Croatia

When you fantasize a great holiday, you dream of wide open roads that take you to spectacular corners of the world. You think of sitting by the beach, walking under a clear blue sky and enjoying the vibrant sounds of nature. So, if you already are planning a great holiday this season then you must take notice of this Mediterranean abode named Croatia. Pleasant days by the stretch of azure waters in the guarded colorful environs of ancient walled towns, Croatia is the place to turn your usual vacation to a dreamland experience. Offering the best tourist places in Croatia. A very young Democracy, Croatia has a plethora of breathtaking sights and an unimaginably attractive history to offer.

The Croatian nation has changed hands from one empire to the other, from one political belief to another extreme political inclination. History of this nation is enigmatic and has given birth to a culturally rich economy with Global standards. The main attraction here is of course the coastline and its long white- washed, sandy, pebbly beaches. An island nation which Croatia is, makes it a popular choice amongst the globetrotters of the world. Croatian hospitality is yet another story altogether. You have to try the range of delicious local seafood and the organic products of this wonderland.

A moment of staring at the endless magnificent sea water, there can be chance encounters with the mighty mountains gazing back at you. The Dinaric Alps, stretching from Italy to Albania, surround much of the coastline. The limestone karst has bestowed upon the Croatian land, a wonderland range of rugged peaks, grottos, tiny clear canyons, wild waterfalls, preposterously pretty lakes, huge farmlands and vibrant stretches of flora and fauna. There is something for everyone in Croatia. Right from adventure sports to rejuvenating beach side coziness, this Central European, offers the best tourist places in Croatia. The haven is there to create lingering memories for your travel diary.

Major tourist attractions in Croatia

1. Zadar: Located on the Dalmation Coast, Zadar is a stunning tourist attraction in Croatia for tourists who are fond of museums. There are plenty of historical sites in Zadar that date back to the conventional times through which you learn more about the city and Croatia in general. The visitors can discover the pristine medieval churches in the city that are renowned for their spectacular architecture.

You can also find the different art installations in the city, like The Sea Organ which produced music with the help of the ocean waves. Some of the other famous attractions that you should consider visiting in Zadar are City Walls and Gates, Roman Forum, St. Anastasia’s Cathedral, St. Donatus’ Church, and St. Mary’s Church.

2. Dubrovnik: Dubrovnik is another fundamental tourist attraction in Croatia that is well-known for its impressive coastal scenery. This place attracts a myriad of visitors throughout the year to its captivating beaches with crystal clear blue waters, offering a great opportunity for swimming. Regarded as the “Pearl of the Adriatic”, the place features sturdy walls that protected the city from attacks.

Tourists visiting Dubrovnik can take a tour of the powerful ancient ramparts that include the cannons, towers, and fortresses. If you want to see the most delightful structures in the city, you can head to the famous Pile Gate which offers spectacular views of the Old Town rooftops and the shining Adriatic Sea. 

3. Zagreb: The capital of Croatia, Zagreb is home to some of the best galleries, museums, restaurants, and shopping arenas in the country. There are innumerable attractions in the city for every visitor to explore, including a giant cathedral with a marvelous Gothic architectural design that dates back to the 12th century.

People are attracted to this city to explore the vast collection of historical items from a private collector in The Museum of Mimara. The visitors can take a stroll along Ban Jelacic Square which provides access to some of the well-known historical buildings and shopping centers in the whole country. 

4. Danube: If you are looking forward to soaking in the tranquility of nature, the Danube River in Croatia is one of the top tourist attractions in Croatia to explore with your friends and family. It is a joyous waterway that flows through rolling castle-topped landscapes, vineyards, and rugged mountains of Croatia.

Starting from Donaueschingen in the Black Forest in Germany, this river allows you to experience nature like never before with its crystal clear waters. There are plenty of wineries as attractions beside the Danube River that offer visitors a great opportunity to indulge in the wine-tasting experience. You can also paddle along the shores or lay on the sand to watch the sunset. 

5. Plitvice Lakes: Regarded as one of the most beautiful natural destinations in Europe, Plitvice Lakes is an attraction that you should definitely include in your Croatia travel itinerary. Since the lakes exude natural beauty and significance, this series of 16 interlinked lakes and a large forest complex around it constitute the National Park Plitvice Lakes since 1949.

This place garners the interest of tourists with its unique colors, including azure, blue, gray, and green. The area surrounding the lake has a rich diversity of animal and bird species. Some of the endangered fauna that you may encounter beside these lakes are eagle, European brown bear, lynx, owl, and wolf, along with plenty of other common species.

6. Split: Also known by the nickname, “Mediterranean Flower”, Split is the second-largest city in Croatia that is situated on a peninsula off the Dalmatian coast. The orange-roofed houses in this city, along with ancient Roman architecture, provide a remarkable contrasting appearance with the dramatic coastal mountains and turquoise sea.

It is a famous tourist destination as there is abundant nightlife, delicious dining opportunities, and impressive sights. It also serves as a transport hub to travel to several other Adriatic Islands. The highlight of the city is Diocletian’s Palace, which is the historic blend of gorgeous Renaissance and Gothic architecture.

7. Hvar: Renowned for its yacht parties and land swaddles of land drenched in rich purples of lavender, the Hvar town is one of the most stunning islands in Croatia. This town is set up on a scenic natural bay with the Pakleni island chain preserving it to the south. If you want to explore more of the waterfront areas of Hvar, you can indulge in swimming or rent a boat to cruise along the waters.

You can also try some delectable local signature cuisines, like gregada, which is a stew made with fish, garlic, olive oil, onions, and potatoes. The visitors can visit the Stari Grad Museum in Hvar to learn more about the first civilization in Croatia or participate in snorkeling or sailing activities around hidden coves on the Pakleni Islands.

8. Pula: Situated on the southern tip of the Istria peninsula in the Adriatic Sea, Pula is a renowned destination in Croatia that attracts thousands of tourists to its amphitheater to watch gladiator fights. Since this place has been ruled by government power for centuries, Pula is well-known for its abundance of Roman ruins and a combination of different cultures.

The fundamental attraction of the city is the 1st-century Roman Arena amphitheater, which is one of the largest and most well-preserved monuments of its kind in the entire world. Some of the other attractions that you should consider visiting in Pula are the Byzantine chapel, the Venetian fortress and the Forum, and the city’s main square.

Which are the best places to visit in Croatia at night ?

1. Papaya, Zrce Beach, Novalja, island of Pag: Papaya Club is one of the best places to visit in Croatia at night and is known to be the eighth best beach club in Croatia. It is among the best party spots in Europe with a spectacular open-air summer beach resort. This club offers outstanding night parties featuring renowned DJ appearances, and views from the club overlooking the clear Adriatic and Velebit mountains.

It also hosts numerous music genre festivals, like Barrakud, Big Beach Spring Break, Fresh Island, Hideout, and Sonus. You can enjoy the amazing atmosphere of the Zrce beach and savor the taste of refreshing summer cocktails at the night beach party.

2. Aquarius, Zrce Beach, Novalja, island of Pag: Aquarius Club is located on one of the most popular beaches in Croatia, Zrce beach. Since the club is set up in a perfect location on the island of Pag, it offers a remarkable combination of heavenly surroundings, a crystal clear sea, and fantastic party opportunities. One of the oldest and best clubs in Croatia, Aquarius is regarded as the 17th-best club in the world, offering a spectacular open-air summer beach club and festival venue.

This club hosts multiple renowned DJs throughout the year, including performances by Afrojack, Alan Walker, Avicii, Jamie Jones, and much more. Some of the music genre festivals held in this club are Area 4, Barrakud, Black Sheep, Fresh Island, Hideout, and much more.

3. Hacienda, Vodice: If you want to make your nightlife in Croatia memorable, you should pay a visit to Hacienda in Vodice. It is one of the first open-air discotheques on the Adriatic coast that remains lively with music from the Croatian DJs along with regional artists. Since it is a summer club, it offers some reverberating sound and a stunning atmosphere where you can enjoy the Balkan beats and techno dance.

Both young locals and tourists mingle around this club and dance to the rhythm of the sounds while sipping beers, cocktails, or non-alcoholic drinks. Therefore, the Hacienda in Vodice is the best place for people who want to relish the wild nights of Croatia filled with good humor.

Famous beaches in Croatia

1. Zlatni Rat Beach, Bol on the island of Brac: Zlatni Rat Beach is the most famous beach in Croatia, which is situated on the southern coast of the Island of Brac to the west of the postcard-pretty town of Bol. Due to the currents in the bordering Hvar Channel, this beach has taken the shape of a narrow, elongated “spit” of land that stretches around 1500 feet into the clear blue sea.

If you are sunbathing on the narrow white pebble beach, you can capture the views of the sea on both sides. It also offers photo opportunities by giving a backdrop of Roman ruins peeking out of the groves of pine trees set against the towering Vidova Mountain, which is the highest peak on the Adriatic Islands.

2. Bacvice Beach, Split: If you want to escape the city for a few hours and drench yourself in the local culture, you should definitely pay a visit to Bacvice Beach. It is a shallow bay of sand and shingles that is known to be a great place for families.

The beach also features a cafe-packed pleasure pavilion to the east, which makes it one of the buzzy social places in the entire Split. It has a swanky background that hosts hundreds of players of picigin, which is similar to the Dalmatian version of water volleyball. A half-day boat trip on Bacvice Beach is one of the best things to do with your friends and family.

3. Banje Beach, Dubrovnik: Banje Beach is a summer retreat in Dubrovnik located in the east of the Old Town district of the city in Croatia. This beautiful beach is surrounded by some of the best hotels and is equipped with some contemporary facilities, like deck chairs, umbrellas, and ranging rooms with showers.

If you have watched Game of Thrones, you will feel nostalgic as several parts of the series were shot on this beach. It is also a remarkable place to indulge in water sports activities like jet skiing and paragliding. You can also simply dip into the waters of the beach to enjoy a relaxing atmosphere in Croatia.

4. Zrce Beach, Novalja, on the island of Pag: For people who want to soak in the quietness and serenity of the place and want to add some excitement sometimes can visit Zrce Beach situated on the Pag island. It is a lovely destination for mood swingers who seek the best of both worlds.

On your visit to the beach, you will be surrounded by numerous locals, tourists, and DJs, along with the different open-air restaurants. Each of these restaurants offers you a great opportunity to come from the white-pebbled beach and go straight into these establishments for a relaxing bath in the pool, hot tub, or Jacuzzi.

5. Cape Kamenjak, near Pula: Located on the Premantura peninsula on the southern tip of Istra, Cape Kamenjak is a wonderful beach with miles of rugged coastline and unusual landscape. The beach also features a splendid park with the same name, offering a beautiful backdrop for photo opportunities to visitors.

On this beach, there are plenty of things that you can explore with your friends and family, like the coves, caves, and a quirky safari bar. If you are lucky, you can spot dolphins and Mediterranean monk seals off the coast, along with fishes and tiny crabs while swimming. You can even delight yourself by throwing yourself off the rocky shores into the sea. 

6. Lake Jarun, Zagreb: Also known as the Zagreb Sea, Lake Jarun is a beautiful beach located in the center of Zagreb. It is the largest entertainment center in the city with access to numerous cycle tracks, lakes for water sports, and grounds for learning and playing sports.

If you visit the place on a hot summer day, you can even participate in swimming or sunbathing activities. You will find plenty of walkers and athletes during the day on this beach while the night is filled with nightclubs for parties.

Best islands to visit in Croatia

We will guide through this in the most effective way, so that you can instantly make your choice in terms of which one to visit, from these best islands in Croatia.

1. The Brijuni Islands: Family of 14 islands, which constitute an ideal National Park, located close to the mainland of Pula.
2. Cres: This is Adriatico's second largest island located very close to Rijeka.
3. Losinj: A deep green patch of land right next to Cres makes Losinj, the unkempt beauty with wide range of plantations across this island.
4. Krk: The largest, most commercial and easily accessible Adriatic island is Krk.
5. Rab: This is greener than many islands of Croatia. It boasts of a dense stretch of scented pine forests.
6. Pag: It is the island that gave birth to paški sir (local cheese) and served some of the best dishes made out of this cheese to the world. Pag is also known for its nightlife especially due to the party town of Novalja.

Some of the famous shopping places in Croatia

Shopping is inevitable. You must take home some pretty memorabilia from the places you visit. Croatia has several symbolic elements which are only locally found. Like the Licitarsko srce/ Gingerbread heart, ‘Maraschino’ an alcoholic liqueur, ‘Rakija’ a fruit liqueur, Vegeta a seasoning made out of spices and vegetables, Paski sir, a cheese from the island of Pag, are some of the few originally Croatian souvenirs you can take back home. The generally crowded shopping areas are:

1. Jelacic Square(Trg Bana Josipa Jelacica), Zagreb, is a bohemian corner which offers flea market options and lots of junk. This can be your favorite spot for food, cheap shopping and pints of local beer.
2. Dolac Market, Zagreb
3. Vinoteka Bornsteinfor exclusive wines, Zagreb
4. Arena Centar: Zagreb, is a commercial mall which houses grand stores of supreme brands, a supermarket and a wide range of products.
5. Filigran Split:The historical store to buy some exquisite handmade silver filigree jewelry. This is located in Split. It is the perfect ‘silver lover’s’ paradise.