Best places to visit in Croatia

The ‘Pearl of the Adriatic’, this beautiful city is one of Croatia’s most popular destinations, an attractive jumble of red-roofed buildings and medieval architecture tucked inside a series of stone walls. Start your visit by walking around the 2km walls, passing 16 towers and three fortresses, as well as the other fortifications which kept the city safe for centuries, enjoying views out over the sparkling blue sea and the UNESCO World Heritage Site city.

Or for more panoramic scenery, take the cable car to the top of Mount Srđ, for a chance to look back across Dubrovnik and far out to sea. Along the coast, the pretty wooded island of Lokrum makes a lovely day trip, while the pebbled beaches and pretty villages of the Dubrovnik Riviera stretch down the coast. There’s plenty to keep you within the city itself, from its Romanesque cathedral to the palace and shops of limestone-paved pedestrian main street Stradun, plus history galore stretching back to the city’s founding, then called Ragusa, in the 7th century.

Palace of Diocletian, Split

There’s nowhere quite like Split, a city which grew up inside a Roman emperor’s palace. Visit today, and you’ll spend much of your time wandering through the former Imperial Palace of Diocletian, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which houses shops, restaurants and homes which date back centuries.

Once you’ve finished wandering through the narrow marble-paved streets, passing the cathedral of St Domnius, head to the Riva, the waterfront promenade lined with palm trees. From here, you can catch ferries out to the nearby islands, including Brac and Hvar, or simply relax with a drink at the tables outside a string of cafes and restaurants. At the end of the Riva, Marjan Hill towers over the city for a green escape from the bustling streets. A protected forest park, you can wander the paths under the shady trees right up to the viewpoint at the peak, or discover one of the area’s little beaches to sit and look out onto the Adriatic. The city has its own sandy beaches too, including Bačvice Beach, a short walk from the historic centre. Split also makes a great base to explore further, including historic Trogir and Krka National Park, with its series of enticing waterfalls and trails.

Plitvice Lakes

Croatia’s top natural attraction, it’s little surprise that the Plitvice Lakes National Park is a UNESCO-protected site. While the 16 crystalline lakes themselves are beautiful, it’s the waterfalls and cascades connecting them which are the biggest highlight here though. Clouds of butterflies flutter above the pathways and water as you make your way along wooden bridges and trails through the peaceful woodland, with trees stretching up the hills in all directions. And in total, there are around 90 falls throughout the park, including Veliki Slap, the tallest in Croatia dropping 78m, which almost completely freezes during winter. The nearby Sastavci Slap is another of Plitvice’s most beautiful waterfalls but it’s the chance to see cascade after cascade as you stroll along the paths which makes this such a fairytale setting.

Brač

Just a short trip from Split, Brač is one of the easiest islands to visit along Croatia’s coast. Despite being the third largest island in the Adriatic, it’s also a more peaceful option compared to nearby Hvar, which can get very busy in summer, and to popular Korčula.

Perfect for anyone looking to discover a slice of traditional Croatia, Brac is famous for its olive oil and the white stone quarried here. Used to create Diocletian’s palace back in Split, you’ll find it on the façade of the White House as well as Budapest’s Parliament buildings.

The island is an ideal spot for anyone looking to explore slowly too. Easy hiking trails pass little villages and ancient monasteries as you amble through pine forests and olive groves, with paths leading down to secluded beaches. Or you can follow the three-mile route to Vidova Gora, the highest point of all the Adriatic islands, rising to 2,553 feet above sea level.

One of the unmissable highlights is the ‘Golden Horn’ (or Zlatni Rat) in Bol, on the southern part of the island – this unusual beach changes shape each day, as the pebbled spit of land shifts in the wind and the turquoise waves lapping at the shore.

Croatia’s capital often gets overlooked compared to the cities and islands on the coast, but it’s well worth saving some time to explore Zagreb. It’s a city which is made for strolling, enjoying the mix of architecture in the Upper and Lower Towns, and people watching over a drink.

Head to the Upper Town to discover Zagreb’s oldest quarter, cobblestone streets winding under red-roofed buildings in a string of pastel shades and passing a string of churches, not least Zagreb cathedral.

The Lower Town is more modern, but with its own architectural melting pot, ranging from Art Deco and neo-Baroque styles to the late 19th century Secessionist designs, a variation on Art Nouveau, while street art enlivens blander contemporary concrete blocks. The city also has the biggest number of museums per capita in the world, everything from history in the Archaeological and City Museums to a Contemporary Art gallery and the distinctly unusual Museum of Broken Relationships. Unlike the cities of the Adriatic coast, you’ll find more influences from Austria and Hungary in Zagreb too – perhaps why the city’s Christmas market has been voted one of the best in Europe several times.

Zadar

The longest continually occupied city in Croatia, Zadar tells the history of the country through its buildings, plus an attractive coastal setting to enjoy. Here you’ll find ancient Roman forums, 9th century Byzantine churches, 16th century Venetian forts and modernist blocks as you explore.

Much has been sympathetically restored after heavy bombing during the Second World War, earning Zadar the unenviable nickname, the ‘Dresden of the Adriatic’, but you can still admire the 16th century Sea Gate, created partly from a Roman arch topped with a Venetian lion, as well as the Romanesque-style St Chrysogonus Church and baroque St Simeon Church.

One of Zadar’s most famous, and most unusual attractions is its Sea Organ, which creates music using the motion of the waves. Relax on the marble steps by the waterfront, as the waves and tides push air through the tubes, resulting in a melodic creation that seems like a cross between whale song and a church organ. Try to time your visit for the end of the day; Alfred Hitchcock claimed that Zadar has the most beautiful sunset in the world. It’s easy to combine with a cruise through Croatia’s islands too.

Discover the beautiful coastlines and historic cities of Croatia for yourself with one of our escorted tours, hotel stays or small ship cruises