In summer they sunbathe on beaches and climb cliffs, and in winter they ski and drink mulled wine in the capital Zagreb, one of the main Christmas cities in Europe. Game of Thrones fans travel to Dubrovnik and Split to see the places where the series was filmed.
Croatia has been ruled by Greeks, Venetians and Austrians, so the cities have a mix of architecture from different eras and styles. The mainland Zagreb is often compared to Vienna and Budapest, while the coastal towns resemble Italian towns, only a little more shabby.
For me, Croatia is a mix of Italian, Turkish and Greek cultures and cuisines. Balkan music plays in the narrow medieval streets of Croatian towns, freshly fried cevapcici smells among the ancient ruins, and one of the traditional local dishes is a variation of Italian risotto.
The country is divided into two parts: mainland and coastal. There are more than a thousand islands scattered along the coastline in the Adriatic Sea. In the north of the country there are the Dinaric Alps, in the north-west – the resorts of the Istria peninsula. You should not try to see all of Croatia in one trip: the country is large and diverse. The rhythm of life in the north differs from the south, and on the coast everything is different from the mainland.
I live in Slovenia, two hours away from the northern border of Croatia, and have been to the country many times. I will tell you how to organize a trip, what to see and how much everything costs.
Introductory data
Where is it located: on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, bordering Slovenia, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro.
Sea: Adriatic.
When is the season: from June to September on the northern coast, from mid-May to mid-October in the south. The season in the ski resorts lasts from mid to late December to March.
Currency: c 2023 – euro, 1 €.
Language: Croatian.
Money
Croatia was once considered an inexpensive country. Prices went up when Croatia joined the European Union and the makers of Game of Thrones made it one of the main filming locations. Now, a vacation in the country will not be much cheaper than in neighboring Italy.
Bank cards are accepted almost everywhere except small bars, bakeries and fast food stands. In 2020, even in small towns, I had no problems with ATMs to withdraw cash.
From January 1 to January 14, 2023, Croatia accepted both the euro and the national currency kuna, but as of January 15, only the euro is officially accepted.
Weather
In the south of the country it is always 5-7 °С warmer than in the north. The weather on the coast and in the mountains is also different: the difference in summer can be up to 10 °С, in winter – more. In winter the inhabitants of the mainland go to warm themselves in the Croatian Nice – Opatija, and in summer they escape the heat in the mountains and admire the lakes.
The coast has a Mediterranean climate: winters are humid and quite warm, with temperatures around +7…15 °C, while summers are hot and dry, averaging +25…30 °C. In July and August the sea warms up to +25…26 °C.
The resort season lasts from June to September. The hottest month is August. From early September to mid-October is the velvet season: the sea is still warm, but it is not so stuffy.
In the center and north of the country, the climate is moderately continental with average temperatures of -5…+7 °C in winter and +25…27 °C in summer. In the north, in the mountains, it is -1…-7 °C in winter, snow falls and ski resorts are open.
How to get to Croatia
Airplane. Croatia has six international airports: in Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik, Zadar, Pula and Rijeka. Convenient flights are operated by Turkish Airlines, Air Serbia.
Buses. There are buses to Zagreb, Split, Rijeka, Pula and Dubrovnik from major cities of neighboring countries: Venice, Trieste, Ljubljana, Munich, Frankfurt, Salzburg, Budapest. As a rule, buses of Croatian companies, such as Croatia Bus, are old, without wifi and toilets. International carriers Flixbus, Arriva and Nomago have newer and more comfortable buses, often with wifi and toilets on board.
Bus companies that travel to Croatia: Črnja Tours, Croatia Bus, Flixbus, Arriva, Nomago
I choose Croatian carriers for short trips, for example from Ljubljana to Zagreb, and international carriers for longer trips. The prices of Croatian companies are lower, and the difference in comfort over a short distance is imperceptible.
Tickets can be purchased on the websites of bus companies or ticket aggregators Omio or Getbybus.
Ferries. Ferries from coastal cities in Italy and Slovenia run to Pula, Rijeka, Dubrovnik, Split and Sibenik in summer. It is twice as fast as by bus, and twice as expensive: a ticket for the ferry from Venice to Pula in 2023 costs from 65 €, on the way – about 3.5 hours. There are flights from June until the end of September. It is more profitable to buy ferry tickets for one day round trip: they are sometimes sold at a discount.
The Adriatic Lines and Venezia Lines ferries from Venice reach the cities on the Istrian peninsula: Pula, Rovinj, Poreč and Umag. The Italian company Liberty Lines ferries from Trieste to the island of Lošinj, Rovinj and Poreč.
Attractions
Zagreb is the capital and largest city of the country. The historic center preserves the Gothic Cathedral of the Ascension of the Virgin Mary and cozy Upper Town with old two-storey houses. On a small hill there are several old buildings of the 17th-18th century and a panoramic platform with a view of Zagreb and the cathedral towers.
The Upper Town is easily accessible on foot or by funicular, Zagreb’s oldest public transportation.
Zagreb’s funicular is the shortest in the world: its track is only 66 meters long and its climbing time is 64 seconds. The carriages are historic, looking just as they did in the 19th century. Next to the funicular goes a staircase. I prefer to go up it than to stand in line for 30-50 minutes.
The modern center of Zagreb, the Lower Town, has been compared to Paris and Vienna: it is built in the Art Nouveau style. It’s nice to sit in a café on Jelačić Square, watch the people and catch the rhythm of a lively European city. It can be felt here like nowhere else in Croatia.
I like Zagreb best in December, when the Christmas fairs open and the city is decorated with illuminations. The period before Christmas is called Advent. From 2015 to 2018, Zagreb’s Advent was voted the best in Europe by tourists.
In my opinion, the Christmas and winter atmosphere is better felt in Salzburg, Vienna and Munich. Zagreb is worth going to except for the spectacular photos for social networks. The main feature of Zagreb’s Advent is the photo zones. There are at least a dozen of them, all decorated with fantasy. Most of the Advent locations are located in the Upper Town, near the Church of St. Katerina.
Zagreb’s most unusual museum is the Museum of Broken Relationships. Visitors read stories of failed romances and see things that once bound lovers together. The museum was created after two Zagreb artists broke up. In memory of their relationship, they decided to preserve in one place everything that reminded them of pleasant moments. Very quickly the collection grew: things started to be sent from all over the world. Now the museum has two branches: in Zagreb and in the USA. Entrance costs 7 €.
Dubrovnik is the most famous resort in the country. From the sea, it looks like an impregnable fortress on a cliff.
The main attraction of Dubrovnik is the city walls, built back in the 13th century. The walls are almost two kilometers long and are surrounded by six preserved old fortresses. One of them, Lovrijenac Fortress, was the filming location for the Battle of the Blackwater in the TV series Game of Thrones. Tickets for the city walls, including the entrance to the fortresses, are purchased online.
Other Dubrovnik landmarks appear in the series: the Jesuit staircase was used to punish Cersei, the Trsteno Arboretum became the gardens of the Red Castle, and a replica of the Iron Throne was installed on the island of Lokrum.
Trsteno can be reached by bus from Dubrovnik City Bus Station in 20 minutes. Entrance to the arboretum costs 10 €. There is a ferry to the island of Lokrum. Tickets are bought online and the price includes entrance to the reserve on the island.
The best view of the city, the fortress walls and the bay is from the hill where Fort Imperial is located. The best way to get there is by cable car.
In my experience, Dubrovnik is the most expensive city in Croatia. Locals told me that after “Game of Thrones” the prices for vacations and restaurants there increased about 1.5 times. In the high season there are a lot of tourists in Dubrovnik, but most come to the city for a couple of days. More often they settle in the surrounding areas, where the beaches and sea are calmer and cleaner, and prices are lower.
From Dubrovnik it is convenient to get to other cities in the south of Croatia and to neighboring Balkan countries. The bus ride to Montenegro’s Kotor takes 2.5 hours and to Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 6 hours.
Split on the Adriatic coast is the second largest city in the country. In my experience, it is one of the most tourist-friendly places in Croatia: a beautiful ancient city with both beaches and historical sights. From there it is convenient to explore the best resorts – Makarska and Sibenik. In spring, the country’s main carnival, similar to the Venetian carnival, takes place there.
The main attraction of the city is the palace of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. It is easy to miss and pass by: it was a palace 2,300 years ago. Now it is an area of about three hectares, and the former walls of the palace include residential buildings, stores and restaurants.
The basement of Diocletian’s palace became the dungeon of dragons in “Game of Thrones” and a museum was opened there. They recreated scenes from the series and exhibited real props that remained from the filming in Croatia: costumes, statues of heroes, dishes, weapons, the table of the king’s right hand, and the dragon’s head. Tickets are reserved through a google form. Nearby, in the fortress of Klis, they filmed episodes in Meereen.
Pula is a city on the Istrian peninsula, the largest Istrian resort. According to legend, it was there that the Argonauts brought the golden fleece. The main sights of the city remain from the ancient Roman period: the amphitheater, the forum, the temple of Augustus. I love ancient ruins, but in Pula I find them boring. After Italy, Pula’s amphitheater does not impress me.
Pula is popular among tourists due to its location. There is a large international airport there, and around the city there are large good beaches. From Pula it is convenient to explore the peninsula or take a ferry to Italy. A one-way trip takes a little over three hours.
Zadar is the main city of Central Dalmatia. Tourists come there for the beaches and the opportunity to take a ferry to the islands in the Adriatic Sea, and sometimes ignore the city itself. In my opinion, for nothing: there is a lot to see there.
The sights of Zadar are concentrated in the beautiful historical center, which you can leisurely walk around in a few hours. I recommend wandering around the ruins of the ancient Roman forum, seeing the city from the top of the city tower and listening to the sea organ at sunset. A system of pipes is built into the steps of the city’s promenade and they sound like an organ under the action of the waves and wind.
The promenade also hosts a light show “Greetings to the Sun” in the evenings. By the end of the day it is crowded: even the locals come to listen to the organ, which is a must for tourists. Many people bring their own drinks and street food and meet the sunset with an impromptu dinner.
Beaches
Croatia has 700 kilometers of beaches, most of them public and free of charge. The main beach regions are the Istria peninsula, Central and Southern Dalmatia and islands, of which there are more than a thousand in the country. Many Croatian beaches are marked with the Blue Flag – an international sign, which is awarded every year to beaches with the best quality of water and coastal area.
Most beaches in Croatia have large pebbles. There are slightly fewer beaches with concrete platforms, even fewer sandy-pebble beaches, and occasionally there are clean sandy beaches. There is sand in Crikvenica, Lopara, Dubrovnik, Omis, Medulina, Zaton, Nina, Lumbarda, Prapratno, on the islands of Hvar, Krk, Mljet, Pag and Rab.
Hotels provide their guests with free sun beds, and public beaches always have rental equipment. Rental fees vary depending on the resort. Locals bring their own sunbeds, chairs or yoga mats.
Swimming slippers are a useful item in Croatia. Without them, there is a risk of hurting yourself on sharp rocks or sea urchins, whose spines can cause allergic reactions. Slippers are sold in kiosks by the beaches, and during the swimming season – even in supermarkets. I don’t have them: I dive into the water from the piers and come out on the ladder, so I don’t touch the bottom.
The city and equipped beaches have all infrastructure: changing cabins, showers, lifeguards, restaurants and beach bars.
Wild beaches have none of this. Sometimes there is a small cafe or bar near a country beach. But when the official beaches are so crowded that you have to take a seat from 7 am, you should go a little farther away and spend the day by the sea in silence and in the company of a few more introverts. I do not recommend doing this with children: the Croatian coast is rocky, and on unequipped beaches the descent into the water can be unpredictable.
Istria. The beaches of Istria are spread across the eastern and western parts of the peninsula, among pine forests and hills. The air smells of pine needles and the reflection of the trees makes the water a piercing turquoise.
The northernmost beaches of Istria are in the vicinity of Umag. The beaches are predominantly pebbly and rocky, there are concrete platforms.
The surrounding area has very beautiful scenery: rocks and pine trees. The shores and bottom are rocky, the waves are strong and the terrain is steep. For a relaxing vacation in Umag it is worth choosing hotels with access to the sea or their own beaches.
The coast near Umag is loved by surfers for its waves and wind, and by snorkelers and divers for its clear water and picturesque rocky bottom. Equipment can be rented locally. There is also a major tennis tournament Croatia Open and tennis centers are concentrated there.
Not far from Umag, in Savudrija, there is a 19th century lighthouse – the oldest on the Adriatic. It is still in operation and its light is visible in Slovenia after sunset.
Poreč has pebbles and concrete platforms. 20% of the country’s Blue Flags are located around it. There are many Italians, Austrians and Slovenes in the city: it is convenient to get there by ferry from Venice and Trieste, and from Slovenia you can get there in 3-4 hours by car.
When I don’t want to go far south or stay in bustling touristy Pula, I choose Poreč or nearby Rovinj. There is a lot to do in Poreč besides relaxing on the beach: walk along the promenade around the Old Town, see the early Christian basilica, find the ruins of the ancient Roman temple of Neptune scattered around the Old Town.
Rovinj has cozy beaches in the bays along the coast, some of them fine-pebble. 13 kilometers from the city is the island of St. Katarina with 15-meter cliffs and deep sea at their foot. People come there for cliff diving – jumping into the water from the cliffs.
Rovinj is my friends’ favorite holiday destination: according to them, it is the most comfortable town for holidays with small children on the Istrian peninsula. The coast is shallow and the water warms up well.
The beaches in Pula are also pebbly, stony or concreted, but there are a couple of sandy ones, for example in Gortanova Bay. The beaches are large, the infrastructure is the most developed on the peninsula, and there is plenty of entertainment for all ages.
Croatians like to compare Opatija to the Cote d’Azur. The city became a resort back in the 19th century, when the European aristocracy built up the neighborhood with classic villas. The city is protected from winds by mountains and islands, so the climate is mild, calm and pleasant for a relaxing vacation.
Rijeka, neighboring Opatija, has Blue Flag beaches, but it is a noisy port town. It is located on a mountain and is therefore inconvenient for vacationers with small children or elderly people.
Dalmatia. There are beaches of fine pebbles and sand in Northern Dalmatia – in Trogir and on the island of Ciovo, as well as in Central Dalmatia – in Zadar, Sibenik, on the island of Brač.
Central Dalmatia has the most pleasant beaches with sand, easy access to the water and beautiful scenery. Unlike Istria, the weather there is more predictable, with rain being rare in summer. City and hotel beaches are very crowded. To escape from the crowds of vacationers, rent a car and go where the city buses do not reach.
Zadar is convenient for vacationing with children: the water warms up well, the waves are small, the entrance to the sea is smooth. There is a surfing and sap-surfing school. I recommend the nearest towns of Nin and Vir. They have nice equipped beaches with all infrastructure: stores, cafes, toilets, changing booths, parking and sunbed rental.
The coast in Split is mostly covered with pebbles, from small to large. The beaches are very clean. Many of them belong to hotels, which take care of them, but everyone can use the beaches for free.
The pirate port town of Omis, a rafting and hiking center, is 25 kilometers from Split. There are buses from Split bus station. Omis has two fortresses with stunning views of the bay: Mirabella and Stari Grad. The former is temporarily closed to the public in early 2023. There are hiking trails to them. You can also go bungee jumping over the gorge.
The most picturesque area of the coast with gorgeous beaches and my favorite area is Makarska. It is the beach capital of Croatia. The most convenient way to get to Makarska is from Split.
The 60-kilometer long Makarska Riviera stretches between the towns of Brela and Gradac. It is an incredibly picturesque place with pine trees, clear turquoise sea and yellowish sand. The coast is closed by the mountains from the winds. It is easy to find a secluded beach by car, even in season.
Brela has some of the most beautiful and secluded beaches. It is best to go there towards the end of the season
There are pebble and sandy beaches in and around Dubrovnik. If you go there for a beach vacation, I recommend staying further away from the port: less people and cleaner sea. If you like secluded rest, it is better to rent a room in the suburbs or neighboring villages.
The ferry from Dubrovnik takes two hours to reach the beautiful island of Korcula. In addition to the old town, the island has the mud resort of Vela Luka, the Vela Spila cave and the popular beach of Vela Pržina.
Parks
Kamenjak Beach Park is the southernmost point of Istria and a favorite place of Pula’s residents. When asked “Where to go?” a local will definitely recommend Kamenjak. It is a large park with pine forests and meadows, bike paths, hiking trails and beaches on a high rocky shore.
Because of the winds, windsurfers love Kamenyak, and cliff divers love it because of the cliffs going into the water. People also come here just for the beaches: they are mostly pebble and rocky, with water that is transparent several meters deep. They say it’s great for snorkeling.
Admission is free and entry by car for the day costs 80 HRK
Plitvice Lakes are one of the most significant natural attractions in Croatia. It is a system of 16 karst lakes, 20 caves and several dozen waterfalls in dense and very beautiful forests. The karst lakes are the result of water washing out the rock, forming a bizarre relief.
No overnight stays or picnics are allowed in the park. There are trails ranging from two hours to a full day. Prices can be found on the website.
Plitvice Lakes are the closest to Zadar, Rijeka or Zagreb. It is best to go there in autumn or spring, when the lakes and waterfalls are full of water and the colorful vegetation is more impressive.
Most tourists walk up from the park entrance and take the free shuttle bus back down. It’s better to do the opposite: you’ll save energy on the ascent and save yourself the trouble of being followed by fellow travelers.
Krka is a national park, almost like Plitvice Lakes, only smaller. You can swim there in special places. Krka Park includes several large cascading waterfalls, two monasteries and the Krka River valley. There is a lot of vegetation and birds there.
The park is convenient for those staying in the south of Croatia: from Dubrovnik, Šibenik, Split and Zadar it is quicker and easier to get there than to Plitvice Lakes. Entrance to the park costs from 6.64 € to 40 € depending on the season of visit. Up-to-date prices are published on the website.
Housing
Usually travelers stay in a major city or resort and explore the surrounding area around it. Such centers are usually Dubrovnik, Zadar, Split, Pula in summer and Zagreb in winter.
In Croatia, most of the vacation accommodation is apartments. We stayed in them almost everywhere, only in Zagreb we stayed in a hotel. Apartments in tourist areas within walking distance from the beach in 2020 cost us 70-80 € per day. In places where there are no buses, we rented nice apartments for two from 50 €.
Three or four-star hotels on the coast in season and in Zagreb all year round cost about the same – from 120 € per night. Offers are available on the Ostrovok website.
When choosing accommodation, look at the distance to important points in meters, not on a map. Many towns in Croatia are located on mountainous terrain and hillsides. What on the map looks like “walking distance to the sea and the center” may actually be two kilometers with an elevation difference of 600 meters.
This was the case for us on our first trip to Croatia. We booked accommodation on the road, and there was no time to figure it out. I chose an apartment, which on the map seemed to be located close to the center of the town and the beach. In fact, it turned out that the beaches were a long way down the mountain by car.
Transportation
Trains. Croatia has one railroad company, the state-owned Hrvatske Zeljeznicje. In mainland Croatia, the railroad network is quite extensive.
By train to Slovenia, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia.
For trips to the coast, railroads are not the most convenient transportation: there are no direct trains to Dubrovnik and Pula, and on the Istrian peninsula and on the way from Rijeka to Split, the tracks run quite far from the resorts.
Buses. In Croatia it is convenient to travel by bus between cities. Not all carriers have websites, so it is more convenient to look for tickets on aggregators Balkanviator and Bus Сroatia.
Cabs. Uber operates on the Croatian coast and in Zagreb. The local cab operator Cammeo operates almost all over the country.
Ferries travel between Croatian cities, mainland and islands, Croatia and Italy. Buy tickets and check timetables conveniently on the Croatia Ferries website.
Major Croatian ferry companies: Jadrolinija, GV Lines, Linijska Nacionalna Plovidba.
Car. Renting a car in Croatia on Rentalcars costs from 15 € per day, but you will need a foreign bank card to make a reservation. It is more profitable to book for a long term: a car for a week in Zagreb costs from 40 €, and in Dubrovnik – from 30 €. I recommend taking a car if you want to see as much as possible in one trip.
There are toll roads in Croatia. The free ones duplicate the toll roads, but pass through populated areas. The payment is per kilometer. Tolls on different routes differ, you can see the cost of travel on each of them on the website of toll roads in Croatia.
The vast majority of parking lots in cities are paid, they are marked with blue paint. The cost of parking in the center of Zagreb is viewed on the website. Parking is free on Sundays and on other days from 21:30 to 6:30.
What to try in Croatia
Croatian cuisine is a mixture of Balkan and Mediterranean cuisine. In Croatia, meat, wine, cheese and olive oil are valued. Balkan and Turkish meat dishes prevail on the mainland, while fish and seafood prevail on the coast.
Restaurant prices are noticeably higher on the coast and in the center of major tourist towns. This is especially noticeable in Dubrovnik, which is spoiled by tourists. In winter, every second restaurant on the coast is closed. During the season, all restaurants operate differently. Some open only at lunchtime and work non-stop until midnight.
In Croatia, I prefer Mediterranean cuisine. Here’s what I recommend you try:
- Brodet is a thick fish stew with spices and red wine. A very tasty dish that is reminiscent of Marseille’s bouillabaisse soup.
- Rijot is an analog of Italian risotto. In Croatia, the most popular risotto is black, with cuttlefish ink. It tastes different everywhere, because they put in it whatever seafood they have on hand.
- Pashtitsadu – beef stew in wine sauce, served with dumplings. It is reminiscent of Czech goulash or Hungarian bograch. The meat is braised for a long time to make it soft and juicy.
Among the national dishes, I would also mention Medjimur gibanica, a sweet cake made of several layers of dough and filled with cottage cheese, apples, poppy seeds and nuts, very similar to Slovenian prekmur gibanica. It’s hearty, one serving replaces lunch. But I find it boring: perhaps because I don’t like cottage cheese in baked goods.
Cevapcici and pleskavica are grilled minced meat dishes popular throughout the Balkan Peninsula. Cevapcici are small sausages, while pleskavica is a large, thin and flat cutlet. They are both cooked on the streets in a street food format and served in national cuisine restaurants.
Stores
Croatia has a huge number of grocery chains, both local and foreign. Their prices are about the same, although Spar and Mercator are considered more expensive, while Billa and Lidl are cheaper. There are also Tommy, Kaufland, Diona, Konzum, Plodine, Prehrana.
Generally, stores are open Monday through Saturday until 20:00. On Sunday, some stores are open until 14:00-15:00, but most small stores and markets are closed.
At grocery stores, I familiarize myself with what the locals actually eat and buy edible souvenirs to take home.
Olive oil has been produced in Croatia for several centuries. Croatians are proud of their oil and consider it better than Italian oil.
The truffle grows on the Istrian peninsula. It is sold whole, added to sausages, butter and cheese, and made into tartufata sauce. Before buying a whole mushroom, I recommend trying a dish with it in a restaurant: not everyone likes the taste of truffle at first. It’s also important to know that the taste of fresh truffle is very different from that of tartufata.
Pag cheese is made on the island of Pag from sheep’s milk with the addition of olive oil. The sheep feed on sage and rosemary, and this is felt in the flavor of the cheese.
Prsut is a pork ham, analogous to Italian prosciutto. Croats are especially proud of prsut from Dalmatia. Dalmatian prsut is lightly smoked and then cured. There is also Istrian prsut, which is simply cured.
Kulen is a sausage made of minced pork with spices and paprika. Similar to Italian chorizo.
Internet
There is wifi in hotels and some restaurants. Local operators provide unlimited mobile Internet: T-Hrvatski Telekom, A1, Tele2. In the mountains and remote towns the connection is sometimes lost.
What to bring back from Croatia
I prefer local delicacies as souvenirs: cheese, olive oil, lavender, mountain honey, truffle. Here are the most popular Croatian souvenirs:
- Pagi lace;
- souvenirs of the white Brach stone from which the White House in Washington, D.C., is built;
- Vuchedol dove – a copy of a clay vessel found in Croatia five thousand years ago;
- morcic are rings, bracelets, earrings and charms from Rijeka in the form of a Moor’s head in a white turban.
Safety rules
Croatia is a calm and prosperous country, tourists are treated well.
If you go to resorts, bring slippers for swimming: the rocky bottom has many sharp stones, and sea urchins are painful to prick and cause a strong allergic reaction.
It is said that mines are still found in the areas bordering Serbia, so it is not recommended to go off the tourist routes in these areas.
