City
Dubrovnik
Croatia
A walled city of pale stone and orange roofs on the southern Adriatic, one of Europe's most photographed old t...
Balkans
Croatia
A crescent of country with a long Adriatic coast, over a thousand islands, Roman ruins, walled towns and waterfall-filled national parks.
For storytellers
Why Croatia matters
Croatia packs an astonishing amount into a country you can cross in a day. On the coast you walk through palaces and walled towns that Romans and Venetians left behind, then jump on a ferry to an island with lavender fields and hidden coves. Inland, turquoise lakes tumble over travertine barriers in Plitvice, while Zagreb offers coffee culture, Austro-Hungarian streets and a very easygoing capital life. The water is clear, the seafood is simple and fresh, and the light in the evening is made for video. It works for a city break, a sailing trip or a long road trip down the Dalmatian coast.
Talking points
- Over a thousand islands, but only a small share of them are inhabited.
- A Roman emperor's retirement palace is still a living part of Split's town centre.
- Plitvice's lakes change colour between green, blue and grey depending on light and minerals.
- Ferries and catamarans link the coast to the islands, so island hopping is easy to plan.
- Zagreb's Upper Town and Lower Town feel like two different cities side by side.
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- Capital
- Zagreb
- Languages
- Croatian
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Best time to go
- May to June and September for warm sea, good light and fewer crowds; July and August are hot and busy on the coast.
Where to base yourself
Cities and towns in Croatia
City
Split
Croatia
A busy Adriatic port built inside and around a Roman emperor's palace, with a lively waterfront and a forested...
City
Zagreb
Croatia
Croatia's relaxed capital, with Austro-Hungarian streets, a hilltop old town, lively cafe terraces and quirky...
Town
Hvar
Croatia
A stylish island town with a Venetian harbour, a hilltop fortress and lavender-scented hills.
City
Pula
Croatia
A port town at the tip of Istria with one of the best-preserved Roman amphitheatres in the world.
Town
Rovinj
Croatia
A pastel-coloured fishing town on a small peninsula, crowned by a hilltop church and full of narrow stone lane...
City
Zadar
Croatia
A seafront city with Roman and Venetian layers, famous for its sea organ and some of the coast's best sunsets.
Town
Korcula
Croatia
A walled medieval island town laid out like a fishbone, on a green island known for wine and sailing.
Town
Trogir
Croatia
A small walled island town of Romanesque and Renaissance stone, just a short drive from Split.
Town
Porec
Croatia
A coastal Istrian town known for an early Christian basilica with glittering Byzantine mosaics.
Town
Sibenik
Croatia
A hillside Dalmatian town with a remarkable stone cathedral, steep lanes and fortresses overlooking the sea.
Top places
What to see in Croatia
- Top places
- Church, mosque or temple 8
- Neighbourhood 5
- National park 5
- Historic site 4
- Beach 3
- Castle 3
- Monument 3
- Ruins 3
- Square 2
- Park 2
- Museum 2
- Island 2
- Other 2
- Art gallery 1
- Tower 1
- Market 1
- Viewpoint 1
Historic site · UNESCO
Diocletian's Palace
Split, Croatia
A Roman emperor's retirement palace that grew into the living heart of Split.
Monument · UNESCO
Dubrovnik City Walls
Dubrovnik, Croatia
A complete ring of medieval fortifications you can walk around, with views over rooftops and the sea.
National park · UNESCO
Plitvice Lakes National Park
Croatia
Sixteen terraced lakes joined by waterfalls and wooden boardwalks in a forested valley.
Monument
Pula Arena
Pula, Croatia
A Roman amphitheatre with an almost complete outer wall, still used for concerts and events.
National park
Krka National Park
Sibenik, Croatia
A series of cascading waterfalls and pools along the Krka river, with boardwalk trails through reeds and woods...
Other
Sea Organ
Zadar, Croatia
Steps by the sea with hidden pipes beneath that turn waves into soft musical tones.
Neighbourhood · UNESCO
Stradun
Dubrovnik, Croatia
The polished limestone main street running through the old town between its two gates.
Square
Ban Jelacic Square
Zagreb, Croatia
Zagreb's main square, where trams rattle past and locals meet under the clock.
Church, mosque or temple · UNESCO
Cathedral of Saint Domnius
Split, Croatia
A cathedral inside the former mausoleum of the Roman emperor, with a bell tower you can climb.
Church, mosque or temple · UNESCO
Cathedral of St James
Sibenik, Croatia
A Renaissance cathedral built entirely of stone, famed for a frieze of carved faces on its apses.
Church, mosque or temple
Church of St Donatus
Zadar, Croatia
A round pre-Romanesque church from the early Middle Ages, built using stones from the Roman forum.
Church, mosque or temple
Church of St Euphemia
Rovinj, Croatia
The baroque hilltop church whose bell tower defines Rovinj's skyline.
Church, mosque or temple · UNESCO
Euphrasian Basilica
Porec, Croatia
A sixth-century basilica complex whose gold mosaics are among the finest Byzantine art in the region.
Viewpoint
Mount Srd
Dubrovnik, Croatia
The hill above the old town, reached by cable car, with the classic panorama over roofs and islands.
Neighbourhood
Riva Promenade
Split, Croatia
Split's palm-lined waterfront, where the whole city comes to stroll, sit and watch the sea.
Neighbourhood
Rovinj Old Town
Rovinj, Croatia
A maze of steep stone lanes, pastel houses and small art galleries around a working harbour.
Historic site · UNESCO
Trogir Old Town
Trogir, Croatia
A compact island town of narrow lanes, Romanesque houses and Renaissance palaces.
Neighbourhood
Upper Town (Gradec)
Zagreb, Croatia
The medieval hilltop quarter with cobbled lanes, gas lamps and city views.
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