223 Best Sights in Croatia

A series of interconnected medieval buildings located just outside the Ploče Gate, these were the original quarantine stations where traders had to spend 40 days (quaranta giorni in Italian, hence the word "quarantine") before they could enter Dubrovnik to ensure they didn't bring any diseases with them. Because the Republic was involved in so much trade with other countries, they were always at risk of catching serious diseases, such as the plague or cholera, which were killing thousands of people across Europe and Asia at the time. In 1377, the first quarantine stations were built on remote Dalmatian islands (first fully outdoors, then in small wooden stations so they could be burned easily if disease was detected). In 1647, construction was completed on the lazarettos, which were strategically located on the road that led to Dubrovnik from the south and right next to the main port. The quarantine requirement was finally abolished in 1872. Lazareti is now a sleepy area that's home to a couple of restaurants, art galleries, and shops.

The Limski kanal is a 13-km-long (8-mile-long) karst canyon, whose emerald-green waters are flanked by forested valley walls that rise gradually to more than 300 feet inland. The canyon was formed in the last Ice Age, and it is Istria's most fertile breeding area for mussels and oysters—hence, you'll find the excellent Viking seafood restaurant on-site. Tours are available from both Poreč and Rovinj, with various agencies and independent operators whose stands and boats are impossible to miss. A reservation a day or two in advance can't hurt, though, particularly in midsummer. Expect to pay approximately €25 for the four-hour tour or €50 for a daylong tour that includes a "fish picnic." You can also visit the canal on your own by car. And hiking enthusiasts can take a trail to the Romualdova Cave, which is open daily from June to September.

As you round the bend onto Lopud by sea, the first thing you'll notice is the imposing Franciscan monastery on the tip of the island. Dating back to 1483, it was abandoned and remained empty for 200 years before being rescued by Francesca Thyssen-Bornemisza, creator of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary Foundation (TBA21). After a meticulous 20-year refurbishment, the property has been converted into a luxury villa and private art gallery. It manages to retain the contemplative atmosphere of the monastery, with an infusion of furniture and art—everything from the Old Masters to modern photography—from the Thyssen-Bornemisza family's private collection, which at one point was second only to the collection of the Queen of England. The entire property, which sleeps 10 people, can be rented; if €10,000 per night is a bit out of budget, tours of the monastery can be arranged when the villa is not otherwise occupied.

This sandy beach sits in a cove on Brač's northern coast, offering a more low-key alternative to Zlatni rat that's worth a visit for its clear waters and views of the Dinaric Alps on the mainland. Crickets chirp from the surrounding pines, which also offer shade from the sun. Above the beach are ruins from the 5th-century Basilica of St. Lawrence, which pilgrims visit on August 10, the saint's feast day. The beach is a 10-minute drive (about an hour walk) east of Postira following the main road, which turns to dirt for the last few miles.  Amenities: food and drink; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; solitude; swimming; walking.

With 8,000 inhabitants sheltered around an inlet, Mali Lošinj is the largest island settlement in the Adriatic. In the 19th century, Mali and Veli Lošinj experienced a golden age when many wealthy sea captains lived on the island. Brightening the waterfront, the mansions and villas they constructed contributed greatly to the town's appeal. There are a handful of churches to wander into and take in the sense of history and time that has been well preserved by the island's faithful. The 15th-century St. Martin's Church was the original centerpiece around which the town was built but is now a bit decrepit, though its ominous presence with a tall square tower and pointed top are hard to miss. At the base of the tower is a cemetery where the history of the town's past residents is collected. If you wish to dig a bit deeper, the Church of Our Little Lady (aka Church of the Nativity of Our Lord) houses many fine examples of religious art.

Above the aquarium, located on the first and second floors of St. John's Fortress, this museum's exhibits illustrate how rich and powerful Dubrovnik became one of the world's most important seafaring cities. On display are intricately detailed models of ships as well as engine-room equipment, sailors' uniforms, paintings, and maps.

Situated on a 3½-km-long (2-mile-long) peninsula covered with pine trees and Mediterranean shrubs, 178-meter (584-foot) Marjan Hill has been a protected nature park since 1964. It's known as the "lungs of the city" because of all its greenery and the fact that locals flock to it on weekends as a nearby recreational area. Stunning views await at the top, with rocky beach areas circling the peninsula. Paths crisscrossing the grounds are suitable for biking and jogging. Eight small churches also dot Marjan Hill, including St. Jerome (sv. Jeronim), which was built in the 15th century into a rock face and includes Renaissance-style stone reliefs on the walls. Beaches on Marjan are more relaxed and offer shade, but there is limited access for cars, which helps preserve the wilderness of the park. Bike rentals and water sports are available.

With vineyards in the northeast, Matošević Winery welcomes visitors for a tour and tasting at their top-notch cellars in Krunčići, near Sveti Lovreč, a village not far from Rovinj. Their Malvazijas Rubina and Alba bear international renown and are served at many Michelin-starred restaurants.

The peaceful St. Rocco Cemetery sits atop the highest point of the peninsula overlooking the city and surrounding area. Its centerpiece is the mausoleum, sculpted from white Brač stone by beloved Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović for the Račić family in 1921. It is octagonal in plan, and the main entrance is guarded by two art nouveau caryatids.

After a few days of dipping your toes in the water and basking in the sun, you might be itching for a diversionary outing. The Miomirisni otočki vrt is a pleasant place to spend the afternoon—rain or shine—sitting on the terrace admiring the sea of lavender on the hilltop. A donkey, a rabbit, and a small sheep delight visitors, especially children. A small shop in a wooden building sells organic products like soaps, marmalades, and, of course, lavender oil.

Many of Croatia's islands like to emphasize their serenity, but only one island gets the status of a true hermit heaven. Fewer than 200 people live on magnificent Molat, a verdant island covered in maquis and pine and a tranquil place that has fought for its survival over the centuries and lived to tell the tale. There isn't much to do on the island itself, but that is the point; this is an island for those searching for space and peace. One ferry heads this way daily from Zadar (sometimes two in summer, but there is no concrete schedule), with the journey taking an hour or so. Tickets are €3.50 in high season for foot passengers.

A family boutique winery in the northeast corner of the peninsula between Buje and Umag, Coronica produces some of Croatia's most delicious wines. A highlight is their Malvazija, a white grape native to Istria best enjoyed served with fish and seafood. The Gran Teran, a local variety of red wine, has been a gold medal winner at international wine competitions for many years.  

Once a year, artists from around the world come to the ancient town of Vodnjan for the Boombarstick and Street Art Festival. They leave behind old stone walls and historic buildings covered with intriguing murals and creative graffiti designs. Art-loving travelers will enjoy wandering the tiny streets of Vodnjan on the hunt for the more than 45 painted murals.

However you go to Murter, you'll pass through Biograd-Na-Moru, a relatively big, bustling—but thoroughly tourist-trampled—town, where the resorts have long come to dominate what was once a charming place; Biograd-Na-Moru also serves as another access point for ferries to the Kornati Islands.

Murter, a town of 2,000 on the island of the same name that lies just off the mainland, is accessible by road from the main coastal route that runs south from Zadar toward Split. As important as tourism is to its present-day economy, boatbuilding has, not surprisingly, long been vital to Murter as well. This is not to mention its olive oil, which was once so famous that it made its way to the imperial table in Vienna.

Occupying the 19th-century Cosmacendi Palace on the edge of the Old Town, this museum displays one of the world's finest collections of Roman glassware outside Italy, with a vast array of ancient pieces unearthed from archaeological sites across Dalmatia. Highlights include the delicate vessels used by Roman ladies to store their perfumes, skin creams, essential oils, and sacred goblets used to celebrate Mass.

One of the oldest Croatian museums houses more than 20,000 Croatian archaeological artifacts, only a quarter of which are regularly on display. Among the most interesting exhibits are fine stone carvings decorated with traditional plaitwork designs. In the garden are several stećci, medieval monolithic tombstones. The museum also conducts archaeological excavations in the southern Croatian regions between the Cetina and Zrmanja rivers and has a large collection of cultural and historical guidebooks on early medieval monuments in Croatia.

One of the 18th-century mansions along Europska Avenija, formerly belonging to a prominent attorney, is now the home of the Museum of Fine Arts. It focuses on Croatian and Slavonian artists with a permanent collection of paintings, sculptures, and graphic arts. It is well worth a visit, particularly to check out the temporary exhibitions on the ground floor.

Nin's shallow coast and centuries of sand deposits preserved numerous remains from prehistory to the Middle Ages under the sea. The Archaeological Museum has a rich collection for a town of this size, including replicas of two small late-11th-century fishing boats discovered only in 1966 and carefully removed from the sea in 1974. One of these boats has been completely reconstructed, the other only to the extent to which it had been preserved underwater. The main themes in each room are elucidated in clear English translations.

One of the largest museums in Croatia, the Museum of Slavonia is located in an imposing Baroque building on Tvrđa's main square. It has myriad objects on display concerning the region's folklore, culture, and natural history, with everything from stuffed animals and old coins to pottery and swords.

One of the Old Town's two main public spaces, the ever-bustling Narodni trg is home to the Gradska straža (City Sentinel), which was designed by a Venetian architect in late-Renaissance style with a large central clock tower. The sentinel's stone barrier and railing, complete with holes for cannons, were added later. This impressive tower once housed the ethnographic section of the National Museum and is today a venue for various regular cultural exhibits.

Historically, Nin's riches came from an unlikely source: salt. Making the best of a rare geographical location with lots of sun, wind, and shallow sea basins, Nin Saltworks still produces salt in a traditional ecological way to this day. To commemorate salt's vast influence on the city's development, Nin opened a small but charming salt museum showing how this common table adornment was produced back in the day. While there, make sure to pick up a bag of fleur du sel, or "flower of salt," ultra-rich in minerals. You can take a tour led by a professional guide (offered on the hour) for a fee.

Dating back to 1418, Orlando's Column, located at the end of the Stradun and serving as a popular meeting point, is dedicated to legendary 8th-century knight Roland, who is said to have saved Dubrovnik from a Saracen attack near Lokrum. The white-stone column has become a symbol of freedom for the city, and the white Libertas flag is traditionally flown from the top during important events, such as the opening ceremony of the Dubrovnik Summer Festival.

At the southwestern tip of Cres is the town of Osor, whose strategic position on the channel between the islands of Cres and Lošinj ensured that wealth flowed into the town from trade ships. Famous for its garden sculptures, a wander through this well-preserved medieval town makes for a pleasant afternoon in an exceptionally tranquil location. There's even a cathedral, reflecting its former status, and many important archaeological sites have been discovered in the vicinity.

Housed in the former city hall near the cathedral, this museum contains one of the oldest archeological collections in Croatia, including artifacts from across the Roman empire.

Housed in the former city hall near the cathedral, this museum contains one of the oldest archeological collections in Croatia, including artifacts from across the Roman empire.

A paradise for hikers, bikers, and nature enthusiasts, Papuk Nature Park was the first geopark in Croatia to be recognized by UNESCO for its geological, biological, and cultural diversity. Within its 336 square km (129 square miles) are beech, oak, and fir forests, fresh rivers, lakes, and waterfalls, along with hiking and biking trails, swimming spots, and a ropes course. There are also archaeological sites from the Sopot and Starčevo cultures (5500–3500 BC), as well as Ružica Grad, an abandoned medieval castle that was built in the 15th century during Hungarian rule; it can be reached by hiking 15 minutes uphill from Lake Orahovica. The lakes and Ružica Grad can be reached in 30 minutes from Kutjevo. Guided tours can be arranged from the visitor center (ask your hotel to call in advance to organize).

The grounds of Park Angiolina are a wonderful spread of palm-punctuated lawns with a botanical garden. The vegetation is strikingly lush, including cacti, bamboo, and magnolias, plus neatly kept beds of colorful flowers and sweet-scented shrubs. Indeed, Opatija as a whole is a town saturated with botanical splendor. Iginio Scarpa, an aristocrat from Rijeka and the first settler in Opatija, began importing exotic plants and the tradition has survived into the present. The camellia is the symbol of the city.

This museum was founded by computer enthusiasts interested in collecting vintage computers and technology from the early days of the technological revolution. The collection includes everything from LEGOs to computers, old game consoles, and calculators. A large part of the mission of the museum is to educate visitors in the areas of science and math as the foundation for understanding technology. The great thing about the museum is that they encourage visitors to peek and poke at the displays not only with their eyes but also with their hands and their minds (hence the name).

Split's main city square (also known locally as a pjaca) can be accessed from Diocletian's Palace through the western or Iron Gate. Historically this was an important gathering place for Splićani (people from Split), and it remains so today. In the 15th century, several major public buildings were constructed here: the Town Hall, which today houses a contemporary art gallery, plus the Rector's Palace and a theater. The latter two were sadly demolished by the Hapsburgs in the 19th century. A Secessionist building at the west end of the square stands as a testament to that era. Once the city center of administration, it is now a prime location for kicking your feet up and indulging in one of the many restaurants and cafés that line the white marble square.

From Roman times to the present day, this has been the main public meeting place within the palace walls, featuring a spacious central courtyard flanked by Corinthian marble columns and richly ornamented cornices linked by arches. There are six columns each on the east and west sides and four more at the south end, which mark the monumental entrance to the domed Vestibul. During summer, two costumed Roman guards stand watch on the square and live concerts take place occasionally.