Here are several places to visit on your next trip, ranging from the famous walled city of Dubrovnik to the Adriatic region’s favorite, Istria. Croatia’s sparkling Adriatic shoreline and its 1,200+ islands have an attraction that is hard to resist. The magnificent beauty of the Venetian cities along the Istrian and Dalmatian coasts, combined with a few opulent Habsburg resorts to add to the visual spectacle, might be difficult to take in at times. There are many beaches packing into narrow coves and large bays, and the interior of Croatia is a dramatic landscape of karst mountain ranges with gorges, waterfalls, and sparkling rivers.
Current entrance criteria and travel restrictions in Croatia
There is no longer a requirement to provide proof of immunization or a Covid test result because Croatia eliminated all of its admission criteria. With the exception of healthcare facilities, face masks are no longer required to be worn indoors or outdoors, however, they are still advised for big gatherings.
Best time to go to Croatia
Carnivals in Rijeka and Dubrovnik in February serve as the country’s official start to the season, which then picks up steam around Easter. By spring, the weather is already favorable, making it a great time for leisurely city trips and hiking through blossom-covered national parks. Major dance and cultural festivals, as well as large crowds and sweltering heat, occur in July and August. When the events calendar is still active and the summer weather is still present, September is one of the most romantic months to travel. The Adriatic Sea is still warm, the leaves are in awe-inspiring colors, and October is a gloriously calm month.
Everyone’s dream destination is often Dubrovnik, and for good reason. Its beauty is unearthly, with baroque palaces and creamy Dalmatian stone homes lining shining marble avenues, surrounded by medieval and Renaissance fortifications. But if the Old Town’s car-free alleys are too congested to explore, take the 10-minute boat shuttle to the tiny island of Lokrum for a picnic and a swim. Alternately, take a boat journey to the Elaphiti islands of Koloep, Lopud, and Ipan, which are lovely retreats with peaceful beaches and calm communities.
Best places to stay in Dubrovnik
Islands and Split
When you’re sitting in a café in Split’s Old Town and you realize you’re surrounded by the remains of the Diocletian’s Palace from the second century, which was once home to stores, cafés, and apartments, it’s difficult not to feel a sense of astonishment. Many tourists use Split as a jumping-off point for central Dalmatia’s alluring islands, including the laid-back olta, beautiful Bra with its distinctive V-shaped Zlatni Rat beach, exquisite little Vis, remote Lastovo, captivating Korula, and, by far, the most well-known, Hvar, whose chic Hvar Town has become party central.
Istria
One of Croatia’s major assets is this heart-shaped peninsula that hangs over the northern Adriatic. Even after a few weeks, Istria has enough variation to keep you wanting more. Before going south to Pula and its restored Roman amphitheatre, take a little detour to the medieval Pore and Lim Fjord in the north. To get to Tito’s old hangout in the Brijuni Islands, stop in the fishing village of Faana. Then pass through olive fields, vineyards, and Motovun, Buzet, and Gronjan hilltop villages, which create award-winning liquid gold.
Zagreb
Oftentimes, in the haste to go to the coast, the capital of Croatia disregarded. However, this city, which can teach Vienna a thing or two about café culture, has a lovely medieval Upper Town that reached by a little, 66-meter funicular if you so choose. Between visits to the Zagreb City Museum and the Museum of Broken Relationships, check out the bars and eateries along Tkalia. Before zigzagging down to the Lower Town with its shops and eateries, stroll along Strossmayer Promenade. Continue to the Green Horseshoe, a collection of three beautifully designed parks, before cooling off in Lake Jarun in the southern part of the city.
Kuwaiti Gulf
Croatia’s two largest islands, Krk and Cres, as well as the bustling port city of Rijeka and its Habsburg-style architecture are found in Istria’s neighbor to the east. Rijeka is also the 2020 European Capital of Culture. After touring Venetian Krk Town, relax on Krk’s pebbly beaches before taking the ferry to quiet, deserted Cres. Continue on across the bridge that will lead you to scented Loinj, a favorite hangout of the Habsburgs, before arriving at tiny Rab and its about twenty sand beaches. Opatija has wedding-cake 19th-century townhouses and a magnificent 12km Lungomare for those who want the complete Habsburg experience.
Best off-the-beaten-path locations
Delta of Neretva
You may thoroughly relax in this wonderful watery environment 90 minutes north of Dubrovnik. Follow the Neretva River as it passes through some of Croatia’s most productive regions, passing roadside kiosks selling their produce. A sizable sandy beach that was constructed for kiteboarding is located at its delta. By boat, either in a kayak or on a boat safari provided by some of the waterside eateries that are otherwise inaccessible, is the ideal way to explore. When the Peljeac Bridge eventually opens in late July, you’ll be able to get there more quickly since you’ll be able to avoid Bosnia’s constrained coastline and its lengthy customs lines.
Archipelago of Zadar
Fewer tourists are familiar with some of Croatia’s islands than with its oldest city. The two closest, Ugljan and Paman, are similar to Zadar’s suburbs in that they are connected by a bridge and offer relaxing riding days through olive groves and toward pebbly beaches. On the winding Dugi Otok, which is further south and truly lives up to its name, you can find the spectacular collection of bays and beaches that make up Telaica Nature Park (long island). Take a boat cruise through the eerily desolate and completely uninhabited islands of Kornati National Park or ride the ferry to Silba, which is car-free.
Peninsula of Peljesac
The long, finger-like Peljeac peninsula, which protrudes into the Adriatic, is well-known to Game of Thrones fans because of the protective Ston walls that tower above the community. The mouthwatering Ston oysters are also grown in Mali Ston, which is nearby. A large portion of the peninsula is covered in vineyards that provide some of the best red and plavac mali wines in Croatia.
Best activities
Plitvice Lakes exploration
With its collection of 16 lakes and innumerable rivers and waterfalls, Croatia’s first national park is one of the most breathtaking. Before boarding the electric boat to span Kozjak Lake’s pristine surface, follow the elevated wooden pathways past the waterfalls.
Mountain climbing and hiking in the Velebit range
Overlooking the Adriatic Sea, Croatia’s greatest mountain range offers exceptional and occasionally difficult hiking. Paklenica National Park, one of Europe’s most interesting rock-climbing locations, is also covered by Velebit.
Put on your festival best.
Along the Dalmatian coast, dance music festivals fill the summer nights in Croatia. The country’s hottest dance events, including Hideout, Selected, and Sonus, are held on Pag island, where sheep typically outnumber people. Other hot dance festivals include Sun’eBeat, Outlook Origins, Defected Croatia, and Dimensions in otherwise tranquil Tisno.
Take a river ride
Croatia’s rivers and valleys are perfect for kayaking or, for a more daring experience, rafting. One of the most breathtaking trips is the Cetina River Canyon, which empties into the Adriatic in Omi, as well as the lesser-known Zrmanja Canyon in northern Dalmatia’s interior.
Getting Around In Croatia, public transportation, including trains, buses, and coaches, is quite inexpensive. Although Split is the southernmost point of the rail network, HPP, it only runs north and south of Zagreb. The bus system is both relatively affordable and significantly more extensive. Jadrolinija, the ferry company that connects the mainland with the islands, offers both cheap vehicle ferries and quick catamarans. The greatest option for exploring some of the inland areas is to rent a car. Although frequent, domestic flights are not cheap.
Getting there
Flying into one of Croatia’s seven international airports—Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik, Rijeka, Pula, Zadar, or Osijek—is the quickest and least expensive method to get there. You can take an overnight Jadrolinija ferry from Ancona to Zadar, Split, or Hvar if you’re traveling through Italy. There are long but lovely rail routes available, such as those from London to Zagreb through Paris, Munich, or Vienna, or via Ljubljana to Rijeka or Pula. An alternative route to get to Zagreb via Munich is to take the Harwich ferry to the Hook of Holland and get a train in Amsterdam.
Secrets of Croatia
How is the weather today?
Croatia experiences long, hot summers, especially along the shore, and brief, chilly, and snowy winters in the interior. The 30C range is the norm during the summer.
In which time zone is it?
BST+1
What kind of money do I need?
Although it now utilizes the kuna, Croatia will begin using the euro on January 1, 2023. They will accept Both currencies starting in September, but until then, if you pay in euros, you’ll get a change in kuna.
Which language, they are using?
Although they won’t expect it, Croatians will appreciate a few kind words if you do speak their language. The majority of people in the tourism industry are bilingual in English, German, and Italian.
