223 Best Sights in Croatia

Krk Town

Fodor's choice

In terms of its importance and the pride of the 4,000 locals, the island's capital could perhaps even be called a city. It's not completely clear when the old city walls were first built, but the oldest mention of the walls dates back to the 1st century BC. The present-day walls, however, date mainly to the Middle Ages and have four gates. The seafront has a pleasant green area that takes you past cafés and a fish market, while the main square, Vela Placa, sits just behind the first row of houses. There's a beach underneath the town walls with a lovely view of the town.

The old town hall on Vela Placa was built in the 15th century. Its clock shows all 24 hours: daytime on the upper part, nighttime on the lower. Krk Town has two well-known visual anchors. The first is the imposing citadel that sits on Trg Kamplin. The bell tower of St. Quirinus is the other, with its angular onion dome typical of Krk.

Krka National Park

Fodor's choice

A series of seven waterfalls are the main attraction here, the most spectacular being Skradinski buk, where 17 cascades of water fall 40 meters (131 feet) into an emerald-green pool. Moving upriver, a trail of wooden walkways and bridges crisscrosses its way through the woods and along the river to the Roški slap (waterfall), passing by the tiny island of Visovac, home to a Franciscan monastery that can be visited by boat. On the islet, there is also an old mill with a museum that demonstrates the different ways the mill was used centuries ago. From here, it's easier to understand how the power of these waters inspired Nikola Tesla, whose boyhood home is not far from the national park. In 1895 the first hydroelectric plant became operational here, only two days after Tesla’s hydroelectric plant on Niagara Falls. This made the residents of Skradin the first Eastern European citizens to have electricity.

More than 860 species of plant life have been identified throughout the park, and more than 200 bird species live there, making it one of Europe's most valuable ornithological areas. Something many visitors miss is a hawk training center, where you can observe birds of prey being trained by ornithological experts. For bird enthusiasts there is also the Guduća Nature Reserve, where various species are closely studied and can be observed from boats. The Krka National Park office is located in Šibenik. For more active travelers, there is a 8½-km (5-mile) hiking trail, going Sitnice–Roški slap–Oziđana Cave, that takes about 2½ hours and has educational panels along the way explaining plant and animal life, geological phenomena, and historic sites.

Of the five entrances into the park, the easiest and most impressive route of arrival is to drive from Šibenik to the town of Skradin, then take a 25-minute boat ride up the Krka River on a national park ferry (included in the price of entry). The ferry will bring you to the park entrance close to the Skradinski buk waterfall, and from there you can get off and take a walk along the wooden bridges and explore the park further.  Note that swimming is not allowed in the park. There are several restaurants and snack bars, plus wooden tables and benches for picnics. For a full meal, your best bet is to return to Skradin, a town that dates back to Roman times and is well worth a look.

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Labin

Fodor's choice

Perched in all its compact medieval redolence atop a hill a short drive or walk from the sea, Labin is Croatia's former coal-mining capital and the birthplace of Matthias Flacius Illyricus, a Reformation-era collaborator of Martin Luther. Its narrow historic streets are well deserving of a good walk—followed, if time allows, by a dip in the sea in Rabac. From Labin's endearing main square lined with cafés and boutiques to its 16th-century loggia and bastion, it's an easy stroll to Šetalište San Marco, a fountain-filled promenade with spectacular views of the sea. Walk to the end and take a sharp left up the steep cobblestone road to the onetime fortress, Fortica. At the top, you will enjoy sweeping panoramic views of Ucka Mountain, Cres and Losinj islands, Rabac, and the sea. As you go down the other side of the hill toward the main square, you will pass the Crkva Rođenja Blažene Djevice Marije (Church of the Birth of the Virgin Mary). With a facade featuring a 14th-century rose window and a 17th-century Venetian lion you will encounter elsewhere in Istria, the church is a mix of architectural styles dating back to a late 16th-century renovation, though its foundations may date to the 11th century. Working art studios, souvenir shops, museums, and galleries are dotted throughout Old Town Labin. The Labin Art Republika hosts art openings, live musical concerts, and an outdoor documentary film festival in July and August.

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Lokrum Island

Fodor's choice

Some of Dubrovnik's most natural and peaceful beaches can be found on Lokrum, the island just off Dubrovnik's Old Town. It's a wonderful place to spend a day spotting peacocks (a Hapsburg legacy), feeding wild rabbits, or just enjoying the fresh air among the pines.

Tiny Lokrum has swirled with legend and mystery ever since Richard the Lionheart was supposedly cast ashore there in 1191 upon returning from the Crusades. The story goes that when the Benedictine monks who owned the island at the time were expelled to make room for aristocrats in the 19th century, they left behind a curse on any future owners of the land, including Hapsburg Emperor Maximilian I, who was executed in Mexico just eight years after he turned the monastery into his summer residence. To this day, it is considered bad luck to stay overnight on the island, though many a pair of romantics have tried.

Lush and fertile, Lokrum is home to the ruins of the abandoned 11th-century monastery, which is set among exotic botanical gardens. At the top of the island is a star-shaped fortress built by Napoléon's troops during French occupation and later used by the Austrian army. Footpaths leads down to the rocky shoreline, past the "dead sea" lake, where there are cliffs to jump from, coves to bathe in, and a small stretch of coast reserved for nudists. You can also visit a small Game of Thrones museum with the original Iron Throne (Lokrum was one of many filming locations around town).

To reach Lokrum, take a taxi-boat from the Old Port (€7); tickets can be purchased at the tourist information center beneath the Bell Tower on the Stradun. Boats run every half hour from April through November, and the ride takes approximately 15 minutes.

Lošinj Marine Education Centre/Blue World Institute

Fodor's choice

A community of around 180 bottlenose dolphins makes its home just off the coast of Lošinj, and the nonprofit Lošinj Marine Education Centre has made it its mission to protect the marine environment of the Adriatic Sea. The center has a few engaging displays that use various media forms that invite visitors to take a deeper look at the amazing blue world surrounding the island. You can even "adopt" your own dolphin; you can't take it home with you, of course, but for €35 you'll receive an adoption certificate, a photo of your adopted dolphin, membership for a year, and, of course, that warm fuzzy feeling of doing something good for the world.

Love Stories Museum

Fodor's choice

A counterpart to the Museum of Broken Relationships in Zagreb—except with happier endings—this delightful museum a short walk outside the Pile Gate is a simple life-affirming celebration of romance spread over four floors. Each room has a different theme, from Croatia-specific tales and local lore to celebrity love stories to an exhibit about the movies and series filmed in Dubrovnik (yes, Game of Thrones is represented). The top floors are perhaps the most moving, with items sent in from real people and notes scribbled on heart-shaped Post-its tacked all over the "love wall." 

Lovran

Fodor's choice

Just 5 km (3 miles) southwest of Opatija, the lovely town of Lovran is home to good swimming coves, Habsburg villas, and paths up to Mt. Učka Nature Park. Massive chestnut trees dot the medieval town, giving shady relief from the sun on long summer days. If the crowds of Opatija leave you no place for peace and quiet, walk along the Lungomare through Ičići and Ika (or take Bus No. 32) to Lovran, where you can take in the sea air that lured Austrian royalty to winter here. If you find yourself on the Opatija Riviera in October, don't miss Lovran's Marunada (Chestnut Festival). 

Lubenice

Fodor's choice

One of the most tempting beaches on the island is on the western coast of Cres at the foot of a steep cliff, at the top of which is the tiny village of Lubenice, which offers great views out to sea and up the western coast. This picturesque collection of houses that surrounds the 15th-century Church of St. Anthony the Hermit has been clinging to its outcrop for around 4,000 years. The hamlet is popular among artsy types and hosts exhibitions and music performances in the summer. From the beach below, a short walk through vineyards will bring you to Žanja Cove, which has a blue grotto, a cave at water level that fills with brilliant blue light as strong sunlight filters through the azure water.

Lungomare

Fodor's choice

If you enjoy walking by the sea, set off along the magnificent paved waterfront Lungomare. Built in 1889, this 12-km (7½-mile) path leads from the fishing village of Volosko through Opatija—passing in front of old hotels, parks, and gardens and around yacht basins—all the way past the villages of Ičići and Ika to Lovran. In the middle you'll find the popular town beach that fronts the center of Opatija. Close to many cafés, ice cream shops, and other essentials, the beach also has a couple of protected sections of water for safe swimming.

Meštrović Gallery

Meje Fodor's choice

A 25-minute walk from the Riva, this must-see gallery dedicated to Ivan Meštrović (1883–1962), one of Europe's greatest 20th-century sculptors, is in a tranquil location overlooking the sea and surrounded by extensive gardens. Meštrović originally designed this building as his summer residence during the 1920s and '30s. Some 200 of his sculptural works in wood, marble, stone, and bronze are on display, both indoors and out. The gallery features an open-air café that is frequented by families and children during the day and young locals in the evening. It's a great place to escape the crowded city streets and enjoy a refreshing drink surrounded by a stunning collection of the master's work.

Šetalište Ivana Meštrovicá 46, Split, Splitsko-Dalmatinska, 21000, Croatia
021-340–800
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Rate Includes: €12, includes entrance to Crikvine-Kaštilac, Closed Mon.

Mila Gojsalić Statue

Fodor's choice

Located at a stunning viewpoint, this statue by Ivan Meštrović honors legendary 16th-century heroine Mila Gojsalić, born in Poljice at a time when Croatia faced Ottoman attacks. Myth says she seduced an Ottoman general and then set fire to his camp after he fell asleep. Per legend, she perished in the fire or evaded capture by jumping to her death from the cliffside where the statue now stands. The site, a still relatively well-kept secret, offers awe-inspiring views of the town and the mouth of the Cetina River. It's an eight-minute drive north from Omiš center via an uphill road with four hairpin turns; going by car is safer than the 80-minute hike up the road. Parking is limited.

Mjesto Sjećanja–Vukovar Bolnica

Fodor's choice

You'll want to bring a steady set of nerves to this site. During the siege of Vukovar, the top four floors of the hospital were destroyed by consistent bombing, despite being designated as an official safe zone. Staff continued to work in the basement and bomb shelter, helping civilians and soldiers, operating even without running water. After Vukovar fell in 1991, and despite an agreement that the hospital would be safely evacuated, more than 200 people were removed from the hospital by a Serbian militia and brought to Ovčara farm, where they were beaten, tortured, and eventually executed. Others were sent to prisons or refugee camps. Today, the hospital is back in operation while the areas used during that period have been converted into a chilling multimedia museum/memorial. The entrance to the memorial is marked by a giant red cross flag full of holes.

Mljet National Park

Fodor's choice

Most people come to Mljet to visit the peaceful national park that covers the entire western part of the island and encompasses the towns of Pomena and Polače. It has miles of dense pine forests, shady biking and walking trails, and two interconnected bright-blue saltwater lakes, Malo jezero (Little Lake) and Veliko jezero (Big Lake). The Benedictine monks who owned the island from 1191 to 1410 dug a transport channel to the coast through the lakes, which turned them from freshwater to saltwater. In the middle of Veliko Jezero is the Isle of St. Mary, with its charming 12th-century monastery, now a small restaurant. You can reach the Isle of St. Mary by boat or kayak from the small bridge, Mali Most. Mountain bikes are also available to rent at Mali Most or from Hotel Odisej in Pomena. The section of the park that includes the lakes and the monastery is ticketed; park entrances are within walking distance from the ports in Polače or Pomena. Malo jezero is a short walk from the entrance in Pomena.

Pristanište 2, Govedari, Dubrovacko-Neretvanska, 20225, Croatia
020-744–041
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Rate Includes: June–Sept. €25; Oct.–Dec., €15; Jan.–May €9 (includes entrance to the park and boat trip to Isle of St. Mary)

Modra Špilja

Fodor's choice

At this popular sight hidden away on the islet of Biševo (5 nautical miles southwest of Komiža), sunlight enters through the water, reflects off the seabed, and casts the interior in a fantastic shade of blue. The Blue Cave is 24 meters (78 feet) long and 12 meters (39 feet) wide, and throughout the summer, local fishermen and tour agencies take tourists—some of whom come from Split and Hvar by speedboat—into the caverns. It can be a long wait in summer when a line of small boats is waiting to enter the cave. Ask at the marina or the tourist information office ( www.tz-komiza.hr/home-eng) to see who is offering trips. Sometimes, small boat operators will wait at the entrance of the cave for visitors arriving by sailboat and yacht (which are too large to enter the cave).

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Biševo island, Splitsko-Dalmatinska, Croatia
021-713--849-Komiža Center for Nautical Tourism
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Rate Includes: Entry to cave is €19 late June--mid-Sept.; €12 Apr.--late June and mid-Sept.--late Oct.; price does not include dock if you\'re sailing

Mt. Učka Nature Park

Fodor's choice

From gentle hiking to mountain biking, climbing, and paragliding, all are available in the 160 square km (62 square miles) of Mt. Učka Nature Park, a series of peaks that help shelter the Liburnia Riviera (the official name for the stretch of coast centered on Opatija) and the islands from weather systems to the north. Hiking trails leading toward the summit of the Učka range start from all the resorts along the coast. A climb up to the fine stone lookout tower at the summit of the highest peak, Vojak (4,596 feet), can be well worth it, but it is not for the faint of heart nor inexperienced, out-of-shape hiking enthusiasts. On a clear day, the view offers a distant tour of the islands of Kvarner Bay, the Italian Alps, and perhaps even an indistinct view of Venice. Most routes up to the heights lead through the forest so that you can trek in summer without overheating. Along the way, you'll find natural springs to quench your thirst, ponds, tumbling waterfalls (in the wetter months), impressive natural stone columns, and several hundred caves. The local inhabitants include deer, wild boar, and bears in the park's northernmost sections. Humans have also been living in these hills for centuries, rearing cattle, farming, and working the forest; you'll come across numerous tiny villages and historical sites if you roam far enough. If you're running short on time, many mountain-biking tracks throughout the park offer the chance to expand your lungs on the way up and test your nerve rattling back down to the coast. There is also the possibility to drive to the top and take in the views from the stone tower. There is an information point with maps and souvenirs on the road leading to the summit called Poklon. At Poklon, hikers will find two great restaurants with accommodation and a mountain-hiking hut that sleeps 18. There's also a modern educational center.

Museum of Apoxyomenos

Fodor's choice

This is an entire museum dedicated to telling the amazing story of a single ancient artifact found on the bottom of the sea near Mali Losinj in 1996. After six years of restoration, the bronze statue, which is presumed to date back to the 1st or 2nd century BC, is an awesome piece of Greek work that is displayed in an artistic and mesmerizing way, making a remarkable impression of what may have happened when the statue fell into the ocean thousands of years ago (but also about the process of its restoration). The building itself is reason enough to buy a ticket and enjoy a guided tour (offered twice-daily at noon and 5 pm).

Muzej Grada Iloka

Fodor's choice

This impressive collection takes you through the ages of Ilok, from the Ottoman era to the Austrian Empire, the wars of the 20th century, right up to a modern art gallery. There are particularly interesting exhibits on the region's Jewish population pre-1945, relics from a 19th-century pharmacy, and an ethnological section on the top floor focusing on Ilok's large Slovak population. The museum is housed in the Odescalchi Castle, an imposing fortified structure overlooking the Danube, which was built on the foundations of the 15th-century castle of Nicholas of Ilok. Legend says that Suleiman the Magnificent once slept in this castle. The rooms themselves are exquisitely designed with period pieces and mood music in keeping with their original function, such as the hunting room and the drawing room.

Šetalište Oca Mladena Barbarića 5, Ilok, Vukovarsko-Srijemska, 32236, Croatia
032-827–410
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Rate Includes: €6, Closed Sun. and Mon.

Muzej Grada Rijeke

Fodor's choice

In a cube-shaped building on the grounds of the Governor's Palace, the museum has more than a dozen different permanent collections that capture the history of the city and the people who have left an indelible mark on it. The collections range from music to visual art and postage stamps, as well as cultural and scientific displays representative of the heritage of this historic port city. One of the most interesting is the Rijeka Torpedo Exhibit, the first of its kind in the world.

Narodni Trg (Market Square)

Fodor's choice

For a lively and aromatic atmosphere in which to have a shot of espresso, buy a banana, or just wander about gazing at food stands, check out Pula's market square, Narodni trg. The Tržnica (City Market) sits in the center of the square. On one side of the stately two-story market building—whose iron-and-glass construction was state-of-the-art when it opened to great fanfare in 1903—you'll find outdoor fruit and vegetable stands on stone tables under red umbrellas and, on the other side, cafés and small boutiques. Inside the Tržnica itself you will find the fish market (downstairs), meat and poultry butchers, bakeries, cheesemongers, fresh pasta, and several fast-food eateries (second floor).

Odysseus Cave

Fodor's choice

There are idyllic swimming spots all around Mljet, but the village of Babino Polje in the center of the island is home to the most magical of all. Greek legend has it that when the hero Odysseus was shipwrecked off the island known as Ogygia, he swam into a cave where he was met by a nymph called Calypso; he was so bewitched that he stayed with her for the next seven years. The cave is tricky to reach so there are never any crowds, which adds to its mystique.

You can get there directly by boat or, if you're traveling by road, park at the Tommy market in Babino Polje and follow the signs through the olive groves on foot. The walk takes around an hour and includes a steep downhill section and uneven rocks, so make sure to wear decent shoes and bring water. Once you arrive, you can jump off the rocks and swim through a short tunnel into the cave; aim to arrive around noon, when the sun is high and the water is aquamarine. There is a makeshift café perched on the rocks above the cave; there may or may not be someone working there, but it makes a great place to stop for a break.

Paklenica National Park

Fodor's choice

The Velebit Mountains stretch along the Croatian coast for more than 100 km (62 miles), but nowhere do they pack in as much to see and do as in this relatively small, 96-square-km (37-square-mile) park at the southern terminus of the range. Here, less than an hour from Zadar is a wealth of extraordinary karst features—from fissures, crooks, and cliffs to pits and caves. The park comprises two limestone gorges, Velika Paklenica (which ends near the sea, at the park entrance in Starigrad) and Mala Paklenica, a few kilometers to the south; trails through the former gorge are better marked (and more tourist-trodden).

All that dry rockiness visible from the seaward side of the range turns resplendently green as you cross over the mountains to the landward side. Named after the sap of the black pine, paklina, which was used long ago to prime boats, the park is two-thirds forest, with beech and the indigenous black pine forming a crucial part of this picture; the remaining vegetation includes cliff-bound habitats featuring several types of bluebells and rocky areas abounding in sage and heather. The park is also home to 4,000 species of fauna, including butterflies that have long vanished elsewhere in Europe. It is also Croatia's only mainland nesting ground for the stately griffin vulture.

The park has more than 150 km (94 miles) of trails, from relatively easy ones leading from Velika Paklenica (from the entrance in Starigrad) to the 1,640-foot-long complex of caverns called Manita peć, to mountain huts situated strategically along the way to the Velebit's highest peaks, Vaganski vrh (5,768 feet) and Sveto brdo (5,751 feet). The most prominent of the park's immense and spectacular caves, Manita peć is accessible on foot from the park entrance in Starigrad; you can enter for €10, but remember to buy your ticket at the park entrance. Rock climbing is also a popular activity in the park. Meanwhile, mills and mountain villages scattered throughout Paklenica evoke the life of mountain folk from the not-too-distant past.

About a half mile down the park access road in Starigrad, you pass through the mostly abandoned hamlet of Marasovići, from which it's a few hundred yards more downhill to the small building where you buy your tickets and enter the park (from this point on, only on foot). From here, it's 45 minutes uphill to a side path to Anića kuk, a craggy peak, and from there it's not far to Manita peć. However, if you don't have the time or inclination for a substantial hike into the mountains, you will be happy to know that even the 45-minute walk to the entrance gate and back from the main road affords spectacular close-up views of the Velebit range's craggy ridgeline and the gorge entrance. Also, be forewarned that if you are looking to escape the crowds, you will be hard-pressed to do so here in midsummer unless you head well into the mountains or, perhaps, opt for the park's less frequented entrance at Mala Paklenica; more likely than not, you will be sharing the sublimities of nature with thousands of other seaside revelers taking a brief respite from the coast.

A further point of interest at the park is the Bunkers, an intricate system of underground shelters built by Marshal Tito in the early 1950s. With relations between Yugoslavia and the USSR then at their worst, Tito used the geographical benefits of the gorges to build a bomb shelter. All the work was done in complete secrecy, and very few people knew of the Bunkers. After Stalin's death, they were closed down and only reopened in 1991.

Although the park headquarters is on the main coastal road in the middle of Starigrad, fees are payable when you enter the park on the access road. Beyond the basic park admission and the supplemental fee to enter Manita peć, the park offers every possible service and presentation that might encourage you to part with your euros, from half-day group tours to presentations and more.

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Rabac

Fodor's choice

With its beautiful aqua-blue bay and splendid natural surroundings down rocky cliffs that call to mind the Amalfi Coast, the seaside resort town of Rabac has transformed from a quiet 17th-century fishing village into one of the most popular tourist destinations in Istria. Perfectly situated just below Old Town Labin and equidistant from Opatija and Pula, Rabac offers an endless number of white pebble beaches and untouched nature ideal for hiking, biking, kayaking, windsurfing, fishing, diving, and snorkeling. Many hotels, resorts, boutique hotels, villas, apartments, and campgrounds host international tourists looking for family-friendly holiday experiences. Yet, despite its growing popularity, Rabac still manages to transmit the same casual coastal charm and welcoming spirit of the 17th-century village it once was. A bonus is having the medieval hilltop town of Labin just 10 minutes up the road, where its numerous chic restaurants, live music programs, art galleries, and historical sites further enrich your holiday.

Red History Museum

Fodor's choice

Located in an industrial factory in Gruž, the Red History Museum tells the story of the rise and fall of communism in Croatia. Founded by a young group of entrepreneurs in 2019, among them a designer, a historian, and a couple who worked on film sets, it is a fun and fresh museum designed to be touched and explored. Taking a steadfastly neutral approach, the exhibits focus largely on everyday life under communism, from the clothing of the era to kitchen sets to sex education, with historical information weaved effortlessly throughout the colorful displays.

Risnjak National Park

Fodor's choice

Risnjak is a popular destination year-round. In winter you'll find a healthy contingent of snow aficionados desperately trying to avoid a trip up to Austria to sample the real thing. In summer, however, as the sun and the tourists beat down upon the coast, this is perhaps the best place to be. The cool mountain air—the average temperature in the region in July is around 16°C (60°F)—is a bonus to Risnjak's virtually unpopulated landscape.

You'll be free to commune with the locals, which include deer, bear, wildcat, and lynx (ris), from which the park takes its name. Geologic and botanical features are occasionally explained by English-language information points over which you may stumble on one of the more popular walking routes. Marked trails can occupy you for an hour's evening stroll to a full seven-day trek on the monstrous Rijeka Mountain Transversal from one side of Gorski Kotar to the other. Hiking huts are strung across the peaks to accommodate such ambitious expeditions. More information regarding these multiday hiking trips is available from the Croatian Mountaineering Association.

The park information office is in the village of Crni Lug, at the eastern entrance to the park. Near the park entrance is a guesthouse and restaurant, Pension NP Risnjak, open year-round. You can easily explore the gentler trails from either Rijeka or Delnice on day trips. Paths from the villages of Razloge and Kupari lead up to the source of the wild Kupa River, which can then be followed down the slopes through the "Valley of the Butterflies." 

Sea Organ

Fodor's choice

Comprising 35 pipes under the quay stretching along a 230-foot stretch of Zadar's atmospheric Riva promenade, the Sea Organ yields a never-ending concert that delights one and all. Designed by architect Nikola Bašić with the help of other experts, the organ's sound resembles a whale song, but it is, in fact, the sea itself. It's hard not to be in awe as the sound of the sea undulates in rhythm and volume with the waves.

Solana Ston

Fodor's choice

There are records of salt being collected by Romans in this area dating back to 167 B.C, but it was the Republic of Dubrovnik that fully recognized the economic potential of the salt pans. In 1333, they founded the towns of Ston and Mali Ston and built a fortified wall to protect them. Eventually sea salt became the Republic's most valuable product, generating a third of its wealth. You can tour the massive salt pans—the oldest in Europe—to learn about the ancient collecting process, still in use today: the pans fill with seawater, which evaporates in the sun, and the salt that remains is shoveled out. If the salt pans are closed when you arrive, ask at Vila Koruna restaurant in Mali Ston (whose owners also operate the salt pans) about organizing a tour. You can buy small souvenir bags of sea salt around Mali Ston, which make an excellent culinary gift from the region.

Spomen Dom Ovčara

Fodor's choice

On November 20–21, 1991, more than 200 soldiers and civilians were brought from the hospital to this former agricultural hangar, 4 km (2½ miles) outside the city and surrounded by fields of crops, by a Serbian militia. They were beaten, tortured, and eventually executed at another site 1 km (½ mile) away. The mass grave was exhumed in 1996, and 194 bodies were identified; among the dead were men ranging from 16 to 77 years old, one woman, a prominent radio journalist, and a French volunteer. Ovčara Memorial is a somber powerful site; it respectfully pays homage to the victims as well as conveys the horror that took place here. To get to the site, follow signs along the road to Ilok for 6 km (4 miles) past the Memorial Cemetery of Homeland War Victims, the largest mass grave in Europe since World War II—eventually turning right and driving another 4 km (2½ miles) down a country road.

Stara Baška

Fodor's choice

If you're looking for a more secluded spot, head to this town that sits just above the beaches that trim a wide cove and peninsula. The road here is a single track through the tiny village, so you may find yourself performing intricate maneuvers in your car should you be unlucky enough to meet the water truck that keeps the village's houses supplied. Unless you arrive by boat, it is best to park in the first empty spot you see and walk into town or down the hill to the beach.

Stari Grad

Fodor's choice

As its name suggests, Stari Grad, or Old Town, is among Europe's first towns. Founded in the 4th century BC, this is the site of the original Greek settlement on Hvar, then known as Pharos. While much of the attraction in Stari Grad focuses on its ancient history, the city is still very much alive, especially during the summer. It features a beautiful walkable riviera and forest path, as well as a number of cultural attractions, such as the 15th-century Dominican Monastery of St. Peter the Martyr. The town is about 23 km (14 miles) east of Hvar Town.

Stari Podrum

Fodor's choice

A wine cellar, restaurant, hotel, and history lesson all rolled into one, Stari Podrum is the old cellar of one of Croatia's most renowned wineries, Iločki Podrumi, and a must-visit when in Ilok (even if you're not into drinking wine). The Odescalchi family began producing high-class wines here in the 18th century, including the celebrated Traminac varietal, which was served at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. A private tour will take you through the atmospheric cellars, past Slavonian oak barrels to the prestigious archive wines and old bottles, full of dust and cobwebs, that were hidden behind a wall for protection during the Homeland War. You can organize a tour and tasting for around €10. The on-site restaurant serves delicious Slavonian dishes, including melt-in-your-mouth black pork dishes; you can eat inside surrounded by traditional embroidery and heavy wooden furniture or outdoors in the sunny central courtyard. Accommodations can also be arranged in one of 18 spacious and comfortable on-site rooms.