Dubrovnik and Koper or Split and Kotor?

I'm considering two Eastern Med/Adriatic itineraries for next summer. One has Dubrovnik and Koper and the other Split and Kotor. Which itinerary would you choose and why? We've never been to any Adriatic ports. The highlight of either trip for us will be Venice, so our main reason for choosing either of these itineraries is the same. Thank you!

Dubrovnik has the ancient walled city plus the cable car up Mt Syd. Plus there are a variety of other activities all within the walls.

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I’d agree. While Split is a nice town with a lovely harbour, it’s nowhere near as interesting as Dubrovnik. Walking the walls of Dubrovnik (in the morning before it gets too hot) is a lovely experience. You do need to get there as early as you can as Dubrovnik gets very crowded in summer.

Venice will be very crowded too, but in Venice you can escape the crowds by moving away from St Marks Square and the Rialto bridge. Even in summer there are quiet areas -we love the Jewish Ghetto area. I’d suggest you buy a Pop-Up map of Venice - only about £3 from Amazon. Has the Vaporetto routes as well as several maps, & you can easily put it in your pocket. It’s easy to get lost in Venice.

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All other things being equal I'd def choose Dubovnik over Split, same as others have posted.

The historic part of Split, around Diocletian's (sp?) Palace, is quite interesting - very interesting if you're into ancient civilisations - and the ship ports a short walk from the historic quarter.

But the whole of Dubrovnik's walled city is excellent.- including walking the walls & taking the cablecar or a taxi up Mt Srd for an overview. And a superb boat ride into the walled city ifi t's a tender port for your ship.

Downsides - if your ship berths, it's a short (2 miles?) bus or taxi ride to the walled city, and the place is teeming with tourists.

JB :)

We are on NCL Star cruise in August with Dubrovnik, Split and Kotor (and two Greek ports) . This cruise is picked because of Dubrovnik and Kotor.

Haven't been to Dubrovnik, so I can't speak to that one, but we were in Split and Kotor last fall. Split was okay in the old palace, albeit very expensive. However, we were done walking around the old palace in about an hour. Kotor, on the other hand, is beautiful! Sailing into the town through the fjords is beautiful and the old town is very quaint. Prices were reasonable for drinks and souvenirs. We did do the 1500 step climb up to the old fortress for an even more amazing view! It was a slog, but this pair of 60+ managed just fine. We earned our beer after our descent for sure. Too bad they aren't offering you Kotor and Dubrovnik.

I'll disagree with the above. I found Dubrovnik very touristy and it tends to be packed in the peak months. I much preferred Split -- but then I am an afficionado of Roman ruins and it fascinates me that this town originated as the palace of a Roman emperor. I enjoyed it very much. Despite having plans to visit the nearby site of Salona in the afternoon, I ended up staying in Split for most of the day, following the Roman walls all the way around the city, locating the gates, visiting the archaeological museum, etc.

I also think the sail-in to Kotor (Bay of Kotor) is spectacular and not to be missed.

We also went to Kotor and yes the sailing is spectacular but once you’re in town not much there. We enjoyed walking the walls and taking the cable car in Dubrovnik. Plus the beach. Not touristy to us. Gorgeous views plus if you walk the entire circumference you will notice the differences in the roofs, the new roof means totally destroyed in the war. As a matter of fact most had been destroyed and had to be rebuilt, and one can see the enormity of the destruction. I guess it all comes down to personal preference.

I'm considering two Eastern Med/Adriatic itineraries for next summer. One has Dubrovnik and Koper and the other Split and Kotor. Which itinerary would you choose and why? We've never been to any Adriatic ports. The highlight of either trip for us will be Venice, so our main reason for choosing either of these itineraries is the same. Thank you!

We took Celebrity Constellation out of Venice last summer and we visited all 4 of these ports. If you do that you won't have to make a choice!

Don’t you believe it. Venice is wonderful, you just have to get away from the crowds, and it’s easy to do. Yes you want to see St Marks Square & the Rialto Bridge, but either go early in the morning or the evening. Otherwise just wander around the little streets and bridges in areas such as the Jewish Ghetto, or get a Vaporetto to Burano or got to the Lido beach.

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I'm considering two Eastern Med/Adriatic itineraries for next summer. One has Dubrovnik and Koper and the other Split and Kotor. Which itinerary would you choose and why? We've never been to any Adriatic ports. The highlight of either trip for us will be Venice, so our main reason for choosing either of these itineraries is the same. Thank you!

I agree with the suggestions of looking at other cruise lines. You might find cruises that include Venice, Dubrovnik, Kotor and Split. Those are the 5-star places in the itinerary. It would be a shame to miss any of them. Koper is not at that level.

I found Dubrovnik to have zero atmosphere. It was full of tourists, with very little distinct offer - the shops could have been anywhere. Contrast that to Split with its alleyways built into Diocletian's old palace full of unique stalls and restaurants, and Dubrovnik does not compare well. I'd recommend the Split itinerary.