Croatia tourist guide

Welcome to Croatia!

Croatia is situated between the far East corners of the Alps on the North-West and the Panonian plain and the shores of Dunav on the East. The mountain chain of Dinara covers the central part of Croatia and its southern part ends on the coast of the Adriatic sea. The land is rich with natural treasures with eight National parks and eleven Nature parks.

There are numerous cultural monuments in Croatia from all historic eras which are scattered around the entire territory. Croatia is a country that inherited a wealth of diverse influences which are a true representation of the tempestuous past and changes brought on by different lieges from which the Croats adopted only the best customs. A country of contrasts is what describes Croatia best, because of its natural diversities and many other elements.  Epic, lyric, past and present all come together.

Croatia is a land of rich cultural heritage which is present not only in numerous museums, galleries and churches which are enlisted in UNESCO’s World Heritage List, but also in the fact that Croatia is a magical place on the Mediterranean where every walk becomes a remarkable descent down the thousands of years old steps of rich and famous history. Whether you are following the stone alleys to merry towns and harbors of Istria, Quarner and Dalmatia, or climbing the green roads of central Croatia to reach fairy forts and castles, every step is a new experience. Croatia is special because its territory combines and intertwines four cultural circles: East and West, middle European and South Mediterranean spirit.

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Looking for a tourist destination in Croatia, on the beautiful Adriatic coast?
The most beautiful beaches in Croatia The most beautiful beaches in Croatia

Looking for the perfect beach for your holiday in Croatia? Along the Adriatic coast, you’ll find peaceful coves, pebble and sandy beaches, family-friendly bathing spots, and places ideal for diving, surfing, and other water activities.

Explore our guide to Croatia’s beaches and find the beach that best suits your holiday style.

The most beautiful beaches in Croatia Croatian Islands

The Croatian archipelago comprises 1,244 islands, islets, rocks and reefs, including 78 islands and 524 islets. Each offers a different holiday experience, from lively tourist resorts to secluded coves, traditional stone villages and peaceful beaches.

Discover Croatia’s most popular islands, their sights, beaches and local character, and find the island that best suits your ideal holiday.

Popular islands:
Korčula · Pag · Hvar · Brač · Krk · Cres

The most beautiful beaches in Croatia UNESCO World Heritage in Croatia

Croatia has ten properties inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, including eight cultural and two natural sites. Among them are the historic centres of Dubrovnik and Trogir, Diocletian’s Palace in Split, the Euphrasian Basilica in Poreč, the Cathedral of St James in Šibenik and Plitvice Lakes National Park.

Discover Croatia’s most famous monuments, historic towns and natural landmarks, each reflecting the country’s rich history and heritage.

Top 5 Must do in Croatia

Blue Cave, Biševo Blue Cave, Biševo

Experience the unique interplay of light inside the Blue Cave on the island of Biševo, one of the Adriatic’s most famous natural attractions.

Opatija Opatija

Stroll along the famous Lungomare promenade, admire the elegant architecture and discover the charm of one of Croatia’s oldest tourist destinations.

Bačvice Beach, Split Bačvice Beach, Split

Visit Split’s most famous beach, enjoy a swim in its shallow waters and discover picigin, the traditional local game that originated right here on Bačvice.

Sea Organ, Zadar Sea Organ, Zadar

Listen to the music created by the waves at the unique Sea Organ and enjoy one of the most beautiful sunsets in Zadar.

Plitvice Lakes National Park Plitvice Lakes National Park

Explore turquoise lakes, picturesque waterfalls and wooden walkways in Croatia’s best-known national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Did you know?

The Necktie – a Croatian Fashion Symbol
The Necktie – a Croatian Fashion Symbol

The necktie is one of Croatia’s best-known symbols. Its name comes from the French word cravate, associated with Croatian soldiers who wore scarves tied around their necks in the 17th century.

The Vineyards of Primošten The Vineyards of Primošten

The Bucavac Veliki vineyards near Primošten are renowned for their dry-stone walls and small plots of land, created through generations of painstaking work to transform rocky terrain into fertile soil. The vineyards of Primošten are included on UNESCO’s Tentative List of World Heritage Sites.

Korčula and Marco Polo Korčula and Marco Polo

Korčula preserves a local tradition according to which the famous explorer Marco Polo was born in the town in 1254. Since his birthplace has not been historically confirmed, this story should be presented as a legend rather than an established fact.

The Old Pharmacy in Dubrovnik The Old Pharmacy in Dubrovnik

The Franciscan Monastery in Dubrovnik is home to a pharmacy founded in 1317, one of the oldest continuously operating pharmacies in Europe. Its monastery museum preserves historic pharmacy furniture, vessels, scales and equipment.

Penkala – an Invention from Zagreb Penkala – an Invention from Zagreb

In 1906, Slavoljub Eduard Penkala filed a patent for an automatic mechanical pencil, followed later by a fountain pen using solid ink. His writing instruments were manufactured in Zagreb and sold around the world.

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    If you are a fan of ancient times, begin your voyage through Croatia with the monument of the Roman Pula, move on to the greatest forum on the East side of the Adriatic in Zadar and end your journey with the magnificent Diocletian’s Palace in Split. When you walk through the Croatian towns you walk through time, you’ll go from the preromantic period with the St. Donat church in Zadar from the 9th century and the romantic period of the amazing town-monument such as Trogir or the islands Rab and Krk. Gothic period will embrace you in Zagreb, Pazin, Ston and Peljesac and you will discover renaissance on Cres, in the Sibenik Cathedral of St. Jacob, on the islands Hvar and Korcula and finally, in the memorable and unique Dubrovnik. Towns Varazdin, Bjelovar and Vukovar will give you an inimitable experience of the Baroque.

    If you prefer the charms of smaller places, enjoy discovering the beauties of unfamiliar and covert destinations which retell its own thousand-year-old history, Croatia is the location for your destination. Enter the world of hundreds of middle-aged churches. Croatia is a country which not only takes pride in being a land of remarkable history, but people as well; Such as the famous medieval philosopher from Istria, Herman Dalmatin, world traveler and explorer born in Korcula, Marko Polo, miniaturist and the Croatian Michelangelo, Julije Klovic, mathematician, astronomy researcher and the greatest physician in his time, Ruder Boskovic from Dubrovnik and, finally, one of the most brilliant inventor’s mind in the world from Lika, Nikola Tesla.

    Croatia stretches in the form of an arch from the Dunav on the North-East to Boka Kotorska on the far South. It is divided into three large geographical regions:

    1.    Mediterranean coastal region comprises the islands, coast and the low inland popularly called Zagora. It is encircled with limestone mountains: Ucka, Big and Small Kapela, Velebit, Dinara (1831m) and Biokovo. Croatian coast is the best-indented coast in Europe with more than 1000 islands, islets and cliffs. The climate in this region is Mediterranean with warm and dry summers, but mild and cold winters. Mirna and Rasa in Istria, Zrmanja, Krka and Cetina in Dalmatia and numerous other underground streams are the longest Croatian rivers, and the lakes: Vransko (Cres), Vransko (Biograd) and Prokljansko Lake.

    2.    Forest-mountain region consists of Gorski kotar and Lika, characterized by high limestone hills with limestone fields and river valleys. It is the least populated part of Croatia. Mountain chains of Velebit, Kapela and Pljesevica divide this region from the coastal and Panonian region. This part of Croatia is characterized by mountain and fresh climate. Some of the larger rivers are Dobra, Gacka, Lika, Kupa and the largest lake group in Croatia – the Plitvice lakes.

    3.    The largest and the most populated region in Croatia is Panonia. Half of the region is made of fertile land which makes is the most important agricultural part of Croatia. This region is the key part of the country, considering its traffic and economic value, and it also comprises Zagreb-the capital. The climate is mildly continental.

    Did you know?

    •    Ivan Mestrovic, a famous Croatian sculptor, created a magnificent monument to the Native American Indians in Chicago, USA.

    •    The great monument in front of the United Nations building in New York called “MIR” is the creation of Croatian sculptor Antun Augustincic.

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