Croatia stretches along the eastern Adriatic coast, offering one of Europe's most varied travel experiences within a small country: a walled medieval city at Dubrovnik, over a thousand islands ranging from tiny rocky outcrops to substantial inhabited places, Roman ruins repurposed as living neighbourhoods in Split, UNESCO-listed national parks, and an Istrian peninsula with its own distinct Italian-inflected culture.
It's been one of Europe's most popular summer destinations since the 1990s, and the crowds are real — particularly in Dubrovnik in July and August. Come in May, June, or September and you'll find the same beauty with considerably less company.
Zagreb is the capital, a proper Central European city with museums, café culture, and a good street food scene. Most visitors skip it in favour of the coast, but it rewards a couple of days. The Dalmatian coast runs from Zadar south through Split, Makarska, and down to Dubrovnik — each with its own character. Offshore, Hvar, Korčula, Brač, and Vis are the most visited islands, though the Kornati archipelago and the quieter northern islands reward exploration.
Inland, Plitvice Lakes National Park is Croatia's most famous natural attraction — terraced lakes and waterfalls in a forested canyon, and deservedly popular. Istria in the northwest is known for hilltop medieval towns like Motovun, excellent truffles and olive oil, and the Roman amphitheatre in Pula. The northern Kvarner Gulf, around the port city of Rijeka, sees fewer visitors than Dalmatia but has its own Habsburg-era resort towns and ferry-linked islands.
Croatia adopted the euro in 2023 and joined the Schengen Area. The country is safe, well-organised for tourism, and increasingly expensive, particularly in peak season.
