Croatia · Local picks
100+ Places to Visit in Croatia
Our pick of restaurants, beaches, museums, hikes, markets and stays across Croatia, from the classics to quiet corners. Check opening times before you go, as many coastal places close or shorten hours outside summer.
Places to Visit in Zagreb
Shopping and Markets
- Dolac Market (Upper Town)
The city's open air produce market under red umbrellas, best early in the morning.
Arts and Culture
- Museum of Broken Relationships (Upper Town)
A moving and funny museum of objects left behind by love affairs. - Croatian Museum of Naïve Art (Upper Town)
A small museum of the colourful village painting school from Hlebine. - Mimara Museum (Lower Town)
A wide ranging art collection in a grand building on Roosevelt Square. - Museum of Contemporary Art (Novi Zagreb)
Modern Croatian art and a giant slide by Carsten Höller inside the building. - Lotrščak Tower (Upper Town)
A medieval tower with city views that fires a cannon every day at noon.
Things to Do
- St Mark's Church (Upper Town)
The tiled roof church that is Zagreb's most photographed landmark. - Zagreb Funicular (Tomićeva Street)
One of the world's shortest funiculars, linking Ilica with the Upper Town. - Mirogoj Cemetery (Mirogoj)
Ivy covered arcades and domes make this one of Europe's most beautiful cemeteries.
Nature and Outdoors
- Maksimir Park (Maksimir)
The city's oldest public park, with lakes, woods and the city zoo. - Medvednica and Medvedgrad (Sljeme)
Forest trails and a restored medieval fortress on the mountain above the city.
Restaurants
- Vinodol (Lower Town)
A classic courtyard restaurant for peka, štrukli and Croatian comfort food. - Dubravkin put (Tuškanac)
A refined seafood restaurant in a leafy park setting just below the Upper Town. - La Štruk (Upper Town)
A small spot devoted to štrukli, the Zagorje cheese pastry, baked or boiled.
Cafés
- Cogito Coffee (Lower Town)
Speciality coffee roasters behind much of the city's third wave café scene.
Bars and Nightlife
- Tkalčićeva Street bars (Upper Town)
A pedestrian street packed with terraces and bars for evening drinks. - Zinfandel's Bar at the Esplanade (Lower Town)
A grand hotel bar for a special drink in Art Deco surroundings.
Events
- Advent in Zagreb (City centre)
Christmas markets, lights and food stalls fill squares and parks every December.
Stays
- Esplanade Zagreb Hotel (Lower Town)
A grand 1925 hotel built for passengers of the Orient Express, near the station.
Places to Visit in Plitvice Lakes
Nature and Outdoors
- Plitvice Lakes National Park (Entrances 1 and 2)
Sixteen terraced lakes joined by waterfalls and boardwalks in a UNESCO forest. - Veliki slap (Lower Lakes)
Croatia's tallest waterfall, at the end of the Lower Lakes canyon. - Barać Caves (Rakovica)
Show caves near the park with guided visits through cool limestone halls. - Krbava field and Udbina (Lika)
Wide open highland country south of the park with a new church on a historic battlefield. - Upper Lakes boardwalks (Inside the park)
Wooden paths over cascades and terraced pools between Kozjak and Prošće lakes.
Things to Do
- Kozjak Lake electric boat (Inside the park)
A calm boat crossing of the biggest lake, included in the park ticket. - Rastoke (Slunj)
A village of old watermills built over small waterfalls where two rivers meet. - Panoramic train (Inside the park)
A tractor train along the top of the valley that saves tired legs, included in the ticket.
Stays
- Hotel Jezero (Entrance 2)
The largest park hotel, a short walk from the boardwalks for an early start. - Guesthouses of Mukinje and Jezerce (Near Entrance 2)
Family run rooms in villages beside the park, often with home cooked breakfasts.
Shopping and Markets
- Lika cheese and honey stalls (Park approach roads)
Roadside sellers offer smoked cheese, honey and rakija along the park road.
Arts and Culture
- Drežnik Grad fortress (Drežnik Grad)
Ruins of a medieval fortress above the Korana river canyon, quiet and free to wander.
Events
- Plitvice in winter (Inside the park)
Frozen waterfalls and snowy forest in a far quieter season, with some routes closed.
Places to Visit in Rovinj
Things to Do
- Church of St Euphemia (Old Town)
A hilltop baroque church whose bell tower gives the best view on the Istrian coast. - Pula Arena (Pula)
One of the best preserved Roman amphitheatres in the world, still used for concerts. - Motovun (Inland Istria)
A walled hill town above the truffle forests of the Mirna valley. - Hum (Inland Istria)
A walled hamlet that calls itself the smallest town in the world.
Nature and Outdoors
- Golden Cape Forest Park (Zlatni rt)
Pine woods, cycling paths and clear coves a short walk south of town. - Kamenjak Nature Reserve (Premantura)
A wild cape of coves, cliffs and pebble beaches at the tip of Istria. - Lim Fjord (Between Rovinj and Poreč)
A long sea inlet known for oyster and mussel farms and boat trips.
Shopping and Markets
- Grisia Street (Old Town)
A steep cobbled lane of small galleries and artists' studios. - Rovinj Market (Valdibora)
A morning market for fruit, olive oil, truffle products and cheese.
Restaurants
- Monte (Old Town)
A celebrated fine dining restaurant below St Euphemia's church. - Konoba Veli Jože (Old Town)
A characterful tavern packed with old objects, serving Istrian staples. - Zigante (Livade)
A truffle restaurant in the heart of Istria's truffle country. - Konoba Batelina (Banjole, near Pula)
A family run seafood konoba famous for the day's catch, cooked simply.
Bars and Nightlife
- Mediterraneo Bar (Old Town)
A tiny cocktail bar on the rocks over the sea, made for sunset. - Valentino Champagne and Cocktail Bar (Old Town)
Cushions on the rocks and candlelight over the water at dusk.
Stays
- Grand Park Hotel Rovinj (Harbour)
A sleek hotel facing the old town across the harbour.
Arts and Culture
- Euphrasian Basilica (Poreč)
A UNESCO listed church with glittering sixth century mosaics. - Grožnjan (Inland Istria)
A tiny hill village of galleries and summer music schools.
Events
- Pula Film Festival (Pula)
Open air screenings in the Roman arena each July.
Places to Visit in Split
Arts and Culture
- Diocletian's Palace (Old Town)
A Roman emperor's palace that is now the living heart of the city. - Meštrović Gallery (Meje)
The seaside villa and works of Croatia's greatest sculptor. - Mosor Mountain (Above Split)
A limestone ridge with hiking trails and huts above the city.
Things to Do
- Cathedral of St Domnius (Peristyle)
A cathedral built in the emperor's mausoleum with a climbable bell tower. - Riva Promenade (Waterfront)
The palm lined seafront where the whole city strolls. - Klis Fortress (Klis)
A clifftop fortress above the city with sweeping views. - Trogir (Trogir)
A tiny walled island town of Romanesque and Renaissance streets.
Nature and Outdoors
- Marjan Forest Park (Marjan hill)
Steps, viewpoints, chapels and swimming coves on the wooded hill west of town. - Bačvice Beach (Bačvice)
The shallow city beach where locals play the splashing game picigin. - Krka National Park (Near Šibenik)
Waterfalls and walkways along the Krka river. - Cetina Canyon (Omiš)
Rafting, canoeing and zip lines in a river gorge near Omiš.
Shopping and Markets
- Pazar Green Market (Outside the Silver Gate)
Fruit, vegetables, lavender and everyday goods sold just outside the palace walls. - Split Fish Market (Old Town)
The morning fish market, known locally as the Peškarija.
Restaurants
- Buffet Fife (Varoš)
A no frills canteen for pašticada, black risotto and grilled fish. - Zoi (Riva)
A restaurant set in the palace walls with a terrace over the Riva. - Konoba Matejuška (Varoš)
A small fish taverna near the fishermen's harbour.
Cafés
- D16 Coffee (Old Town)
A speciality coffee bar in a lane inside the palace.
Events
- Split Summer Festival (Old Town)
Opera, theatre and concerts in the palace and other old town venues.
Stays
- Hotel Vestibul Palace (Old Town)
A boutique hotel built into the palace walls.
Places to Visit in Hvar
Things to Do
- Fortica (Hvar Town)
The hilltop Spanish Fortress with the classic view over the harbour. - Vrboska (North coast)
A small harbour village with canals and stone bridges. - Velo Grablje (Inland Hvar)
A revived stone village and the home of Hvar's lavender festival. - Jelsa (North coast)
A friendly harbour town with a pine fringed promenade and small beaches.
Arts and Culture
- Hvar Arsenal and Theatre (Hvar Town)
A historic arsenal housing one of Europe's oldest public theatres. - Stari Grad Plain (Stari Grad)
Greek field patterns still farmed today, listed by UNESCO. - Tvrdalj Castle (Stari Grad)
A poet's fortified house with a fish pond and Renaissance inscriptions.
Nature and Outdoors
- Pakleni Islands (Off Hvar Town)
Pine covered islets and coves reached by taxi boat from the harbour. - Palmižana (Sveti Klement)
A bay with beach restaurants and a botanical garden on the Pakleni islands. - Dubovica Beach (South coast)
A pebble cove with clear water below a stone hamlet.
Bars and Nightlife
- Carpe Diem Beach (Stipanska, Pakleni islands)
A beach club on its own island for day and night parties in summer. - Hula Hula Beach Bar (Hvar Town)
A seaside bar famous for sunset drinks and music.
Restaurants
- Gariful (Hvar Town)
An upmarket seafood restaurant on the harbour. - Konoba Menego (Hvar Town)
A cosy tavern on the steps to the fortress serving Hvar dishes. - Konoba Humac (Humac)
Dinner by lantern light in an abandoned shepherds' village.
Stays
- Adriana Hvar Spa Hotel (Hvar Town)
A harbourfront hotel with a rooftop bar.
Shopping and Markets
- Lavender stalls (Hvar Town harbour)
Little sachets and oils of island lavender sold along the harbour.
Places to Visit in Dubrovnik
Things to Do
- Dubrovnik City Walls (Old Town)
A walk around complete medieval walls with views of roofs and sea. - Stradun (Old Town)
The polished limestone main street from the Pile Gate to the old port. - Fort Lovrijenac (Pile)
A fortress on its own rock with views back to the walls. - Dubrovnik Cable Car (Mount Srđ)
A quick ride to sweeping views over the old town and islands. - Walls of Ston (Ston)
Long medieval walls snaking over the hills of the Pelješac peninsula. - Lopud (Elaphite islands)
A car free island with a sandy bay at Šunj. - Cavtat (South of Dubrovnik)
A calm harbour town with a seafront promenade and woods to walk.
Arts and Culture
- Rector's Palace (Old Town)
The seat of the old Republic of Ragusa, now the Cultural History Museum. - Franciscan Monastery and Pharmacy (Old Town)
Cloisters and one of the oldest working pharmacies in Europe. - Homeland War Museum (Fort Imperial, Mount Srđ)
The story of the city's siege in the early 1990s.
Nature and Outdoors
- Lokrum Island (Off the old harbour)
A nature reserve of gardens, peacocks, rocky swims and a little salt lake. - Banje Beach (Ploče)
The city beach just outside the Ploče Gate with views of the walls. - Sveti Jakov Beach (Viktorija)
A quieter pebble beach below steps east of the old town. - Mljet National Park (Mljet)
Saltwater lakes and a monastery on an islet, reached by ferry.
Bars and Nightlife
- Buža Bar (Old Town)
Drinks on the rocks outside the walls, reached through a gap in the stone.
Restaurants
- Restaurant 360 (Old Town)
Fine dining on the walls above the old harbour. - Barba (Old Town)
A small street food spot known for octopus burgers. - Kapetanova kuća (Mali Ston)
Oysters and mussels from Ston bay in a seaside village.
Events
- Dubrovnik Summer Festival (Old Town)
Theatre and music in squares and forts each July and August. - Feast of St Blaise (Old Town)
The city's patron saint's day each February with processions.
Shopping and Markets
- Gundulić Square Market (Old Town)
A morning market of fruit, lavender and candied orange peel.
Stays
- Hotel Excelsior Dubrovnik (Ploče)
A seafront hotel facing the old town across the water.
Cafés
- Gradska kavana Arsenal (Old Town)
The old city café beside the harbour for coffee and views.
More to Explore
We are still checking these with fresh sources, so confirm opening times before you go.
- Restoran Pod Gričkim Topom (Upper Town, Zagreb)
Traditional cooking on a terrace below the Upper Town with views over the Lower Town. - Kavana Lav (Upper Town, Zagreb)
An easygoing café near Tkalčićeva for coffee and people watching. - Restaurant Lička kuća (Entrance 1, Plitvice Lakes)
A big wooden house restaurant serving Lika lamb, trout and peka near the gate. - Bistro Vila Velebita (Korenica, Plitvice Lakes)
Hearty Lika cooking in the nearest small town to the park. - Restaurant Degenija (Drežnik Grad, Plitvice Lakes)
A roadside favourite for grilled meats and Lika specialities north of the park. - Restaurant Poljana (Entrance 2, Plitvice Lakes)
A simple park run restaurant for grilled trout and lamb after a long walk. - Caffe Bar Cisterna (Old Town, Rovinj)
A simple café on a little square for an unhurried morning coffee. - Paradox Wine and Cheese Bar (City centre, Split)
A good place to taste Croatian wines with local cheeses. - Charlie's Bar (Old Town, Split)
A friendly, sociable bar popular with travellers. - Konoba Kokot (Dol, Hvar)
A family farm tavern where meat is slow cooked under the peka. - Tomić winery tasting room (Jelsa, Hvar)
Taste Hvar wines such as Plavac Mali and Bogdanjuša. - Lavender Festival (Velo Grablje, Hvar)
A village celebration of lavender in early summer. - Lady Pi-Pi (Old Town, Dubrovnik)
Grilled fish and meat on a terrace near the top of the walls.