Croatia Destination Guide

The major attraction in Croatia is its long coastline, with the well maintained renaissance towns along this coast. The western coast of the Adriatic Sea is one of the famous beach strips in Europe. In the interior of Croatia the major attractions are the towns of Zagreb, which is Croatia’s capital; Varazdin, the former Baroque capital of Croatia; and any number of medieval castles. Also popular with tourists are eight regions in Croatia which have been designated as national parks. They are protected and untouched by commercialisation. There are historical sites, churches and amphitheatres dating back to 50 AD and five UNESCO World Heritage sites in Croatia.

A beautiful country with warm and hospitable people, Croatia has many tourist attractions.

Croatia offers a wealth of wonderful things to see and do, and our Croatia Destination Guide below tells you all about the highlights. An ideal way of exploring the country and getting the most out of your holiday is taking one of our Croatia tours. For more general country travel information, our Croatia Country Guide will tell you all you need to know to plan your holiday! To check out specific things to see and do in destinations around the country, check out these sites:

- Dubrovnik
- Kvarner
- Split

Things to See & Do in Croatia

The tourism industry in Croatia is fairly well developed. 2005 alone saw approximately 10 million tourists visiting Croatia.

Zagreb, Croatia’s biggest city, has a host of historical sites, art galleries and museums. Many of these are Austro Hungarian in architecture and represent a harmonious blend of East and West European influences. The coastal city of Dubrovnik, which is called the ‘jewel of Croatia’, is another tourist attraction with many monuments and buildings of historical significance. The historical monuments in Pula, the ancient Roman ruins and churches in Split and Diocletian’s Palace also attract many visitors.

Follow the links below or scroll further down the page for details on some of the many interesting tourist attractions in Croatia:

The beach, rated among the top twenty beaches of the world by the Forbes magazine, is full of tranquil coves lined with pine trees, which look like a necklace of beaches.

For some solitude and tranquillity you can head for Valun, a settlement replete with historical significance or the island of Cres, with its laid back city. The Cres Island on the Kvarner Gulf is home to the famous Griffon Vultures.

Dubrovnik is a city paved in marble, surrounded by beautiful walls and dotted with Renaissance sculpture. Byron gave it the name “the Pearl of the Adriatic”.

Hvar has a sweeping harbour, beautiful sculptured facades and the best in nightlife along the Adriatic Coast. It is the playground for elite jet setters, with its lavender fields, rugged coastline and excellent wines. Hvar Town, a Venetian colony, has come up around a scenic harbour and has an interesting hilltop fortress which presides over the town.

Korcula, on the peninsula, has a cluster of narrow streets just like Hvar but is much quieter. Korcula Town on Korcula Island is a charming city from medieval times. This marvel of urban planning has continued to intrigue visitors right from the 1920s, when the first tourist set foot here.

Lighthouse holiday packages are unique to Croatia. These are Robinson Crusoe-style holidays where tourists can shut themselves off from the crowds and spend their time in lighthouses, giving them an opportunity to just sit back, watch the sea and smell the flowers. Most lighthouses are located in the solitary parts of Croatia’s coastline or in the sea itself.

There are eleven rent-a-lighthouse options along the coast of the Adriatic Sea. These are in Palagruza, Struga, Susac, Plocica, Sv. Petar, Prisnjak, Veli Rat, Porer, RT Zub, Sv. Ivan and Savudrija.

Zagreb has more museums per square kilometre than most other cities of the world. Almost all of them are located in the centre of the city and tourists can easily walk from one museum to the other. Some of the museums worth visiting are: the Mimara Museum, Gavella Drama Theatre, Archaeological Museum, Exit Theatre, Croatian Natural History Museum, Croatian National Theatre, Technical Museum, Modern Gallery, Strossmayer Gallery of Old Masters and Art Pavilion.

The Museum of Arts and Crafts in Zagreb documents the evolution of Croatian crafts over the centuries. The Mimara Museum is a repository of ceramics, sculpture and painting from all over the world, while the Mestrovic Atelier displays the powerful sculptures of Mestrovic, Croatia’s best known sculptor.

The city of Dubrovnik provides the opportunity to walk down the annals of Croatia’s history. The Rector’s Palace, the Memorial Room to the Dubrovnik Defenders at the Sponza Palace, the Maritime Museum and the War Photos Unlimited are some of the important places to see in Dubrovnik.

The Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments in Split displays early Croatian religious fine art. The Mestrovic Gallery showcases the 20th century sculptures of Croatia’s famous sculptor, Ivan Mestrovic.

Plitvice Lakes National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with sixteen beautiful turquoise lakes. With myriad waterfalls, the Plitvice Lakes National Park is not to be missed.

Mljet National Park, on the verdant and untainted Mljet Island, is another interesting place to visit. There are two saltwater lakes connected to each other and the Benedictine Monastery and the St. Mary’s Island located in the middle of the larger lake make a pretty picture. Tourists can cycle their way around this densely forested national park.

Kopacki Rit Nature Park is a birdwatcher’s delight. A secluded stretch of wetland, it is home to a number of migratory birds.

There are hiking and climbing opportunities at the Risnjak National Park in the hills of Gorski Kotar and the Velebit Massif in the Paklencia National Park in Northern Dalmatia.

The Kornati National Park offers a unique experience. This uninhabited, rocky archipelago of over 90 islands is spread out over 116 square miles (300 square kilometres) and is virtually devoid of plant life.

Nightlife in Croatia is vibrant and essentially migratory. In winter, the islanders sleep early but the city dwellers in Zagreb, Zadar, Rijeka and Split pub crawl and dance the night away at the discos, rock clubs, cocktail bars and Irish pubs. Come summer, the discos and clubs in the islands (especially on Pag and Hvar islands) spring to life. The urbanites gravitate to the islands and the night clubs in the city wind down.

But at all times around the year, Croatia has a throbbing nightlife. Baristas shake up exotic cocktails and DJs belt out the latest hits in music from Slavic to rock, soul, electronic and jazz and there is plenty of inexpensive beer! A night out at most of the casual spots will cost approximately 30 to 40 HRK. Multi purpose clubs, bars and cafes offering the latest in fashion, art and music function from noon till midnight, but many other dance clubs open only around midnight. There are also a few exclusive premium night clubs with forbidding bouncers.

This is the prettiest town in Istria. Rovinj has retained the ambience of a traditional fishing port despite the heavy inflow of tourists.

The adventure enthusiast can dive into the Blue Grotto or explore the sunken shipwrecks off Vis Island, which is Croatia’s most secluded island.

Zlatni Rat or Golden Cape is one of the few of Croatia’s sandy beaches. Visitors lie back and sunbathe on the golden sands of this beach, which is located near a resort called Bol on the island of Brac.