Exploring Croatia

Dubrovnik has an impressive Old Town and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The famous Pile Gate was built in 1637 and was the entrance to the Old Town. You can get spectacular views over the Old Town from the top of the walls as well as the Adriatic Sea.

Another highlight in Dubrovnik is the Stradun. This is a wide pedestrian thoroughfare that is lined with boutiques, cafes, and restaurants. It is paved with white limestone cobblestones.

A popular meeting place is the Square of the Loggia. It is known for its old buildings and monuments.

Fort Lovrijenac is the most important fortress in Croatia.

After the Croatian capital Zagreb, Split is the second largest city.

The beautiful and huge Diocletian's Palace stands overlooking the Adriatic Sea. It was built by the Roman Emperor Diocletian. With ancient Roman walls, the palace has four monumental gates. Three of the gates are accessible by land and one by sea.

In the Peristyle (arcaded courtyard) you can see the Cathedral of St. Domnius.

The Old Town is a pedestrian-only zone and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Hvar Town is a beautiful city located on the Dalmatian Islands. The city is home to some of the top hotels and best seafood restaurants in Croatia.

The city has a car-free Old Town that is overlooked by a 16th-century cathedral, a fishing harbor, and a hilltop fortress.

Hvar is popular with yachters and celebrities because of its beaches and water sports. It is served by ferry from Split.

Plitvice Lakes National Park has lovely forested hillsides and 16 lakes which are connected by waterfalls. The park has a network of footpaths and wooden bridges.

This beautiful park is home to wild animals like wolves and bears and birds such as owls, eagles, falcons, and ducks.

Kornati National Park stretches across the Kornati Archipelago. The archipelago has 89 small and big islets. There are stone cottages once used by fishermen and shepherds and are now used as holiday retreats and seasonal seafood restaurants. The area can be explored by private sailing boats or excursion boats.

Pula Arena is a Roman amphitheater located in Pula, Croatia on the Adriatic coast in the popular Istria region. Pula is a historic city with fine beaches. It is known for its well-preserved Roman architecture. During the summertime concerts and festivals are held here.

The impressive Roman Forum is a well-preserved ancient square.

Another highlight is the Temple of Augustus with a collection of Roman sculptures.

The city of Zadar has a car-free Old Town that was built on a small peninsula jutting out onto the Dalmatian coast.

The city has many impressive churches like the 19th century pre-Romanesque Church of St. Donatus and others.

Two other highlights are popular modern installations:

The Sea Organ

The Greeting to the Sun

Both are on the seafront.

Zlatni Rat Beach is the most photographed beach in Croatia. It is located in Bol on the southern coast of Brac. This is an unusual landform called a “spit”. It consists of fine pebbles and stretches perpendicular to the coast. Vidova Gora Mountain rises above the beach. Attractions on the beach include water sports with paddle boats, sea kayaks, and banana boat rides. It is also a top windsurfing destination.

The town of Korcula is located on an island of the same name in South Dalmatia. It is protected by medieval walls and towers and has a car-free stone alley. There are many old aristocratic stone buildings.

Highlights include the Marco Polo House, the birthplace of the 13th-century explorer.

Miljet National Park on the island of Mljet is covered by dense woodland and has two interconnected saltwater lakes.

One of the lakes has an islet with a 12th-century Benedictine monastery. The national park has paths through woodland and a nine-kilometer trail running the perimeter of the lake for walking or mountain biking. This is a popular place for swimming and kayaking.

Rovinj is a Venetian-era seaside town located in northwest Croatian on the Istrian peninsula. It is a beautiful town with pastel-colored houses, a fishing harbor, and a church with a bell tower on a hilltop. There are top-rated hotels, great seafood restaurants, and art galleries.

Lying off the Istrian peninsula is an archipelago with pine-scented islets and has been designated as the Brijuni National Park.

There is a small safari park with elephants from India, antelopes from Zambia, and zebras from Guinea.

Trogir is a lovely seaside town and one of the top vacation spots. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are fine examples of Romanesque and Renaissance-style architecture. It is nice to walk along the waterfront promenade.

A lovely and notable church is the Togir Cathedral.

Rijeka is a pretty city located on the Dalmatian coast. Its Old Town has cobbled streets and lanes with old shops.

Visitors enjoy seeing the Trsat Castle sitting above the town.

There is also the impressive Church of Our Lady of Trsat.

Sibenik dates back to the 11th century. It also has a historic Old Town center with 15th and 16th-century architecture. The Cathedral of St. James is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.