More Than Just Cheap Flights.

Croatia Information

Overview

With a coastline that stretches thousands of kilometres, more than 1,000 offshore islands, and where a mild Mediterranean climate eases you through the worst ravages of autumn and winter, Croatia’s appeal is obvious. Throw in chocolate-box pretty Venetian old towns, whose terracotta roof tiles find themselves in the starring role of many an iconic photograph, rugged mountain ranges and melt-in-the-mouth Adriatic seafood, and the cocktail becomes even more intoxicating.

Although the coast is undoubtedly the shining star of Croatia tourism, off the beaten track the country also boasts undulating hills in inland Istria, where ornate hilltop towns, great food, good domestic wine and a proliferation of black and white truffles has earned it favourable comparisons with Tuscany. In the north of the country the historic castles of the Zagorje and more rolling green hills await. 

The oft ignored region of Slavonia, in the east of the country, rewards a visit with the stately riverside city of Osijek and the unquashable spirit of Vukovar, which is still fighting back from the worst ravages of the Homeland War, as well as vineyards and castles of its own. First-time visitors to the country’s capital, Zagreb, quickly shrug off anachronistic images of communist era deprivations, as they are greeted by a vibrant and grand metropolis complete with all the trappings of modern day life, an attractive old town and lush green spaces.

A haven for gastronomes and sun worshippers alike, Croatia is also emerging as an adventure destination. Unspoiled countryside lends itself to cycling and hiking, as well as serious mountaineering, while the expansive coastline is perfect for almost every type of watersport imaginable. The Island of Brac even hosts the annual Vanka Regule extreme sports festival. When it comes to sailing, Croatia is legendary, with myriad marinas and islands on hand up and down the coast.

Top Things To See

Zagreb (website: www.zagreb-touristinfo.hr), Croatia’s economic, cultural and administrative heart. Visit Gornji Grad’s historic monuments: the Cathedral, St Mark’s Church (noted for its tiled roof) and the Sabor (Croatian parliament). Be enthralled by Donji Grad’s 19th-century buildings.

Head for the undulating hills and vineyards of Zagorje (website: www.turizam-vzz.hr), just north of Zagreb. Explore the historic Veliki Tabor and Trakošcan castles.

Meander through Dubrovnik’s (website: www.tzdubrovnik.hr) UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old City, which is enveloped by 13th-century walls and overlooks the Adriatic. Tour its fine monuments such as the Rector’s Palace, the Franciscan Monastery (home to Europe’s oldest pharmacy) and delightful baroque churches.

Travel back in time to Split (website: www.visitsplit.com), the economic and cultural capital of Central Dalmatia which was founded in the third century AD by the Roman Emperor Diocletian. Its historic centre lies within the walls of Diocletian’s Palace - a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
 
Stroll around the tiny medieval city of Trogir (website: www.trogir-online.com), founded by the Greeks in the third century BC. Discover the beautiful Venetian gothic stone buildings that have helped it earn a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Continue a discovery of Roman Croatia in Pula (website: www.pulainfo.hr), Istira’s administrative centre and chief port. See a concert at the fifth-century BC Arena, a well-preserved Roman amphitheatre. 

Sail around Brijuni National Park (website: www.brijuni.hr), an archipelago of 14 unspoilt islands located off the west coast of Istria. Stay overnight on the largest island, Veli Brijun, where a range of tourist facilities are available. 
 
Built on a small peninsula, the Istrian town of Porec (website: www.istra.com/porec) dates back to Roman times. Climb the tower of its star attraction, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Euphrasius Basilica. Admire the Basilica’s stunning sixth-century Byzantine mosaics. 
 
Drive around Inland Istria, whose romantic hill towns like Motovun (website: www.tz-motovun.hr), Buje (website: www.tzg-buje.hr) and Groznjan (website: www.tz-groznjan.hr), make an ideal day trip from the coast.
 
Visit the historic centre of Zadar (website: www.tzzadar.hr), the chief city and port in Northern Dalmatia. Stroll around its narrow cobbled streets, drink coffee on a ruined Roman Forum and listen to classical recitals in the ninth-century Church of St Donats.

Northern Dalmatia’s second city is Sibenik (website: www.sibenik-tourism.hr), worth visiting for its 15th-century UNESCO-listed Cathedral of St James alone. Appreciate the distinctive architecture of its Old Town which, because it was not built by the Romans or the Venetians, is uniquely Croatian. 

Take a boat ride in the Krka National Park (website: www.npkrka.hr), where the eponymous river has sculpted a picturesque canyon, famed for its spectacular Skradinski buk (Skradin Waterfalls) and the islet of Visovac, home to a Franciscan Monastery.

Join the throng at Plitvice Lakes National Park (website: www.np-plitvicka-jezera.hr), one of Croatia’s premier tourist attractions. This UNESCO World Heritage tree-shrouded wonderland of 16 turquoise lakes and waterfalls more than makes up for the crowds.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.

Top Things To Do

In Zagreb, visit the Museum of Arts and Crafts, which traces Croatian craftsmanship through the centuries, and the Mimara Museum ’s rich collection of painting, sculpture and ceramics from abroad. Admire Mestrovic’s dramatic sculptures at the Mestrovic Atelier.

Unearth Dubrovnik ’s turbulent history at the Rector’s Palace, The Memorial Room to the Dubrovnik Defenders (located in the Sponza Palace), War Photos Unlimited and the Maritime Museum.

See fine examples of early Croatian religious art at the Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments in Split. Appreciate more of Mestrovic’s 20th-century sculptures in the city’s Meštrovic Gallery.

Enjoy Dubrovnik Summer Festival, which takes place each summer, from mid July to late August, featuring various cultural events plus open-air evening performances of theatre, jazz and classical music. Zagreb and Split also have summer festivals. 

Dine in some of Croatia’s best restaurants in the gastronomic enclave of Volosko, just outside Opatija, while soaking up attractive Adriatic sea views.

Sunbathe on the golden sands of Zlatni Rat (Golden Cape); one of the few sandy beaches in Croatia is located just outside the tourist resort of Bol on the island of Brac.

Escape the crowds on the Kvarner Gulf island of Cres, famous for its colony of Griffon Vultures, the historic settlement of Valun and laid-back Cres Town.

Hike or climb in the Risnjak National Park, located in the mountains of Gorski Kotar, or on the Velebit Massif of Northern Dalmatia’s Paklenica National Park. 

Tour the Kornati National Park, an archipelago of more than 90 islands scattered over an area of 300 sq km (116 sq miles). Virtually uninhabited, the islands display a harsh, rocky landscape practically devoid of vegetation. Several renovated stone cottages provide ‘Robinson Crusoe’-type holiday accommodation.

Join the jet set on the increasingly exclusive island of Hvar, renowned for its rugged coastline, excellent wines and lavender fields. Drink coffee or sip cocktails in Hvar Town, a Venetian settlement, built around a picturesque harbour presided over by a hilltop fortress. 

Dive in the ethereal Blue Grotto and explore the shipwrecks sunk off the island of Vis, Croatia’s most remote inhabited island.

Island hop between the largely traffic-free Elaphite Islands of Kolocep, Lopud and Sipan, with their secluded and sometimes sandy beaches and good-value restaurants. 

Follow in the footsteps of Marco Polo (maybe) in Korcula Town, a marvel of medieval urban planning which has charmed foreign visitors since the first tourists arrived on the eponymous island in the 1920s.

Cycle around Mljet National Park, located on the green and unspoiled island of the same name. The park boasts dense forests, two interconnected saltwater lakes and, in the centre of the larger lake, the exquisite St Mary’s Island and Benedictine Monastery. 

Watch the birds in Slavonia’s Kopacki Rit Nature Park, a vast expanse of wetland frequented by myriad migrating birds and well away from the tourist crowds.

See Contact Address for further tourist information.

Going Out

Food and Drink

National specialities:
• Hungarian, Italian and Austrian influences can be found in Croatian food, with hearty meat stews and goulashes dominating the menu in the hinterland.
• The Adriatic coast is renowned for its variety of seafood dishes, including scampi, seafood risotto, seafood pasta, white fish, squid and mussels. Fish is either chargrilled or fried.
• In the interior, visitors should sample kulen (spicy sausage) or fis paprikas (spicy freshwater fish stew).
• Prsut (raw ham that has been either cured or air-dried) and Paski sir (salty goat’s cheese from the island of Pag) are served in restaurants throughout the country.

National drinks:
• The regional wines are good.
•Sljivovica (plum brandy), travarica (herb brandy) and grappa (a fiery grape-based spirit) are commonly drunk at celebrations and after dinner.
• Croatia has a coffee culture, with Italian espresso, bijela kava (milky white coffee) and macchiato (espresso served with a shot of milk) all popular.

Legal drinking age: 18.

Tipping: 10% is expected in hotels, restaurants and taxis.