Croatia is the most popular and best known country in the Balkan region. It’s mostly famous for it’s many islands, beautiful coastline, and of course, Game of Thrones. Croatia has many beautiful places which deserve a visit, and luckily it’s a very easy country to travel in. Below I will list the best places to visit in Croatia, from North to South and color-coded as a must-visit, highly recommended, and if time permits.
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Table of Contents - Things to do in Croatia – The Ultimate Travel Guide
Traveling Croatia - Tips & Tricks
When to go: I’d say spring and Autumn are the perfect times to visit. In high season touristic places like Dubrovnik and Split get overcrowded and it gets very hot during the day, making going for a stroll through the city less enjoyable. Prices are lower in shoulder season and most things are still open.
How to get there: Croatia has many international airports, the airports with the best fares are, in my experience, Dubrovnik, Zagreb, and Split. Just check Skyscanner for your dates and you’ll likely find a good deal. If you’re coming for a neighboring country, you can travel by bus too. There are direct busses between Zagreb and Sarajevo and Bihac in Bosnia and Herzegovina for example. You can also travel directly between Dubrovnik and Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Herceg Novi, Kotor, and Budva in Montenegro. And if you’re coming from Italy, there are ferries too!
Visa: Croatia is part of the Schengen area since 2023. You can check here if you need a visa to visit the Schengen area or not.
Currency: As of the 1st of January 2023, Croatia’s official currency is the Euro.
Transport: It’s easy to travel through Croatia by bus. Check Flixbus or GetbyBus for schedules. Sometimes bus terminals offer other lines that are not available online, and not all tickets available online can be bought at the terminals. Make sure to buy a mobile ticket when buying an online ticket, or to have access to a printer.
Food: I love Croatia’s cuisine! Ćevapi is an absolute favorite. And burek my favorite hearty snack. Different regions in Croatia have different specialties, but overall you’ll find a lot of meat (or fish on the coast). Italian food is also very popular, there is a lot of Italian influence in Croatia, including in their cuisine.
Zagreb
Zagreb is Croatia’s capital city, and not the most interesting place for tourists. There are many other places to visit in Croatia that will probably end up higher on your list. However, if you fly in here, are a city person, and are not in a rush, it’s worth staying a night or 2. Start with a free walking tour if it fits your schedule and get exploring!
Rovinj
Rovinj (or Rovigno in Italian) is a small but beautiful old city located on the Istrian Peninsula. It’s nicknamed the “Little Venice” or “Istrian Venice”. The old city is located on a peninsula and some of the houses are located directly on the waterfront. Hence the nickname. As I mentioned before, the old city is only small but very picturesque. There are beautiful green areas around Rovinj as well, where you can enjoy a swim or some downtime.
How to get to Rovinj from Zagreb: Several direct busses leave Zagreb for Rovinj every day. They take about 4-5 hours, depending on the company and traffic.
Pula
Pula is most famous for its Amphitheater. While this is definitely the star of the city, there are more well-preserved Roman ruins in this town worth a visit. The best way to explore them is off course by a free walking tour.
Pula has some nice beaches within walking distance as well, on the Stoja peninsula for example. No worries if you’re not up for walking, you can take the city bus too! Pula is a perfect destination if you’re looking for a mix of history and architecture and beaches.
In Premantura, you can find dinosaur footprints along the coast. They are really hard to spot though! Don’t expect well-preserved ones like in Bolivia for example. I stared myself blind on the area they should be and I’m still not sure if I actually saw them, or if it was just some relief in the rocks.😅 Other people took pictures there though, so maybe it were footprints, maybe other people were confused too haha. 🤷♀️So I only recommend if you want to explore a bit more of the coast around Pula anyway. If you only want to see the footprints, you might be disappointed.
How to get the Pula from Rovinj: These cities are only about 1 hour away from each other by bus. Direct busses go between them regularly during the day and you can buy a one-way or return ticket at the bus terminal. Since they are so close to each other, and are well connected, you can also only pick one of them and visit the other one on a day trip if you prefer.
Učka National Park
If you’re looking for some nature and a less touristic place, Učka makes for a nice stop! There are many hikes starting from Lovran, so this is a good place to be based in. It’s easier to find accommodation in and transport to Opatija though, so this is a good option too. From Lovran, you can even hike all the way up to Vojak. it’s a challenging hike though, as you’ll ascent and decent about 1400 meters.
How to get to Učka from Pula: There are many busses going from Pula to Opatija throughou the day. The journey takes less than 2 hours. From Opatija, you’ll find local busses that go to Lovran. On Sundays, there are even busses that go all the way to the Poklon mountain-pass. They don’t go often though, so make sure to plan well!
Zadar
Zadar’s old town is one of the oldest towns in Croatia. It’s walls aren’t nearly as impressive or iconic as Dubrovnik’s, nor does Zadar have a Palace like Split, but it’s still a beautiful town worth spending a few days at. Zader is actually more famous for it’s modern monuments the Sea Organ and the Greeting to the Sun. The Sea Oran is a musical instrument, played by the waves of the sea. The Greeting to the sun obsorbes the sunlight during the day and uses this energy for a lightshow after sunset. The old town of Zadar is really pretty though, and best explored on a free walking tour.
Zadar is not only nice to visit itself, it’s also conveniently located close to 2 of Croatia’s most famous national parks: Plitvice and Krka. They are both an easy day trip away, with direct bus connections. They do get really busy with daytrippers during the day though, so if you have the time I’d recommend to spend a night closer to the park you want to visit, to beat the crowds as much as possible.
How to get to Zadar from Opatija: There are direct busses in the morning and early afternoon. The journey takes about 5-6 hours.
Plitvice Lakes National Park
Plitvice Lakes National Park is probably Croatia’s most famous national park, and it is really beautiful indeed! It consists of several lakes, cascading into each other. Basically forming a big layered waterfall. And many other smaller waterfalls. It’s not allowed to swim here. You’ll have to stay on the paths and wooden boardwalks crossing the water. Note that in the high season, prices have become really steep. And it also gets super crowded. So I’m leaning toward saying that Plitvice is not worth it in high season. It’s hard to enjoy the beauty of the place with so many people, and if you also have to pay almost € 40… If you’re visiting in high season, I would enter after 4 pm (but as close to 4 pm as possible) as tickets are discounted then. If you absolutely want to visit during the day in high season, spend the night close to the NP. This way you can at least beat the crowds. In shoulder season it’s definitely a must-visit though! Which is why I marked it as such. 😉
How to get to Plitvice Lakes from Zadar: Direct busses between Zadar and Plitvice lakes take almost 2 hours. The bus stops in the town of Korenica as well, where you can find accommodation if you wanted to spend the night closer to the NP to beat the crowds.
Accommodation Tip: I absolutely loved the Falling Lakes hostel! The staff is incredibly helpful, and will help you not only with your visit to Plitvice, but they can also recommend some nice hikes. Whether it’s a short one for sunset, or an all day one to an abandoned military base on the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina!
Krka National Park
Krka National Park is another National Park with waterfalls close to Zadar. It’s kind of like Plitvice’s little sibling. It’s a little smaller and doesn’t offer the same viewpoints as Plitvice. But it’s also a little less crowded. Plus, you can swim! Not at the waterfalls itself, but in the river. From the ticket office, you can opt for a boat ride which takes you to the waterfall area. For me, the boat to the main area is not worth the money, and the walk is nice. You’ll walk along a river, where you can stop for a swimming break and the walk in general makes the place seem more natural.
If you want to visit the whole national park, so also Visovac Island, the Roški slap waterfall, the monastery, and the fortress, you’ll need transport. Either your own or you can use the boat service of the national park. Do note that if you’re using the boat service of the national park, it’s not cheap and the prices will really add up. Especially in high season. This is why we opted for Skradinski buk only.
How to get to Krka from Zadar: Direct busses to the town of Skradin take less than an hour. You can opt for accommodation here, or just do a day trip from Zadar. The main part of the National Park is within walking distance from Skradin.
How to get to Krka from Plitvice: The same bus passes by Plitvice (and Korenica) before it arrives at Zadar. Calculate about 3 hours from Plitvice to the Skradin entrance of Krka NP.
Split
Split is most famous for it’s palace, party scene the easy access to many islands. Spend a day or two here to explore the old town and then head to the islands.
The old city is best explored with (surprise, surprise) a free walking tour. After the walking tour, you can head to the Belvedere viewpoint and go for a stroll to the park. If you prefer going for a swim, there are some beaches below the viewpoint, and on the other side of the old town.
Most islands around Split are quite big and deserve an overnight stay. If you only have a day, it’s best to either book a tour, or check out Šolta.
Šolta
Šolta is a small island and the least touristic one of the ones on this list. Inland, you’ll find many traditional towns and olive groves. Along the coast, there are many beaches and coves. As the island is not so touristic, it’s perfect if you need a break from the crowds of Split.
Šolta is well connected to Split by ferry. There are multiple ferries a day that will bring you from Split to Rogač. The trip takes less than an hour.
Brač
I really loved Brač. The color of the water is just incredible, and there are many cute little towns and nice beaches around the island.
Zlatni Rat (Golden Cape) is the most touristic and iconic beach on Brač. It gets really packed in high season during the day, so come early in the morning if you want to enjoy some quiet time here. More in the mood for a party? There is a beach bar that plays music in the afternoon.
If you’re looking for quieter beaches, I really like the ones around Sumartin myself. The island offers many cute little towns with nice swimming options though! So you can’t really go wrong here. 😉
Where to stay in Brač
If you don’t have your own transport, I recommend staying in Bol, as most attractions are close to Bol. The main transport hub is Supetar, so you can also choose to stay here. If you have your own transport or are willing to rent a scooter/car Sumartin is a beautiful place to stay. It has really nice beaches closeby and isn’t as touristic as Bol. Check out Villa Vera for self catering apartments. It’s a little more pricy than what I’d normally recommend, but it’s run by a lovely couple, right in front of the beach, and has a pool. You can get here by bus too if you just want to stay in Sumartin for a couple of days, but it’s difficult to get around the island from Sumartin without your own transport.
How to get to Brač from Split: There are many ferries going to Brač from Split. Which one is best for you, depends on where you want to stay. Croatia ferries has a good overview. There is even a ferry from Šolta to Brač (Milna) if you wanted to do that!
Ston
Ston is a really small but nice town which even has two walls to protect its city. Which might seem strange for such a small town, but Ston produces a lot of salt. And in the time these cities were built, there were no fridges, meaning people used a lot of salt to preserve food. This made salt very valuable and so the salt flats of Ston had to be very well protected. You can walk both the inner and outer walls and the ticket includes a visit to the ‘castle’. The castle isn’t so interesting in itself, but you might as well check it out while there!
Besides the walls and old town, you can also visit the saltworks and if you like oysters, Ston is also famous for those!
How to get to Ston from Brač: There are no direct ferries from Brač to Ston. You can take a ferry to Split or Makarska and a bus from there. Makarska is on the way from Split to Ston, so it’s shorter. Split has more options though, both for ferries and busses. Which one is best for you, mainly depends on where you’re staying in Brač (some ports on Brač only have connections to either Split or Makarska) and also on the bus schedule from Makarska, as not all busses from Split stop in Makarska.
It’s also possible to visit Ston as a day trip from Dubrovnik if you prefer to do that.
Mljet
Mljet is home to a national park with lakes. It’s a beautiful place with lots of natural beauty. Due to lack of time, I visited as a day trip from Dubrovnik, which is perfectly doable. If you have time, it’s worth to stay for a night or two though. It’s a really nice place to spend some time. There are plenty of hiking options along green and shady paths, some cool viewpoints and plenty of swimming opportunities. It’s also a great place to go biking if you prefer going for a bikeride.
The entree fee for the national park includes a boatride to the island of Saint Mary, located in the lake (that’s right, an island within an island!) so you can visit the monastary here as well.
How to get to Mljet from Ston: There is a direct ferry from Prapratno, which is close to Ston, to the island of Mljet. It doesn’t go to the national park however, but to Sobra. Sobra is about 25 km south of Polače, the gateway to the national park. So you’ll either need your own transport, rent a motorbike, or take another ferry to the national park. Do check the ferry schedule if you want to transfer in Sobra, as ferries don’t always go regularly (season dependent).
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a beautiful, well preserved old city. It used to be most famous for it’s walls, but nowadays it’s most famous for Games of Thrones. The old city is only small, so you only need a day to visit. Do stay at least one night, so you can enjoy a quiet morning and take some pictures without loads of people on them and just enjoy the beauty of the place. Joining a free walking tour is a must here too! I found the city was so much more interesting with some context.
It’s possible to walk on the walls, which offers some beautiful views, but prices are quite steep. If you want to go, make sure to buy a Dubrovnik pass, as this is the same price and includes access to the walls, the fortress, a bus ticket and access to several musea. This makes it way better value!
For even better views of the old city of Dubrovnik, head up to the viewpoint. You can take the cable car, but it’s quite expensive. Hiking up takes about an hour if you take it easy and include some photo stops.
For more tips about how to plan your stay here, check out this 3-day itinerary for Dubrovnik.
Where to stay in Dubrovnik
Unless you really have your heart set on staying within the walls of Dubrovnik’s old city, I recommend staying in one of the towns just outside of the city. Accommodation here is nicer, cheaper and the old city can become really crowded. So it’s nice to be able to move away from it once you’re done exploring the city for the day.
Mlini is a really nice town to stay. It’s only 20 min away by bus and has a small shopping center with a supermarket amongst others. Cavtat is nice too, but a little further away, and more expensive than Mlini.
If you’re a solo traveler, or just looking to make some friends, try hostel best offer. It’s a little further away, about half an hour by bus. The downside of this hostel is that it doesn’t have a kitchen. There is a restaurant next door, but it’s quite pricy for what it is. They do have a pool though!
Protip: If you’re traveling with a car and are staying outside of Dubrovnik, it’s best to take the bus. Parking space is limited and expensive. Busses go regularly and will work out a lot cheaper!
Other places to visit in Croatia
The main one I left out is Hvar. This is the most popular island in Croatia, and therefore also the reason we decided not to visit it. We had limited time so we had to choose and we opted for Brač instead. Another popular island we had to leave out is Korčula, mainly famous for being the birthplace of Marco Polo. The island and town look beautiful though, and it’s on our list for next time! Together with Hvar.
Other than that, Croatia is full of coastal towns, beaches and islands. You won’t have trouble finding more things to do in Croatia, the problem is chosing!
This was Things to do in Croatia – The Ultimate Travel Guide
If you’re traveling to other Balkan countries while in the area, check out my guides to Montenegro , Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania too!
