30 Best Shopping in Croatia

Split is home to a marvelous array of open-air marketplaces selling all sorts of goods. Souvenir seekers beeline to the basements of Diocletian’s Palace, full of stands selling jewelry, wood carvings, and other creative artisan handicrafts. Don’t miss the expansive Pazar, also known as the City Marketplace or the Gradska tržnica, which sells everything from vegetables to clothes. The portion that stretches across Hrvojeva Street all along the eastern wall of Diocletian’s Palace is known as Hrvojeva Street Market. Split’s fish market (Ribarnica) on pedestrian Marmontova Street is also known as one of the best in the country.

Located right on Peristil, Croata carries a wide range of specially designed and beautifully handcrafted ties. You'll learn about the history of the tie (which was invented in Croatia), too, because this concept store doubles as a museum. It also sells scarves and shawls for women.

This bustling daily market is a super local and authentic place to buy Slavonian delicacies such as cottage cheese, bags of paprika and other spices, elderflower syrup, fresh produce, baked goods, and all manner of smoked meats, including the famous kulen. Around the periphery, there are clothing stalls and a couple of bakeries and cafés, too. The market is held daily from 7 am until around 3 pm.

A curated collection of designer home accessories from architect and interior designers Ana Visković and Bernard and Sara Domniku is sold in this petite-but-stylish boutique. It sits right below their design studio and offices, all of which offer locally made hand-crafted decorative pieces that double as wonderful take-home souvenirs.

Everything in this well-curated shop just outside the Ploče Gate is local, artisanal, and fun, from jewelry and clothing to cards, homeware, craft beer, and wine. There is also a small co-working space and a fully-stocked room for international grocery items that are hard to find elsewhere in town. Pop in for some shopping, or just hang out on the couch with a local Cogito-brand coffee and chat with the staff who are happy to share tips and help plan out your stay.

There are two open markets in Dubrovnik where you can get a wonderful glimpse into local life as well as pick up a few goodies. In the Old Town, the morning market in Gundulić Square brims with local delicacies such as dried figs, liqueurs, and candied fruit and almonds. Plan your visit for noon to see the local man who feeds the pigeons—it's quite the spectacle to see hundreds of pigeons flock to the square in anticipation. Across town at the Gruž Market, local people arrive every morning from around 6 am to pick up fresh produce, fish, and flowers; it's sometimes easy to forget that Dubrovnik is a living working city, but this market and the café-bars around it are an excellent reminder.

The Salvi family offers an intoxicating array of unique perfumes, sachets, bath gels, lotions, soaps, diffusers, cotton throws, silk wraps, and home fragrances under their Profumo di Rovigno brand. All products at their tiny store on the main shopping street are inspired by the flora and fauna in the hills around Rovinj, including wild sage, lavender, roses, lemon balm, and other herbals. All are beautifully packaged in elegant bottles and boxes, perfect to bring home as gifts or mementos of your trip.

Join locals at the Tržnica as they stock up on their daily fresh produce, locally sourced meats, fresh-caught fish, and domestic cheeses. Although open most of the day, it's best to experience the market like the locals do, early in the morning. A couple of highlights include the Jelenic charcuterie, which offers homemade traditional Istrian cured meats like cooked ham, prosciutto, and sausages, as well as Kumparicka Dairy, which produces unpasteurized, fresh, and aged (up to 30 months) goat cheeses.

Where the Venetians repaired their galleys in the 18th century is today a multipurpose cultural space that hosts art exhibitions and concerts, as well as a lounge bar, a restaurant, and a wineshop.

Founded in 1983, family-run Naranča (the word means "orange") is a design studio showcasing and selling work by local artists. Here you'll find everything from graphic art and paintings to books and small handicrafts.

Located in a renovated steam mill from 1911 and run by artist Daniel Asztalos, this quirky little ceramics shop sells lovely original items such as spice pots, beer mugs, wine glasses, and olive-oil bottles. Asztalos also offers pottery workshops if you want to create your own keepsake. Find it in the settlement of Suza on the road between Karanac and Batina.

This long-standing family-run shop is renowned for its five different types of traditional pastries, including delicious handmade cukarin biscuits and klašun. They use local ingredients such as rose brandy, lemon, orange zest, carob, and almonds, and there are several gluten-free options.

Founded in 2012,  the Deša Association seeks to employ women over 40, women with disabilities, and other socially excluded people by selling their homemade products online and out of this small shop in Lazareti. Items rotate regularly but typically include local delicacies, handicrafts, cosmetics, and textiles. 

This tastefully decorated shop near the Ploče Gate stocks a fine selection of regional Croatian wines and sweets, rakija, olive oil, and handmade jewelry, plus works of art by contemporary local artists on the upper two levels.

You'll find this lovely oasis of a shop just steps from the bustling Pile Gate. The jewelry is handmade by a local artist who uses quality sterling silver, coral, and semiprecious stones to turn traditional designs into beautiful modern pieces.

You needn't venture farther than the main square and surrounding narrow streets of Pag Town to find someone selling the famed Pag lace—whether an old lady or an equally enthusiastic child. Of course, you can also try Pag Town's very own Galerija paške čipke (call ahead to ensure it is open before visiting) or any local shops you will undoubtedly encounter near the main square.

Funky jewelry, colorful sculptures, and paintings with pop-art twists by more than 60 contemporary Croatian artists adorn the walls of this cavernous gallery inside the Sea Gate.

Original souvenirs based on Rovinj’s fishing heritage—including key chains, T-shirts, and replicas of its traditional vessel, the batana—can be bought at the House of Batana museum. Besides batana-inspired souvenirs, you can pick up a small recipe book with old, almost-forgotten recipes from Rovinj fishermen, also available in English.

Danijel Jaman, a Croatian academic painter, showcases his vibrant work in this art-gallery-cum-shop in the Old Town. His fun, often pop culture–inspired prints are available for purchase as phone cases, posters, and other little souvenirs or as full-size original paintings.

One of Croatia's most famous brands creates delicious treats that can appease even the sweetest sweet tooth. The company has been producing high-quality chocolate, wafers, cocoa, and other goodies since 1911. One of the most popular gifts to give in Croatia is a Kraš Bajadera, a chocolate box comprised of gold-wrapped nutty nougat.

This family art gallery was founded by sculptor Vladimir Bruketa, with more than 40 years of experience producing specific art objects using media such as ceramics, wood, and glass. The various sculptures, ceramics, and paintings are all produced by Croatian artists, including members of the Bruketa family.

This little treasure trove on the main thoroughfare through town is run by a charming brother and sister, Miro and Ivana, and is well-stocked with art, fabulous clothing, and jewelry from local and Croatian designers.

Find this little treasure trove tucked away in an old stone storage building on the promenade. Items come from all over Croatia but the majority are handmade in Southern Dalmatia. You'll find wine, liqueurs, their own candied almonds and arancini, plus items made with Brač stone, jewelry, artwork, and natural cosmetics. Between the lovely interior and the friendly owner Nives, this is a perfect place to pick up great quality, well-priced gifts and souvenirs.

The largest shopping center near Korčula Town is located up the hill, about a 15-minute walk from the main bus station. Inside you'll find a large Tommy supermarket and a couple of other shops, but the main reason to visit is the spacious terrace of the Kavana No. 1 restaurant. Come for a coffee or casual lunch and stay for one of the best views overlooking Korčula Town from above.

This wonderful gallery is a comprehensive collection of works by local artists, as well as locally designed lamps, ceramics, mirrors, and other souvenirs.

The streets of the Old Town are filled with women selling hand-stitched embroidery and needlecraft products created using traditional methods and materials. The best storefront is Bačan, which sells decorative fabric in a variety of sizes and designs, all inspired by traditional Croatian folk costumes. The store is run by a husband-and-wife team, with the wife handcrafting all the items sold in the store.

Located one street away from the Stradun in the Old Town, this "gastro and gift shop" is your best bet for stocking up on authentic Croatian souvenirs (they even have a certification to prove it). Items include local jams (look out for traditional fig and bitter orange flavors), honey, salt from Ston, olive oil, wine, and truffles. They also have a selection of artwork, ceramics, items made from white Brač stone, cosmetics, and lavender. 

In this stone cellar close to Bačvice Bay, you can taste Croatian regional wines, accompanied by savory appetizers, before purchasing bottles. It also offers truffle products, olive oils, and a range of artistically designed wooden boxes for packing.

Tourists visit the charming hilltop town of Grožnjan to enjoy its rustic beauty, arts and crafts, and music programs. There's enough tourism, in fact, to merit yet another outlet of the family-owned Zigante Tartufi chain. The shop sells locally unearthed truffles and everything truffle-related you can possibly imagine, as well as other local products from aromatic herb brandies to honey, dried porcini mushrooms, wine, and olive oil. The gourmet boutique is near the town's loggia. Just follow your nose.

This mall right at the seafront is the favorite shopping destination of Rijeka residents. Shops include fashion brands like Benetton, H&M, and S'Oliver; Lush and L'Occitane cosmetics; and sport store Hervis.