24 Best Things to Do in Croatia

Many of the best things to do in Croatia come with a sea view. From walking atop Dubrovnik’s medieval city walls to being serenaded by a sea organ in Zadar, the Adriatic Sea is coastal Croatia’s spectacular constant.

Step away from Croatia’s 1,100 miles of sensational shoreline and its similar number of islands, though, and you’ll encounter history at every turn: Roman-built palaces, Dominican-designed monasteries, and Venetian-constructed defenses. The country’s chronology creates, essentially, a compelling open-air museum.

Combine these cultural and coastal hotspots with natural parks carved by countless cascades or aquatic adventures along valley-slicing turquoise rivers, and you’ll soon realize the top things to do in Croatia involve nearly as many inland adventures as Adriatic experiences.

Discover Diocletian’s Palace

Forming around half of Split’s Old Town, Diocletian’s Palace is one of Croatia’s most significant and impressive landmarks. Constructed in the third century by the Roman emperor Diocletian, the once luxury villa and military barracks are one of Croatia’s ten UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Encompassing many of the city’s finest architectural sights, exploring the polished limestone squares, cobbled streets, and marble buildings of the former summer residence is one of the most fascinating things to do in Croatia.

For an introduction to the scale of the nearly eight-acre complex, begin your visit with a bird’s eye view from the Cathedral of Saint Domnius’ Tower. After climbing the 150-foot interior staircase of the medieval bell tower, relish the panorama of russet rooftops, animated plazas, and the shimmering harbor beyond.

Back at ground level, be sure to examine every corner of the octagonal cathedral. As the world’s oldest Catholic church still in use and Emperor Diocletian’s mausoleum, it’s a history and architecture marvel. Admire the Romanesque marble pulpit, descend into the crypt, and study the details of the carved medieval wooden doors.

Stepping outside, you’ll be greeted by the awe-inspiring Peristyle, the palace’s central exterior courtyard. Flanked by weathered columns, the polished square now serves as one of the Old Town’s central meeting places for the 3,000-odd people living within the palace’s walls.

Venture onwards to the Temple of Jupiter, the only remaining temple of the trio that once stood here. Serving as the baptistery since the sixth century, the arched sculpted ceilings soar above a commanding statue of St John the Baptist.

For a unique thing to do in Split, head underground to tour the palace’s substructures. The partially visitable labyrinth consists of basement vaulted halls, cellars, and even tunnels that would have once linked the port to the palace.

Admire Dubrovnik Old Town From Mount Srđ

Dubrovnik’s medieval Old Town is one of the most beautiful places in Croatia. Handsome from all angles, the stone-built city is particularly eye-pleasing from above.

To see the city in all its splendor, one of the best things to do in Croatia is ride the cable car to the summit of Mount Srđ. Since 1969, these 2,500-foot-climbing gondolas have transported visitors to one of the Dinaric Alps’ lowest peaks in under five minutes.

From the viewing platform, expect your camera to work overtime as you trace Stradun, the Old Town’s main thoroughfare to the Sponza Palace, and fully appreciate the hulking city walls dotted with towers and bastions. You’ll fall in love with the panorama of terracotta rooftops sloping towards the shimmering shallows of the Adriatic Sea.

Camera exhausted, settle in for a cocktail or freshly grilled fish at Restaurant Panorama for an equally enchanting picture. Or, for an alternative viewpoint, follow the trail between Fort Imperial and Fort Strinčjera, a pair of 19th-century defenses less than one mile apart. Along the way, you’ll gain glimpses of new Dubrovnik, Lokrum, and the Elaphiti Islands beyond.

Island-Hop the Elaphiti Archipelago

Just south of Dubrovnik, Lokrum Island, with its botanical gardens and Benedictine monastery, is one of Dalmatia’s most popular day trips. However, if you head a little further northwest, you’ll be rewarded with the less busy landscapes of the Elaphiti Islands.

Of the group’s 13 islands and islets, just three are inhabited—the archipelago’s total population is under 1,000—ensuring the Elaphitis remain a blissful retreat from bustling Dubrovnik.

Car-free Koločep and Lopud are the two nearest inhabited islands. A ferry links the pair in around 30 minutes while sightseeing boat tours afford easier island-hopping.

No matter which island you pick, you’re guaranteed pretty scenes. Pine forests and Mediterranean scrub coat much of the archipelago, while tranquil, bath-like waters lap sandy bays such as Sunj Beach—a welcome treat compared to Lokrum’s rocky shores.

Still, Elaphiti’s craggy coastlines provide plenty of cinematic moments, especially along Koločep’s southern coast, where boat trips will whisk you between the translucent waters of the Blue Cave and the island’s headland-perched lighthouse.

Witness Krka National Park’s Waterfalls

Krka National Park, an hour from either Split or Zagreb, is subjectively the finest of Croatia’s eight national parks. A 42-square-mile verdant wonderland, the park is anchored around its namesake river, which snakes past pretty waterfalls and forested walking trails.

The park’s most iconic sight is its seventh waterfall, Skradinski Buk. Viewable from one of the many river crossing boardwalks or visitable by boat, the fast-flowing streams tumble over the tiered karst rocks and ponds before rushing into the river with a roar.

Given the park’s scale, seeing all of Krka’s waterfalls in one day would be a challenge. However, Krka’s delights aren’t just limited to its waterways. Combine a couple of the cascades with a boat trip or a hike along a stretch of the 30 miles of trails for the perfect outing.

Walk Dubrovnik’s City Walls

Walking atop Dubrovnik’s city walls is arguably the most iconic of all the things to do in Croatia. Not only does the elevation—the walls reach 83 feet in parts—provide some incredibly photogenic panoramas of Dubrovnik’s Old Town, but the structure recounts the city’s story.

First wrapped by defensive walls in the 11th century, bastions, towers, and fortifications were added over the following centuries to reinforce the defenses. Even following the great earthquake of 1667, most of the walls remained firm, making them one of the best-preserved examples in the world today.

Plan a couple of hours to walk the entire uninterrupted walls as, even though they only run 6,365 feet, you’ll want to pause at the elevated fortress viewpoints to relish the architecture and cerulean Adriatic Sea vistas beyond.

Step Back in Time in Trogir

West of Split, the well-preserved city of Trogir is a true time capsule. Set on an almost rectangular island and linked to both the mainland and Čiovo Island by bridges, the compact cluster of Romanesque, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture has earned Trogir UNESCO World Heritage status.

Crossing the bridge past small boats floating on the canal-like waters has echoes of Venice, setting the scene for the Venetian-contributed architecture that embellishes the city. Most impressive is St. Lawrence’s Cathedral, a Romanesque Gothic structure constructed between the 13th and 17th centuries.

Climb to the top of the lofty bell tower for spectacular seascapes and to appreciate the original orthogonal street pattern from the Hellenistic period.

Then, wend your way through the narrow alleyways of polished cobbles towards the island’s other end to reach 15th-century Kamerlengo Castle, a delightful spot to rest in the shade of the crenelated walls while admiring views of Čiovo across the channel.

Make a Beeline to the Beach

No matter the season, one of the top things to do in Croatia is embrace the Adriatic Sea. Beaches of all kinds dot the seemingly endless coastline, ranging from rocky outcrops and sandy bays to idyllic islets reachable by boat.

Yet, with such an impressive array of coastal credentials, there’s no need to stray far from the city to find a shoreline.

A stone’s throw from Dubrovnik’s Old Town, pebbly and popular Banje Beach affords the unique opportunity to swim and sunbathe with Tvrava Svetog Ivana, or St. John’s Fortress, in the background. Dashing Dalmatian Coast beaches also fringe Split, with the bays around Forest Park Marjan being especially serene.

Further North, Zadar’s surrounding islands promise even more dreamy shorelines. The island of Pag, reachable by road, has some of the easiest-access beaches.

Whether you want to splash around in Smokvica’s sheltered cove, snorkel around Sveti Duh or sink cocktails at animated Zrće Beach, Pag has a plaža for all.

Read: Best Beaches in Dubrovnik

Wander Dubrovnik Old Town

Once you’ve walked atop the city walls and admired the “Pearl of the Adriatic” from on high, it’s time to enjoy a ground-level amble around Dubrovnik Old Town.

Clustering together many of the best places to visit in Croatia, the gorgeous, pedestrianized historic core has become the nation’s most famed destination for good reason.

Start at Pile Gate, the main stone entranceway since the 15th century. After crossing what was once a moat bridge and descending the stairs, you’ll find yourself on Stradun, the Old Town’s central artery, carpeted in polished limestone.

From here begins an architectural feast. Pass the largest of Onofrio’s Fountains, a domed hexadecagon structure with 16 individual carved spouts, before admiring the 13th-century Franciscan Monastery opposite.

Continue walking to the thoroughfare’s eastern end, where some seriously history-weighted buildings flank Luža Square. To the left, 16th-century Sponza Palace’s portico showcases the building’s grandeur, as does the adjacent 101-foot-high clock tower.

Across the square, baroque St. Blaise’s Church, one of Dubrovnik’s many buildings designed by Venetian architect Marino Groppelli, is another of the city’s highlights. Spot the statue of St. Blaise, Dubrovnik’s patron saint, on the roof before peeking inside to admire the marble altar before continuing to the Dominican Monastery.

Visit Dubrovnik’s Dominican Monastery

Dubrovnik’s Old Town has no shortage of architectural wonders that Croatia is known for. The 13th-century Dominican Monastery, constructed against the city’s northern walls, is especially striking.

An amalgamation of Romanesque, Baroque, Gothic, and Renaissance styles, the cloister-anchored building has served many purposes beyond accommodating monks. An important education and philosophy center, it later became a barracks and stables during the Napoleonic French rule and today serves as an art museum.

Displaying some of the most important 15th- and 16th-century works of the Dubrovnik Painters School, the collection includes canvases by Nikola Božidarević and Lovro Dobričević alongside religious relics. Don’t miss the impressive library, which still houses over 20,000 books, poetry volumes, and historical transcripts.

Soak Up Šibenik’s Venetian Charm

Sibenik, an hour up the coast from Split, is often overshadowed by Trogir. Yet, as the oldest coastal city founded by native Croats rather than Romans or Venetians, Sibenik is one of the most historically important towns in Croatia.

For nearly four centuries, the Republic of Venice ruled over this important commercial trading port, creating an Old Town that wouldn’t look out of place across the Adriatic Sea.

Their most impressive legacy—and since 2017, Croatia’s newest UNESCO World Heritage Site—in Šibenik is the 16th-century St. Nicholas’ Fortress on Ljuljevac islet. Located in St. Anthony Channel, the strait connecting the town’s bay with the Adriatic, it’s the only Venetian military fortification fully enveloped by the sea.

Back on the mainland, meandering between Šibenik’s handful of other architectural attractions is equally delightful. Don’t miss St. Jacob’s Cathedral’s fascinating frieze, adorned with 71 sculptures of former citizens, before ascending to medieval St. Michael’s Fortress for sweeping panoramas from the battlements. The rooftop here is now an open-air theater.

Read: Romantic Places to See on a Honeymoon in Croatia

Stroll Split’s Seafront Promenade and Walls

Like a glamorous catwalk wedged between the Old Town’s walls and the Adriatic Sea’s lapping waters, Riva, Split’s broad promenade, is the city’s place to see and be seen.

For nearly two millennia, the esplanade has welcomed seafarers, emperors, celebrities, and, most crucial to its current appearance, Napoleonic rulers. It still retains its French Riviera feel, thanks to shade-giving palms, al fresco terraces, and benches popular for people-watching. A walk along the lively waterfront promenade can feel like joining in at a community town square.

Views of the harbor’s bobbing boats and restaurant terraces aside, the backdrop of the towering Roman Walls—the actual People’s Square, Pjaca, beyond—make Riva one of Split’s main attractions.

Live the High Life in Hvar

Hvar has been the travel darling of the affluent and A-list for decades. Thanks to the upscale restaurants, low-rise architecture, and bath-like waters around its namesake harbor town, the island has pulled in everyone from politicians to chart toppers.

Hvar is less than an hour from Split on the fast ferry, so visiting on a day trip from the mainland is easy. Most ferries arrive in Hvar Town, though some anchor in Stari Grad, one of Europe’s oldest settlements, founded by the ancient Greeks.

It’s easy to while away an afternoon in Hvar Town sipping on wines harvested from the island’s indigenous Darnekuša grape and savoring seafood feasts. But, as tempting as that sounds, the gorgeous Venetian architecture and spectacular viewpoints will undoubtedly lure you away to explore on foot.

Promising the prettiest views is Fortica, or Španjola to the locals, Hvar’s 16th-century slate gray fortress, wedged into the vegetation high above the town.

It’s a steep and sometimes challenging climb—especially in the nearly endless sun—but the panorama from the top is dream-like. Beyond the ochre rooftops of the gorgeous harbor-flanking town, the lush Pakleni Islands spill out into the cerulean sea like forested stepping stones.

Tour Zadar’s Sacred Spaces

As Croatia’s oldest continually inhabited city, Zadar’s walled Old Town is packed with storied spaces and monuments.

Perhaps most impressive is its tight cluster of churches. The oldest is the hulking Byzantine Church of St. Donatus, a cylindrical building constructed in the ninth century.

The domed, central nave is unique for its plain interior. Unlike other Byzantine structures, such as those across the Adriatic Sea in Ravenna, the decor lacks the intricate mosaic works one would expect. Instead, the exposed stone provides exemplary acoustics, with concerts often hosted in the deconsecrated space.

Nearby, St. Mary’s Church’s adjacent Benedictine Monastery was founded in 1066, a few years before the city was freed from the Byzantine Empire and became part of the Croatian state.

Reconstructed in the 16th century and, again, following WWII bombings, the complex’s most magnificent feature remains the Romanesque bell tower and the monastery-housed Religious Art Museum, still overseen by the nuns today.

Completing Zadar’s prominent religious trio is the 12th-century Cathedral of St. Anastasia. Part of the original structure belongs to a fourth-century basilica. A monumental Romanesque cathedral, also reconstructed following Allied bombing, it stands adjacent to the Church of St. Donatus.

Feel the Sea Breeze at Fort Lovrijenac

It’s easy to lose yourself in Dubrovnik’s gorgeous Old Town, but be sure to visit Fort Lovrijenac, or St. Lawrence Fortress, believed to have been built around the early 11th century.

Perched atop a 121-foot-high rock, the imposing fortress was constructed to oversee Dubrovnik’s western walls and act as an additional defense of Pile Gate.

While the fortress was significantly reconstructed following the 17th-century earthquake, the walkable ramparts, complete with cannons, afford an alternative—and arguably one of the best—vantage points of the Old Town.

Alongside being an important historical landmark, the fort acts as a cultural hub. It’s one of the main venues for Dubrovnik’s Summer Festival and is renowned for its atmospheric performances of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

One of the best things to do in Dubrovnik is to take a kayak tour to fully appreciate Fort Lovrijenac’s rock-topping setting. From the water, the fortress looks even more formidable, while paddling around Dubrovnik’s walls can be a serene way to see the city from every angle.

Sample Croatian Flavors

From ancestral Istrian cooking methods to Dalmatia flavors, one of the most enjoyable things to do in Croatia is to savor the country’s mouthwatering cuisine.

Seafood unsurprisingly gets top billing along the coast with simple grilled fish—fleshy dentex is a typical local favorite—always being a crowd-pleaser. Order brudet, a fish stew, or Crni Rižot, a cuttlefish risotto darkened by the mollusc’s ink, for a more flavorsome recipe.

Meat, particularly lamb and veal, are equally excellent, especially when prepared using the traditional Peka method. Called “under the bell” due to the shape of the iron lid used to roast the meat in hot coals, the resulting dish is a tender blend of meat and vegetables soaking up each other’s juices.

For a highly-regarded treat, venture an hour from Dubrovnik to the medieval town of Ston to sample Mali Ston Oysters at their farming source. Celebrated as some of the best oysters in the world, they pair perfectly with the locally grown wines of the Pelješac peninsula.

Read: The Ultimate Croatian Food Guide

Visit a Dalmatia Vineyard

With a wine production history dating back to the ancient Greeks, meeting Dalmatia’s vintners is one of the best things to do in Croatia.

From Dubrovnik, the mostly family-run wineries of the Pelješac peninsula are easy to access, and the swoon-worthy vineyard views along the inland secondary roads between Ston and Sparagovići feel almost Tuscan.

Known to produce some of the country’s most acclaimed Primorska Hrvatska, or coastal wines, the region’s full-bodied reds, especially those bottled solely from the indigenous Plavac Mali grape, are particularly noteworthy. If you’re looking for a better pairing with Ston’s freshly shucked oysters, pick a Pošip white.

Be Serenaded by a Sea Organ

For all Zadar’s grand churches, Venetian defenses, and Roman relics, the city’s two most modern installations arguably steal the spotlight—even if just for being something different in a country laden with historical sights.

Side by side at the far end of the Riva promenade, the Morske Orgulje, or Sea Organ, and the Pozdrav Suncu, commonly called the Sun Salutation, form seafront Zadar’s contemporary pocket.

Designed by Nikola Bašić and “performing” since 2005, the Sea Organ is part musical instrument, part seaview seating area. Underneath the steps descending to the sea, Bašić installed 35 organ pipes. Played by the lapping waves, the instrument produces a natural, forever-changing soundtrack dictated by the tides.

Bašić’s second gift to Zadar, the Sun Salutation, was constructed a few years later to provide a visual accompaniment to the wave’s harmonies. The circular, 72-square-foot, solar-powered installation comprises 300 glass panels that transform the sun’s power into a colorful light show at dusk.

Walking atop the disk and appreciating the vivid light show underfoot while listening to the whistles of the Sea Organ are two of the most magical things to do in Croatia.

Learn Ragusa’s History in the Rector’s Palace

One of Croatia’s most impressive cultural spaces is the Rector’s Palace, Dubrovnik’s 15th-century administrative building from the Republic of Ragusa period.

Nowadays, the elegant palace houses part of the Dubrovnik Museum, displaying antique furniture, an impressive array of well-preserved Ragusa coins, and canvases from Croatian and Venetian masters.

While the exhibits are engaging, the main draw of the Rector’s Palace is the building’s architecture. Destroyed twice by gunpowder explosions and later rocked by a devastating earthquake, many of the palace’s gothic and renaissance features have been painstakingly reconstructed. Later additions, such as the sweeping baroque staircase, add to the grandeur.

Photograph Plitvice Lakes

Exploring UNESCO-listed Plitvice Lakes National Park is one of the most popular things to do in Croatia. Over a million visitors are lured to the park yearly to witness the mesmerizing, interlinked crystal-clear ponds, lakes, and cinematic cascades.

In a word, it’s phenomenal and provides stiff competition to Krka for Croatia’s prettiest natural wonderland. However, given it’s more than double the size and distance—two hours inland from Zadar—it’s best visited on a full-day tour to make the most of the experience.

The park’s most famous and photogenic sights are the terraced lakes and more than 90 tumbling waterfalls that stream across the limestone canyons of the two main areas, the Upper and Lower Lakes.

One of the best ways to explore the park is on foot, tracking the wooden boardwalks that weave across the transparent jade, teal, and azure lakes. From here, especially in the Lower Lakes, you’re cocooned by nature as the steeper falls create more dramatic cascades.

Alternatively, board an electric boat trip or the wheeled Plitvice Train to take it all in at leisure. The sailings across Lake Kozjak, the largest body of water, are remarkably tranquil.

Hike Paklenica’s Karst River Canyon

Croatia’s parks aren’t solely centered around photogenic cascades; they’re also ripe for hiking and climbing adventures. One of the country’s most dramatic geological spectacles is found in Paklenica National Park, where dense forests and the towering peaks of the Dinaric Alps create a theatrical setting.

The area around the park’s karst river canyon is especially remarkable and an ideal starting point for a guided hike introduction. Taking in the formidable views of the near-vertical Anica Kuk limestone climbing wall, the lower trail provides abundant breathtaking junctures, especially if you catch sight of a daredevil group clambering up the park’s highest wall.

Thankfully, the valley’s trail provides a much more relaxed preface to the park’s fauna and flora, with the occasional mountain hut and old watermills providing shaded rest stops.

Marvel at Ivan Meštrović’s Sculptures

Between Split’s fine art collections and archeological exhibitions, spending a whole day hopping between the city’s galleries and museums is easy. However, for a more contemporary insight into Croatia’s art scene, the Meštrović Gallery shouldn’t be missed.

Displaying the hand-sculpted masterpieces of Ivan Meštrović, one of Croatia’s most prolific 20th-century artists, the gallery—his personal summer villa—showcases his incredible creations crafted from wood and marble.

Retaining much of Meštrović’s furniture and internal decor, the curators have done an exemplary job in showing the artist’s personality alongside the art deco and classically-inspired sacred pieces. The collection expands into the pretty grounds, made all the more beautiful by the villa’s location fronting forested Šuma Marjan Park.

Try Rakija

Ask a Croat to list typical things to do in Croatia and the chances are high that rajika, the country’s national drink, will feature. Much more than a go-to celebratory shot, this fiery fruit brandy is integral to Croatia’s customs and culture.

You’ll find bottles of Rakija in most souvenir shops and nearly every restaurant. However, the best versions are usually homemade, following ancestral family recipes handed down to the next generation. After dinner, even in restaurants, it’s common for an unmarked bottle to be poured as a final digestif.

For this reason, the alcohol content of the potent spirit varies, usually between 40–50%. The fruit used for fermentation also differs between households, with cherry and plum being particularly prevalent.

Regardless of its production, the standard serve is in a near-frozen shot glass to keep the spirit chilled while sipping. As a general rule, it’s considered rude to refuse the offer of a rajika, though more so in homes than restaurants.

Raft Down the Zrmanja River

If Croatia’s beaches shimmer, then the country’s rivers sparkle. Slicing through valleys and dazzling in every shade of cyan and turquoise, inland waterways promise adrenaline-fueled adventures.

One of the best things to do in Croatia is to embark on a whitewater rafting trip along the emerald Zrmanja River. Snaking through barren canyons, karst formations, tumbling cascades, and idyllic settlements such as Obrovac and Kastel Zegarski, the calm river is occasionally punctuated by foaming rapids, affording a generally calm-yet-exciting voyage for first-time river explorers.

Guided tours are provided on either pack rafts, kayaks, or group rafts, offering a suitable choice of vessels for all. Some journeys also traverse the Krupa River tributary, considered one of Europe’s most beautiful and often overlooked waterways.

See Ancient Salona’s Roman Ruins

As the capital of Dalmatia during Roman rule, Salona, nowadays Solin, is one of Croatia’s most historically significant locations.

Just a 20-minute drive inland from Split, reaching the town of Solin and its ancient ruins is straightforward. However, the best place to begin understanding the colony, which dates to the first century BCE, is the Split Archaeological Museum, the country’s oldest museum.

Once you’ve toured the enlightening collection of Salona’s finds, including a Triton-depicting mosaic, sarcophagi, and marble statues, it will be easier to visualize ancient Salona as you tour the extensive archeological park.

Sadly, the Venetians plundered and destroyed much of the site during their reign. However, the remains of the impressive amphitheater, which hosted around 20,000 spectators, original Forum columns, and the low walls of the Temple of Dionysus make for an excellent afternoon outing.

Inspired to discover more of this fascinating country? Browse Celebrity’s cruises to Croatia to plan your perfect Adriatic Sea vacation.