Croatia guide
Our Croatia travel guide has tips on culture, food and shopping, plus what we rate (and what we don't).
Things to do on the Elaphiti Islands
Elaphiti, Elafiti, Elaphites – whichever way you spell it, the Elaphiti Islands are usually your way in or out of Dubrovnik. A great holiday to Dubrovnik will never just stick to the city. It’s been a seafaring region for several millennia; to understand Dubrovnik and its place in the world, you have to look beyond the walls.
The Elaphiti Islands are the first archipelago you see offshore – a craggy, pine-coated splatter of isles west and north of Dubrovnik. You can cruise there, but not on the floating hotels that cast shadows over the city in the summer. Instead, glide into monastery-topped ports on a Croatian-crewed yacht for 30. Or hoist your bike onto the ferry and spend a couple of days island hopping, rolling around the country lanes or kayaking around uninhabited islets like serene lighthouse-topped Olipa.
There are only three inhabited islands in the Elaphitis, so most holidays set sail for them. Keep reading to see what flavour of Croatian island life you’ll get at each.
The Elaphiti Islands are the first archipelago you see offshore – a craggy, pine-coated splatter of isles west and north of Dubrovnik. You can cruise there, but not on the floating hotels that cast shadows over the city in the summer. Instead, glide into monastery-topped ports on a Croatian-crewed yacht for 30. Or hoist your bike onto the ferry and spend a couple of days island hopping, rolling around the country lanes or kayaking around uninhabited islets like serene lighthouse-topped Olipa.
There are only three inhabited islands in the Elaphitis, so most holidays set sail for them. Keep reading to see what flavour of Croatian island life you’ll get at each.
Cycling & seafood in Sipan
Sipan swipes out across the Adriatic like a brushstroke. Back in the 14th century, it was a summer favourite with the aristocrats who swanned around the region when the Republic of Dubrovnik was at its richest. Villas, castles, chapels and monasteries popped up in their wake, pushing up close to the beaches and glassy snorkelling waters that are the Elaphiti standard.
You have to stay for a few nights to really get the hang of the pace of life here, which goes from slow to even slower. The best tour operators will seek out the islander-owned hotels or guesthouses and suggest the tiny tavernas by the harbour. They’ll also show you the best cycling routes. The mini harbour towns of Suduradj and Luka Sipanska are tied together by an empty road that winds past olive groves, hilltop farms and sun-bleached churches with peeling facades.
Luka Sipanska, with its palm-tasselled fishing harbour, is the place to pause and take in just how far from Dubrovnik you feel – despite the fact that its crowds are only a 90-minute ferry journey over the horizon. This is the sunset side of Sipan, so you can pull up a chair for dinner (AKA whatever wriggles off the boat that day) and watch the yachts sail back to the mainland.
Iva Stefan, from our Croatia activity holiday specialists Huck Finn Adventure, says:
“Sipan Island is an incredibly rich and fertile island thanks to its freshwater springs. It was lucky enough to reach its peak of development at the time when the Republic of Dubrovnik was at its richest. There are still real fishermen living in Luka Sipanska and Sudjuradj, drying their colourful nets out in the open.”
“Sipan Island is an incredibly rich and fertile island thanks to its freshwater springs. It was lucky enough to reach its peak of development at the time when the Republic of Dubrovnik was at its richest. There are still real fishermen living in Luka Sipanska and Sudjuradj, drying their colourful nets out in the open.”
Hiking & beaches in Lopud
Lopud is shaped a little like a wonky hourglass, which makes for some interesting terrain. Sunj Beach bends along the scooped-out north coast; you can walk out between clouds of fish for half a mile at low tide. It’s a seasonal beauty, though – think sunloungers and parasols in summer and powdery sands just for you in spring and autumn.As with every island in the Elaphitis, hiking in Lopud equates to low hill climbing. Use a tour operator that can match you up with a self guided or guided route complete with a narrative of what you’re seeing as you go up and down paths that buck up to the top of the island and back again. Lopud was also an escape for the wealthy in the 16th century, so you’ll pass fortified monasteries and abandoned mansions squeezed between the cypress and pine forests.
Sea kayaking in Kolocep
Kolocep is for sea kayakers. At only a 30-minute ferry ride from Dubrovnik, you’d think it’d be packed with day-trippers. But the many that do appear in summer stick fast to the harbour and its crescent moon of waterside cafés. Away from the ferry port, the coast is dented with cliffs, caves, coves and beaches only accessible by kayak or paddle board. Some holidays will match you up with a catamaran that’ll take you out on a sunset sail through dolphin waters.
Iva Stefan, from our Croatia activity holiday specialists Huck Finn Adventure, says:
“Hiking on Kolocep island is a true authentic local experience. You walk in pine woods along high cliffs, observing the horizon. The Adriatic Sea below is turquoise… Once you get down to the seaside, you can take a swim on a sandy beach. The best thing is, you probably won’t meet anyone on your hike before you reach the village.”
“Hiking on Kolocep island is a true authentic local experience. You walk in pine woods along high cliffs, observing the horizon. The Adriatic Sea below is turquoise… Once you get down to the seaside, you can take a swim on a sandy beach. The best thing is, you probably won’t meet anyone on your hike before you reach the village.”
Croatian coast walking tours, self guided
A 7 day walking holiday on the Dalmatian coast
From
€985 to €1600
7 days
ex flights
Croatia Ciro bike route tour, Dubrovnik to Mostar
Unique bike tour, rails to trail from Dubrovnik to Mostar
From
€920 to €1015
6 days
ex flights
Dubrovnik and the Islands activity holiday
Fun activity holiday, stunning nature and gourmet food
From
€1250 to €1350
8 days
ex flights
Self guided biking tour in Croatia
Explore the amazing island's coasts, medieval towns on bike
From
€1070 to €1850
7 days
ex flights
Croatia cultural holiday with homestay
Travel from Dubrovnik to Split along the Dalmatian coast.
From
£1596 to £1995
7 days
ex flights
Dubrovnik walking & cycling short break
Active getaway to free your mind & workout your body
From
€420 to €480
4 days
ex flights
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Elaphiti Islands responsible tourism tips
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