Best Places To Go In Croatia For Adventure + Nature
- ibenik a great base to visit Krka National Park
- Mljet half the island is a national park and you can hike, bike, swim, and kayak around saltwater lakes
- Makarska Great base to climb Mt. Biokovo and surrounding rocky mountains over the coast
- Plitvice National Park Famous waterfall park with tons of hiking and walking
- Motovun stunning village on a hill where you can hunt for truffles
Day 1 Rovinj: An Istrian Gem
Rovinj, in Blue Istria, is arguably the most picturesque coastal town in all of Croatia. Colorful houses cascading down a hill against the sparkling blue of the Adriatic Sea, with the graceful tower of Saint Euphemias Church rising up into the sky: it makes for the perfect picture postcard.
The pretty town of Rovinj
Top Things to Do in Rovinj
Wander the cobblestone streets of the town. Admire the colorful facades and browse the little shops, and people watch in the lively squares. Orjoin a guided walking tour, to learn about the town and the region as you stroll.
Visit the Church of Saint Euphemia on the hilltop. The beautiful Baroque basilica, with its Venetian-style campanile, is large, and stands in its own square. Admire the paintings inside and enjoy the views from the square.
The impressive hilltop Church of Saint Euphemia
Spend some time by the waterfront. Walking to the ends of the harbor will reward you with nice views of the town, and its a great place for a drink or a meal in the evening. If you enjoy beaches, youll find several beautiful beaches in Rovinj!
A view from the waterfront in Rovinj
If you have an extra day to spend in Rovinj, do a day trip to explore the villages of Green Istria. You can go on your own if you have a car, or do a guided tour. This private tour takes you to Motovun and Groznjan, two of the prettiest Istrian hilltop villages.
A view from the bell tower of the Euphrasian Basilica in Porec
Where to Stay in Rovinj
Why You Should Go: The Baroque Architecture
Located on the banks of the Drava River, this city is 25 kilometers upstream from the Danube. Osijek is the largest city in the area known as Slavonia located in the eastern part of Croatia, this city is one of the best places to stay in Croatia to explore the countrys least-known region.
The main tourist attractions here include open spaces that are well preserved, Baroque architecture, and well-preserved regional traditions. Enjoy coffee in the citys main square or take a stroll along the promenade lining the Drava River.
Osijek has lovely parks and zoological gardens along the Drava River, which you will enjoy as you travel Croatia. If you visit during summer, you can enjoy numerous summer festivals, with the most awaited one being the Croatian Tambura festival held each May.
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Why You Should Go: To Rub The Toe For Good Luck
Nin is a small town in the Zadar Region with only 1,500 people. This ancient town has a small island at its center that is connected to the mainland via two bridges . You may never have heard of this city, but it is truly worth exploring.
We love Nin so much that we chose it as our spot to have our family photos taken there. We think its one of the best places to travel in Croatia, for sure. The town has a rich history, which is evident as you meander through Nin.
Be sure to visit The Church of the Holy Cross, which the town claims to be the smallest cathedral in the world. Other notable pit stops while you visit Nin are St. Jacobâs Church, Duke Branimirâs statue, the lower town gates, and best of all, the remains of a Roman temple.
Nin has also been producing salt since ancient times and can be purchased at the local salt museum. Nins major drawcard is the sandy Queens beach, which is quite popular in the summer months.
Local tip: Visit the tiny St. Nikola church, which is perched on a mound just outside the center of town, for an amazing photo.
For accommodation, try one of these Croatian unique hotels, one is just 20 minutes from Nin.
Best Places To Visit In Croatia: Village Of Lun Pag
Lun is a village on the island of Pag, located in the northernmost part of the island. It is a small and peaceful village, which was declared a botanical reserve in 1963. The village is closest to . Lun has an ancient tradition of olive growing, and it has perhaps the best olive groves in all of Croatia.
Lun has a unique landscape that is not barren and rocky, typical of the Pag landscape. As you make your way to Lun from Novalja, it goes from rocky and dry rock to green and flat landscape, surrounded by dry stone walls and rich olive groves. The olive groves are composed of over 80 thousand olive trees in an area of about 500 hectares, many of which are more than millennia old. The oldest tree is over 1600 years old, being one of the oldest living beings on earth. The trees come from about 300 different sub-species.
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Renting A Car For Your Croatian Coast Road Trip
Croatia is a wonderful place to do a self-drive road trip. The highways were in excellent shape when we visited, and even mountain roads were well-maintained and not too narrow.
And this trip begs for a car, because there are so many places where you will want to pull over to drink in the views!
A view of Primosten from a viewpoint along the road
Discover Cars offers you the ability to compare availability and prices across many major car-hire companies. Pick the car that best meets your needs!
The highways in Croatia are toll roads. While you can drive the more scenic coastal road, which is not a toll road, be aware that it will be somewhat slower. The best of both worlds is to do some stretches on the coastal road and the rest on the highway.
To drive in Croatia, youll need your drivers license from your country of residence. I could not find definitive information on whether an International Drivers Permit is required, but I would get one and take it along to be safe.
Also keep your passport and any other travel documents handy at all times when traveling. On this route, you will encounter border checks at Neum .
Find your rental car for Croatia at Discover Cars: check prices and availability now!
Structuring Your Croatian Coast Trip
This itinerary for the coast of Croatia is written from north to south, but you can also do it in reverse, from south to north. Although targeted primarily at first-time visitors to the region, you could do this trip multiple times and find new places to explore each time, or return to old favorites, or do a mix.
If you are an international visitor and wish to do this route from north to south, you can fly into Zagreb Airport or Pula International Airport within Croatia, and then drive to Rovinj. If you plan to do it from south to north, Dubrovnik has an international airport.
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Planning A Shorter Croatian Coast Trip
If you have fewer than 12 days for your road trip, you can modify this itinerary to focus on the destinations that appeal to you the most.
It takes about four hours to drive from Zadar to Rovinj, so you could shave a couple of days by skipping Istria, although Rovinj is so pretty that its worth the extra time and effort.
7 day Croatia Coast Itinerary
Here is a sample 7-day itinerary that covers many of the most popular destinations, and you can do it in either direction:Day 1: Explore DubrovnikDay 2: See more of DubrovnikDay 3: Travel to Split, explore SplitDay 4: Do a day trip to Hvar IslandDay 5: Visit Trogir and Sibenik en route to ZadarDay 6: Explore ZadarDay 7: Travel to your next destination or return home
5 day Croatia Coast Itinerary
If you have just 5 days planned for the Croatian coast, see the best of Dalmatia with this whirlwind itinerary:Day 1: Explore DubrovnikDay 2: Travel to Split, see SplitDay 3: Do a day trip to HvarDay 4: Do a day trip to Trogir or to Krka National Park and SibenikDay 5: Travel to your next destination or return home
The Best Places To Stay In Split
While Old Town is absurdly beautiful, you can stay just outside for a fraction of the cost. Split is a very walkable city and my following recommendations still keep you within easy walking distance of Old Town and the port area.
Best Airbnb in Split: Apartment HMM
Though I found this place pretty last minute it turned out to be one of the best places I stayed in all of Croatia. The apartment itself is small, but it has everything you need and everything inside is brand new. For couples, this place is pretty damn romantic .
Best Hostel in Split: Grand Hostel LerO
The Grand Hostel LerO offers the best bang for your buck, both in terms of quality and location. It isnt the cheapest hostel in Split, but for budget backpackers who dont want to sleep in a total dive, its pretty classy. Be sure to hike up the adjacent Marjan Hill for awesome sunset views.
Best Hotel in Split: Split Inn Apartments
I like the Split Inn Apartments as a sort of hybrid apartment-hotel room option. The rooms themselves are very tastefully put together and the location of the place is in the middle of everything. You wont have a full-on kitchen set up, but there is a kettle for making coffee and a fridge to keep your beer cold.
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Why You Should Go: For The Spectacular Truffle Hunting In The Off
Motovun is located in Istria, a lush peninsula in northern Croatia, and perched on top of a steep hill that dominates the Mirma River. If you are looking to take an out-of-season vacation in one of the most picturesque and best places to visit in Croatia, skip the summer touristic hotspots and leave behind the big city, Motovun is for you!
As you tour the town, you will walk over 1,050 steps to get to the town. Many tourists love coming here for its unique experience and its medieval atmosphere with a panoramic view of the surrounding vineyards and Motovun forest. If youre trying to decide where to go in Croatia in June, for example, adding Motovun to your itinerary is always a good idea.
The Motovun forest is nearby, so make sure you try your hand at truffle hunting, the subterranean smelly, super-expensive fungus, which is found locally. If thats too much, you can buy them from many stores in the area or do what I do and just have them in a restaurant.
Truffle hunting rates as one of the best weekends in Croatia I have ever had! The thrill of the hunt was absolutely exhilarating and the brunch cooked up by Mirjana after the quest is even better!
Alhambra Boutique Hotel Loinj
Situated in Äikat Bay in Mali LoÅ¡inj, which sits in the heart of Kvarner Bay, the Alhambra Boutique Hotel is one of the best resorts to stay in Croatiaâs northern archipelago. It has beautifully furnished rooms, complete with iPod docking stations, internet access, satellite TV, architectural lighting, anti-allergenic pillows, and a bathroom.
The 5-star resort itself is housed in an amazing Austro-Hungarian villa. Guests can use the fitness room, wellness area, an indoor swimming pool. An on-site restaurant serves a wide array of high-end dishes, as well as beverages.
For more dining options, you can easily walk over to the Mali LoÅ¡inj town center, about 1 kilometer away. Additionally, Alhambra Boutique Hotel is also able to arrange excursions and sightseeing tours for you. Another thing that makes this is a good option for beach holidays in Croatia is that youâll be only minutes away from several great beaches in the area.
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Best Places To Visit In Croatia: Vodice
Vodice is a town in the Å ibenik-Knin County in Croatia. It is situated in a wide bay in central Dalmatia. Vodice is a popular tourist destination and is known to be a lively and happening town, with a rich tourist offering. It has a large marina in the center of the town, with more than 400 berths. The marina has been awarded a âBlue Flagâ for its infrastructure and supporting facilities. The town center is known for its many cafes and restaurants and having a long promenade for leisurely walks along the sea.
Best Places To Visit In Croatia: Biograd Na Moru
Biograd na Moru is located in northern Dalmatia and is a part of the Zadar Region. A town well known for its nautical tourism, it has a large marine harbor . The Marina is located in the western part of the town with 15 piers equipped with 750 berths. The city annually hosts more than 40 domestic and international regattas and over 30 flotillas attended by more than 10,000 sailors from around the world.
Biograd na Moru was once known as the crown city of the Croatian kings. It has been referred to as the tourism center of the county. Unlike the rest of Zadar, Biograd na Moru has had a tourism history dating back to the 1920s. Its first hotel was built in 1935.
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Where To Stay In Split Croatia
In this Split accommodation guide, we’ll help you choose where to stay in Split Croatia. We cover everything from different Split neighborhoods, pros, and cons for each type of accommodation in Split, and other tricks and tips to make you choose the best place to stay in Split.
If youre wondering where to stay in Split, Croatia, our list of best Split hotels, resorts, vacation rentals, and hostels is here to help. There are so many great options for all types of travelers and budgets, including families, solo travelers, couples, and even business travelers.
Split, Croatia is a must-visit destination in Croatia. It is the largest town in Dalmatia and the second-largest town in all Croatia.
Since Split is a big town, it’s important to get familiar with its different areas. That will help you choose the best places to stay in Split Croatia for your budget and travel style.
In recent years lots of small B& Bs and boutique hotels opened in Split’s historical center. You can also find many charming vacation rentals all over the town, from Bavice and njan to the old town, Varos, Gripe, and Pujanke.
Tourists seem to be everywhere now . For me Split got better with tourists.
With an abundance of accommodation, it’s not always easy to choose the best area to stay in Split Croatia. Here are a few hotels, B& Bs, hostels, and vacation rentals that we recommend.
IN THIS ARTICLE
Best Places To Visit In Croatia
Located in the Balkans, Croatia has become one of Europas top tourist destination again since its War of Independence in the late 1990s. Like much of Europe, Croatia boasts its share of medieval cities and historic ruins, but what makes this country exceptional is its wealth of stunning natural attractions such as the Plitvice Lakes, the spectacular Adriatic coastlines and gorgeous islands.
Dubrovnik, is the darling of Croatias tourism scene, thanks to a scenic, medieval-era old town jutting out into the water itself. Further north along the coast is Split, famous as the spot where Roman emperor Diocletian built himself a nice little palace almost 1,700 years ago.
Further inland, youll find the capital Zagreb, with its neoclassical buildings and hiking opportunities at the beautiful Krka National Park. Plan your trip to this beautiful European travel destination with our list of the best places to visit in Croatia.
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Ready For A Trip To Croatia
Croatia is one of the best places to visit in the Balkans, and in Europe . Once people discover it, they just keep returning there, forgetting about the rest of the world.
It is breathtakingly beautiful, it offers a little bit of everything, it has highly developed tourist professionalism, and the local people are extremely warm and welcoming.
Among so many pros, there are a few cons that I would be remiss not to mention.
You can only fully experience Croatia in the summer. However, there are too many tourists during this period, therefore the best tourist deals are rather expensive.
Of course, you can always find a way to travel the country on a budget, but some things such as visiting an island on a boat, sailing, or eating in restaurants would still cost a lot.
Tourism in Croatia blossomed in the last two decades, and the locals sought all opportunities to develop this economic branch the best way they could
But even if it is expensive , it is not impossible to see the most beautiful cities in Croatia on a budget.
Best Destinations In Croatia To Visit
Home to ancient towns, some of the worlds best natural sites, and over 700 islands, picking the best Croatia destinations to visit requires a bit of research.
Luckily for you, Ive done a ton of on-the-ground exploration in Croatia and Im here to spill my best secrets. Not only have I spent over a month in this beautiful Adriatic country, but Ive also made a point to check out the very best it has to offer. Be sure to save my posts on the best Croatia activities and must-read Croatia travel tips for more trip-planning inspo!
Ready? Lets start adding some amazing places to visit to your Croatia itinerary:
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