Croatian Coast
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Croatia = coast. It’s simple as that. There definitely are some inland areas of significance (Zagreb, Plitvice)... however, when you choose a Croatian getaway, you’re really choosing those sun-soaked days and the gentle caress of the sea breeze. And honestly, who could resist that?
I roamed the Captivating Croat Coast (CCC if you will) twice now. One time glamorously on a yacht (upon invitation) and another time applying the good-ol’ broke-ass backpacking approach. I’ve seen stuff, I had the time and experience to develop preferences. And hey, as you were kind enough to click on this article, I’ll return the favor with sharing my recommendations:
Sibenik
A surprising #1 perhaps, as most will kick off with another overly-obvious one on the list (Hint: It starts with D and ends with ubrovnik). But I swore loyalty to Sibenik. It’s compact, it’s full of character, it has that busy lil’ buzz going on without ever feeling overwhelming… it’s fully and purely Croatian. Which isn’t accidental: Whereas most other cities on the Dalmatian coastline were predominantly founded by the Romans, Greeks and Illyrians, Sibenik is in fact established by the Croats. Further down the timeline, Venice, Hungary and the Byzantine Empire left their marks, of which traces are still visible here and there in today’s eye-pleasing appearance. Two elements in fact made it to the UNESCO List: the Cathedral of St. James and the St. Nicholas Fortress (as part of the nomination of the Venetian Works of Defence between the 16th and 17th Centuries). It’s not only the city itself that justifies your visit… it’s sandwiched in between two national parks, both on sea and on land. The Sibenik Archipelago entails a whooping 249 islands (I can recommend car-free Zlarin and Prvic!), of which a chunk is wrapped into the Kornati National Park. Land inwards you shortly stumble upon the Krka National Park, famous for its postcard-perfect waterfalls, the Krka River in fact connecting with the sea through Sibenik. We’ve got nature, we’ve got beaches, we’ve got culture, we’ve got excellent local cuisine and wine and we have the ideal décor for endless island-hopping… the destination basically sells itself, so there’s no need to shove it down your throat any further.
Read more about Krka National Park here!
I roamed the Captivating Croat Coast (CCC if you will) twice now. One time glamorously on a yacht (upon invitation) and another time applying the good-ol’ broke-ass backpacking approach. I’ve seen stuff, I had the time and experience to develop preferences. And hey, as you were kind enough to click on this article, I’ll return the favor with sharing my recommendations:
Sibenik
A surprising #1 perhaps, as most will kick off with another overly-obvious one on the list (Hint: It starts with D and ends with ubrovnik). But I swore loyalty to Sibenik. It’s compact, it’s full of character, it has that busy lil’ buzz going on without ever feeling overwhelming… it’s fully and purely Croatian. Which isn’t accidental: Whereas most other cities on the Dalmatian coastline were predominantly founded by the Romans, Greeks and Illyrians, Sibenik is in fact established by the Croats. Further down the timeline, Venice, Hungary and the Byzantine Empire left their marks, of which traces are still visible here and there in today’s eye-pleasing appearance. Two elements in fact made it to the UNESCO List: the Cathedral of St. James and the St. Nicholas Fortress (as part of the nomination of the Venetian Works of Defence between the 16th and 17th Centuries). It’s not only the city itself that justifies your visit… it’s sandwiched in between two national parks, both on sea and on land. The Sibenik Archipelago entails a whooping 249 islands (I can recommend car-free Zlarin and Prvic!), of which a chunk is wrapped into the Kornati National Park. Land inwards you shortly stumble upon the Krka National Park, famous for its postcard-perfect waterfalls, the Krka River in fact connecting with the sea through Sibenik. We’ve got nature, we’ve got beaches, we’ve got culture, we’ve got excellent local cuisine and wine and we have the ideal décor for endless island-hopping… the destination basically sells itself, so there’s no need to shove it down your throat any further.
Read more about Krka National Park here!
FREE Sights / Activities
PAID Sights / Activities
- Sights: Town Hall, Renaissance Loggia, St. Anthony Channel, Monument to Croatian King Petru Kresimiru IV, City Library Juraj Sizgoric, Church of St. Barbara, Crkva sv Ivana Krstitelja Church & many more churches.
- Hikes / Nature: Setnica Kroz Kanal.
- Beaches: Banj, Jadrija, Male Vrulje.
- Islands: Zlarin, Prvic, Tijat, Zmajan, Kaprije, Kakan, Zirje, Krapanj, Krebela Vela, Drvenik, Sokol, Ravan, Prisnjak & more.
PAID Sights / Activities
- Sights: Cathedral of St. James, St. Michael’s Fortress (secret free entrance on side), St. Nicholas Fortress, Barone Fortress, Civitas Sacra, Sibenik City Museum, Prince Palace Town Museum, Croatian National Theatre, Benedictine Convent of St. Luc, Medieval Mediterranean Garden.
- Museums: Dalmatian Ethno Village.
- Nature: Krka National Park, Kornati National Park.
- Other: Rak Winery, Baraka Winery, Vinoplod Winery.
Photos of Krka NP, Prvc Island and Zlarin Island
Dubrovnik
I visited Dubrovnik before Game of Thrones was released. A series I turned out to become a huge fan of. Yet, the city didn’t need the double identity as “King’s Landing” or “Red Keep” to appeal to me. Come on, Dubrovnik’s got it all, to the point that it’s downright ridiculous. The entire town is literally a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s fascinating how something man-made can be so incredibly well-done… where are those building skills in modern days, I ask? Walking through the crisp streets of the downtown area will leave a rather different impression than the previously mentioned Sibenik, simply for the fact that its roots are ancient Greek and Roman (the settlement was founded by refugees from the Greek Epidaurum, yet under the protection of the Byzantine Empire). The town always knew prosperity due to its successful maritime trade, which is visible in its rich ancient architecture… which was, mind you, almost destroyed rather recently by the shelling from the Yugoslav People’s Army during the Croatian War of Independence (1991). That said, its restoration works made the city rise like a phoenix from its ashes, re-emerging as one of the Mediterranean’s top tourist destinations. To such a degree, that it got the questionable title of Europe’s most “over-touristed” destination, with an astonishing 36 tourists for each resident. You might want to ask yourself if you want that in smackbam high season… maybe aim your arrows on the shoulder period.
FREE Sights / Activities
PAID Sights / Activities
Dubrovnik
I visited Dubrovnik before Game of Thrones was released. A series I turned out to become a huge fan of. Yet, the city didn’t need the double identity as “King’s Landing” or “Red Keep” to appeal to me. Come on, Dubrovnik’s got it all, to the point that it’s downright ridiculous. The entire town is literally a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s fascinating how something man-made can be so incredibly well-done… where are those building skills in modern days, I ask? Walking through the crisp streets of the downtown area will leave a rather different impression than the previously mentioned Sibenik, simply for the fact that its roots are ancient Greek and Roman (the settlement was founded by refugees from the Greek Epidaurum, yet under the protection of the Byzantine Empire). The town always knew prosperity due to its successful maritime trade, which is visible in its rich ancient architecture… which was, mind you, almost destroyed rather recently by the shelling from the Yugoslav People’s Army during the Croatian War of Independence (1991). That said, its restoration works made the city rise like a phoenix from its ashes, re-emerging as one of the Mediterranean’s top tourist destinations. To such a degree, that it got the questionable title of Europe’s most “over-touristed” destination, with an astonishing 36 tourists for each resident. You might want to ask yourself if you want that in smackbam high season… maybe aim your arrows on the shoulder period.
FREE Sights / Activities
- Sights: Old Town (UNESCO), Stradun (UNESCO), Brsalje Street, Prijeko Street, Marin Drzic Statue, Pedestrian Bridge, West Harbour, Luza Square, Orlando Column, Lapad Neighbourhood, City Harbour, Ploce Gate, Pile Gate, E65 Scenic Drive, Onophrian Fountain, Jesuit Staircase, Buza Gate, Ivan Gundulic Monument, Poljana R. Boskovica Square, Bell Tower, Zarkovica Animal Shelter, Dubrovnik Cathedral & churches.
- Hikes / Nature: Mount Srd, Bacina Lakes, Gradac Park, Velika Petka Hill, Prevlaka Nature Park.
- Beaches: Sveti Jakov, Kupari, Lapad, Sunj, Banje, Stikovica, Bellevue, Dance, Sulic.
- Islands: Lokrum, Kolocep, Lopud, Elaphiti Islands, Sipan, Jakljan, Olipa, Mljet.
PAID Sights / Activities
- Sights: Walls of Dubrovnik, Fort Lovrijenac, Rector’s Palace, Gornji Ugao Tower, St. John Fortress, Fort Bokar, Revelin Fortress, Sutvrac Fortress, Fort Royal, Minceta Fortress, Fort Imperial, Sponza Palace, Dubrovnik “Free” Tip-Based Walking Tour.
- Museums: Red History Museum, Homeland War Museum, Love Stories Museum, Dominican Monastery & Museum, Museum of Modern Art, Maritime Museum, Rupe Museum, Cultural Historical Museum, Archeological Museum, House of the Game, Memorial Room of the Defenders of Dubrovnik.
- Nature: Mljet National Park.
- Other: Cable Car, Dubrovnik Beer Company, Winery Botaro, Grgic Winery, Skar Winery, D’Vino Wine Bar, Cave Bar.
Source
Trogir & Split
Two Croatian highlights in one go, as they’re really that close to one another and are generally visited in one effort. I loved both, but Trogir is the real winner, if you ask me. Just like Dubrovnik, the entire historic centre as a whole is just one big fat UNESCO World Heritage Site (as well as a Game of Thrones film location: Qarth). With its roots also in Ancient Greece and Rome, but with a long-term influence of Venice, the formerly neglectable town turned into a true eyecatcher. It were in fact the Venetians that turned this little town (which they called Trau) into a showcase of numerous Renaissance masterpieces of art and architecture. Walking through this treasure of an old town, it’s easy to understand why you’re not the only tourist there (Trogir is one of the fastest-growing sailing ports of the nation and tourism takes up 50% of the total municipal budget). However, you won’t need more than a day to see it… which is why you’re glad that also Split is there, ready for your laidback exploration. Although, laidback? We are in fact dealing with the second-largest city of Croatia, besides the capital Zagreb, and the largest one on the entire Croatian coast. Quiet it won’t be, as the main Zagreb-Split Freeway A1 flows right through the city. This role as a transportation hub does make it an excellent base for some off-shore island explorations, with direct connections to highlights such as Brac, Solta, Hvar, and even the further-off Mljet, Korcula, Vis and Lastovo. Don’t just use Split as merely a layover-spot though, it has some true assets of its own, including an (Croatia’s specialty) UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Roman Diocletian Palace.
FREE Sights / Activities
PAID Sights / Activities
Trogir & Split
Two Croatian highlights in one go, as they’re really that close to one another and are generally visited in one effort. I loved both, but Trogir is the real winner, if you ask me. Just like Dubrovnik, the entire historic centre as a whole is just one big fat UNESCO World Heritage Site (as well as a Game of Thrones film location: Qarth). With its roots also in Ancient Greece and Rome, but with a long-term influence of Venice, the formerly neglectable town turned into a true eyecatcher. It were in fact the Venetians that turned this little town (which they called Trau) into a showcase of numerous Renaissance masterpieces of art and architecture. Walking through this treasure of an old town, it’s easy to understand why you’re not the only tourist there (Trogir is one of the fastest-growing sailing ports of the nation and tourism takes up 50% of the total municipal budget). However, you won’t need more than a day to see it… which is why you’re glad that also Split is there, ready for your laidback exploration. Although, laidback? We are in fact dealing with the second-largest city of Croatia, besides the capital Zagreb, and the largest one on the entire Croatian coast. Quiet it won’t be, as the main Zagreb-Split Freeway A1 flows right through the city. This role as a transportation hub does make it an excellent base for some off-shore island explorations, with direct connections to highlights such as Brac, Solta, Hvar, and even the further-off Mljet, Korcula, Vis and Lastovo. Don’t just use Split as merely a layover-spot though, it has some true assets of its own, including an (Croatia’s specialty) UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Roman Diocletian Palace.
FREE Sights / Activities
- Sights: Trogir Historic Centre (UNESCO), Old Split, North Gate, Park Fortin Bridge, Green Market Trogir, Trg Brace Radic Market Split, Fish Market Split, St. Mark’s Fortress, Vitturi Tower, Palace Cipiko, Diocletian’s Palace (UNESCO), Riva Harbour, Jaman Art, Pjaca, City Clock Split, Prokurative Square, Kresimirova Street, Let Me Pass Street (pusti me da prodjem), Golden Gate, Eastern Silver Gate, Cipci Palace, Split Port, Cathedral of St. Domnius & more churches.
- Hikes / Nature: Waterfront Promenade Trogir, Marjan Park, Mosor Mountain.
- Beaches: Kasuni, Znjan, Bene, Trstenik, Podstrana, Kastelet, Firule, Strobec.
- Islands: Brac, Hvar, Vis, Bisevo, Korcula, Solta, Scedro, Paklinksi Islands, Drvenik Veli, Drvenik Mali, Ciovo.
PAID Sights / Activities
- Sights: St. Lawrence Cathedral and Belltower & Radovans Portal (UNESCO), St. Dominic Monastery, Fortress Kamerlengo, Kastel Gomilica, Kliss Fortress, Temple of Jupiter, Split “Free” Tip-based Walking Tour.
- Museums: Kairos Collection, Town Museum Trogir, Museum of Sacred Art Trogir, Dioclethian’s Dream, Game of Thrones Museum Split, Galerija Mestrovic, Froggyland, Archeaological Museum Split, Ethnographic Museum Split, City Museum Split, Split Gallery of Fine Arts, Live Museum Split, Croatian Maritime Museum, Galerija Emanuel Vidovic,
- Nature: Mljet National Park.
- Other: Putalj Wine, Mandrill Nano-Brewing, Tap B Craft Brewery, Ljetno Kino Bacvice Outdoor Cinema, Watersports.
Ploce
An odd one in the list, as unlike the glorious hotspots such as Sibenik, Trogir and Dubrovnik, Ploce has very little on offer for that one lost tourist that accidentally took the wrong turn. No UNESCO sites, no translucent blue water, no elegant architecture drenched into dozens of centuries. No, this little industrial town comes around the corner with the country’s only skyscrapers… any takers? Yet, it is the natural backdrop that charmed its way into my heart. Forget about Ploce downtown area, tie on your hiking shoes and head off to mount the Sveti Ilija Peak, float around the Bacina Lakes or trace down one of the few sand beaches in the country right on the Neretva Delta. Without a fellow tourist in sight, which is a unique feature on the tourism-steamrolled Dalmatian coast.
FREE Sights / Activities
PAID Sights / Activities
An odd one in the list, as unlike the glorious hotspots such as Sibenik, Trogir and Dubrovnik, Ploce has very little on offer for that one lost tourist that accidentally took the wrong turn. No UNESCO sites, no translucent blue water, no elegant architecture drenched into dozens of centuries. No, this little industrial town comes around the corner with the country’s only skyscrapers… any takers? Yet, it is the natural backdrop that charmed its way into my heart. Forget about Ploce downtown area, tie on your hiking shoes and head off to mount the Sveti Ilija Peak, float around the Bacina Lakes or trace down one of the few sand beaches in the country right on the Neretva Delta. Without a fellow tourist in sight, which is a unique feature on the tourism-steamrolled Dalmatian coast.
FREE Sights / Activities
- Hikes / Nature: Bacina Lakes, Jezero Valley, Mount Grabovice / Sveti Ilija Peak.
PAID Sights / Activities
- Other: Watersports, OPG Ostojic Tomo Farm (figs).
Source
Zadar
So, full confession time: I’ve got a history with Zadar. And by "history," I mean the kind where I basically breezed through it in my pre-nomad days, gave it a cursory glance, and thought, "yep, that's a Croatian town." Facepalm. The Adriatic Sea, stretching out all majestic and blue? Yeah, sure, I noticed it. But did I appreciate it? Not to the degree necessary. Because it turns out, Zadar isn't just any Croatian town. It's… well, it's the oldest continuously inhabited one for starters. And if that issn’t enough history for you, the fortified city – they call it the “Venetian Works of Defence” – is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. But here's where it gets even better. It's not just about ancient walls and old-timey vibes… Zadar has this whole modern shebang going on too. Like it’s taken the best bits of its past and given them a cool, contemporary makeover. And apparently, the world’s taken notice. The Guardian called it “Croatia’s New Capital of Cool” , which, let’s be honest, is a pretty killer endorsement. And The Times went all in, calling it the “Entertainment Center of the Adriatic”. Worthy of your time, I’d say!
Read the full article on Zadar here!
FREE Sights / Activities
PAID Sights / Activities
Zadar
So, full confession time: I’ve got a history with Zadar. And by "history," I mean the kind where I basically breezed through it in my pre-nomad days, gave it a cursory glance, and thought, "yep, that's a Croatian town." Facepalm. The Adriatic Sea, stretching out all majestic and blue? Yeah, sure, I noticed it. But did I appreciate it? Not to the degree necessary. Because it turns out, Zadar isn't just any Croatian town. It's… well, it's the oldest continuously inhabited one for starters. And if that issn’t enough history for you, the fortified city – they call it the “Venetian Works of Defence” – is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. But here's where it gets even better. It's not just about ancient walls and old-timey vibes… Zadar has this whole modern shebang going on too. Like it’s taken the best bits of its past and given them a cool, contemporary makeover. And apparently, the world’s taken notice. The Guardian called it “Croatia’s New Capital of Cool” , which, let’s be honest, is a pretty killer endorsement. And The Times went all in, calling it the “Entertainment Center of the Adriatic”. Worthy of your time, I’d say!
Read the full article on Zadar here!
FREE Sights / Activities
- Sights: Sea Organ / Greeting to the Sun, Paseo Maritimo, City Gates, Sea Gates, Five Wells, Pilar of Shame, Bell Tower, Main Square (Narodni Trg u Zadru), The Forum, Statue of Spiro Brusina, Sfinga Statue, Gradski Most Bridge, Arsenal, Croatian Theatre House, University of Zadar, Church of St. Donat, Zadar Cathedral, Church of St. Krsevan, Monastery of St. Francis of Assisi, Church of St. Donatus, St. Simon’s Church, St. Elias Church, St. Mary’s Church, St. Roko Church, Church of our Lady of Health & even more churches.
- Hikes / Nature: Kornati National Park, Paklenica National Park, Zrmanja, Kolovare Beach, Borik Beach, Punta Rozica Beach, Lipauska Beach, Uskok Beach, Perivoj Vladimira Nazora Park.
- In the area: Ugljan Island, Vir Island, Galesnjak Island (heart shaped), Iz Island, Sestrunj Island, Zverinac Island, Molat Island, Ist Island, Dugu Island, Zut Island, Kornati Island, Rava Island, Galevac Island, Osljak Island (the smallest inhabited one in the Adriatic), Piskera Island, Olib Island, Silba Island, Rivanj Island, Brbinj Island, Bozava Island, Premuda Island.
PAID Sights / Activities
- Sights: Bablja Kula.
- Museums: Museum of Ancient Glass, Archeological Museum, Permanent Exhibition of Religion Art, Rector’s Palace, Zadar City Museum, Maritime Museum, National Museum.
- Other: Degarra Winery, Fiolic Winery.
More on the horizon: Rijeka and Pula
Two cities I haven’t personally been too, so I won’t do what a lot of travelblogs and -websites do and just pull a random blog review out of my ass based on some Wikipedia information or a splurge of AI (trust me, I have been paid to do this for prominent travel websites, this is how the industry seems to work). Yet, it’s unfair to therefore discredit them as a potential stop for all of yous. Pula, with its iconic amphitheatre, likely more than major port city Rijeka… yet, the online bloggers community is pushing and pulling each other to be the first one to label Rijeka as that “undiscovered gem” or “underrated underdog.” So why don’t you go out and see if you agree?
Two cities I haven’t personally been too, so I won’t do what a lot of travelblogs and -websites do and just pull a random blog review out of my ass based on some Wikipedia information or a splurge of AI (trust me, I have been paid to do this for prominent travel websites, this is how the industry seems to work). Yet, it’s unfair to therefore discredit them as a potential stop for all of yous. Pula, with its iconic amphitheatre, likely more than major port city Rijeka… yet, the online bloggers community is pushing and pulling each other to be the first one to label Rijeka as that “undiscovered gem” or “underrated underdog.” So why don’t you go out and see if you agree?
Quick Budget Fact Overview
Croatia Facts
Short History Recap
Around 400BC: First Greek colonies on Adriatic Islands. 100BC: Roman rule. 600s: Croats arrive. 1102: Union with Hungary. 1527: Croatian Assembly after defence against Ottomans, dynasty Habsburg to Croatian throne. 1699: Liberation of Ottomans. Adriatic coast and islands under Venice. Dubrovnik Republic independent. Napoleon abolishes Venice and Dubrovnik Republic. → 1815: Habsburg Monarch. ’47: Croatian official language (replacing Latin). ’48: Defence Croatia against attempts of Hungarian occupation → Croatian provinces united. 1918: Entry Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes after dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. ’29: Renamed Yugoslavia. ’41: Nazi Germany invades → "Greater Croatia" formed, incl Bosnia & western Serbia → fascist puppet government. The regime acts brutally against Serbs & Jews as it seeks to create a Catholic, all-Croat republic. ’45: 1 of the 6 constituent republics of the Yugoslav socialist federation. ’71: "Croatian Spring" (nationalist movement). ’80: Tito dies → slow disintegration of Yugoslavia. ’89: Collapse of communism in eastern Europe. ’91: Independence declared. ’92: UN sets up 4 protected areas in Croatia keeping Croats and Serbs apart. Involvement in Bosnia War, supporting the Bosnian Croats against the Bosnian Serbs, then against the Bosniaks (Muslims). ’95:Croat forces retake 3 of 4 areas created by the UN. Croatian Serbs flee to Bosnia and Serbia. ’96: Restores diplomatic relations with Yugoslavia. Joins Council of Europe. ’98: Croatia resumes control over the 4th UN area. 2003: EU application. ’09: Nato. ’13: EU member.
Croatia Facts
- Capital: Zagreb
- Language: Croatian
- Population: ± 3.8 mln (Zadar: 70,800)
- Sq km: ± 56,594 (Tallinn: 194)
- Currency: Euro (€ - EUR)
- Electricity Outlet: C + F / 220-240 V / 50 Hz. Check here.
- Country Code Phone: +385
- Emergency Phone: 112
- Visa: Schengen visa (Croatia is part of the EU). Easy visa application here.
- Vaccinations: None.
- Climate: Oceanic Climate (Cfb)
- High season: June-August
Short History Recap
Around 400BC: First Greek colonies on Adriatic Islands. 100BC: Roman rule. 600s: Croats arrive. 1102: Union with Hungary. 1527: Croatian Assembly after defence against Ottomans, dynasty Habsburg to Croatian throne. 1699: Liberation of Ottomans. Adriatic coast and islands under Venice. Dubrovnik Republic independent. Napoleon abolishes Venice and Dubrovnik Republic. → 1815: Habsburg Monarch. ’47: Croatian official language (replacing Latin). ’48: Defence Croatia against attempts of Hungarian occupation → Croatian provinces united. 1918: Entry Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes after dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. ’29: Renamed Yugoslavia. ’41: Nazi Germany invades → "Greater Croatia" formed, incl Bosnia & western Serbia → fascist puppet government. The regime acts brutally against Serbs & Jews as it seeks to create a Catholic, all-Croat republic. ’45: 1 of the 6 constituent republics of the Yugoslav socialist federation. ’71: "Croatian Spring" (nationalist movement). ’80: Tito dies → slow disintegration of Yugoslavia. ’89: Collapse of communism in eastern Europe. ’91: Independence declared. ’92: UN sets up 4 protected areas in Croatia keeping Croats and Serbs apart. Involvement in Bosnia War, supporting the Bosnian Croats against the Bosnian Serbs, then against the Bosniaks (Muslims). ’95:Croat forces retake 3 of 4 areas created by the UN. Croatian Serbs flee to Bosnia and Serbia. ’96: Restores diplomatic relations with Yugoslavia. Joins Council of Europe. ’98: Croatia resumes control over the 4th UN area. 2003: EU application. ’09: Nato. ’13: EU member.
Budget Bites
Sleep Cheap
- Main Supermarket Chains Croatia: Spar, Plodine, Konzum, Kaufland, Studenac, Lidl, Bakmaz, Tommy.
- Local Dishes: Crni Rizot (black risotto), Pag Lamb / Janjetina (spit roasted), Ispod Peke (slow cooked meat/fish under dome in ashes), Pasticada (marinated beef stew), Corbanac (meat stew), Boskarin (oxen), Brodet / Brudet (fisherman’s stew), Gregada (fish stew), Odojak (suckling pig), Mijesano / Raznjici (skewers) Buzara (mussles in wine broth), Istarski Fuzi (pasta), Pljeskavica (Balkan hamburger), Cevapcici (sausages with bread), Kotlovina (grilled meats), Riba S Gradela (grilled fish), Rastika (collard greens stew), Grah (pork hock bean stew), Varivo od Mahuna (green beans stew), Manestra (bean soup with meat), Punjene Paprike (stuffed peppers), Sarma / Sinjski (stuffed sauerkraut), Zganci (polenta), Salata Od Hobotnice (octopus salad), Burek (cheesy pastry), Strukli (cottage cheese pastry), Viska / Komiska Pogaca (sarine pie), Soparnik (savory swiss chard pie) Truffles, Oysters, Sardines, Paski Sir / Skripavac / Skuta (typical cheese), Prsut (prosciutto), Kulen (sausage), Fritule (deep-fried donuts),
- The Veg Situation: Going veg is not so complicated in Croatia, as vegetarianism and veganism is widely accepted. Most supermarkets contain veg products, be it very processed at times. Veg restaurants can be found here. That said, these are concentrated in the bigger cities, you won’t pass many of them hiking.
- National Drink: Rakija (brandy), Dunjevaca (quince spirit), Slavonska Sljivovica (plum brandy), Biska (misletoe brandy), Teranino (liquor), beer, wine (mainly Istarska Malvazija, Dingac, Posip, Babic, Grk, Plavac Mali, Prosek, Teran, Zlahtina, Grasevina).
Sleep Cheap
- Hostels / Hotels / Guesthouses: Of all Balkan countries, Croatia is the most expensive one. Expect Western European prices for food and accommodation. Without being paid to say so, I love Booking.com: They have the biggest selection, are transparent about the final price and have an efficient search engine tailored to your specific needs (cheapest first!). If you use it often enough, Genius-discounts are applied. Agoda is often not transparent about prices, adding a lot of additional costs in the last booking-step. Opodo is another decent option. Air BnB is not what it used to be, price-wise, and seem to focus on the more upscale boutique stays nowadays.
- Couchsurfing: allows you to stay with locals. Nowadays it has a moderate sign-up cost (unless you put a third-world country as homebase), but paying extra for verification is unnecessary: Positive reviews are way more important. Once active, there are no costs for staying at someone’s house. In order to get accepted, make sure to write an elaborate review explaining why you applied to this specific profile and think you and your host are a good match (copy-pastes tend to be ignored). The Couchsurfing community in Croatia is a rather active one. If your’re bikepacking you can also look into Warm Showers, which is a bikepacking community focussing on 1-night stays.
- Wild Camping: is officially illegal in Croatia. If you would like to do so, make sure you hide well and be rather stealthy.
Mama Said
Transport
Next?
- Safety: Croatia is a very safe country with a low crime rate.
- Tap Water: is safe to drink.
- The best credit/debit card for traveling is Wise, as they use the live conversion rates with minimal exchange fees. Wise also has the lowest fees for sending money to foreign accounts. Revolut is comparable, but they have higher exchange fees in the weekend and less wallet-options. Also, you can only wire money to Revolut in the currency you opened the account with, whereas Wise has IBAN’s from a wide variety of currencies, so you don’t have to pay a double exchange fee. Most Croatian ATMs charge a fee for cash outs, but card payments are generally accepted everywhere, even in the countryside.
- Simcard: Buying a local simcard is by all means cheaper than using your international roaming option. The main providers are T-Mobile, A1 and Telemach. T-Mobile has the biggest coverage, Telemach the smallest. Part of the data will also work within the EU (although some tourist packages will only work in the EU). E-sims are also increasing in popularity, which can be ordered online. As usual, never buy a sim at the airport, where you’ll be ripped off with expensive tourist packages. Instead, buy it in the phone stores in the cities or even in convenience stores, post offices and gas stations (Tisak, INA, Hrvatska Posta, iNovine).
Transport
- Walking: Most mentioned cities, except of Split, have a very compact and walking-friendly city centre.
- Cycling: Cycling is definitely a good option outside of the city centres and throughout Croatia.
- Public Transport: Croatia is well-connected with bus services, including the “budget line” Flixbus. Putovnica.net gives the most accurate information
- Taxi / Uber: Croatia has taxi apps such as Uber and Bolt.
- Train: Croatia has a train network. It is operated by HZPP and it’s possible to buy tickets online here.
- Car Rental: This is not a cheap endeavour in Croatia. However, the best deals can generally be found when the car is picked up from the airport.
- Hitchhiking: is relatively safe and easy in Croatia, but definitively not common. I hitchhiked on plenty occasions in Croatia and I always managed with relative ease (as a woman alone). More info on hitchhiking in Croatia can be found on Hitchwiki.
Next?
- International Destinations Close By: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia, Montenegro, Italy.
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