Fodor's Essential Croatia: with Montenegro & Slovenia
Whether you want to explore Dubrovnik’s Old Town, go sailing in Split, or drink wine...
Croatia’s splendors extend from the deep-blue waters of the Adriatic coastline to the waterfall-laced mountains of the Dinaric Alps and throughout its medieval towns. From Dubrovnik’s walled city where baroque buildings are surrounded by centuries-old forts to the lively islands of Bra? and Hvar, this Central European country is an exciting blend of glamour and tradition. Croatia’s vibrant, historic cities, sprawling vineyards, gorgeous beaches, and thousand-plus islands give travelers plenty of places to dance, sip wine, sail, and soak up the sunshine.
Fodor's Essential Croatia: with Montenegro & Slovenia
Whether you want to explore Dubrovnik’s Old Town, go sailing in Split, or drink wine...
Top Destinations
Top Destinations
Central Dalmatia
Central Dalmatia’s untamed natural beauty encompasses rocky coastal beaches, steep mountains, and a terrain dotted by olive groves, vineyards, and wild Mediterranean herbs. The wonder...
Southern Dalmatia
A region would be lucky to have just one sight as majestic as Dubrovnik. In Southern Dalmatia, the walled city is only the beginning.Head south...
Istria
Discover a thousand years of rich Istrian history in the hilltop fortresses, early Christian churches, Byzantine mosaics, and Baroque palaces of the region, and treat...
Zagreb and Environs
Zagreb has become a full-fledged hot spot in tourism in recent years, thanks to its year-round festivals, world-class cuisine, and historic architecture. Travelers who still...
Kvarner
Majestic scenery and natural diversity characterize the Kvarner region: the mainland is dominated by a stretch of coast backed by high-rising mountains, while some of...
Northern Dalmatia
Safely protected from the northern Adriatic shore and continental Croatia by the imposing Velebit Mountain, northern Dalmatia offers a whole new set of aesthetic and...
Slavonia
Somewhere beyond the sea, there is a region called Slavonia. There is no coastline here, which has always meant fewer tourists. What it offers instead...
Dubrovnik
Nothing can prepare you for your first sight of Dubrovnik. Completely encircled by thick fortified walls, with a maze of gleaming white streets within, it...
Zagreb
The capital of Croatia, Zagreb has a population of over 800,000 people and is situated at the extreme edge of the Pannonian Basin. The city...
Split
Split's ancient core and its centuries of history are spectacular. This is a city whose heritage dates back to prehistoric times and across the pre-Roman...
Zadar
Dalmatia's capital for more than 1,000 years, Zadar is all too often passed over by travelers on their way to Split or Dubrovnik. What they...
Rovinj
It is hard to imagine how Rovinj could be more romantic than it is. In a fantastic setting, with centuries-old red-roofed houses clustered around the...
Rijeka
Water is the essence of Kvarner, and the region's largest city expresses this simply. Whether in Croatian or Italian (Fiume) the translation of the name...
Excursions North of Zagreb
A favorite excursion to the outskirts of Zagreb is to the heights of Sljeme and its observatory. And then there is the peaceful spa town...
Pula
Today an industrial port town and Istria's chief administrative center (pop. 58,000), as well as a major tourist destination, Pula became a Roman colony in...
Korčula
Southern Dalmatia's largest island, Kor?ula is quietly emerging as the most sophisticated and alluring island in the region. First settled by the ancient Greeks around...
Osijek
Croatia's fourth-largest city is an often overlooked treasure trove of cultural and architectural attractions. There are music and food festivals, green markets, parties in the...
Poreč
A chic, bustling little city founded as a Roman castrum (fort) in the 2nd century BC and swarming with tourists more than 2,000 years later...
Hvar
The island of Hvar bills itself as the "sunniest island in the Adriatic." And it even has the figures to back up this claim—an annual...
Krk
It's no surprise—since Krk is one of the largest Croatian islands, hosts the regional airport, and is connected to the mainland by a bridge—that the...
Rab
Rab presents an utterly fascinating landscape. When you drive southward, down the Magistrala, you see that the island resembles the humped back of a diving...
Lošinj
As you approach the southern tip of Cres, you'll see the steep slopes of Osor?ica Mountain on nearby Lošinj. Sheltered by the Alps to the...
Brač
Well-connected to Split by ferry and catamaran services, the island of Bra? makes for the perfect offshore escape. While it makes for a delightful day...
Opatija
In the late 19th century, Opatija (Abbazia in Italian) was among the most elegant and fashionable resorts in Europe. Its history as a resort town...
Cres
Twisting down the entire length of the Kvarner Bay on its western side is Cres, whose latest claim to fame is that it is the...
Pag Island
Telling an urbane resident of architecturally well-endowed Zadar that you are headed to Pag Island for a night or two will make them think you...
Excursions South of Zagreb
...
Eastern Istria: Labin and Rabac
More travelers are taking time to explore Istria's newest must-stay tourist destination, Labin-Rabac. Located on the eastern coast, these sister towns offer the perfect combination...
Cavtat
While Dubrovnik’s streets are being polished under the shoes of thousands of visitors per day, Cavtat’s pine-covered trails seem comparatively tourist-free. There are secluded swimming...
Vukovar
There’s no doubt that a visit to Vukovar hurts. As you visit the sights, the story of what happened here will slowly unfold, made even...
Orebić
Backed by the rocky heights of Sveti Ilija (3,153 feet), Orebi? straggles along the coast, facing across a narrow sea channel to the island of...
Novigrad
Imagine a mini Rovinj of sorts, not quite so well preserved, it's true, and without the hill. This is Novigrad—a pretty little peninsula town that...
Murter and The Kornati Islands
Built near the ruins of the 1st-century Roman settlement of Colentum, Murter has that unmistakable tourism-driven hustle and bustle in midsummer that Sali doesn't—both because...
Šibenik
The trademark of Šibenik is its Gothic-Renaissance cathedral, built of pale-gray Dalmatian stone and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which stands on a raised...
Nin
On a tiny, 1,640-foot-wide island in a shallow, sandy lagoon that affords a spectacular view of the Velebit range to the northeast, Nin is connected...
Trogir
On a small island no more than a few city blocks in length, the beautifully preserved medieval Old Town of Trogir is connected to the...
Vis
Closed to foreigners until 1989 due to its use as a military base, the distant island of Vis is relatively wild and unspoiled. Built around...
Mljet
Mljet is a long, thin island—37 km (23 miles) long and an average of 3 km (2 miles) wide—of steep, rocky slopes and dense pine...
Makarska
This city's seafront promenade, lined with palm trees and cheerful open-air cafés, looks onto a protected bay dotted with wooden fishing boats. From here one...
Motovun
It is an understatement to say that a day exploring the undulating green countryside and medieval hill towns of inland Istria makes a pleasant contrast...
Ðakovo
?akovo is a peaceful little town, where the din of bicycles and the dribbling of basketballs on a Sunday afternoon outdo the roar of cars...
Grožnjan
Close to Motovun and a reasonable drive from Pore?, Novigrad, Rovinj, or Umag, Grožnjan is among Istria's preeminent and most beautiful hilltop towns. A Renaissance...
Paklenica National Park
For mountain scenery at its most spectacular and mountain tourism at its most advanced, you need go no further from Zadar than Paklenica National Park...
Omiš and the Cetina Valley
An easy day trip from Split, Omiš is a pleasant seaside town with a colorful open-air market and a conglomeration of old stone houses backed...
Umag
Yet another onetime island, the peninsula town of Umag draws the fewest tourists of any of the major towns along Istria's western coast, even if...
Krka National Park
The Krka River cuts its way through a gorge shaded by limestone cliffs and dense woodland, tumbling down toward the Adriatic in a series of...
Bjelovar
...
Sali and Telašcica Nature Park
The largest and most westerly island of the Zadar archipelago, facing the open sea, Dugi Otok culminates at its southern end with a spectacular nature...
Vodnjan
Vodnjan may look a bit run-down at first glance, but there are five really good reasons to come here: its saintly mummies; its collection of...
Ilok
Perched high on the western slopes of the Fruška Gora hills above the Danube and built around a medieval fortress, Ilok, Croatia’s easternmost town, is...
Požega
In the center of a fertile, vineyard-rich valley in Požega-Slavonia County (one of the smallest in Croatia), lies the area that the ancient Romans knew...
Delnice
Delnice, which sits on the road between Rijeka and Zagreb, is a breath of fresh mountain air, especially in summer after leaving the crowded hot...
Excursions in Lonjsko Polje
An excursion southeast of Zagreb to the Lonjsko polje region along the Sava River will bring you to an area that is rarely seen by...
Lastovo
Very few Croatians have visited Lastovo, though they will all tell you that it's beautiful. Like Vis, Lastovo was a Yugoslav military naval base during...
Prvić
Beyond Šibenik Bay lie the splendidly scattered islands of the Šibenik archipelago, five of which—Zlarin, Prvi?, Kaprije, Obonjan, and Žirje—are accessible by ferry from Šibenik...
Brijuni National Park
When Austrian industrialist Paul Kupelwieser set off for Brijuni by boat from Fažana in 1885, the archipelago had long been a haven for the Austro-Hungarian...
Benkovac
...
Lopud
Sometimes you need a break from the city crowds, and the lush, laid-back Elafiti Islands are happy to provide a retreat. Historically, the 13 tiny...
Risnjak National Park
The northern outpost of the forested and karst-peaked Gorski kotar region, Veliki Risnjak is the major peak in this national park, peering over Rijeka from...
Kopački Rit Nature Park
The unspoiled Baranja region, whose name means "Mother of Wine" in Hungarian, is located in northeastern Croatia on the borders of Hungary and Serbia. It...
Bizovac
...
Trsteno
A small village on the coastal road between Split and Dubrovnik (E65), Trsteno has been put on the map by its arboretum...
Ston
The Pelješac Peninsula is Croatia at its best. You know that red wine you've been drinking since you got to Dalmatia? It comes from the...
Dubrovnik
Nothing can prepare you for your first sight of Dubrovnik. Completely encircled by thick fortified walls, with a maze of gleaming white streets within, it...
Zagreb
The capital of Croatia, Zagreb has a population of over 800,000 people and is situated at the extreme edge of the Pannonian Basin. The city...
Split
Split's ancient core and its centuries of history are spectacular. This is a city whose heritage dates back to prehistoric times and across the pre-Roman...
Zadar
Dalmatia's capital for more than 1,000 years, Zadar is all too often passed over by travelers on their way to Split or Dubrovnik. What they...
Rovinj
It is hard to imagine how Rovinj could be more romantic than it is. In a fantastic setting, with centuries-old red-roofed houses clustered around the...
Rijeka
Water is the essence of Kvarner, and the region's largest city expresses this simply. Whether in Croatian or Italian (Fiume) the translation of the name...
Pula
Today an industrial port town and Istria's chief administrative center (pop. 58,000), as well as a major tourist destination, Pula became a Roman colony in...
Korčula
Southern Dalmatia's largest island, Kor?ula is quietly emerging as the most sophisticated and alluring island in the region. First settled by the ancient Greeks around...
Osijek
Croatia's fourth-largest city is an often overlooked treasure trove of cultural and architectural attractions. There are music and food festivals, green markets, parties in the...
Poreč
A chic, bustling little city founded as a Roman castrum (fort) in the 2nd century BC and swarming with tourists more than 2,000 years later...
Hvar
The island of Hvar bills itself as the "sunniest island in the Adriatic." And it even has the figures to back up this claim—an annual...
Krk
It's no surprise—since Krk is one of the largest Croatian islands, hosts the regional airport, and is connected to the mainland by a bridge—that the...
Rab
Rab presents an utterly fascinating landscape. When you drive southward, down the Magistrala, you see that the island resembles the humped back of a diving...
Brač
Well-connected to Split by ferry and catamaran services, the island of Bra? makes for the perfect offshore escape. While it makes for a delightful day...
Lošinj
As you approach the southern tip of Cres, you'll see the steep slopes of Osor?ica Mountain on nearby Lošinj. Sheltered by the Alps to the...
Opatija
In the late 19th century, Opatija (Abbazia in Italian) was among the most elegant and fashionable resorts in Europe. Its history as a resort town...
Cres
Twisting down the entire length of the Kvarner Bay on its western side is Cres, whose latest claim to fame is that it is the...
Eastern Istria: Labin and Rabac
More travelers are taking time to explore Istria's newest must-stay tourist destination, Labin-Rabac. Located on the eastern coast, these sister towns offer the perfect combination...
Vukovar
There’s no doubt that a visit to Vukovar hurts. As you visit the sights, the story of what happened here will slowly unfold, made even...
Cavtat
While Dubrovnik’s streets are being polished under the shoes of thousands of visitors per day, Cavtat’s pine-covered trails seem comparatively tourist-free. There are secluded swimming...
Novigrad
Imagine a mini Rovinj of sorts, not quite so well preserved, it's true, and without the hill. This is Novigrad—a pretty little peninsula town that...
Orebić
Backed by the rocky heights of Sveti Ilija (3,153 feet), Orebi? straggles along the coast, facing across a narrow sea channel to the island of...
Murter and The Kornati Islands
Built near the ruins of the 1st-century Roman settlement of Colentum, Murter has that unmistakable tourism-driven hustle and bustle in midsummer that Sali doesn't—both because...
Šibenik
The trademark of Šibenik is its Gothic-Renaissance cathedral, built of pale-gray Dalmatian stone and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which stands on a raised...
Nin
On a tiny, 1,640-foot-wide island in a shallow, sandy lagoon that affords a spectacular view of the Velebit range to the northeast, Nin is connected...
Trogir
On a small island no more than a few city blocks in length, the beautifully preserved medieval Old Town of Trogir is connected to the...
Vis
Closed to foreigners until 1989 due to its use as a military base, the distant island of Vis is relatively wild and unspoiled. Built around...
Mljet
Mljet is a long, thin island—37 km (23 miles) long and an average of 3 km (2 miles) wide—of steep, rocky slopes and dense pine...
Makarska
This city's seafront promenade, lined with palm trees and cheerful open-air cafés, looks onto a protected bay dotted with wooden fishing boats. From here one...
Motovun
It is an understatement to say that a day exploring the undulating green countryside and medieval hill towns of inland Istria makes a pleasant contrast...
Grožnjan
Close to Motovun and a reasonable drive from Pore?, Novigrad, Rovinj, or Umag, Grožnjan is among Istria's preeminent and most beautiful hilltop towns. A Renaissance...
Ðakovo
?akovo is a peaceful little town, where the din of bicycles and the dribbling of basketballs on a Sunday afternoon outdo the roar of cars...
Umag
Yet another onetime island, the peninsula town of Umag draws the fewest tourists of any of the major towns along Istria's western coast, even if...
Omiš and the Cetina Valley
An easy day trip from Split, Omiš is a pleasant seaside town with a colorful open-air market and a conglomeration of old stone houses backed...
Bjelovar
...
Ilok
Perched high on the western slopes of the Fruška Gora hills above the Danube and built around a medieval fortress, Ilok, Croatia’s easternmost town, is...
Požega
In the center of a fertile, vineyard-rich valley in Požega-Slavonia County (one of the smallest in Croatia), lies the area that the ancient Romans knew...
Vodnjan
Vodnjan may look a bit run-down at first glance, but there are five really good reasons to come here: its saintly mummies; its collection of...
Delnice
Delnice, which sits on the road between Rijeka and Zagreb, is a breath of fresh mountain air, especially in summer after leaving the crowded hot...
Prvić
Beyond Šibenik Bay lie the splendidly scattered islands of the Šibenik archipelago, five of which—Zlarin, Prvi?, Kaprije, Obonjan, and Žirje—are accessible by ferry from Šibenik...
Lastovo
Very few Croatians have visited Lastovo, though they will all tell you that it's beautiful. Like Vis, Lastovo was a Yugoslav military naval base during...
Benkovac
...
Lopud
Sometimes you need a break from the city crowds, and the lush, laid-back Elafiti Islands are happy to provide a retreat. Historically, the 13 tiny...
Bizovac
...
Trsteno
A small village on the coastal road between Split and Dubrovnik (E65), Trsteno has been put on the map by its arboretum...
Ston
The Pelješac Peninsula is Croatia at its best. You know that red wine you've been drinking since you got to Dalmatia? It comes from the...
Central Dalmatia
Central Dalmatia’s untamed natural beauty encompasses rocky coastal beaches, steep mountains, and a terrain dotted by olive groves, vineyards, and wild Mediterranean herbs. The wonder...
Southern Dalmatia
A region would be lucky to have just one sight as majestic as Dubrovnik. In Southern Dalmatia, the walled city is only the beginning.Head south...
Istria
Discover a thousand years of rich Istrian history in the hilltop fortresses, early Christian churches, Byzantine mosaics, and Baroque palaces of the region, and treat...
Zagreb and Environs
Zagreb has become a full-fledged hot spot in tourism in recent years, thanks to its year-round festivals, world-class cuisine, and historic architecture. Travelers who still...
Kvarner
Majestic scenery and natural diversity characterize the Kvarner region: the mainland is dominated by a stretch of coast backed by high-rising mountains, while some of...
Northern Dalmatia
Safely protected from the northern Adriatic shore and continental Croatia by the imposing Velebit Mountain, northern Dalmatia offers a whole new set of aesthetic and...
Slavonia
Somewhere beyond the sea, there is a region called Slavonia. There is no coastline here, which has always meant fewer tourists. What it offers instead...
Excursions North of Zagreb
A favorite excursion to the outskirts of Zagreb is to the heights of Sljeme and its observatory. And then there is the peaceful spa town...
Excursions South of Zagreb
...
The Pelješac Peninsula
...
The Baranja Region
...
The Golden Valley
...
Excursions in Lonjsko Polje
An excursion southeast of Zagreb to the Lonjsko polje region along the Sava River will bring you to an area that is rarely seen by...
Paklenica National Park
For mountain scenery at its most spectacular and mountain tourism at its most advanced, you need go no further from Zadar than Paklenica National Park...
Sali and Telašcica Nature Park
The largest and most westerly island of the Zadar archipelago, facing the open sea, Dugi Otok culminates at its southern end with a spectacular nature...
Krka National Park
The Krka River cuts its way through a gorge shaded by limestone cliffs and dense woodland, tumbling down toward the Adriatic in a series of...
Brijuni National Park
When Austrian industrialist Paul Kupelwieser set off for Brijuni by boat from Fažana in 1885, the archipelago had long been a haven for the Austro-Hungarian...
Kopački Rit Nature Park
The unspoiled Baranja region, whose name means "Mother of Wine" in Hungarian, is located in northeastern Croatia on the borders of Hungary and Serbia. It...
Risnjak National Park
The northern outpost of the forested and karst-peaked Gorski kotar region, Veliki Risnjak is the major peak in this national park, peering over Rijeka from...
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Shop NowFodor's Essential Croatia: with Montenegro & Slovenia
Whether you want to explore Dubrovnik’s Old Town, go sailing in Split, or drink wine...
