Pomena or Polače (~£25–35 pp)

• →Mljet National Park entry & salt lakes
• →Benedictine monastery on St Mary's Islet
• →Bike or kayak hire around the lakes

Sail on to the Elaphiti archipelago. Take the ferry or catamaran from Sobra to Dubrovnik and then a local Jadrolinija ferry or bus out to Šipan or Slano (~£10–18 total, 2.5–4h) — or, if a seasonal direct boat runs, take it. Šipan is the largest Elaphiti island and wonderfully unhurried: vineyards, olive groves, stone villages and quiet coves. Slano on the mainland is easier to reach by bus from Dubrovnik and has a pebble beach and a couple of excellent seafood restaurants. Either way, plan your own 'captain's dinner' at a family konoba.

🚌Ferry + local ferry or bus, ~£10–18

🛏Guesthouse or apartment on Šipan / Slano (~£25–35 pp)

• →Elaphiti Islands ferry hopping
• →Village and cove exploring on Šipan or Slano

Take the local ferry or bus into Dubrovnik in the morning (~£5–8). The original tour includes a guided Old Town walk — do a self-guided version using a free/cheap audio guide app, or join a pay-what-you-wish walking tour from the Pile Gate (~£10 tip). Highlights: Stradun, the Rector's Palace, the Sponza Palace and the Onofrio Fountain. Walk the city walls (~£30, allow 1.5–2h, best in the late afternoon when it's cooler). End with the cable car up Mt Srđ for sunset panoramas (~£20 return) and dinner in a side alley off Stradun.

🚌Ferry/bus Šipan or Slano → Dubrovnik, ~£5–8

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Dubrovnik (~£30–45 pp)

• →Self-guided or tip-based Old Town walking tour
• →Dubrovnik city walls walk
• →Mt Srđ cable car at sunset

Last morning: swim at Banje beach below the old town, visit the small but moving War Photo Limited gallery, or take a local bus to Lapad for a quieter cove. Depart from Dubrovnik airport or catch a bus onward to Split, Mostar or Kotor. Ferries and buses run regularly; book the airport shuttle in advance in high season.

🚌Airport shuttle bus ~£8–10

🛏—

• →Banje beach swim
• →Optional War Photo Limited gallery