Yes, you can do a day trip from Dubrovnik to Korčula without a car or an organised group. Take the morning TP Line catamaran at 7:40, arrive in Korčula Town at 10:00, and catch the 18:20 catamaran back. That gives you about eight hours on the island — enough for a half-day tour, a walk through the old town and a long lunch.
Why Korčula is the best day trip from Dubrovnik
Korčula is just over two hours from Dubrovnik by catamaran — a scenic ride along the coast, past the Elafiti islands and Mljet. Yes, you can do a day trip from Dubrovnik to Korčula without a car or an organised group. Take the morning TP Line catamaran at 7:40, arrive in Korčula Town at 09:50, and catch the 18:20 catamaran back. That gives you about eight hours on the island — enough for a half-day tour, a walk through the old town and a long lunch.
Korčula is often called “mini Dubrovnik”, and one look explains why. Its medieval old town sits on a small peninsula, wrapped in stone walls and towers, with red roofs and a cathedral bell tower rising above the sea. The difference is scale and pace: fewer crowds, no cruise-ship queues at the gates, and an island full of vineyards, olive groves and quiet coves just minutes outside the walls.
If you are staying in Dubrovnik and want a day trip that feels like a real escape, Korčula is hard to beat. Below is everything you need: how to get to Korčula from Dubrovnik, the catamaran times, and how to make the most of one day in Korčula.
How to get to Korčula from Dubrovnik
The easiest way to get from Dubrovnik to Korčula on a day trip is the TP Line catamaran from Dubrovnik’s Gruž port. It takes you straight into Korčula Town, a few steps from the old town gates — no car, no transfers, no stress. In the off-season, the catamaran leaves Dubrovnik at 7:40 and arrives in Korčula at 9:50. The return catamaran leaves Korčula at 18:20 and gets you back to Dubrovnik at 20:20.
Timetables change by season and can shift with weather, so always check before you travel:
- TP Line timetable — the operator running the 7:40 Dubrovnik–Korčula catamaran.
- Krilo (Kapetan Luka) — fast catamarans linking Dubrovnik, Korčula, Hvar and Split, mostly in the warmer months.
- Putovnica.net — our favourite all-in-one resource. It lists timetables and prices for every catamaran and ferry line to the Croatian islands, plus trains and buses across Croatia. Bookmark it for the rest of your trip.
Tips for the catamaran: buy tickets online in advance in summer, arrive at Gruž port 20–30 minutes early, and keep your return ticket handy — the 18:20 boat is your ride home.
Other ways to get to Korčula from Dubrovnik: by car to Orebić, then a short ferry across to Korčula. It works, but for one day in Korčula the direct catamaran saves you hours of driving.
Why a tour makes sense if you only have one day in Korčula
Korčula Town is beautiful, but it is only a small part of the island. Without a car, the vineyards, villages, beaches and viewpoints are out of reach on a day trip. A half-day tour solves that: in about four hours you see the island’s landscapes, experience something you’d never do on your own, and taste the wines and local products Korčula is known for — then you’re back in town with the afternoon free.
One day in Korčula: sample itinerary from Dubrovnik
The 7:40 departure and the 18:20 return leave just about enough time for a tour, lunch and the old town. Here’s how the day fits together:
Straight off the Catamaran: Korčula Buggy Safari with Beaches & Wine Tasting
The 7:40 catamaran lands at 09:50 — just in time for the Korkyra INFO Buggy Safari, which starts daily at 10:00 in Korčula Town.
You drive your own Can-Am buggy (two- or four-seater) off-road through olive groves, vineyards and countryside lanes most visitors never reach. Along the way you stop to swim at Vela Pržina, a sandy beach in Lumbarda, and at Peyton, a quiet rocky cove. The tour ends at Adria Winery, where you taste local wines including Grk, plus liqueurs, jams, honey and olive oil.
- Starts: 10:00, Korčula Town
- Finishes: around 14:00 (about 4 hours, roughly 2.5 hours of driving)
- Includes: buggy, tour leader, two beach stops, tasting at Adria Winery
- Good to know: drivers need a valid driving licence and must be 18+; passengers don’t need one
- Price: from €75, children up to 12 years of age at half price
Back in town by about 14:00, you still have over four hours for lunch and the old town before your 18:20 catamaran.
Coffee First, Then Wine: Korčula Wine Tour & Island Sightseeing
Prefer a glass to a steering wheel? The Korkyra INFO Wine & Sightseeing Tour leaves at 11:00, so you get an hour after landing for coffee on the waterfront first.
In an open-top panoramic minibus, you cover around 70% of the island, stopping at viewpoints above Korčula old town and above Pupnatska bay. You visit three wineries — two family-run estates and one cooperative — taste 10 wines, including the island’s signature whites Pošip and Grk, alongside Plavac Mali and Rukatac, plus honey, liqueurs and olive oil.
- Starts: 11:00, Korčula Town
- Finishes: around 15:00 (about 4 hours)
- Includes: panoramic island drive, three wineries, 10 wine tastings with local products, driver/guide
- Good to know: lunch isn’t included, but snacks come with the tastings
- Price: from €75
Back by 15:30, you have time for a late lunch and an old-town stroll before the 18:20 catamaran.
Korcula Archipelago: Riviera Cruise, Then Explore at Your Own Pace
Want to see Korčula from the sea? The Korčula Riviera Cruise leaves daily at 10:30 from Korčula Old Town — a relaxed half hour after your catamaran lands.
For an hour and a half you cruise the Korčula archipelago, a cluster of small islands just off the old town. You pass Badija with its Franciscan monastery, little Vrnik with its old stone quarries, Stupe, and the vineyard village of Lumbarda, with the walls of Korčula Town as your backdrop.
- Starts: 10:30 daily, Korčula Old Town harbour
- Duration: about 1.5 hours of sightseeing
- Price: from €40 (children under 12 half price)
Back in the old town around noon, the rest of the day is yours. Have a late brunch or lunch, then rent a car, scooter, or bike from our office in Korčula Town and explore the island on your own — a bike and swim in Lumbarda, a glass of Grk at a family winery, or a drive to the hilltop village of Žrnovo. Just be back at the pier for the catamaran to Dubrovnik later in the afternoon.
Exploring Korčula old town
The old town is compact, so a couple of unhurried hours is enough. Don’t miss:
- The Land Gate (Kopnena vrata) and the grand staircase — the classic entrance, and the best “mini Dubrovnik” photo.
- St Mark’s Cathedral — climb the bell tower for views over the red roofs and the Pelješac channel.
- The fishbone street plan — the lanes are laid out to let in the cooling mistral breeze and block the strong winds. Get a little lost.
- Marco Polo — Korčula claims to be the explorer’s birthplace; you’ll find his name all over town.
- The town walls and towers — walk the seafront promenade around the peninsula as the late afternoon light turns golden.
Lunch in Korčula: a foodie paradise
After a morning tour you’ll be hungry — and you’re in the right place. Korčulans take their food seriously. That’s why Korčula is a small foodie paradise: the old town alone is home to two Michelin-starred restaurants, and the seafront promenade is lined with restaurants and konobas (traditional taverns) looking out over the Pelješac channel.
Look for grilled fish, black risotto or Žrnovski makaruni, the island’s hand-rolled pasta, with a glass of Pošip or Grk. Visiting off-season? You won’t go hungry either — there are always a few restaurants and taverns open year-round.
Grab a gelato, do a little souvenir shopping, and stroll back to the catamaran pier for 18:20.
Day trip to Korčula from Hvar or Split
Staying in Hvar or Split instead? The same one day in Korčula itinerary works from there too: catch a morning catamaran, join the Buggy Safari, Wine & Sightseeing Tour or Riviera Cruise, then enjoy lunch and the old town before an afternoon or evening boat back.
Catamarans run by Krilo (Kapetan Luka), TP Line and Jadrolinija link Split and Hvar Town with Korčula. The trip takes roughly 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 35 minutes from Hvar and about 2.5–3 hours from Split. In summer there are several sailings a day; outside the season there are only one or two, so a same-day return may not be possible. Always check times before planning:
- Krilo timetable
- TP Line timetable
- Jadrolinija
- Putovnica.net ferry and catamaran timetables — all lines, plus trains and buses across Croatia
Day trip from Dubrovnik to Korcula: FAQ
Can you do a day trip from Dubrovnik to Korčula? Yes. Take the 7:40 TP Line catamaran from Dubrovnik, arrive in Korčula at 10:00, and return on the 18:20 catamaran. You get about eight hours on the island.
How long is the catamaran from Dubrovnik to Korčula? The morning TP Line catamaran takes about 2 hours 20 minutes (7:40 to 10:00), with stops on the way.
How do I get to Korčula from Dubrovnik without a car? By catamaran from Gruž port, straight into Korčula Town. Check current times on TP Line, Krilo or Putovnica.net.
Is Korčula worth a day trip from Dubrovnik? Yes. Korčula is often called “mini Dubrovnik” for its walled medieval old town, but it’s calmer, and the island adds vineyards, beaches and wineries you can reach on a half-day tour.
Why is Korčula called mini Dubrovnik? Its old town is a walled medieval town on a peninsula, with stone towers, red roofs and a cathedral — like a smaller, quieter version of Dubrovnik.
What can you do in one day in Korčula? Join a tour (Buggy Safari at 10:00, Riviera Cruise at 10:30 or Wine & Sightseeing at 11:00), have lunch, then explore the old town, climb the bell tower of St Mark’s Cathedral, shop for souvenirs before the 18:20 catamaran.
What time does the last catamaran leave Korčula for Dubrovnik? In the off-season, the return catamaran leaves Korčula at 18:20. Times change by season, so check the timetable before you travel.
Do I need a driving licence for the Korčula buggy tour? Drivers need a valid driving licence and must be 18 or older. Passengers don’t need one.
Plan your Korčula day trip
One day in Korčula goes fast, so book your tour before you board the catamaran. Our office is a short walk from the Korcula Port (eastern riva) at Trg Petra Šegedina 3a, and our team is happy to help with tickets, tours and tips.
- Book the Korčula Buggy Safari (10:00)
- Book the Korčula Wine & Sightseeing Tour (11:00)
- Book the Korčula Riviera Cruise (10:30)
See you on the black island of white wines 🥂
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