When I learned geography in high school, Croatia was part of Yugoslavia and was behind the Iron Curtain. Perhaps some people considered visiting it, but it definitely wasn’t on my radar! Today, however, many travelers have Croatia on their bucket lists. And no wonder! Croatia is a beautiful Balkan country with miles of coast, excellent sailing, rich history, and beautiful scenery. Need more convincing to go? Read on for some sensational sites in Croatia!
View Natural Wonders
Croatia has diverse geography. From towering mountains to pristine beaches with crystal clear water, Croatia boasts some of the most sensational natural sites in the world!
National Parks
Croatia has eight tremendous national parks. One of the best is Plitvice National Park. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Plitvice is 118 square miles of lush green moss, stunning waterfalls, and aquamarine lakes. Even better, the park is extremely walkable due to intersecting wooden paths. While there, you must visit the lower lakes area. This area includes Veliki Slap, the largest waterfall, and Šupljara Cave with unusual flora and fauna. The upper lakes area is less crowded but no less stunning. Don’t miss Okrugljak Lake and the highly Instagrammable Galovac Buk Waterfall!
Krka National Park is another of the sensational sites in Croatia. Located near Split, the best way to see it is by taking a boat trip through the park. Conveniently, the cost of the boat comes with your entrance fee. This makes the park accessible and relaxing. Adding to its accessibility, it has many trails designed with wheelchair users in mind. Make sure to visit 17 waterfalls that make up Skardinski Buk, as well as the 12 waterfalls in Roski Slap. Cap off your visit with a look at Visovac Island. The island is the site of a Franciscan monastery dating back to 1445. Today you can take a boat tour that includes a 30 minute stop on the island so you can see the monastery, church, and a museum.
Brilliant Beaches
Croatian beaches feature smooth white pebbles rather than sand. Some may consider this a downside, but I detest being sandy! Plus, the lack of sand allows the water to stay a beautiful and pure turquoise color.
One of the most popular beaches is Zlatni Rat. This “Golden Horn” or “Golden Cape” is creates a V shape surrounding a pine grove. One side of the grove of trees features a windswept beach with great waves for surfers. The other side is a protected beach with calm waters great for swimming and sunbathing. The shape of the beach changes due to shifts in the wind, tide and current.
Less crowded and even more stunning, Stiniva Beach is hidden by towering limestone cliffs on both sides. You can only access it by arriving by boat or scaling down a cliff. While it’s increasingly popular with tourists, it isn’t overrun due to the difficulty in reaching it. The effort is worth it, though.
Mountain Views
One way to make sure you experience sensational sites in Croatia is by visiting one of the many mountain peaks! In Croatia you don’t have to choose between beaches and mountains. You can have the best of both worlds!
Part of the Dinaric Alps, Dinara Mountain is Croatia’s highest peak. If you enjoy mountaineering, this is the mountain to climb in Croatia! Most of us, however, will be content gazing upon the mountain from below and visiting Dinara Nature Park. You can see waterfalls, caves, rivers, and various flora and fauna throughout the park. It is also home to wildlife such as brown bears, wolves, migratory birds, and about 15 species of endangered reptiles and amphibians.
Biokovo Mountain is Croatia’s second highest peak. Adventurers love exploring it due to the many caves and pits on the mountain. It is also home to Biokovo Nature Park. This nature park has a botanical garden, beautiful mountain lookouts, hiking trails, and a glass floor promenade jutting out above a cliff at 1228 meters!
Go Island Hopping
The best way to explore Croatia is by boat hopping between the Dalmation Islands. If you can charter and sail your own boat, go for it! But most of us will probably rely on others to do the sailing. Good news – it’s easy to hire a catamaran or hop on a ferry to get anywhere you want!
Hvar Island
One must-visit place is Hvar Island. Most tourists visit Hvar Town, a charming village filled with cobblestone streets and renaissance architecture. Get lost in the town’s many alleyways and climb up skinny steps to visit to visit historic buildings. Visit a café in St. Stephen’s Square to people watch and see the wonderful Franciscan monastery, the Cathedral of St. Stephen, and Hvar Loggia. If you want a more relaxed vibe, visit Stari Grad. Located on the northern coast of the island, this is one of the oldest towns in Europe dating back to 384 BC. Stroll around the town and you will find history and charming views at every turn. Rent a bike to see the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Stari Grad Plains. You can also bike or hike through olive groves and lavender fields located just outside town.
Korčula Island
Korčula is another island you shouldn’t miss. Explore Korčula Old Town, supposedly the birthplace of Marco Polo. Perched on the island’s peninsula, the city is full of terrific architecture, stone staircases, and charming streets. Key sites include the Kopnena Vrata (Land Gate) and Revelin Tower, St. Mark’s Cathedral, and Marco Polo House believed to be where the explorer was born in 1254. There are also 8 Renaissance palaces to explore!
People who enjoy wine should definitely make time to taste Croatia’s rarest wine called Grk. This white wine is made in small quantities on vineyards on Korčula Island and is not usually available for export. Make sure order a glass at restaurants on the island. In addition, you can have a full experience of visiting a vineyard and doing a wine tasting in Lumbarda. This little fishing village is only 5 kilometers from Korčula Old Town. You can get there by bus in 10 minutes.
Experience Sites from Your Favorite Films
I’m almost embarrassed to admit how much I love the Game of Thrones series. With so much gratuitous violence and sex, I probably shouldn’t watch it! But like many people, I am captivated by the story line and the stunning scenery of Westeros, Quarth, Mereen and the other fictional places depicted in the show. Fans of the show should not miss the amazing sites in Croatia where many scenes were filmed.
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is Kings Landing, the capital city of Westeros! When walking through the streets of Dubrovnik, you might expect to see Ned Stark, Tyrion Lannister, or the Gold Cloaks walking beside you! But even those of you who don’t enjoy Game of Thrones will find Dubrovnik amazing. The city is full of ancient walls, terracotta roofed buildings, churches, and squares. One the best ways to soak in views of the city is to take the Dubrovnik Cable Car to the top of Srd Hill. And if Games of Thrones isn’t your thing but you like Star Wars, Dubrovnik is the filming location of Canto Bright. This is the coastal city with casinos featured in The Last Jedi.
Lokrum Island
Another great site to visit is Lokrum Island. Located a 15 minute taxi-boat ride away from Dubrovnik, Lokrum Island was the setting for the city of Qarth in season two of Game of Thrones. It’s visitors center boasts an Iron Throne you can sit in – I love a good photo opp! But even people who have never heard of Game of Thrones will enjoy a visit, if only to float in Lokrum’s Dead Sea.
Fortress of Kliss
A few other Croatian sites stand in for the fictional Game of Throne’s city of Mereen. The Fortress of Kliss is a stronghold above the city of Split and the Adriatic Sea. Established as early as the 2nd century BC, the current structures are from the 17th and 19th centuries. It is a great example of defensive architecture and served as the setting for outdoor shots of the city of Mereen.
Split
In nearby Split, you will find Diocletian’s Palace. The basement of these Roman ruins served as Daenerys Targaryen’s throne room. The rest of the ruins are also great to explore. They include the world’s oldest Catholic cathedral, Egyptian sphinxes, and an amalgamation of medieval, Roman, Gothic, and Renaissance architecture.
Visit Unusual Museums
Croatia seems to have more strange museums per capita than anywhere else! I highly recommend spending an afternoon in Zagreb hopping from one unusual museum to another. You can visit the Museum of Broken Relationships to see mementos of break-ups over the years. Read Dear John letters, and view photographs, concert ticket stubs, and even belly button lint commemorating the end of many relationships.
Break-ups not your thing? Then try the Museum of Mushrooms to view a variety of freeze-dried mushrooms in all shapes and sizes. Or how about the Croatian Museum of Naïve Art? Here you can enjoy creations from talented self-taught artists who produce works that have a style of their own.
Other places in Croatia also have unusual museums. There’s Froggyland in Split featuring taxidermied frogs engaged in everyday activities. Also, there’s Peek & Poke Computer Museum in Rijeka exhibiting vintage computer equipment. Maybe you will see that HUGE computer you learned DOS on in middle school! Finally, don’t miss the Neanderthal Museum in Krapina. This museum is at the site where the world’s largest collection of Neanderthal remains were discovered. Visitors to the museum learn about the daily life of Neanderthals in the region.
Are you inspired to visit Croatia?
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